U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced $3 million for New Jersey to plan ways to reduce pollution and build clean energy economies.
The EPA funds are coming from the Climate Pollution Reduction Grants program from President Joe Biden's Inflation Reduction Act, according to a March 16 news release.
"I want to congratulate the state of New Jersey for being among the first states to sign on to this substantial opportunity," EPA Region 2 Administrator Lisa F. Garcia said in the release. "New Jersey is a national climate leader and model for other states searching for ways to make the most out of the once-in-a-generation Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law resources."
New Jersey was one of the 50 states, District of Columbia and Puerto Rico that each are eligible for $3 million in EPA Climate Pollution Reduction planning grant funds, according to the news release. New Jersey plans to use its funds for already-underway plans to achieve a low carbon economy and reduce carbon emissions by 80% by 2050. Those efforts include expansion of the state's clean energy infrastructure and building of resilient communities.
The state met its 2020 greenhouse gas reduction goal "years ahead of schedule" and also has multiple efforts underway that aim to mitigate climate change impacts, the news release said.
"New Jersey is excited to advance its critical work of reducing and responding to climate change in partnership with our colleagues at USEPA whose support will bring more resources to our collective efforts," New Jersey Commissioner of Environmental Protection Shawn M. LaTourette said in the news release. "This historic program will enable us to accelerate New Jersey's Global Warming Response Act initiatives, which are centered on planning and implementing measures that reduce emissions of climate pollutants, improve air quality and public health and better serve our communities."
States, local governments, Tribes and territories are eligible for funding through the Climate Pollution Reduction Grants program, according the news release.
"It is so important that states and local governments across the country take advantage of this planning funding, because behind it comes an even more substantial investment to do the work and governments that don't opt in now can't take advantage of that implementation funding later this year," Garcia said.
