The Environmental Protection Agency recently announced $4.3 billion in funding for 25 projects that will make the country cleaner, greener, and a little bit cooler.
The EPA received nearly 300 applications for plans looking to cut pollution, which contributes to the warming of the planet. Estimates from the 25 selected applicants combined show that the projects will reduce such pollution by as much as 971 million metric tons (over 1 billion U.S. tons) of carbon pollution by 2050.
The money will go to projects in 30 states — projects that will tackle the issue from a range of angles, including transportation, commercial and residential buildings, electric power, agriculture, and waste and materials management.
The funding is paid for as part of the Inflation Reduction Act, which includes nearly $400 billion in spending and tax credits for clean energy projects. Its goal is to speed up the country's transition away from dirty energy that contributes to the overheating of the planet.
Besides creating a cleaner environment for all Americans, the projects being funded will also create a lot of jobs.
Pennsylvania will receive $396 million to tackle industrial pollution, like that created in the production of cement and asphalt, and the projects are expected to create roughly 6,000 jobs.
"We have always said we've got to reject the false choice between protecting the planet and protecting jobs," said Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro. "We can and must do both."
There is also funding for projects that will boost electric vehicle infrastructure along Interstate 95 between Maryland and Connecticut, providing charging stations along one of the busiest interstates in the country.
The projects range from the adoption of heat pumps in the Northeast to agriculture waste management in Nebraska to the electrification of the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.
The funding extends to territories and tribal lands as well.
Rachel Patterson, state policy adviser at Evergreen Action, a climate advocacy organization, said: "These plans, whether or not they're funded through implementation grants, are still exciting because they provide a road map for what states really can do to be actionable."
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