This assistance agreement provides funding under the inflation reduction act (IRA) to lehigh valley planning commission to develop or update existing regional climate mitigation plans to address…

This Cooperative Agreement award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 3 under the Climate Pollution Reduction Grants program (CFDA 66.046) provides $1,000,000 in funding to the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission to develop regional climate action plans and quantify greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction measures.

The key deliverables include a Priority Climate Action Plan (due 03/01/2024), a Comprehensive Climate Action Plan (due 2 years from the award date), and a Status Report (due at the end of the 4-year period). These plans will identify tons of GHG and co-pollutant reductions achieved through the proposed measures, with a focus on benefits to low-income and disadvantaged communities. The funding will also support increased staff capacity, community engagement, and public awareness around climate planning in the Lehigh Valley metropolitan area.

This assistance agreement provides funding under the inflation reduction act (IRA) to lehigh valley planning commission 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. Specifically, the recipient will utilize their own staff and resources to develop a priority climate action plan, which serves as the area's climate action plan and roadmap to meeting interim climate targets; comprehensive climate action plan (ccap), which serves as the metro area's climate action plan and roadmap to meeting interim climate targets; and a status report, an assessment of each GHG reduction measure identified in the ccap that covers the lehigh valley region. Activities:in general, activities include the development, updating, and evaluation of plans to reduce climate pollution to reduce GHG emissions and/or enhance carbon sinks. Specific activities include the development of a targeted public policy on industrial decarbonization, development of a series of priority actions to support policies to reduce carbon pollution in a quantifiable way, leverage existing working groups and partnerships to inform the planning process, and build upon the 2021 lvpc regional climate action assessment and other existing plans. 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), 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. 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. Other expected outcomes include: improved staff capacity, increased community and public engagement on climate planning, improved awareness of project and results. The intended beneficiaries include lehigh valley metropolitan statistical area community residents, local governments and other climate planning partners.