EPA Awards $4.3 Billion Climate Grants

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced over $4.3 billion in grants to tackle the climate crisis, reduce air pollution, promote environmental justice, and accelerate the transition to clean energy.

Why it matters: These grants will support state, local, and Tribal entities in 30 states, implementing significant measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and beyond, while creating high-quality jobs and benefiting disadvantaged communities.

The details:

• The 25 selected applications come from various entities, including states, local governments, Tribes, and coalitions.
• The initiatives are expected to improve air quality, lower energy bills, provide cleaner water, and increase access to green spaces and public transportation.
• The grants span six major sectors: transportation, electric power, buildings, industry, agriculture and natural and working lands, and waste and materials management.
• Significant investments include $1.18 billion for transportation, $1.06 billion for buildings, and $931 million for agriculture and natural and working lands.

What they’re saying:

• “We have got to reject the false choice between protecting our planet and protecting our jobs. We can and must do both,” said Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro.
• John Podesta, the president’s senior adviser for international climate policy, stated, “These grants put local governments in the driver’s seat to develop climate solutions that work for their communities.”
• “This funding is the product of bringing everybody on the front lines of the climate crisis into the conversation,” said Ali Zaidi, the White House national climate adviser.

The impact: The projects funded by these grants are projected to reduce emissions by 150 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents by 2030 and up to 971 million metric tons by 2050.

What’s next: The plan is for recipients to receive the funds as early as this fall, although future political shifts could impact the initiative.

Full story

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced $4.3 billion in grants to tackle the climate crisis. The grants will support state, local, and Tribal entities in 30 states. The grants aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and beyond.

Thanks to @POTUS, California and @SouthCoastAQMD are getting $500 million to help cut pollution in our transportation and freight sector.https://t.co/SLzAV6FaaV

— California Governor (@CAgovernor) July 22, 2024

They are expected to improve air quality, lower energy bills, and increase access to green spaces and public transportation. The grants will also create high-quality jobs across the U.S.

Thanks to the Biden-Harris Administration, $4.3B from @EPA's Climate Pollution Reduction Grants program will invest unprecedented resources in our cities, states, and Tribes to fund climate solutions that work best in their communities. https://t.co/b4U9jYJ11q

— Michael Regan, U.S. EPA (@EPAMichaelRegan) July 22, 2024

The selected applications span six major sectors:

🚨NEW🚨

Thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act, California communities are getting $500 million+ to reduce pollution and help tackle the climate crisis!

This is part of more than $4 billion in climate action investments nationwide ⬇️https://t.co/mcsbLWK9ka pic.twitter.com/7AxbtABBQp

— Rep. Salud Carbajal (@RepCarbajal) July 23, 2024

1. Transportation: $1.18 billion for zero-emission freight trucks, electric vehicles, and reducing vehicle miles traveled.

2. Electric Power: $372 million for solar and wind power deployment and re-development of brownfields for renewable energy. 3.

Buildings: $1.06 billion for energy efficiency in residences, commercial buildings, and public buildings.

Epa’s $4.3 billion climate funding

4.

Industry: $636 million to reduce emissions from industrial facilities and limit methane emissions from coal mines and oil and gas production. 5. Agriculture and Natural and Working Lands: $931 million for reforestation, restoration of coastal and forest lands, and climate-smart agricultural practices.

6. Waste and Materials Management: $121 million for capturing landfill methane and diverting organic waste from landfills. New England states have secured $450 million in federal grants to accelerate the adoption of electric heat pumps.

Massachusetts will receive an estimated $100 million. The “New England Heat Pump Accelerator” aims to make heat pumps the primary choice for residential heating, cooling, and water heating sales by 2030. The grant will be divided into three initiatives: a “market hub” for incentives and training, an “innovation hub” to support heat pump projects in low-income communities, and a “resource hub” to share heat pump data across the states.

These investments are expected to yield significant environmental and economic benefits, facilitating the transition towards a more sustainable and resilient future.