Second largest federal grant in Pa. history secured by Shapiro Administration

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• The Biden-Harris Administration investment in Pa. will create jobs and cut industrial pollution.
• The $396 million federal grant marks the second largest in Pennsylvania‘s history. 

• Pennsylvania is one of the largest grant winners in the country.

Nearly $400 million has been secured by the Shapiro Administration to fund efforts to help Pennsylvania companies create jobs and cut industrial pollution.

The $396 million federal grant marks the second largest in Pennsylvania’s history.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Michael Regan announced that the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has been selected to receive a grant for the Reducing Industrial Sector Emissions in Pennsylvania (RISE PA) project – 10% of the federal funds available for this program nationwide, making Pennsylvania one of the largest grant winners in the country. The RISE PA program is a part of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania‘s application to the EPA’s Climate Pollution Reduction Grant (CPRG) program, part of the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act.

“President Biden believes in the power of community-driven solutions to fight climate change, protect public health, and grow our economy,” Regan said in a statement. “Thanks to his leadership, the Climate Pollution Reduction Grants program will deliver unprecedented resources to states, local governments, and Tribes to fund the solutions that work best in their communities.

“Selected recipients have put forward ambitious plans to advance sustainable agriculture, deploy clean industrial technologies, cut emissions and energy costs in homes and commercial buildings, and provide cost- and energy-efficient heating and cooling to communities, creating economic and workforce development opportunities along the way,” added Regan.

According to a release, the Shapiro Administration has advocated for this federal funding from the EPA since January, and this investment from the Biden-Harris Administration to create jobs and cut industrial pollution will help build a stronger economy and healthier communities in Pennsylvania.

“My administration is taking real action to address climate change while continuing to create energy jobs and grow the economy – and I’m proud to announce that thanks to our partnership with the Biden-Harris Administration, Pennsylvania has been awarded $396 million in federal funding to start a new initiative called RISE PA,” Gov. Josh Shapiro said. “This is one of the largest federal grants Pennsylvania has ever received, and through RISE PA, we will offer grants for companies working to make their operations more efficient. This investment will help us reduce toxic air pollution, create thousands of jobs, invest in our energy sector, and continue Pennsylvania’s legacy of energy leadership.”

Pennsylvania’s industrial sector is the highest greenhouse gas (GHG) emitting sector, accounting for just over 30 percent of the Commonwealth’s total GHG emissions, per the 2023 Pennsylvania Greenhouse Gas Inventory Report. Under RISE PA, Pennsylvania will establish a competitive grant program to reduce pollution from industrial sources. RISE PA could reduce 5.2 million tons of carbon by 2050 – or about 10% of Pennsylvania’s annual industrial emissions.

The following proposed criteria will need to be satisfied by prospective projects: 

• Benefit low-income and disadvantaged communities. 

• Achieve GHG emission reductions that are long-lasting and certain. 

• Incorporate high labor standards, emphasize job quality, and support equitable workforce development.

“Thanks to this grant from the Environmental Protection Agency and the Biden-Harris Administration, Pennsylvania will continue to be an industrial leader and a leader in environmental protection,” said Pennsylvania DEP Acting Secretary Jessica Shirley. “The Reducing Industrial Sector Emissions in Pennsylvania program that will be funded through this grant has the potential to create good paying union jobs, reduce millions of tons of greenhouse gases, and increase manufacturing competitiveness in Pennsylvania.”