NEW YORK – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced it will award $3 million for New Jersey to plan innovative strategies to cut climate pollution and build clean energy economies across the state. Earlier this month, EPA announced the availability of the funds, which represent the first funding going to states, local governments, Tribes, and territories from the Climate Pollution Reduction Grants (CPRG) program created by President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act. Later this year, EPA will launch a competition for $4.6 billion in funding to implement projects and initiatives included in the plans. New Jersey will be eligible to receive that implementation funding also because it has opted in to receive the planning grant.

New Jersey is among the 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico that are eligible to receive $3 million each in EPA Climate Pollution Reduction planning grant funds. New Jersey will use the funds to augment planning already underway in the state in collaboration with partners, including municipalities statewide, and conduct meaningful engagement, including with overburdened communities throughout the state that are often the most impacted by climate change. New Jersey met its 2020 greenhouse gas reduction goal years ahead of schedule and has multiple efforts underway to mitigate the impacts of climate change. New Jersey will use these funds to support its ongoing effort to achieve a low carbon economy and reduce carbon emissions by 80% by 2050. This includes expanding clean energy infrastructure and building resilient communities across the state.

“I want to congratulate the State of New Jersey for being among the first states to sign on to this substantial opportunity. New Jersey is a national climate leader and model for other states searching for ways to make the most out of the once-in-a-generation Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law resources,” said EPA Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia. “It is so important that states and local governments across the country take advantage of this planning funding, because behind it comes an even more substantial investment to do the work and governments that don’t opt in now can’t take advantage of that implementation funding later this year.”

“New Jersey thanks its congressional delegation and the EPA for once again prioritizing and supporting innovative climate action,” said New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy. “Now more than ever, it’s clear that we must confront the urgency of the worsening climate crisis by leveraging every resource and tool at our disposal. Made possible by President Biden’s historic Inflation Reduction Act, these funds will provide support for updates to our foundational climate plans and allow us to further prioritize and implement our accelerated clean energy goals and ongoing efforts to build resilient communities across the state.”

“New Jersey is excited to advance its critical work of reducing and responding to climate change in partnership with our colleagues at USEPA whose support will bring more resources to our collective efforts,” said State Commissioner of Environmental Protection Shawn M. LaTourette. “This historic program will enable us to accelerate New Jersey’s Global Warming Response Act initiatives, which are centered on planning and implementing measures that reduce emissions of climate pollutants, improve air quality and public health, and better serve our communities.”

“The state of New Jersey, having met its greenhouse gas reduction goals set in 2020 ahead of schedule, will utilize these funds to craft modernized approaches that will continue reducing carbon emissions, harmful air pollution, and aid the state in achieving a low carbon economy for its citizens by 2050,” said Senator Bob Menendez. “The Climate Pollution Reduction Grants program will provide New Jerseyans and their families the clean energy infrastructure, and the successful clean energy economy they deserve, especially those communities overburdened by the impacts of climate change.”

“Rising sea levels, storm surge, and pollution highlight the urgency of tackling climate change and investing in protecting New Jersey communities, including communities of color that disproportionally face these environmental, health, and economic impacts,” said Senator Cory Booker. “This funding will help our state plan for a low-carbon future by building more clean energy infrastructure and more resilient communities.”

“The Inflation Reduction Act is about creating an American Made economy, and today’s announcement shows these historic investments are coming to South Jersey,” said Congressman Donald Norcross (NJ-01). “South Jersey has proven time and again to be a leader in fostering a cleaner, more reliable economy for our families and workers. By supporting our state’s best and brightest, we will continue to harness the power of our offshore wind industry and create good-paying jobs that last. I will continue fighting to ensure South Jersey and its workers get their fair share of these historic investments.”

“Our actions combating climate change today will define the health of our environment for our children and generations to follow. When I voted for the Inflation Reduction Act, I knew that projects like this would change people’s lives and would help clean our air,” said Congressman Andy Kim (NJ-03). “We’re investing more now to combat climate change than we ever have and I look forward to seeing our air, our water, and our climate heal while we also transition to a greener, more sustainable economy and clean energy infrastructure.”

“For years now, I’ve been working to protect our environment for future generations and to claw more federal tax dollars back to Jersey from Washington. This federal investment — secured through legislation I helped pass — will help protect our air and drinking water, combat pollution, fight climate change, and create jobs. The more federal tax dollars that we get back to Jersey, the less our communities have to charge in local taxes — and I’m all about lowering taxes,” said Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-05).

