Michael F. Bennet

22/07/2024 | Press release | Archived content

Bennet, Hickenlooper Welcome Nearly $330 Million in Climate Pollution Reduction Grants for Colorado

Bennet, Hickenlooper Welcome Nearly $330 Million in Climate Pollution Reduction Grants for Colorado

July 22, 2024

Denver- Colorado U.S. Senators Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper welcomed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) announcementthat Colorado will receive nearly $330 million in Climate Pollution Reduction Grants (CPRG) to reduce greenhouse gas pollution and accelerate America's clean energy transition.

"The Inflation Reduction Act made the largest investment to confront climate change in history, and Colorado is uniquely positioned to benefit from it and lead the transition to a clean energy economy," said Bennet. "With nearly $330 million for Colorado, these Climate Pollution Reduction Grants will reduce greenhouse gas pollution by helping decarbonize homes and businesses, and addressing methane pollution from landfills, mines and other sources. I'm pleased the EPA is working with local leaders to ensure these investments reach every corner of our state."

"Colorado is already tackling climate change head-on, but to reach our climate goals, we'll need to continue investing in cleaner technologies and decarbonization efforts," said Hickenlooper. "We passed the historic Inflation Reduction Act to do just that. And now it's delivering millions to Colorado to help businesses and local governments measure - and cut - their carbon emissions!"

EPA's CPRG program provides funding for states, local governments, Tribes, and territories to develop and implement ambitious plans for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and other harmful air pollution.

The funding announced includes nearly $200 million for the Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG) to reduce emissions from residential and commercial building sectors and increase energy and resource efficiency within the Denver Metropolitan Area, and over $129 million for the Colorado Energy Office to invest in methane emissions monitoring and reporting, support the decarbonization of large commercial buildings, and collaborate with local governments to increase their capacity to engage with climate-focused work.

"Our guiding mission is ensuring all people in Colorado have clean air to breathe, clean water to drink and the opportunity to live healthy lives," said KC Becker, Regional Administrator, EPA."These grants - unprecedented in their funding - bring us and Coloradans closer to achieving these goals. With nearly $330 million coming to Colorado, pollution that has overwhelmed communities across the state can be addressed through the selectees' thoughtful, targeted projects. The Colorado Energy Office will be aiming to reduce emissions from landfills and coal mines, while the Denver Regional Council of Governments will be focused on decarbonizing local homes and commercial buildings across the Denver Metropolitan area-collectively benefitting millions of Coloradans across the state and economic sectors."

"This award is a testament to the dedication and hard work of not just the entire DRCOG team, but the unwavering support from our member government partners, as well as over 90 program supporters across industry, labor, government and the broader community," said Jeff Baker, Commissioner, Arapahoe County and Board Chair, DRCOG. "The region's Metro Vision Plan calls for healthy, inclusive and livable communities, and this federal grant will enable us to take bold, visionary steps to reduce climate pollution and protect the health and well-being of our residents. We are grateful for the support and look forward to working with our partners to achieve these ambitious goals."

"We are proud of all the work we have done to position ourselves as a national leader in addressing climate change through economy-wide emissions reductions," said Will Toor, Executive Director, Colorado Energy Office. "Local and Tribal government actions are crucial to this effort, and this funding will ensure that they can adopt and implement key policies to help us achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. This money will also help large building owners reduce their energy usage and associated emissions. We are grateful to the EPA for this award and for recognizing the great work happening across the state to protect the environment, improve air quality and save Coloradans money."

"Cutting emissions of this powerful greenhouse gas is absolutely vital to achieving our overall climate goals," said Jill Hunsaker Ryan, Executive Director, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. "These projects represent an extraordinary investment in Colorado's future, and I am grateful to the EPA for the funding. These projects will improve our understanding of methane emissions, enhance the accuracy and reliability of our data and ultimately result in hundreds of thousands of tons of emissions reductions annually."