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How to Slow Global Warming: Three Widescale Efforts Could Make the Difference

 PNNL News Release:

As COP28 and a potential temperature overshoot loom on the horizon, scientists point to three major efforts that could curb global warming

September 29, 2023

RICHLAND, Wash.—With the 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference just nine weeks away, countries will soon take stock of their progress in the worldwide effort to slow and adapt to global warming. Better known as COP28, the conference offers the chance for countries to meet and coordinate their climate-mitigating pledges, like achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 or peak emissions by 2030.   Past research suggests that, if current pledges are upheld, the world is roughly enroute to keep warming below 2 degrees Celsius. But the original goal of the Paris Agreement—the 2015 climate change treaty in which 196 countries aspired to cap global warming at 1.5 degrees by the end of this century—remains stubbornly out of reach.   “There’s the bad news,” said Haewon McJeon, visiting professor at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology, whose research often focuses on assessing climate pledges. “We took stock of the current climate pledges around the world, and it all falls far short of the 1.5-degree goal. It’s not enough.”   What can countries do to bring the goal back within reach? In a new commentary published in the journal One Earth, researchers highlight that the biggest climate mitigation gains stand to be realized through three global efforts: reigning in non-CO2 emissions like methane and fluorinated gasses, ramping up carbon dioxide removal, and halting deforestation. Make sufficient progress in these areas, the authors said, and the 1.5-degree goal may inch back within our crosshairs.   "Mitigating emissions from all sources will be critical to limiting warming to less than 1.5 degrees Celsius," said Gokul Iyer, lead author on the commentary and an Earth scientist at the Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. "While most efforts to date have focused on carbon dioxide emissions in the energy sector, those three areas present opportunities for further ratcheting of ambition."   An opportunity to adjust course is fast approaching. The Paris Agreement holds a built-in “ratcheting” mechanism, a course-correcting process where countries can regularly revise their climate pledges in five-year increments.   Its purpose is to bring about more bold and ambitious action within the push to curb warming. COP28 marks the first time participating countries will undergo this “progress review,” known as the Global Stocktake, which stands to shape the adjusted pledges.   Ratchet up ambition to dial down emissions: Beyond carbon dioxide Carbon dioxide is the most well-known greenhouse gas, yet it is one of several. Though less prevalent, other gasses like methane and nitrous oxide can trap even more heat. The latter can linger in Earth’s troposphere for well over a century before moving to the stratosphere where it chips away at the ozone layer.   Dialing down nitrous oxide and other non-CO2 emissions sooner rather than later, the authors said, could help curb peak warming this century.   “Doing so could ‘flatten the curve’ of a temperature overshoot, where global temperatures exceed 1.5 degrees and eventually cool back down,” said Yang Ou, a coauthor on the study and researcher at the College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering at Peking University.   Some progress here has already been made, notably the Global Methane Pledge, in which over 150 countries voluntarily pledged to reduce methane emissions. Yet more detailed actions are needed, the authors said.   Fortunately, many of the technologies needed to reduce non-CO2 emissions already exist. Substituting climate-friendly cooling agents, detecting and repairing natural gas leaks, and recovering refrigerants when disposing of air conditioning or refrigeration equipment all could help in diminishing those emissions. Widespread dietary changes, like eating less meat, could also help dial down emissions within the agricultural sector.   Still, the authors said, more progress is needed. Countries could address a wider range of non-CO2 emissions. Currently, methane takes a large focus, whereas nitrous oxide and fluorinated gasses are equally if not more important, according to the new work.   