The agreement provides funding under the inflation reduction act (IRA) to the north dakota department of environmental quality (nddeq) to develop a comprehensive, economy-wide climate mitigation…

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 8 has awarded a $3M Cooperative Agreement to the North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality (NDDEQ) under the Climate Pollution Reduction Grants program (CFDA 66.046). This award will enable NDDEQ to develop a Priority Climate Action Plan (PCAP) by March 2024 and a Comprehensive Climate Action Plan (CCAP) within 2 years, in collaboration with communities across North Dakota. The plans will quantify greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and reduction measures, analyze impacts on low-income and disadvantaged populations, and identify implementation authority and funding opportunities. NDDEQ will provide up to $450,000 in subawards to municipalities to assist in planning their climate pollution reduction goals. The expected outcomes include reduced GHG and co-pollutant emissions, improved staff capacity, enhanced community engagement, and increased trust and transparency.

The agreement provides funding under the inflation reduction act (IRA) to the north dakota department of environmental quality (nddeq) to develop a comprehensive, economy-wide climate mitigation plan or update an existing plan in collaboration with air pollution control districts, large and small municipalities statewide, and tribal governments that will support actions to reduce greenhouse gases (GHG) and harmful air pollutants and to conduct meaningful engagement with low-income and disadvantaged communities. Specifically, the grant will be used to develop a priority climate action plan (pcap) and a comprehensive climate action plan (ccap) in collaboration with municipalities and communities across the state, with efforts focused on concerns and impact on low-income and disadvantaged communities.activities:in general, activities include the development, updating, and evaluation of plans to reduce climate pollution (i.e., to reduce GHG emissions and/or enhance carbon sinks). Nddeq intends to use the grant funding to hire a contracted facilitator to develop north dakota's GHG inventory, GHG emissions projections, and quantified GHG reduction measures; conduct an impact analysis on low-income and disadvantaged communities; review implementation authority; and identify opportunities for available complimentary funding. These activities will incorporate stakeholder engagement processes to solicit and gather input from urban and rural areas, concentrating on engaging with representatives of disadvantaged communities and areas in which people have limited english proficiency. Nddeq plans to leverage existing and emerging partnerships with several north dakota state agencies, municipalities, environmental advocacy organizations, universities, tribal representatives, and agricultural groups. Subrecipient:the nddeq intends to offer 30 subawards to communities and municipalities to assist in planning their climate pollution reduction goals. This assistance will ensure that the pcap includes measures that are implementable by municipalities and communities. The nddeq anticipates each subaward to be no greater than $15,000. Total subawards are estimated to be $450,000 over a three-year award period.outcomes:three key deliverables will be produced and submitted over the course of the 4-year program period, including: a priority climate action plan (pcap), due march 1, 2024; a comprehensive climate action plan (ccap), due two years from the date of the award; and a status report, due at the close of the grant period. Because the state does not have a single collaborative climate action plan, developing the pcap will serve an important purpose for north dakota and is intended to reflect citizen needs gathered through comprehensive, broad public engagement activities. Interim deliverables include: creation of a comprehensive GHG emissions inventory by sector, focused on agriculture and the energy industry; development of GHG near- and long-term emissions projections; development of economy wide GHG emission reduction evaluations and quantified GHG reduction measures; an economic, health, and social benefit analysis of the evaluated reductions; a benefits analysis for low-income and disadvantaged communities; an assessment of the authority of the state to implement the GHG reduction measures; a workforce needs assessment to support decarbonization and a clean energy economy; and quarterly reports. Expected outcomes include a pcap and ccap that identifies: tons of pollution (ghgs and CO-pollutants) reduced over the lifetime of the measures; tons of pollution (ghgs and CO-pollutants) reduced annually; and tons of pollution (ghgs and CO-pollutants) reduced with respect to low-income and disadvantaged communities. Other expected outcomes include: improved staff capacity to implement policies to address climate change; enhanced community and tribal engagement; development of relationships of trust and transparency; increased