Hampton Roads leaders have authorized the HRPDC to lead and apply for a first-of-its-kind, $1 million Climate Pollution Reduction Grant to reduce greenhouse gases in our region.

The Climate Pollution Reduction Program is a new EPA program to fund the development and implementation of plans to reduce greenhouse gases. This program is optional, but eligible entities were required to submit the Notice of Intent to Participate to the EPA in late April. After discussion among the HRPDC Commissioners, the HRPDC staff was granted approval to move forward with submission as the lead agency for the Virginia Beach-Norfolk- Newport News MSA.

HRPDC staff laid out an initial scope of the plan during the April meeting, which includes a greenhouse gas inventory, quantified greenhouse gas reduction measures, and a low-income and disadvantaged communities benefit analysis.

The key deliverables are a Priority Climate Action Plan, due in March 2024, a Comprehensive Climate Action Plan due in Summer 2025, a Status Report of Greenhouse Gas Reduction Measures due in 2027, and key stakeholder and public engagement throughout the process (like this!).

For more information on the Climate Pollution Reduction Grants, a part of the Inflation Reduction Act, you can visit: https://www.epa.gov/inflation-reduction-act/climate-pollution-reduction-grants#CPRGSampleDocuments To see the presentation from the April 2023 HRPDC meeting, please visit: https://www.hrpdcva.gov/uploads/docs/042023%20PDC%2008_Presentation%20Climate%20Pollution%20Reduction%20Grant.pdf