EPA Highlights $3 Million for Community-Driven Solutions to Cut Climate Pollution Across the Hudson Valley in New York
Poughkeepsie, N.Y. – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has selected the Hudson Valley Regional Council to receive $3 million through the Climate Pollution Reduction Grant program as part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s Investing in America Agenda and funded under the Inflation Reduction Act. Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia, Hudson Valley Regional Council Executive Director Carla Castillo and County Commissioner of Planning & Development Eoin Wrafter gathered with local leaders today at the Hudson Valley Regional Airport, overlooking the closed municipal landfill, to celebrate the project that will curb methane emissions in the Mid-Hudson Region of New York.
“Across the nation EPA is funding projects to reduce greenhouse gases and empower community-led solutions to succeed in the fight against climate change,” said Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia. “We are so pleased to bring that funding to local efforts right here in the beautiful Hudson Valley of New York State. Under this project, innovative and sustainable clean energy solutions will go into effect at over a dozen closed landfills in the area to improve air quality.”
The Hudson Valley Regional Council will use the grant to install biofilters that will reduce the amount of methane emitted into the air from closed landfills in the Mid-Hudson Valley region. The grant will also be used to promote the installation of solar arrays and battery storage systems, installation of native pollinator gardens, and to create long-term ecosystem stewardship plans at former landfills. HVRC will provide technical assistance to municipalities interested in leasing their landfill for community solar and/or battery storage installations. Of the 14 closed landfills targeted for this project, half are in historically disadvantaged communities.
The participating municipalities are:
Town of Amenia
Town of Bethel
City of Beacon
Town of Cornwall
Dutchess County
Town of Gardiner
Town of Hurley
City of Mamaroneck
City of New Paltz
Town of North East
Town of Philipstown
Town of Rhinebeck
Town of Wallkill
Town of Woodstock
“This critical federal grant, created by the Inflation Reduction Act I led to passage, will enable the Mid-Hudson Municipal Landfill Emissions Mitigation program to utilize biofilters to reduce the noxious and potent methane emissions from closed landfills,” said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. “The selected application will assist in providing technical assistance to install solar arrays and battery storage systems, while supporting ecological restoration through installation of native pollinator gardens to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and boost the urgent fight against climate change.”
“Investing in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and harmful air pollution is critical to combat climate change and create a greener future for all,” said Senator Kirsten Gillibrand. “I am thrilled to see that the Hudson Valley Regional Council has been selected for this grant to reduce fugitive methane emissions and help protect Hudson Valley communities from pollution. I am proud to have helped create the Climate Pollution Reduction Grants program through the Inflation Reduction Act and to have advocated to secure this funding for the Hudson Valley Regional Council. I thank the EPA for making this critical investment to address climate pollution and will continue to fight to mitigate climate change across New York State.”
“With the Hudson Valley experiencing yet another historic heat wave, the health of our families and climate can’t wait any longer. We have to act now to reduce greenhouse gas pollution,” said Representative Pat Ryan (NY-18). “I’m proud that this funding from the landmark Inflation Reduction Act will help the Hudson Valley Regional Council fight methane pollution – among the most potent greenhouse gasses – right here at home. That’s cleaner air for our families now and cooler air for future generations. I’ll keep fighting for the clean air, water, and soil that every American deserves.”
“Dutchess County continues to be a leader of environmental stewardship and sustainability efforts and this Climate Pollution Reduction Grant, one of just 25 awarded nationwide, is a testament to that,” said Dutchess County Executive Sue Serino. “We thank the EPA for funding this important biofilter project and we extend our gratitude to the Hudson Valley Regional Council for including us in this innovative work. HVRC has been a vital partner in many of Dutchess County’s sustainability efforts and we are pleased to work together to set an example for communities across the nation demonstrating how practical goals and actionable plans can lead to meaningful impact and ensure a sustainable and healthy future for our children and generations to come.”
“This is a significant win for the region,” said Carla Castillo, executive director of the Hudson Valley Regional Council. “With this funding, more residents in the Mid-Hudson Region – especially residents in historically disadvantaged communities – will be able to breathe cleaner air while enabling the Region to significantly reduce its share of GHG emissions. By taking a cohort approach to the landfill methane reduction issue, we can make a significant impact to climate change mitigation. Thank you to the Biden-Haris administration and the EPA for this Inflation Reduction Act opportunity, all our local leaders and Congressional delegation for their support, and our partner municipalities across the region for their collaboration.”
“The Town of North East has been in the forefront of efforts to clean up our environment and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” said Town of North East Supervisor Christopher Kennan. “We are proud to be part of a cohort of Hudson Valley communities that are focused on mitigating GHG emissions from our closed landfills. We are deeply grateful to the Hudson Valley Regional Council and to the EPA for this initiative, and for the recognition that there are practical and affordable technologies to accomplish this goal.”
Earlier this year, EPA made its Climate Pollution Reduction Grant selections through a rigorous grant competition, reviewing nearly 300 applications to ensure the competition was fair and impartial. Applications were submitted by entities from across the country and requested a total of nearly $33 billion in funding.
The 25 selected applications – from states, a Tribe, local governments, and coalitions of these entities – will receive federal funding to implement local and regional solutions. Many of these projects can be expanded and provide examples and blueprints that other states, local governments, Tribes, and even businesses can replicate in their work to tackle the climate crisis.
These selected projects will implement ambitious climate pollution reduction measures designed by states, Tribes and local governments that will achieve significant cumulative greenhouse gas reductions by 2030 and beyond. Together, these grants are estimated to reduce greenhouse gas pollution by as much as 148 million metric tons by 2030 and by 971 million metric tons by 2050, based on estimates provided by the selected applicants.
The Climate Pollution Reduction Grants advance President Biden’s historic Justice40 Initiative, which aims to ensure 40% of the overall benefits of certain climate, clean energy, and other federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution.
The projects support the deployment of technologies and programs to reduce greenhouse gases and other harmful pollution across the country and build the infrastructure, housing, industry, and competitive economy needed for a clean energy future. These grants will also help businesses capitalize on new opportunities, spur economic growth and job creation by supporting new and growing industries, and support development of training programs to prepare workers. EPA expects to award the funds later this year, once all legal and administrative requirements are satisfied.
The Biden-Harris Administration’s historic federal actions and national climate strategies across sectors are represented by a wide array of initiatives including the U.S. National Blueprint for Transportation Decarbonization, the Administration’s efforts to achieve 100% clean electricity by 2035 and make zero emissions construction common practice by 2030, the Industrial Decarbonization Roadmap, the U.S. Buildings Decarbonization Blueprint, the Administration’s climate-smart agriculture efforts and Nature Based Solutions Roadmap, the U.S. Methane Emissions Reduction Action Plan, the National Climate Resilience Framework, and more.
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