The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has launched $4.6 billion in competitive grants to fund state, local, and tribal programs and policies that reduce climate pollution, advance environmental justice, and deploy clean energy solutions throughout the country.
Climate Pollution Reduction Grants (CPRGs) will be available in two implementation grant competitions, one general and one specific to tribes and territories, the EPA said in a news release Wednesday. Under these competitions, eligible applicants will compete for the CPRG to fund measures in their specific state, municipal, tribal, or territorial climate action plans. As part of its evaluation of the applications, the agency said it will prioritize measures that achieve the greatest amount of reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.
EPA expects to award approximately 30 to 115 grants ranging from $2 to $500 million under general competition by fall 2024. The agency also expects to award approximately 25 to 100 grants ranging from 1 to 25 million dollars under the jurisdiction of tribes and territories. in winter 2024-2025. The deadline to apply for the general competition is April 1, 2024, while the deadline to apply for the tribes and territories competition is May 1, 2024, the release said.
The two new competitions are part of the second funding tranche of the EPA’s $5 billion CPRG program, which was created by President Joe Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act. The EPA has already made $250 million available to fund the development of climate action plans, and nearly every state, in addition to large cities, opted to receive these flexible planning resources. The $4.6 billion implementation grant competitions will fund initiatives developed in the first phase of the program, the agency said.
“Addressing the global climate crisis requires partnerships and action across the country,” said EPA Administrator Michael Regan. “President Biden secured this historic funding because he knows communities need resources to fund projects to reduce climate pollution, lift up disadvantaged communities, and reap the economic and job-creating benefits of climate action. By Investing in America , we are investing in communities so they can chart their own paths to a clean energy future.”
“EPA’s Climate Pollution Reduction Grant Program recognizes that to address the climate crisis and advance environmental justice, communities must be at the forefront of their own clean energy future” , said John Podesta, senior advisor to the president for Clean Energy Innovation and Implementation. . “That’s why these state, local and tribal grants are such an important part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda.”
“The Climate Pollution Reduction Grant Program is the largest program of its kind to help state, local, tribal, and territorial governments develop and implement a wide variety of greenhouse gas reduction measures Regional Administrator Lisa Garcia said. “From devastating hurricanes to widespread flooding in our area, our region is experiencing firsthand the urgent need to advance climate action. These grants give our partners the opportunity to invest in an economy cleaner that can spur innovation and economic growth while building more equitable and resilient communities.”
According to the release, the CPRG program will also advance President Biden’s Justice40 initiative, which aims to ensure that 40 percent of the overall benefits of certain federal climate, clean energy and other federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities which have been marginalized by the lack of investment and overloaded by Pollution.
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