President Biden Announces $4.3 Billion In Climate Grants

Photo: REUTERS/Tom Brenner

WASHINGTON, DC (Reuters) – The Biden administration on July 22 announced 25 projects pitched by 30 different state, local, and tribal governments that applied for $4.3 billion in grants created by the president’s signature climate law.

The grants, which will be distributed to winners by early fall, will support the deployment of clean energy technology across sectors ranging from housing to agriculture.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said it has reviewed nearly 300 applications that requested over $30 billion.

The administration has said the selected projects when combined would reduce greenhouse gas pollution by as much as 150 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) by 2030, or roughly 2 percentage points. The U.S. has pledged to slash its CO2e emissions by 50%-52% by that year.

With the 2024 election looming and campaigning ramping up, the EPA and other federal agencies are scrambling to distribute grants earmarked by the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act. Former President Donald Trump and Republican lawmakers have eyed repeals of several IRA grant and loan programs.

“These grants will help state and local governments improve the air quality and health of their communities while accelerating America’s progress toward our climate goals,” said John Podesta, senior advisor to President Joe Biden for International Climate Policy.