EPA Press Office:

EPA Announces Nearly $250 Million Grant to New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection to Cut Climate Pollution on I-95

Funding Will Benefit Communities Across Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey and New York

Contact: Stephen McBay, (212)-637-3672, mcbay.stephen@epa.gov

NEW YORK (July 22, 2024) - Today, as part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s Investing in America agenda, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced the selection of the Clean Corridor Coalition, led by New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection , to receive a nearly $250 million Climate Pollution Reduction Grant to implement community-driven solutions that tackle the climate crisis, reduce air pollution, advance environmental justice and accelerate America’s clean energy transition.

“Today’s announcement marks a significant step forward in our efforts to address climate change and promote environmental justice along Interstate 95,” said EPA Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia. “The nearly $250 million grant to the Clean Corridor Coalition will not only reduce harmful emissions along one of the nation’s busiest freight corridors but will also help create jobs and produce health benefits for every community along I-95.”

“We thank the Biden-Harris Administration and our federal partners at the EPA for supporting the Murphy Administration’s commitment to a zero-emissions future that combats climate change and protects public health,” said New Jersey Commissioner of Environmental Protection Shawn M. LaTourette. “This award of nearly $250 million for truck charging infrastructure is a critical down payment for zero-emission freight movement and will catalyze the deployment of zero-emission freight trucks in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic region and beyond.”

“Building out New Jersey’s electric vehicle charging infrastructure helps our state lead the way in clean energy, green jobs, and securing a more secure and sustainable future. I am proud that the Inflation Reduction Act is delivering for our state and the I-95 Corridor through the Climate Pollution Reduction Grants program and is making historic and critical strides to reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” said Representative Andy Kim (NJ-03).

"I proudly helped author the historic Inflation Reduction Act, which has been a game-changer in our fight against climate change and protecting our environment. This $248.9 million grant, made possible through that law, is a huge step toward cutting greenhouse gas emissions and boosting clean energy infrastructure along the I-95 corridor. The Clean Corridor Coalition project not only tackles climate pollution but also supports job training and regional planning. By investing in electric vehicle charging infrastructure, we're paving the way for a greener future and showing our commitment to environmental stewardship,” said Representative Frank Pallone (NJ-06), Ranking Member of the US House Energy and Commerce Committee.

“I applaud the Environmental Protection Agency’s decision to install electric-vehicle charging infrastructure along the I-95 corridor in New Jersey. As one of the most densely populated states in the nation, it’s critical that the Garden State continues to reduce vehicle emissions and pollution in order to ensure residents have fresh air and mitigate the impacts of climate change,” said Representative Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11). “In Congress, I fought hard to pass the Inflation Reduction Act, which made one of the biggest investments in climate-resilient infrastructure in our history. I am glad to see that our work is continuing to bring our federal tax dollars back to improve the quality of life in the Garden State.”

“I am thrilled to celebrate this historic investment in green energy infrastructure thanks to President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act,” said Representative Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12). “The nearly $250 million dedicated to supporting renewable energy-driven commerce along I-95 will not only help us reduce carbon emissions and mitigate climate change, but strengthen our local economies, create well-paying jobs, and make meaningful progress towards climate justice throughout New Jersey’s 12th District and beyond. Thank you to President Biden and the EPA for making this possible.”

The Clean Corridor Coalition is a collaborative initiative that includes the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, the Delaware Department of Transportation and the Maryland Departments of the Environment and Transportation. The project aims to deploy electric vehicle charging infrastructure for commercial zero-emission medium- and heavy-duty vehicles along the Interstate-95 freight corridor. Additionally, NJDEP will provide technical assistance for workforce development and corridor planning across New Jersey, Connecticut, Delaware and Maryland. This initiative will not only reduce environmental exposures to transportation emissions, but increase the clean energy job pipeline, job training, and enterprise creation in disadvantaged communities. Workforce training programs will be specifically designed to include outreach to and recruit members of underserved areas, including those without college degrees.

EPA made its 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 GHG 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.

EPA expects to announce up to an additional $300 million in selections under the Climate Pollution Reduction Grants program for Tribes, Tribal consortia, and territories in the coming weeks.

State, Tribal, and local action is vital to deliver on the President’s commitment to reduce climate pollution by over 50% by 2030 and achieve net-zero emissions no later than 2050. The innovative measures contained in the selected applications, developed with input from local communities, are expected to achieve substantial public health benefits such as reducing exposure to extreme heat, improving air quality, reducing energy burden for lower income Americans, improving climate resilience, and providing workforce and economic development opportunities, particularly in low-income and disadvantaged communities.

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 grants will fund projects supporting 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.

Many of the proposed projects contained in the selected applications announced today, as well as the $250 million in planning grant funding that EPA is providing under the CPRG program for development of Climate Action Plans by state, local, and Tribal governments across the country, will complement the Biden-Harris Administration’s historic federal actions and national climate strategies across sectors. Those include: 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.

See the complete list of selected applications

Learn about the CPRG program

Learn more about how greenhouse gas reduction can occur in different sectors

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