EPA Awards $4.3 Billion in Climate Pollution Reduction Grants

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced the allocation of the inaugural Climate Pollution Reduction Grants (CPRG), totaling $4.3 billion. This funding, part of the Inflation Reduction Act, aims to support states and municipalities in their strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Jeremy Tarr, U.S. State Policy Director at CATF, remarked that this announcement marks a significant victory for state and local initiatives to cut emissions while aligning with their specific energy, economic, and climate goals. He noted that these grants will foster innovative technologies to reduce emissions across various sectors, including transportation, industry, and methane, in a diverse array of states. Tarr also highlighted that the CPRG program has already spurred unprecedented climate planning over the past year among states, tribes, and local governments.

Holly Reuter, Climate and Clean Energy Policy Implementation Director at CATF, praised the Inflation Reduction Act for fulfilling its promises. She commended the EPA for quickly creating, implementing, and executing this program and expressed optimism about the high level of interest the grant program received. Reuter emphasized that this funding will significantly enhance states’ capabilities to tackle emissions while supporting local economic growth.

John Carlson, Senior Northeast Regional Policy Manager at CATF, noted Pennsylvania’s historical leadership in American industry since the first steel mill opened in 1866. He stated that the new funding would allow Pennsylvania to continue this legacy with groundbreaking industrial decarbonization projects. Carlson expressed gratitude for the opportunity to collaborate with state leaders to ensure Pennsylvania’s ongoing leadership in energy and technology and to maintain a robust domestic workforce.

Despite being a new initiative, the CPRG program has already achieved notable results. Alongside today’s awards for specific projects, 46 states and many tribes and municipalities have utilized planning grants earlier in the CPRG process to develop their unique climate plans. The program’s flexibility and scope are reflected in the more than $33 billion in proposed projects across 46 states. The high demand for the grants indicates a nationwide interest in additional CPRG funding.

ATF collaborates with states to develop and implement tailored emission-reduction strategies. The organization has created multiple resources beneficial to awardees and applicants who did not receive grants today. These resources include identifying other potential funding streams for projects related to clean trucks, fuel corridors, industrial decarbonization, and more. CATF and its partners are dedicated to helping states and municipalities ensure that the planning, collaboration, and hard work invested in these initiatives yield long-term benefits.

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