CHICAGO (March 1, 2024) – The Caucus has completed the Priority Climate Action Plan (PCAP) for the Chicago Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) to support eligible jurisdictions seeking funding for the implementation of Priority GHG Reduction Strategies identified by this plan. Implementation grant applications are due on April 1, 2024.

The U.S. EPA has created the Climate Pollution Reduction Grant (CPRG) Program to support states, large metropolitan regions, tribes, and territories in planning for potential investment in strategic climate action through the Inflation Reduction Act.  The U.S EPA has supported the Caucus to lead in the development of the PCAP as a pre-requisite to funding requests from any organization within the Chicago MSA seeking implementation grants.

The U.S. EPA describes eligible applicants in the CPRG Implementation Grant General Competition Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO): “…entities eligible to apply for an implementation grant under this announcement are states, municipalities, air pollution control agencies… that seek funding to implement one or more GHG reduction measures that are included in an applicable PCAP (submitted to EPA by March 1, 2024). An applicable PCAP is one that geographically covers the entity and contains GHG reduction measures that can be implemented by the entity.”

In preparing, CPRG implementation grant applicants should:

  1. Reference the following relevant Priority GHG Reduction Strategy or Strategies in the CPRG implementation grant applications. See Sections 5 and 6 of the PCAP for complete information about these Priority GHG Reduction Strategies.
  2. Reference low-income and disadvantaged communities (LIDAC) that will benefit from the implementation of the proposed CPRG implementation project using the LIDAC list here. See also PCAP Section 7 and Appendix D and E.

Note: The Priority GHG Reduction Strategies are meant to be inclusive of all strategic actions that will effectively implement the Strategy within the five-year implementation period of the grant and meet the goals of the CPRG program.

Applicants outside of the Chicago MSA may reference any Priority GHG Reduction Strategy that is included in their relevant State PCAP – Illinois PCAP,  Indiana PCAP, Wisconsin PCAP.

PCAP Background

The Caucus is the lead organization for the Climate Pollution Reduction Grant program for the Chicago MSA. The 2021 Climate Action Plan for the Chicago Region served as the foundation for the PCAP.

In the PCAP, the Caucus integrated strategies that will most effectively reduce emissions and best position the Chicago MSA to compete for CPRG investment. The Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) contributed greatly to the development of the PCAP.

In the long term, CMAP will lead in the development of a Comprehensive Climate Action Plan (CCAP) for the Chicago MSA, which is due in 2025. This plan will integrate additional components, including more precise GHG reduction measures, workforce development, and low-income and disadvantaged community benefits analyses.

For more information about the Caucus’ climate planning efforts, go to the Caucus’ Climate Change webpage.