This action provides funding in the amount of $1,000,000 to east central florida regional planning council to improve climate change

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) awarded a $1,000,000 Cooperative Agreement to the East Central Florida Regional Planning Council (ECFRPC) under the Climate Pollution Reduction Grants program (CFDA 66.046). The funding supports the development and update of regional climate mitigation plans to address greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and reduction measures across the Orlando metropolitan area. Key activities include creating comprehensive GHG inventories and mitigation strategies, in coordination with state agencies, universities, and non-profit organizations. ECFRPC plans to provide a subaward to the University of South Florida and ICLEI to assist with community engagement and the climate action planning process. The project will produce three key deliverables over the 4-year period: a Priority Climate Action Plan, a Comprehensive Climate Action Plan, and a final status report. Expected outcomes include quantifiable GHG and co-pollutant emissions reductions, enhanced collaboration between stakeholders, increased local government capacity, and improved community involvement, with a focus on serving low-income and disadvantaged communities.

This agreement provides funding under the inflation reduction act (IRA) to develop or update existing regional climate mitigation plans to address greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and reduction measures throughout the entire orlando metropolitan area and to conduct meaningful engagement with low- income and disadvantaged communities and coordinate with geographically proximate tribes as appropriate.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). In coordination with a comprehensive list of entities, including state agencies, universities, and nonprofit organizations, the ecfrpc will create comprehensive GHG inventories and GHG reduction measures to determine the most potent GHG emission sectors and initiatives to mitigate pollution.subrecipient:tbrpc plans to provide a subaward to the university of south florida, a non-profit organization to for work on community engagement, the iclei to assist with the climate action plan, a nonprofit (501)(c)(3) organization.outcomes:three key deliverables will be produced and submitted over the course of the four-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. Expected outcomes include a pcap and ccap that identifies tons of pollution (ghgs and CO-pollutants) reduced over the lifetime of the measures; enhanced collaboration between local governments and organizations; increased staff capacity to enact public policies; and improved community and stakeholder involvement and awareness. The intended beneficiaries include all residents and visitors of the florida area, specifically those in low-income and disadvantaged communities (lidac).