And as new mitigation measures around these long-unaddressed emissions come into existence, countries could benefit from considering all sectors and sources from which they flow, from livestock to energy production.   Ramping up carbon dioxide removal  Removing carbon dioxide from Earth’s atmosphere is essential, the authors said. They highlight an important gap between the amount of carbon dioxide countries have pledged to remove versus the amount that must be removed to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement.   Current pledges are insufficient, according to the authors; we must pull an additional 1–3 gigatons of carbon dioxide from Earth’s atmosphere annually by 2030, and 2–7 gigatons annually by 2050. Otherwise, the 1.5-degree goal will likely remain out of reach.   Many carbon dioxide removal technologies remain nascent and expensive. Yet, to meet the warming goal, they must be made cost effective and deployed at wide scales. The next decade, the authors said, is key.   They call for incentives to drum up research, development, demonstration, and the deployment of novel and alternative carbon dioxide removal methods. A wide-ranging approach to carbon removal offers the surest course, from afforestation and reforestation to the use of biofuels paired with carbon capture and storage.   The authors note some progress: investments in carbon dioxide removal technology have swelled in recent years, totaling $4 billion in publicly funded research. Yet only a few countries have made such investments, which have mostly focused on a limited number of removal methods.   “More widespread participation could ultimately drive down costs,” said McJeon, also a coauthor of the new commentary. “And it could demonstrate an important point: that carbon dioxide removal can be carried out around the world in a variety of ways, as each region is better suited for some removal methods over others.”   Halting deforestation The authors of the new commentary point to 4.1 million hectares of tropical forest lost to deforestation in 2022 alone. A significant chunk of global emissions—16 percent—flowed from deforestation and other forms of land use change between 2012 and 2021. In some regions, forests that were once carbon sinks have turned into sources. What could greater ambition in this area look like?   The authors suggest several courses of action. Putting caps on climbing deforestation rates could help. Ceasing or reducing consumption of products like palm oil or soy, too, could protect forests in important regions like South America.   Better monitoring of illegal mining and hunting, creating new incentives to protect fire-prone forests from severe wildfire, and financing commitments to protect forests are all examples of worthwhile efforts, the authors said.   The team pays kudos to the European Union, the United Kingdom and Brazil, whose governments recently reported significant declines in deforestation rates since July 2022. The Forests and Climate Leaders' Partnership—a joint declaration to halt and reverse forest loss and land degradation by 2030—was signed by over 100 countries at COP27. If we are to meet the warming goal, however, similar progress must be made at a wider scale, according to the authors.   "While the upcoming global stocktake process will likely focus on assessing climate actions and progress made to date,” said Iyer, “it will be important to focus negotiations and discussions on initiatives to ratchet ambition in hitherto ignored areas. Progress in those areas could greatly shape the trajectory of global emissions in the coming decades and improve our chances of staying below 1.5 degrees Celsius."   This work stems from the Joint Global Change Research Institute, a partnership between the Center for Global Sustainability at the University of Maryland and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. There, researchers from a wide range of disciplines collaborate to model human and Earth systems, from those that harness and deliver energy into our homes to those that govern extreme weather. Their findings help policymakers make informed decisions about the wide range of potential consequences that flow from societal action.   In addition to Iyer, Jae Edmonds is also a PNNL author of this work. Alongside McJeon and Ou, their coauthors include Ryna Cui and Nathan Hultman of the Center for Global Sustainability at the University of Maryland, and Allen Fawcett of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. This work was supported by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Global Technology Strategy Program, and the National Research Foundation of Korea.

