EPA announces $50 million grant to King County to cut climate pollution, improve air quality, and advance environmental justice

EPA announces $50 million grant to King County to cut climate pollution, improve air quality, and advance environmental justice

July 23, 2024

SEATTLE - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced the general competition selection of King County, Washington to receive a $49,999,975 Climate Pollution Reduction Grant. King County is among 25 selected applications to receive $4.3 billion in funding to implement community-driven solutions that tackle the climate crisis, reduce air pollution, advance environmental justice, and accelerate America's clean energy transition.

The King County application will support the reduction of operational emissions from existing multifamily and small commercial buildings across four counties in Washington (King, Kitsap, Pierce, and Snohomish). The selected application will help reduce embodied carbon emissions in new building construction and create systems to reuse wood at the end of a building's life to avoid emissions.

"Every community is feeling the impacts of climate change, from heat waves and drought conditions to increased wildfire smoke and severe winter storms. We must act collaboratively to reduce carbon emissions and to address the adverse impacts on people's health and our economic prosperity," said EPA Regional Administrator Casey Sixkiller. "Through the Biden Administration's Inflation Reduction Act, EPA is partnering with states and local communities to make the largest investments ever in green buildings, clean energy transportation, and climate justice, and the Pacific Northwest continues to lead the way."

"We're leading on climate action by cutting emissions, creating resilient frontline communities, and preparing for the impacts of climate change. Thanks to this funding from the EPA, King County will be able to work with local governments throughout the region to reduce climate pollution," said King County Executive Dow Constantine. "We look forward to partnering with the EPA and regional partners in the coming months to quickly set up these programs."

"We cannot meet the moment of the climate crisis without collaboration. This critical grant is an example of local, regional, and federal agencies coming together to reduce buildings-related carbon pollution, generate high-paying green jobs for residents, and create resilient communities and infrastructure," said Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell. "Seattle is grateful to have worked closely with King County on this funding proposal to advance our shared climate goals. The City will support grant implementation through decarbonizing commercial and multifamily buildings in Seattle, prioritizing affordable housing and communities overburdened by the impacts of climate change."

"Communities across our region are on the frontlines of the climate crisis. That's why this federal funding is a big deal," said Representative Derek Kilmer. "These funds will help local communities and tribes expand transportation electrification, transition to more energy efficient buildings, and support renewable energy workforce development and good-paying green jobs. I'm proud to have supported this proposal and look forward to the economic and environmental benefits we will see from these investments."

"I am thrilled to have helped secure more than $49 million to help promote clean energy in King County," said Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal. "Authorized by the Inflation Reduction Act, I was so proud to advocate for this funding to come to our community to help make affordable housing, family care centers, and other buildings more energy efficient. This is good not only for folks' wallets, but for the air we breathe."

"Regional collaboration against climate change is our best way to create substantial protections and improvements to public health and the quality of life for our residents," said Puget Sound Clean Air Agency Executive Director Christine Cooley. "The large scale of climate mitigation projects coming from this funding underscores the power of that regional coordination and the importance of innovative approaches to environmental justice. From reducing emissions on hot days to expanding wood recycling programs, this funding brings us one step closer to a cleaner, healthier, more just future."

EPA made its selections through a rigorous grant competition, reviewing nearly 300 applications to ensure the competition was fair and impartial. Applications were submitted by entities from across the country and requested a total of nearly $33 billion in funding. The 25 selected applications - from states, a Tribe, local governments, and coalitions of these entities - will receive federal funding to implement local and regional solutions. Many of these projects can be expanded and provide examples and blueprints that other states, local governments, Tribes, and even businesses can replicate in their work to tackle the climate crisis.

These selected projects will implement ambitious climate pollution reduction measures designed by states, Tribes and local governments that will achieve significant cumulative GHG reductions by 2030 and beyond. Together, these grants are estimated to reduce greenhouse gas pollution by as much as 148 million metric tons by 2030 and by 971 million metric tons by 2050, based on estimates provided by the selected applicants.Learn more about the selected applications.

EPA expects to announce up to an additional $300 million in selections under the Climate Pollution Reduction Grants program for Tribes, Tribal consortia, and territories in the coming weeks.

The grants will fund projects supporting the deployment of technologies and programs to reduce greenhouse gases and other harmful pollution across the country and build the infrastructure, housing, industry, and competitive economy needed for a clean energy future. These grants will also help businesses capitalize on new opportunities, spur economic growth and job creation by supporting new and growing industries, and support development of training programs to prepare workers. EPA expects to award the funds later this year, once all legal and administrative requirements are satisfied.

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