EPA New England Awards Nearly $5M to State of Massachusetts and Two Metropolitan Areas for Comprehensive, Economy-wide Climate Mitigation Planning
Publilshed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
BOSTON (Aug. 30, 2023) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Region 1 is awarding a total of nearly $5 million from the agency’s Climate Pollution Reduction Grants (CPRG) program to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and two metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) in Massachusetts.
Awards given to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts as well as the MSAs of Boston-Cambridge-Newton and Worcester will fund the development of plans and innovative strategies to cut climate pollution and build clean energy economies. Working in tandem with other programs also funded by the Inflation Reduction Act, CPRG provides flexible planning resources to local governments, states, Tribes, and territories for climate solutions that protect communities from pollution and advance environmental justice.
“Congratulations to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and to the Boston and Worcester metropolitan areas for receiving a total of nearly $5 million to develop comprehensive strategies to address climate change, reduce local air pollution, and build clean energy economies in their communities,” said EPA New England Regional Administrator David W. Cash. “Thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act, and the Biden-Harris Administration’s Investing in America agenda, underserved and overburdened communities will be meaningfully engaged to ensure they benefit from the creation of good jobs, lower energy costs, and cleaner air through the climate pollution mitigation measures planned through these grants.”
Massachusetts is among 46 states across the nation that will be receiving up to $3 million in planning grant funds. Statewide planning efforts will be led by the Office of Climate Innovation and Resilience. The census-designated MSAs of Boston-Cambridge-Newton and Worcester are among more than 70 metropolitan areas across the nation eligible to receive up to $1 million each in planning grant funds. These MSAs extend into neighboring states and include several municipalities in Connecticut and New Hampshire.
The Metropolitan Area Planning Council and the Central Massachusetts Regional Planning Commission will administer the funds in their respective MSAs as lead agencies. The lead agency for each state and MSA will use the funds to update existing climate, energy, or sustainability plans, or to develop new plans in collaboration with municipalities and communities across the state and metropolitan areas and conduct meaningful public engagement on the plan, focusing on low-income and disadvantaged communities.
This funding for climate planning will be followed later this year by a national grant competition for $4.6 billion in implementation grant funding that will support the expeditious implementation of investment-ready policies, programs, and projects outlined in the CPRG planning grants to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the near term.
About the Climate Pollution Reduction Grant Program
On March 1, EPA announced the availability of these funds, which are the first series of climate pollution funding opportunities for states, local governments, territories and Tribes under Section 60114 of the Inflation Reduction Act. The CPRG planning grants will support states, territories, Tribes, municipalities, and air agencies, in the creation of comprehensive, innovative strategies for reducing pollution and ensuring that investments maximize benefits, especially for low-income and disadvantaged communities. Through the CPRG program, EPA will support the development and deployment of technologies and solutions that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and harmful air pollution, as well as transition America to a clean energy economy that benefits all Americans.
Climate plans will include:
- Greenhouse gas emissions inventories.
- Emissions projections and reduction targets.
- Economic, health, and social benefits, including to low-income and disadvantaged communities.
- Plans to leverage other sources of federal funding, including the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act.
- Workforce needs to support decarbonization and a clean energy economy.
- Future government staffing and budget needs.
More information
Climate Pollution Reduction Grants
CPRG Planning Grant Program Guidances
Sign up for notifications about the Climate Pollution Reduction Grants
If you have questions about the CPRG program, please contact your EPA regional representative or email CPRG@epa.gov.
Read the full article at: https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-new-england-awards-nearly-5m-state-massachusetts-and-two-metropolitan-areas
