Rhode Island to benefit from a $450 million grant for community-driven solutions to cut climate pollution across New England

Rhode Island to benefit from a $450 million grant for community-driven solutions to cut climate pollution across New England

Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources is part of a coalition selected by the EPA to receive a $450 million Climate Pollution Reduction Grant to tackle climate change, improve air quality, and advance environmental justice

July 22, 2024

BOSTON (JULY 22, 2024) - Today, as part of the Biden-Harris Administration's Investing in America agenda, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced the general competition selection of the New England Heat Pump Accelerator to receive a $450 million Climate Pollution Reduction Grant to implement community-driven solutions that tackle the climate crisis, reduce air pollution, advance environmental justice, and accelerate America's clean energy transition.

The New England Heat Pump Accelerator is a coalition application led by Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, in partnership with the Maine Governor's Office of Policy Innovation and the Future, Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources, New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services, and Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources. The selected application will fund projects across Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island that will rapidly accelerate the adoption of cold-climate air-source heat pumps, heat pump water heaters, and ground source heat pumps. The project will support coalition partners in providing resources for more than 500,000 single-family and multifamily residential buildings.

"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."

"No community should have to worry about a future of heat waves, flooding, and sea level rise; and every community should be able to seize the opportunities of a transition to a clean energy future. Today's announcement underscores our commitment to addressing the climate crisis head-on through collaborative, community-driven solutions," said EPA Regional Administrator David W. Cash. "The $450 million Climate Pollution Reduction Grant for the New England Heat Pump Accelerator will not only advance our region's clean energy transition and create good jobs, but also deliver significant benefits to our communities by improving air quality, reducing energy costs, and fostering environmental justice. By working together, Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island are setting a powerful example of regional cooperation and innovation in tackling climate change."

"The federal government is revving up its engine to help people make the switch to cleaner and cheaper home energy options. Heat pumps are reliable, efficient and offer long-term economic and environmental benefits, helping consumers save big on their energy bills while reducing America's dependence on foreign oil. This is a smart investment in incentivizing people to make the upgrade to heat pumps so they can save money, increase the comfort and safety of their homes, and build cleaner communities. The more adopters, the more people will see the benefits that heat pumps generate in terms of home heating and cooling," said U.S. Senator Jack Reed.

"The New England Heat Pump Accelerator will advance progress toward the Ocean State's clean energy goals and ensuring a safe, livable planet for our children and grandchildren," said U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, who helped shape major climate provisions included in the Inflation Reduction Act. "Thanks to Democrats' Inflation Reduction Act, we're sending resources directly into communities across Rhode Island to help reduce climate pollution and make energy-efficient heating and cooling more accessible and affordable for families."

"Transitioning to energy efficient appliances like heat pumps is a smart move that can lower energy bills and save Rhode Islanders money during hot summers and cold winters alike," said Congressman Seth Magaziner. "I'm glad that this federal funding will ultimately put more money in the pockets of working people in RI and across the country."

"Thanks to today's announcement, thousands of residents in Rhode Island will soon be able to leverage federal support to upgrade their homes," said Congressman Gabe Amo. "These resources will help Ocean State homeowners save on their monthly bills and I am encouraged these energy efficient transformations will also accelerate our commitment to reduce our state's carbon footprint, meet our clean energy goals, and combat the climate crisis. I applaud President Joe Biden and Administrator Michael Regan for their commitment to invest in Rhode Island and bring down costs for families.

"This federal grant will help Rhode Island build on our successful Clean Heat RI program which is already helping to deploy heat pump installations across the state, lower costs for residents and advance our emission reduction objectives," said Governor Dan McKee. "Today's announcement is a big climate win for Team Rhode Island and our partnering states. Together, we are proud to receive the only award in New England and the second largest in the nation from today's EPA Climate Pollution Reduction Grant awards. We thank the Biden-Harris Administration, our congressional delegation and all federal partners for continuing to invest in Rhode Island's future."

EPA made its selections through a rigorous grants competition that was designed to be fair and impartial. The Agency reviewed nearly 300 applications that 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 that other states, local governments, Tribes, and even businesses can replicate in their work to tackle the climate crisis.

Together, 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. When estimates provided by all selected applicants are combined, the proposed projects would reduce greenhouse gas pollution by as much as 971 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent by 2050, roughly the emissions from 5 million average homes' energy use each year for over 25 years.

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 later this summer.

State, Tribal, and local action is vital to deliver on the President's commitment to reduce climate pollution by over 50 percent by 2030 and achieve net-zero emissions no later than 2050. The innovative measures contained in the selected applications, developed with input from local communities, are expected to achieve substantial public health benefits such as reducing exposure to extreme heat, improving air quality, reducing energy burden for lower income Americans, improving climate resilience, and providing workforce and economic development opportunities, particularly in low-income and disadvantaged communities.

The Climate Pollution Reduction Grants advance President Biden's historic Justice40 Initiative, which aims to ensure 40 percent of the overall benefits of certain climate, clean energy, and other federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution.

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 in 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.

Many of the proposed projects contained in the selected applications announced today, as well as the $250 million in planning grant funding that EPA is providing under the CPRG program for development of Climate Action Plans by state, local, and Tribal governments across the country, will complement the Biden-Harris Administration's historic federal actions and national climate strategies across sectors. Those include: the U.S. National Blueprint for Transportation Decarbonization, the Administration's efforts to achieve 100% clean electricity by 2035 and make zero emissions construction common practice by 2030, the Industrial Decarbonization Roadmap, the U.S. Buildings Decarbonization Blueprint, the Administration's climate-smart agriculture efforts and Nature Based Solutions Roadmap, the U.S. Methane Emissions Reduction Action Plan (pdf)(1.7 MB), the National Climate Resilience Framework, and more.

Learn more about the selected applications

Learn more about the CPRG program