EPA awards $4.3B for climate pollution reduction projects

The Biden administration has announced more than $4 billion in Environmental Protection Act (EPA) grants to cut climate pollution across 30 states.

The grants will be disbursed through the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and are set to go to a total of 25 projects. The funds will be aimed at reducing greenhouse gas pollution from the transportation, electric power, commercial/residential building, industrial, agricultural and waste management sectors.

EPA administrator Michael Regan is set to announce the selections in Pittsburgh today with Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (D). Shapiro, the governor of a pivotal swing state, has been named as a potential running mate for Vice President Harris since President Biden’s announcement he will withdraw from his re-election campaign. Pennsylvania is set to receive $396 million under the grant. Administration officials said the selected projects could reduce emissions by 971 million metric tons by 2050.

“This is one of the largest federal grants Pennsylvania has ever received, and through RISE PA, we will offer grants for companies working to make their operations more efficient,” Shapiro said in a statement. “This investment will help us reduce toxic air pollution, create thousands of jobs, invest in our energy sector, and continue Pennsylvania’s legacy of energy leadership.”

“President Biden believes in the power of community-driven solutions to fight climate change, protect public health, and grow our economy. Thanks to his leadership, the Climate Pollution Reduction Grants program will deliver unprecedented resources to states, local governments, and Tribes to fund the solutions that work best in their communities,” Regan said.

Biden’s term has been marked by aggressive emissions reduction targets, with a goal of cutting greenhouse gas emissions by half by the end of the decade. In the wake of the president’s announcement Sunday, the Democratic Party is likely to message around Biden’s environmental legacy as well as present Harris as its inheritor as the party seeks to maintain its hold on younger and progressive voters.

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