Shapiro Administration Secures Nearly $400 Million in Federal Funding to Create Jobs and Cut Pollution – BCTV

from Office of Governor Josh Shapiro

On Monday, July 22, Governor Josh Shapiro joined U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Michael S. Regan, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Acting Secretary Jessica Shirley, President of the Allegheny-Fayette Labor Council Darrin Kelly, and local elected leaders to celebrate the Shapiro Administration securing nearly $400 million to fund efforts to help Pennsylvania companies lower climate emissions while creating good-paying jobs and supporting Pennsylvania’s economy.

EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan announced that the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has been selected to receive a more than $396 million grant for the Reducing Industrial Sector Emissions in Pennsylvania (RISE PA) project – 10% of the federal funds available for this program nationwide, making Pennsylvania one of the largest grant winners in the country. The RISE PA program is a part of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s application to the EPA’s Climate Pollution Reduction Grant (CPRG) program, part of the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act.

“My Administration is taking real action to address climate change while continuing to create energy jobs and grow the economy – and today, I’m proud to announce that thanks to our partnership with the Biden-Harris Administration, Pennsylvania has been awarded $396 million in federal funding to start a new initiative called RISE PA,” said Governor Josh Shapiro. “This is one of the largest federal grants Pennsylvania has ever received, and through RISE PA, we will offer grants for companies working to make their operations more efficient. This investment will help us reduce toxic air pollution, create thousands of jobs, invest in our energy sector, and continue Pennsylvania’s legacy of energy leadership.”

“President Biden believes in the power of community-driven solutions to fight climate change, protect public health, and grow our economy. Thanks to his leadership, the Climate Pollution Reduction Grants program will deliver unprecedented resources to states, local governments, and Tribes to fund the solutions that work best in their communities,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “Selected recipients have put forward ambitious plans to advance sustainable agriculture, deploy clean industrial technologies, cut emissions and energy costs in homes and commercial buildings, and provide cost- and energy-efficient heating and cooling to communities, creating economic and workforce development opportunities along the way.”

According to the 2023 Pennsylvania Greenhouse Gas Inventory Report, the industrial sector is Pennsylvania’s highest greenhouse gas (GHG) emitting sector, accounting for just over 30 percent of the Commonwealth’s total GHG emissions. Under RISE PA, Pennsylvania will establish a competitive grant program to reduce pollution from industrial sources. RISE PA could reduce 5.2 million tons of carbon by 2050 – or about 10% of Pennsylvania’s annual industrial emissions. Examples of eligible initiatives could include installing energy-efficient heat recovery systems to reduce the energy required to heat or cool an industrial facility, electrifying an industrial plant by swapping out diesel-powered generators with equipment that runs on electricity, and capturing coal mine methane from mining operations. All of these projects would cut pollution and address climate change while creating good jobs and helping companies cut costs.

The DEP applied for and received an initial $3 million from the EPA in January to develop a Priority Climate Action Plan focused on reducing emissions in the Commonwealth’s industrial sector. DEP worked with industry, labor, and environmental leaders to craft the application for RISE PA, which will provide funding for industries to reduce carbon and benefit the health and safety of Pennsylvania communities.

“Thanks to this grant from the Environmental Protection Agency and the Biden-Harris Administration, Pennsylvania will continue to be an industrial leader and a leader in environmental protection,” said Pennsylvania DEP Acting Secretary Jessica Shirley. “My family has a long history of working blue-collar manufacturing jobs like millions of Pennsylvanians. The Reducing Industrial Sector Emissions in Pennsylvania (RISE PA) program that will be funded through this grant has the potential to create good paying union jobs, reduce millions of tons of greenhouse gases, and increase manufacturing competitiveness in Pennsylvania.”

Prospective projects will need to satisfy the following proposed criteria:

• Benefit (and not negatively impact) low-income and disadvantaged communities
• Achieve GHG emission reductions that are long-lasting and certain
• Incorporate high labor standards, emphasize job quality, and support equitable workforce development

Pennsylvania has a long legacy as a national energy leader – for over 100 years, the Commonwealth has been one of the nation’s top energy producers, embracing innovation to create jobs, lower costs, and drive progress. RISE PA and the $400 million secured by the Administration today builds on the energy plan that Governor Shapiro laid out earlier this year.

“By helping the industry decarbonize, reducing their emissions and reducing pollution and becoming more energy efficient, we are going to invest in businesses that are here, create good jobs, and improve air quality. It’s a win, win, win across the board,” said Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato. “This investment, it’s going to make sure that we are investing in the businesses and the people that are here so we can improve air quality. We can keep businesses here. We can create family sustaining jobs and invest in communities that had been left behind for too long to ensure that everyone can thrive.”

To cement Pennsylvania’s place as one of the world’s top energy producers, Governor Shapiro’s energy plan will protect and create more than 14,500 energy jobs, lower utility bills for Pennsylvania households, and take real action to address climate change pollution. If passed by the legislature, the Governor’s initiatives would save Pennsylvania ratepayers $252 million in the first five years, while generating $5.1 billion in investment in clean, reliable energy sources. The Governor looks forward to continuing to work with the General Assembly to secure Pennsylvania’s energy future while ensuring the health and safety of our communities.

While we invest in energy and work to ensure affordable and reliable power for the long term, we also need to reduce pollution, address climate change, and protect Pennsylvanians’ public health and safety.