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory draws on its distinguishing strengths in chemistry, Earth sciences, biology and data science to advance scientific knowledge and address challenges in sustainable energy and national security. Founded in 1965, PNNL is operated by Battelle for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science, which is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States. DOE’s Office of Science is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, visit https://energy.gov/science. For more information about PNNL, visit PNNL's News Center. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram.

Berkeley Lab Awarded Two New Centers to Counter Climate Change

 Berkeley Lab News Release:

Berkeley Lab Awarded Two New Centers to Counter Climate Change

The programs will advance clean hydrogen and carbon sequestration technologies as part of DOE’s Energy Earthshots Initiative

LAUREN BIRON | (510) 621-9370 | SEPTEMBER 29, 2023

The Department of Energy has announced that Berkeley Lab will lead two Energy Earthshot Research Centers. (Credit: Department of Energy)

The Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) will host two new centers dedicated to advancing clean energy technology and combating climate change. The awards are part of DOE’s Energy Earthshots Initiative that launched in 2021 with the goal of speeding up technological breakthroughs and lowering costs.  DOE has so far launched seven Earthshots spanning clean energy and carbon reduction technologies. The Berkeley Lab programs announced today will address two of them: the Hydrogen Shot and the Carbon Negative Shot. Each of the new Energy Earthshot Research Centers will receive $19 million over the next four years.  The Hydrogen Shot aims to reduce the cost of hydrogen to $1 per kilogram of hydrogen (H2) in one decade. Switching from fossil fuels to clean hydrogen will reduce the emissions that cause climate change and local air pollution, and lowering hydrogen’s cost will open the door to use in new areas – including long-duration energy storage, manufacturing, and heavy-duty trucks and buses. But lowering future emissions is not enough to combat greenhouse gases already warming our atmosphere and exacerbating extreme weather events. The Carbon Negative Shot aims to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and store it at large scales for less than $100 per metric ton. “Our Energy Earthshots are game-changing endeavors to unleash the technologies of the clean energy transition and make them accessible, affordable, and abundant,” said U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm. “The Energy Earthshot Research Centers and the related work happening on college campuses around the country will be instrumental in developing the clean energy and decarbonization solutions we need to establish a 100% clean grid and beat climate change.” Hydrogen Shot: Center for Ionomer-based Water Electrolysis (CIWE) Berkeley Lab’s Center for Ionomer-based Water Electrolysis (CIWE) will investigate how to improve efficiency and drive down the cost of a process to make hydrogen: “water-splitting electrolysis.” This kind of electrolysis runs electricity through electrodes to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. The setups for this process often incorporate materials called “ionomers” – polymers that move charged particles (ions) and speed up the reactions that produce hydrogen. But the way these ionomers interact with other electrolyzer components isn't yet well understood, and even subtle changes can cause big swings in how the materials and the electrolyzer behave. CIWE researchers will use both physical systems and virtual “digital twins” to study these materials and their interfaces. With these approaches, they can closely examine the chemistry, structure, and reactions, greatly expanding the amount of available data for these complex interactions. With that information in hand, researchers aim to develop, optimize, and test new materials and processes in real-world devices.  “Our goal is to understand what’s happening at the small scale so we can create durable, efficient, and cost-effective hydrogen technologies,” said Adam Weber, the director of CIWE. “If we can boost the use of clean hydrogen, we can slow down climate change and dramatically improve air quality.” Partners in the center are Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Colorado School of Mines, Texas Tech University, University of Oregon, UC Berkeley, UC Irvine, and UC Merced.  Carbon Negative Shot: RESTOR-C: Center for Restoration of Soil Carbon by Precision Biological Strategies Berkeley Lab’s RESTOR-C will cultivate ways for plants and microbes to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and stably store it for more than 100 years in the soil.   The multi-disciplinary team will span biology, ecology, chemistry, and computer sciences. Researchers will study how carbon is fixed by plants and channeled into the soil, and test plant- and microbe-based strategies at field sites in California and New Mexico. Finally, the center will evaluate how to spread and scale the approaches to additional locations and crops.  “We know that the soil is a vast potential reservoir to store carbon pulled out of our warming atmosphere by plants,” said Susannah Tringe, the director of RESTOR-C. “With the right method, we can potentially accumulate carbon in agricultural lands across the United States and move toward a carbon negative future.” Partners in the center are Los Alamos National Laboratory, New Mexico State University, UC Berkeley, UC San Diego, and California State University Monterey Bay.

