Puerto Rico eligible for up to $3M from EPA to tackle climate pollution
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the start of the Climate Pollution Reduction Grant Program (CPRG), which will make available $250 million to develop innovative strategies to cut climate pollution and build clean energy economies.
Puerto Rico, along with all 50 states and the District of Columbia, is eligible to receive up to $3 million in grant funds, the agency said upon announcing the latest round of grants coming through the Inflation Reduction Act.
The program provides flexible planning resources for states, tribes, territories and municipalities to develop and implement scalable solutions that protect people from pollution and advance environmental justice.
Under the formula-based program for planning grants, each state government will be expected to develop or update any existing climate action plan in collaboration with sub-state jurisdictions including air pollution control districts and large and small municipalities statewide, and to conduct meaningful engagement including with low-income and disadvantaged communities throughout its jurisdiction.
“We know that tackling the climate crisis demands a sense of urgency to protect people and the planet. President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act is a historic opportunity to provide communities across the country with the resources they need to protect people from harmful climate pollution and improve our economy,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan.
“These Climate Pollution Reduction Grants are an important first step to equip communities with the resources to create innovative strategies that reduce climate emissions and drive benefits across the country,” the official added.
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. These 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; and
- Future government staffing and budget needs.
States must submit a notice of intent to participate by March 31. By summer, EPA regional offices expect to award and administer the funding agreements, the agency noted.
This funding for climate planning will be followed later this year by $4.6 billion in implementation grant funding that will support the implementation of investment-ready policies created by the CPRG planning grants, programs and projects to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the near term.
