Priority Climate Action Plan

As part of the IRA, the DEP is administering a new grant program funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to combat damaging climate pollution. The Climate Pollution Reduction Grants (CPRG) program will use the funding to provide grants to states, local governments, tribes, and territories to develop climate action plans and implement projects to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other air co-pollutants. This program aims to achieve three objectives:

• Tackle damaging climate pollution while supporting the creation of good jobs and lowering energy costs for families.
• Accelerate work to address environmental injustice and empower community-driven solutions in overburdened neighborhoods.
• Deliver cleaner air by reducing harmful air pollution in places where people live, work, play, and go to school.

By reducing these GHG emissions and other air pollutants, we can reduce the human impact on the environment and improve health outcomes related to climate hazards. The CPRG program has two funding phases: planning and implementation.

Outreach and Engagement

During the planning phase, the commonwealth will develop climate action plans that identify emissions reduction measures. The Priority Climate Action Plan (PCAP) by March 1, 2024, and a Comprehensive Climate Action Plan (CCAP) by July 1, 2025. The PCAP will include GHG reductions that are a priority for Pennsylvania communities and businesses, focusing on strategies for the industrial sector.

As a part of our engagement process, DEP plans to host meetings in communities around the state to convene with residents, learn about their needs and climate concerns, and incorporate their priorities into its PCAP. Public outreach will begin in Fall 2023 and will continue through the end of the CPRG Planning Phase in 2027.