The agreement provides funding under the inflation reduction act (IRA) to the alaska department of environmental conservation (DEC), division of air quality, to develop a comprehensive, economy-wide…

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) awarded a $3,000,000 Cooperative Agreement under the Climate Pollution Reduction Grants program (CFDA 66.046) to the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), Division of Air Quality, to develop a comprehensive, economy-wide climate mitigation plan or update an existing plan in collaboration with air pollution control districts, municipalities, and tribal governments across Alaska.

The grant funds will support activities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and harmful air pollutants, including conducting emission inventories, data analysis, and public engagement, particularly with low-income and disadvantaged communities. The Alaska Municipal League (AML) will serve as a subrecipient to lead community outreach and emission inventories in at least 353 communities statewide. Expected outcomes include quantifiable reductions in greenhouse gas and co-pollutant emissions, improved emission estimation and reduction capacity, and increased awareness and participation from small, rural, and disadvantaged communities.

The agreement provides funding under the inflation reduction act (IRA) to the alaska department of environmental conservation (DEC), division of air quality, 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. Activities:activities include the development, updating, and evaluation of plans to reduce climate pollution (i.e., to reduce GHG emissions and/or enhance carbon sinks). DEC intends to partner with the alaska municipal league (AML), which has cultivated deep community connections and can utilize those ties to conduct the work necessary to complete this project. DEC will conduct a criteria pollutant and GHG emission inventory of combustion GHG emissions, transportation emissions (all fuel types), industrial process (all fuel and process types), and land use (emissions sink). Subrecipient:alaska municipal league will conduct community outreach and community emission inventories in at least 353 communities (communities will be defined as cities, towns, villages, and census-designated places as defined by the U.S. Census bureau).they will analyze and synthesize the collected data into a format compatible with arcgis databases and publish the final online geospatial dashboard and modeling tool in a publicly accessible format. Additionally, they will collate information on proposed mitigation projects from communities. Outcomes: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 emission estimation and reduction capacity; data and methodologies available to the public to enable community-based emissions work; improved awareness of communities' concerns and priorities; and improved representation and participation by residents of small, rural, and disadvantaged communities. The intended beneficiaries include all residents of and visitors to alaska.