EPA announces historic funding in a significant step to reduce emissions and bolster state economies
WASHINGTON – Today, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the awards of the first-of-its-kind Climate Pollution Reduction Grants (CPRG). Totaling $4.3 billion, this competitive implementation funding was included in the Inflation Reduction Act and will support states’ and municipalities’ greenhouse gas reduction strategies.
“Today’s announcement is a significant win for state and local efforts to reduce emissions while advancing their unique energy, economic, and climate priorities,” said Jeremy Tarr, U.S. State Policy Director at CATF. “These awards will further innovative technologies to reduce emissions in multiple sectors, including transportation, industry, and methane, across a diversity of states. Already the CPRG program has spurred unprecedented climate planning over the past year in states, tribes, and local governments.”
“The Inflation Reduction Act is already delivering on its promises, and today’s announcement of funding for projects in 30 states is a prime example. We applaud EPA for creating, implementing, and executing on this program in such a short period of time, and are encouraged by the amount of interest the grant program received,” said Holly Reuter, Climate and Clean Energy Policy Implementation Director at CATF. “This funding will have an immense impact on states’ abilities to tackle emissions and simultaneously support local economic growth.”
“Pennsylvania has been a leader of American industry since the first steel mill opened in 1866, and with today’s award, it will carry that legacy forward with groundbreaking industrial decarbonization projects across the commonwealth,” said John Carlson, Senior Northeast Regional Policy Manager at CATF. “We appreciate the opportunity to work alongside state leaders ensuring Pennsylvania continues its leadership in energy, technology, and a strong domestic workforce.”
Despite being a new program, the Climate Pollution Reduction Grants (CPRG) program has already delivered impressive results. In addition to today’s awards announcement for specific projects, 46 states and many tribes and municipalities used planning grants earlier in the CPRG process to develop their own unique climate plans. The flexibility and breadth of this program is evidenced by the more than $33 billion in projects proposed across 46 states. This popular program was oversubscribed with applications, which indicates an appetite across the country for additional CPRG funding.
CATF works with states to develop and implement customized emission-reduction strategies, and we have developed multiple resources useful to awardees and applicants that did not receive awards today. This includes resources to help identify other potential funding streams for projects related to clean trucks, fuel corridors, industrial decarbonization, and more. CATF and our partners are committed to helping states and municipalities ensure the planning, collaboration, and hard work that went into these initiatives pay dividends in the long run.
Press Contact
Samantha Sadowski, Communications Manager, U.S., ssadowski@catf.us, +1 202-440-1717
About Clean Air Task Force
Clean Air Task Force (CATF) is a global nonprofit organization working to safeguard against the worst impacts of climate change by catalyzing the rapid development and deployment of low-carbon energy and other climate-protecting technologies. With more than 25 years of internationally recognized expertise on climate policy and a fierce commitment to exploring all potential solutions, CATF is a pragmatic, non-ideological advocacy group with the bold ideas needed to address climate change. CATF has offices in Boston, Washington D.C., and Brussels, with staff working virtually around the world. Visit catf.us and follow @cleanaircatf.
