12/18: Join Our Climate Pollution Reduction Grants Virtual Townhall

Learn more about these federal grants that range from $2 million to $500 million for emissions reduction projects

CHICAGO (December 12, 2023) – You are invited to join a Climate Action Townhall on Monday, December 18^th, to learn about the U.S. EPA’s Climate Pollution Reduction Grants (CPRG) program, which will provide significant funding to develop and implement umbrella climate action plans that effectively reduce emissions.

The Metropolitan Mayors Caucus (Caucus) and CMAP are leading the development of a short-term Priority Climate Action Plan (PCAP) for the Chicago metropolitan statistical area (MSA) to identify prioritized climate mitigation strategies that have the potential for significant reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.  The Illinois EPA is also developing a PCAP for the State of Illinois. These overlapping PCAPs will guide CPRG Implementation funding for eligible entities in our region and state. The PCAP for the Chicago MSA will build on the Caucus’ Climate Action Plan for the Chicago Region as well as Chicago’s 2022 Climate Action Plan and other local plans already completed.

The U.S. EPA is offering CPRG Implementation Grants between $2 million and $500 million for state and local governments to implement priority emissions reduction measures outlined in these Priority Climate Action Plans. The urgency of the climate crisis demands quick planning and response. PCAPs are due March 1, 2024, and Implementation Grant proposals are due to the U.S. EPA April 1, 2024.

The scale of the climate crisis demands large, transformative projects that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions quickly and effectively. In our region, this presents an unprecedented opportunity for innovation and collaboration. Partners working on CPRG have created an online form to collect project ideas to foster collaboration.  We aim to position our region and state to strategically compete for CPRG Implementation funds.  Please contribute to this collaboration and dialogue by submitting your CPRG project ideas by December 20^th here.

Please join us for the virtual Climate Action Townhall: Opportunity for Implementation on Monday, December 18, at 2:00 p.m. to learn more about the Climate Pollution Reduction Grant planning and implementation.  The Caucus and CMAP will be joined by partners from the Illinois EPA, City of Chicago, and the Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission (NIRPC). Register for Townhall here. The Townhall will be recorded.