### Founded in 1931 on the belief that the biggest scientific challenges are best addressed by teams, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and its scientists have been recognized with 16 Nobel Prizes. Today, Berkeley Lab researchers develop sustainable energy and environmental solutions, create useful new materials, advance the frontiers of computing, and probe the mysteries of life, matter, and the universe. Scientists from around the world rely on the Lab’s facilities for their own discovery science. Berkeley Lab is a multiprogram national laboratory, managed by the University of California for the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Science.   DOE's Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States, and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, please visit energy.gov/science.

 EPA Press Office:

EPA Cleanup Plan Will Address Contaminated Soil at the Olean Well Field Superfund Site in Cattaraugus County, New York

NEW YORK (September 29, 2023) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has finalized its cleanup plan to excavate and remove soil contaminated with volatile organic compounds on the former AVX Corporation (AVX) property at the Olean Well Field Superfund site in Olean, New York. This action will protect those at risk and remove a source of groundwater contamination.

“Following a public meeting, and the opportunity to hear directly from the community, EPA has finalized its cleanup plan for the Olean Well Field Superfund site,” said Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia. “This plan will enable us to remove soil that is a source of contamination at this site and advance our over overall cleanup of the site.”

The finalized plan will address soil contamination that was not fully addressed by prior cleanup actions. The contamination is under and near the former manufacturing building on the AVX Property. Under the plan, contractors will:

• demolish and remove the concrete slab floor and foundation.
• dig out the polluted soil that is above the water table.
• take the dug-out material off site.
• restore the area with clean fill.

The Olean Well Field site is an approximately 1.5 square-mile area in Cattaraugus County that contains various wells, homes, and manufacturing facilities. Earlier industrial operations at the AVX property, as well as at three other facilities that EPA considers sources of site contamination, resulted in the contamination of soil and groundwater with trichloroethylene, 1,4-dioxane, and other volatile organic compounds. As a result of the contamination at all four facilities, EPA added the site to the Superfund list in 1983. Since that time, several investigations have led to cleanup remedies for the four source facilities impacting soil and groundwater, most of which are being carried out by parties responsible for the site.

On July 27, 2023, EPA proposed this cleanup plan to the public and held a public meeting on August 8, 2023, to explain the plan and take comments. The finalized plan, called a Record of Decision, released today, addresses the comments received and formalizes EPA’s selected cleanup plan for the contaminated soil at the site.

Visit the Olean Well Field Superfund site profile page for additional background and to view the Record of Decision.

Follow EPA Region 2 on Twitter now known as X and visit our Facebook page. For more information about EPA Region 2, visit our website.

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 EPA Press Office:

EPA Further Extends Comment Period for Proposed Cleanup of Contaminated Sediment at Quanta Resources Superfund Site in Edgewater, NJ

NEW YORK (Sept. 29, 2023) - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has extended the public comment period for its proposed cleanup plan to address contaminated sediment and surface water at the Quanta Resources Superfund site in Edgewater, New Jersey to November 6, 2023. The original public comment period was scheduled to end on October 6, 2023. EPA previously held a public meeting at the Edgewater Community Center on July 25, 2023, to explain the new cleanup proposal to the public.

The cleanup outlined in the proposed plan will address the sediment and surface water contamination in an area of the site called Operable Unit 2 (OU2). Sediment in OU2 is contaminated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), highly concentrated tar-like material referred to as non-aqueous phase liquid (NAPL), and arsenic. Under the proposed plan, EPA would oversee work to:

• Demolish the 115 River Road pier structure and remove other pilings and structures within the contaminated area, to access and remove contaminated sediment underlying the pier structure.
• Remove contaminated sediment to depths ranging from 10 to 30 feet and take it to a licensed facility off-site for disposal.
• Place a cap over less contaminated areas of the river bottom to lock in residual contamination.
• Establish “institutional” controls such as navigational restrictions, signs prohibiting swimming, wading, or fishing, and other use restrictions to protect the cap.
• Monitor sediment and surface water long-term to assess the effectiveness of the cleanup in preventing the migration of contaminants from sediment to surface water and maintaining the cap as needed.

