This agreement provides funding under the inflation reduction act (IRA) to portland metro to develop or update existing regional climate mitigation plans to address greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions…

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) awarded a $1,000,000 Cooperative Agreement to Metro, the regional planning agency for the Greater Portland area, to develop or update existing regional climate mitigation plans and conduct meaningful engagement with low-income and disadvantaged communities. This award is part of the EPA's Climate Pollution Reduction Grants program (CFDA 66.046), which provides funding to state, local, and tribal governments for planning and developing ambitious climate action and air pollution reduction initiatives.

The key activities and deliverables under this 4-year agreement include: 1) reviewing and summarizing existing climate action plans, policies, and programs in the region; 2) researching and conducting outreach around the impacts of greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction activities; 3) engaging stakeholders and coordinating across agencies/governments; 4) identifying low-income and disadvantaged communities and assessing the benefits of proposed measures; and 5) producing a Priority Climate Action Plan and a Comprehensive Climate Action Plan that quantify the projected GHG and co-pollutant reductions, including for underserved communities.

This agreement provides funding under the inflation reduction act (IRA) to portland metro to develop or update existing regional climate mitigation plans to address greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and reduction measures throughout the entire metropolitan area and to conduct meaningful engagement with low- income and disadvantaged communities and coordinate with geographically proximate tribes as appropriate. Metro, the regional planning agency for the greater portland region, will lead the EPA climate pollution reduction planning grant for the 7-county portland metropolitan statistical area. 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). Specific activities include: review and summarize existing climate action plans, policies, and programs in the region; research and conduct outreach around impacts of GHG reduction activities; stakeholder engagement; interagency/intergovernmental coordination; and identification of low-income and disadvantaged communities and assessment of benefits. Subrecipient:no subawards are included in this assistance agreement.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); a comprehensive climate action plan (ccap); and a status report. The 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. The intended beneficiaries include communities in the portland-vancouver MSA, particularly low-income and disadvantaged communities.