“The Inflation Reduction Act was a historic investment in our efforts to tackle the worsening climate crisis, and I’m glad New Jersey opted in to receive critical new funding to develop and expand comprehensive greenhouse gas reduction plans. As Chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee last Congress, I fought hard for the Climate Pollution Reduction Grants so that states like New Jersey can continue to make progress toward their climate goals and transition to a clean economy. I’m pleased to see that progress take shape today and will keep working to ensure communities across New Jersey have the necessary resources to fight the climate crisis,” said Congressman Frank Pallone (NJ-06).

“Today’s announcement of $3 million from the Climate Pollution Reduction Grant is welcome news for our communities that have suffered from the impacts of greenhouse gases and air pollution for far too long,” said Congressman Rob Menendez (NJ-08). “These funds will support New Jersey’s plans to reduce carbon emissions and mitigate the impacts of climate change. In order to advance environmental justice in communities that have historically had to shoulder the burden of pollution, we must continue working towards reducing greenhouse gases while paving the way for a clean energy future in New Jersey. This is yet another example of the Inflation Reduction Act delivering for our constituents and our environment.”

“We included climate funding when we passed President Biden’s American Rescue Plan so our nation could fight climate change with every tool at our disposal. With these funds we’re announcing today, New Jersey will be able to continue leading the way on cutting pollution and building clean energy economies. Most importantly, these funds will help us secure a healthier, more prosperous future for our children and our grandchildren. The American Rescue Plan continues to deliver,” said Congressman Bill Pascrell, Jr. (NJ-09).

“I was proud to help New Jersey secure this $3 million award to develop plans to cut pollution and invest in clean energy across the state,” said Congressman Donald M. Payne, Jr. (NJ-10).  “This funding and the Climate Pollution Reduction Grants program are great examples of the Biden Administration’s leadership in the fight against climate change, especially in low income and underserved areas of the country.  New Jersey achieved its latest greenhouse gas emissions goal ahead of schedule and this funding will help it improve the state’s clean energy infrastructure to meet its next goal by 2050.  Climate change is damaging the world’s environment already and we must do everything we can to reverse these effects before it’s too late.”

“New Jersey families struggle every day with the effects of climate change, including flooding, heat waves, extreme storms, and rising energy costs,” said Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11). “The Inflation Reduction Act, which I was proud to champion in Congress, is providing critical federal support to state and local governments in the fight against climate change without raising taxes. These federal grants provide New Jersey communities with the resources to grow clean energy jobs, build healthier neighborhoods, and reduce climate emissions.”

“I’m proud to represent a state that takes the climate crisis seriously. New Jersey met its 2020 greenhouse gas reduction goal ahead of schedule, and thanks to this Climate Pollution Reduction funding, we are on track to reduce carbon emissions by 80 percent by 2050,” said Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12). “New Jersey will put this investment to work for those who need it most. Low-income, Black, and brown communities disproportionately bear the burden of pollution and climate change. This EPA grant, which comes as part of Democrats’ Inflation Reduction Act, recognizes the unique needs of overburdened communities and will give them the economic, health, and social support they have historically lacked.”

President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act includes historic funding to combat climate change while creating good-paying jobs and advancing environmental justice. Today’s announcement builds on $550 million announced last week for EPA’s new Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Grantmaking program and $100 million announced earlier this year for environmental justice grants to support underserved and overburdened communities. Additionally, the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund will award nearly $27 billion to leverage private capital for clean energy and clean air investments across the country.

About the Climate Pollution Reduction Grant Program

The CPRG planning grants will support states, territories, Tribes, municipalities and air agencies, in the creation of comprehensive, innovative strategies for reducing pollution and ensuring that investments maximize benefits, especially for low-income and disadvantaged communities. These climate plans will include:

• Greenhouse gas emissions inventories;
• Emissions projections and reduction targets;
• Economic, health, and social benefits, including to low-income and disadvantaged communities;
• Plans to leverage other sources of federal funding including the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act;
• Workforce needs to support decarbonization and a clean energy economy; and
• Future government staffing and budget needs.

In program guidance released earlier this month, EPA describes how the agency intends to award and manage CPRG funds to eligible entities, including states, metropolitan areas, Tribes, and territories.

Next Steps

This funding for climate planning will be followed later this year by a national grant competition for $4.6 billion in implementation grant funding that will support the expeditious implementation of investment-ready policies created by the CPRG planning grants, programs, and projects to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the near term. Through the CPRG program, EPA will support the development and deployment of technologies and solutions that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and harmful air pollution, as well as transition America to a clean energy economy that benefits all Americans.

By summer 2023, EPA Regional Offices expect to award and administer the funding agreements once all legal and administrative requirements are satisfied.