Federal grant to help Mid-Atlantic states restore ecosystems, cut CO2 emissions By EPN Staff A regional coalition of mid-Atlantic states that secured $421 million in federal funds from the Environmental Protection Agency is leveraging that money to achieve an ambitious series of conservation and environmental restoration projects. The Atlantic Conservation Coalition (ACC), which includes agencies from North Carolina, South Carolina, Maryland and Virginia, was awarded the Climate Pollution Reduction Grant last year. Why it matters The agencies outlined plans to restore ecosystems, slash greenhouse gas emissions and bolster community resilience through efforts that include: Restoring salt marshes and living shorelines Assisting small forest landowners and planting trees in cities Conserving farmland and expanding outdoor recreation areas Coordinating community resilience and flood mitigation What the states are already doing The funds also will help support ongoing activities such as: North Carolina’s Executive Order 305 and the state’s Natural and Working Lands (NWL) Action Plan South Carolina’s strategic Statewide Resilience and Risk Reduction Plan Maryland’s Climate Pollution Plans targeting a 60% emissions reduction by 2031 and net-zero by 2045, as well as a goal to plant five million native trees Virginia’s Chesapeake Bay commitments, port decarbonization by 2040, and urban resilience efforts. More details The Climate Pollution Reduction Grant (CPRG), established in 2022 under the Inflation Reduction Act, provides funding to states, tribes, and local governments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In 2023, $4.6 billion was allocated for competitive grants ranging from $2 million to $500 million. The Atlantic Conservation Coalition applied for $421 million; the partnership included the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, the South Carolina Office of Resilience, the Maryland Department of the Environment and the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, as well as the Nature Conservancy. The proposed projects aim to cut 28 million metric tons of carbon dioxide by 2050.