Written comments on the proposed plan may be mailed or emailed by November 6, 2023, to Thomas Dobinson, Remedial Project Manager, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 290 Broadway – 19th Floor, New York, NY 10007, Email: Dobinson.Thomas@epa.gov.

For additional background and to see the proposed cleanup plan, visit the Quanta Resources Superfund site profile page.

Follow EPA Region 2 on Twitter and visit our Facebook page. For more information about EPA Region 2, visit our website.

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 EPA Press Office:

EPA Finalizes Rule to Require Reporting of PFAS Data to Better Protect Communities from Forever Chemicals

WASHINGTON (Sept. 28, 2023) – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized a rule that will provide EPA, its partners, and the public with the largest-ever dataset of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) manufactured and used in the United States. This rule builds on over two years of progress on the Biden-Harris Administration’s action plan to combat PFAS pollution, safeguarding public health and advancing environmental justice, and is a key action in EPA’s PFAS Strategic Roadmap.

PFAS are a category of manufactured chemicals that have been used in industry and consumer products since the 1940s. PFAS have characteristics that make them useful in a variety of products, including nonstick cookware, waterproof clothing, and firefighting foam, as well as in certain manufacturing processes.

The reporting rule under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) is a statutory requirement under the FY2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that requires all manufacturers (including importers) of PFAS and PFAS-containing articles in any year since 2011 to report information related to chemical identity, uses, volumes made and processed, byproducts, environmental and health effects, worker exposure, and disposal to EPA. 

“The data we’ll receive from this rule will be a game-changer in advancing our ability to understand and effectively protect people from PFAS,” said Assistant Administrator for the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention Michal Freedhoff. “Today we take another important step under EPA’s PFAS Strategic Roadmap to deliver on President Biden’s clear direction to finally address this legacy pollution endangering people across America.”

In order to effectively research, monitor, and regulate PFAS, EPA is taking action to better understand who is using PFAS, how they are being used, and in what quantities. This rule will produce actionable data that can be used by EPA, as well as state, local, and Tribal governments to craft policies and laws that protect people from dangerous “forever chemicals.” 

Since EPA proposed this rule in June 2021, the agency has provided multiple opportunities for public comment and stakeholder input, including a Small Business Advocacy Review Panel in April 2022 and an Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis released for public comment in November 2022.

The final rule expands on the definition of PFAS in the proposed rule to include 41 additional PFAS that were identified as being of concern. EPA has determined that at least 1,462 PFAS that are known to have been made or used in the U.S. since 2011 will be subject to the final rule, better capturing the important data the agency needs to protect human health and the environment from these chemicals. 

The final rule also streamlines reporting requirements and reduces the burden for those who made or used small quantities of PFAS for research and development purposes and for those who imported PFAS contained in articles into the U.S. 

Data is due to EPA within 18 months of the effective date of the final rule, with an additional six months for reports from small businesses that are solely reporting data on importing PFAS contained in articles.

Read the rule.

For further information: EPA Press Office (press@epa.gov)

 EPA Press Office:

It’s Official: Air Across New Jersey Meets National Standards for Sulfur Dioxide

Final Designation of Warren County as Meeting the Standard Highlights Success of Decades of Air Pollution Regulation

NEW YORK (September 28, 2023) – The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced today that it has approved the State of New Jersey’s request to redesignate Warren County, New Jersey as being “in attainment” with national health-based outdoor air quality standard for sulfur dioxide (SO2). For the first time since 1987, all of NJ is now designated as meeting the SO2 standard.

“This was a long time coming and is a testament to the collaborative efforts of state and federal agencies, as well as the commitment of industry stakeholders, in achieving cleaner air for the residents of Warren County, New Jersey,” said EPA Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia. “Air quality continues to improve across New Jersey, and it is great that we can deliver cleaner air to future generations of New Jerseyans.”

