The EPA’s Newest, Massive Grant Includes Benefits to North Carolina
Governor Roy Cooper announced that North Carolina and three other southeastern coastal states will benefit from a $421 million grant under the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Climate Pollution Reduction Grant (CPRG) program. The funds will support an array of natural land conservation and restoration projects designed to reduce carbon pollution. The funding is expected to cover over 200,000 acres of coastal habitats, forests, and farmland across North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and Maryland.
“Protecting our natural lands for future generations is not only critical to our fight against climate change but also our state’s economy and tourism industries,” said Cooper. “This major award from the Biden-Harris administration will strengthen our bipartisan partnership to conserve and restore public and private lands across state lines.”
“This substantial Climate Pollution Reduction Grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will enable North Carolina to conserve more natural lands and restore degraded streams and wetlands,” said Reid Wilson, Secretary of the NC Dept. of Natural and Cultural Resources. “These projects will make our state more resilient to the devastating effects of climate change.”
The Atlantic Conservation Coalition
This “Atlantic Conservation Coalition” of states will partner with The Nature Conservancy to conserve and restore crucial peatland wetlands, coastal habitats, and forests. Partners across all four states collaborated to identify high-value projects that substantially reduce carbon emissions, bolster resilience to natural hazards, protect vital natural lands from development and pollution, and benefit underserved local communities. This grant is one of the largest grants ever awarded by the EPA and the largest for nature-based climate solutions. This grant is part of $4.3 billion in grant funding made available by the Inflation Reduction Act for Climate Pollution Reduction Grants.
Importance of the Grant & Implementation
The League of Conservation Voters’ Vice President of Government Affairs, Sara Chieffo, said, “We applaud the Biden-Harris administration and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for this monumental investment in community-driven climate change and environmental justice projects. These grants are another critical step forward and build upon the historic climate progress the Biden-Harris administration has already made.”
The Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC) praised the EPA for creating “an unprecedented opportunity for state and local leaders to take climate action in the South.” Alys Campaigne, the Climate Initiative Leader for SELC said if “thoughtfully implemented, these grants will help alleviate pollution and health risks for millions of overburdened and underserved people in our region.“
