Illinois — Today, the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) announced that Illinois will receive more than $430 million in Climate Pollution Reduction Grants (CPRG) to tackle climate pollution, improve air quality, and advance environmental justice across the state. The Illinois Clean Jobs Coalition submitted a letter of support to the USEPA early on in the CPRG application process to advocate for these grant funds, which will couple with Illinois’ Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA) to rapidly accelerate our clean energy progress.
Climate Pollution Reduction Grant funds will support projects that support building and industry decarbonization, freight electrification, climate-smart agriculture, and renewable energy.
“We are thrilled that Illinois’ position as a national leader on climate and energy policy has made it possible for us to leverage in-state momentum to secure federal funding like the Climate Pollution Reduction Grant and create more good paying clean energy jobs,” said Samira Hanessian, Climate Policy Director of the Illinois Environmental Council and member of the Illinois Clean Jobs Coalition. “This Inflation Reduction Act funding enhances the workforce development programs already established by CEJA to further accelerate the build out of Illinois’ electric vehicle infrastructure and other existing initiatives. Yet again, Illinois’ Climate and Equitable Jobs Act and the federal Inflation Reduction Act are working together to bring historic climate investments home to our communities, with particular attention to low-income and disadvantaged communities across the state who need clean air, affordable energy, and clean energy jobs the most.”
“Illinois has already started to see the benefits of a just transition away from fossil fuels, and the state is well on its way to a carbon-free future–from our booming community solar sector, to the forthcoming launch of workforce hubs that will train the next generation of clean energy workers,” said Amanda Pankau, Director of Energy and Community Resiliency at Prairie Rivers Network and member of the Illinois Clean Jobs Coalition. “Here in Central and Southern Illinois, the new funding from the Climate Pollution Reduction Grants will help us double down on those successes and speed up our transition to renewable energy while also reducing pollution, protecting public lands, and creating more clean energy jobs.”
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