The Climate Pollution Reduction Grant (CPRG) program is a federal grant administered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and funded by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).

The CPRG provides a total of $5 billion in grants to states, local governments, tribes, and territories to develop and implement ambitious plans for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and other harmful air pollution.

$3 Million Planning Grant

Delaware has been awarded $3 million through a CPRG planning grant.  The CPRG planning grant has two major components: a “Priority Climate Action Plan,” or PCAP, and a “Comprehensive Climate Action Plan,” or CCAP.

Priority Climate Action Plan

As required for the CPRG planning grant, the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) has developed the state’s Priority Climate Action Plan (PCAP) for the EPA.

The PCAP is based on the 2021 Climate Action Plan and uses the framework and strategies in that plan to identify key short-term priorities for maximizing rapid emissions reduction. 

The priorities in the PCAP were selected from the key strategies already identified in Delaware’s Climate Action Plan, and include:

• Increasing renewable energy generation
• Electrifying the transportation sector
• Reducing vehicle miles traveled
• Expanding energy efficiency efforts
• Equitable climate action and ensuring vulnerable communities are included
• Engaging stakeholders and collaborating with partners

Participation in the CPRG makes Delaware eligible to pursue further funding through competitive implementation grants.

Comprehensive Climate Action Plan

As part of the Climate Pollution Reduction Grant, DNREC must submit a Comprehensive Climate Action Plan (CCAP) to the EPA by August 2025.

The CPRG planning funding will be used to update the emissions reduction analysis for the state Climate Action Plan, with new components including:

Workforce development analysis, identifying key areas where Delaware’s workforce needs strengthening to support the clean energy transition.

Co-pollutant benefits analysis, which quantifies the health benefits of reducing other air pollutants (such as ground-level ozone, particulate matter, and VOCs) that are also linked to burning fossil fuels.

Low-income and disadvantaged communities (LIDAC) benefits analysis, focused on ensuring fair benefits and environmental equity for Delaware’s underserved communities.

The CPRG Program is a pollution reduction grant, so the CPRG only covers the emissions reduction components of Delaware’s Climate Action Plan.

Next Steps

DNREC will be engaging with the public, community-based organizations and local government throughout the development of the CPRG grant planning process.

Please take this survey to share your ideas on how to minimize greenhouse gas emissions in Delaware.

Join the Climate Plan mailing list or reach out to declimateplan@delaware.gov with questions, comments or to request more information.

Related Topics:  climate, climate action, climate change, climate coastal energy, climate plan, Climate Pollution Reduction, energy, plan