On March 11, 2024, EPA announced that 45 states plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and dozens of Metropolitan Statistical Areas developed climate action plans as part of EPA’s $5 billion Climate Pollution Reduction Grants (CPRG) program created by IRA section 60114. The state and local entity plans document strategies to address pollution and environmental justice concerns that cover 96% of the U.S. population. The CPRG is covered by President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative and helps support economic growth, community participation, public health benefits, environmental justice, and more. Tribal plans are due by April 19, although EPA has already received 19 plans from Tribes.
The submitted plans lay the groundwork for the second phase of the CPRG program: $4.6 billion in competitive implementation grants that planning grant recipients and other eligible entities can use to fund GHG reduction measures contained within the plans. All planning grant recipients will also develop Comprehensive Climate Action Plans (due in the second half of 2025 for most grantees), which will include a broader suite of GHG reduction measures from all key emitting sectors – electric power, transportation, commercial and residential buildings, industry, agriculture/natural and working lands, and waste and materials management. The comprehensive plans will also contain GHG emissions projections and reduction targets, air quality and health benefits information, and workforce planning assessments. EPA has committed to providing grant recipients with technical support, tools, and other resources throughout the planning process.