Michael S. Regan 16th Administrator, United States Environmental Protection Agency | Official Website
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced today that the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PA DEP) has been selected to receive a $396 million Climate Pollution Reduction Grant. This funding is part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s Investing in America agenda, aimed at addressing climate change, improving air quality, and advancing environmental justice.
The PA DEP will use the grant for its Reducing Industrial Sector Emissions in Pennsylvania (RISE PA) project. This initiative aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the industrial sector through competitive grants and incentives for decarbonization projects across the state.
“President Biden believes in the power of community-driven solutions to fight climate change, protect public health, and grow our economy,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “Thanks to his leadership, the Climate Pollution Reduction Grants program will deliver unprecedented resources to states, local governments, and Tribes.”
EPA Regional Administrator Adam Ortiz emphasized the importance of such investments: "Investments such as this are paramount to ensuring communities across the region who are impacted the most have access to reduced climate and air pollution."
PA DEP Acting Secretary Jessica Shirley highlighted the potential benefits of RISE PA: “This grant has the potential to create good paying union jobs, reduce millions of tons of greenhouse gases, and increase manufacturing competitiveness in Pennsylvania.”
The EPA selected 25 applications from nearly 300 submissions requesting a total of almost $33 billion in funding. The chosen projects include efforts by states, a Tribe, local governments, and coalitions aiming to implement ambitious climate pollution reduction measures by 2030 and beyond.
The cumulative impact of these projects could result in a reduction of up to 971 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent by 2050—comparable to emissions from five million average homes’ energy use each year for over 25 years.
Further selections under this program for Tribes, Tribal consortia, and territories are expected later this summer with an additional $300 million available.
These initiatives align with President Biden’s commitment to reducing climate pollution by over 50% by 2030 and achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. They also support his Justice40 Initiative which aims for disadvantaged communities to receive at least 40% of overall benefits from federal investments in climate action.
Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) praised the investment: “We must reject the false choice between protecting jobs and protecting our environment.” Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) called it a "game-changing investment" that supports greenhouse gas-reducing projects while creating jobs.
Congressman Brendan F. Boyle (PA-02), Congressman Dwight Evans (PA-3), Rep. Madeleine Dean (PA-04), and Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05) also expressed their support for this significant funding towards clean energy initiatives in Pennsylvania.