“This action is indeed a reflection of the longstanding commitment by New Jersey to hold out-of-state sources of air pollution, including coal fired power plants, accountable for impacts to downwind states,” said New Jersey Commissioner of Environmental Protection Shawn M. LaTourette. “The Murphy Administration thanks the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for working collaboratively with us to improve air quality for all of New Jersey’s residents.”

In December 1987, EPA had designated portions of Warren County, New Jersey as nonattainment with SO2 air quality standards. The Warren County Nonattainment Area included the entire Townships of Harmony, Oxford, White, and Belvidere, and portions of Liberty and Mansfield Townships.

The initial nonattainment designation was primarily attributed to air pollution from large, upwind sources in Pennsylvania, including the Martins Creek and Portland Generating plants. Since that time, coal-fired units at these facilities have been permanently shut down, and oil-fired units no longer use high-sulfur fuels, which has dramatically cut SO2 emissions New Jersey has also implemented stringent measures, requiring the use of ultra-low sulfur diesel, further contributing to the area's improved air quality.

The Clean Air Act identifies two types of national ambient air quality standards for several key pollutants, among them SO2. Primary standards provide public health protection, including protecting the health of "sensitive" populations such as asthmatics, children, and the elderly. Secondary standards provide public welfare protection, including protection against decreased visibility and damage to animals, crops, vegetation, and buildings. Periodically, the standards are reviewed and sometimes revised, establishing new standards. NJ is still working to meet increasingly more stringent standards for the ozone, but the air quality trend in NJ for all measured pollutants is downward.

For more information about how EPA sets air quality standards and designates areas of the country as attaining or not attaining those standards, visit EPA’s web page.

For more information about what NJ is doing to control air pollution visit NJDEP’s web page

Follow EPA Region 2 on Twitter and visit our Facebook page. For more information about EPA’s Sulfur Dioxide State Implementation Plan, visit our website.  

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For further information: Contact: Carlos Vega, (646) 988-2996, vega.carlos@epa.gov

 EPA Press Office:

Biden-Harris Administration Announces $100 Million in Grants to Support Manufacturers of Cleaner Construction Materials as Part of Investing in America Agenda

EPA seeking grant applications to support the development, standardization, transparency, and reporting criteria for Environmental Product Declarations that will expand market access to lower carbon construction materials

WASHINGTON (September 28, 2023) – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the availability of $100 million in grants to support efforts to report and reduce climate pollution linked to the manufacturing of construction materials and products, which account for 11% of annual global greenhouse gas emissions. The funding through EPA’s new Reducing Embodied Greenhouse Gas Emissions for Construction Materials program will help manufacturers disclose environmental impacts across the life of a product and inform institutional purchasers who are prioritizing lower embodied carbon construction materials. Thanks to President Biden's Investing in America agenda, a key pillar of Bidenomics, the new program—created by the Inflation Reduction Act—supports the resurgence of sustainable American manufacturing.

 

“In order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in construction materials and products, we must be able track and understand where they are,” said Assistant Administrator for the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention Michal Freedhoff. “These new grants through President Biden’s Investing in America agenda will help ensure manufacturers have access to the assistance they need to disclose and reduce emissions, thereby supporting thriving and healthy communities across America.” 

 

“Today’s funding announcement from EPA is like the falling of small stones that starts an avalanche of industrial sector emissions reductions in the US,” said U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (NY). “By shining a light on leading low and no carbon products, providing direct incentives to deeply decarbonize industrial facilities, and creating a market for these products, the IRA is driving down emissions in one of the hardest to abate sectors while supporting US jobs and industry. It’s just the latest example of how the Inflation Reduction Act is reducing carbon emissions and helping us meet our climate goals while creating good paying jobs here in America.”

 

“As we work to rebuild our nation’s infrastructure, we should be using materials and products produced in the most sustainable way possible, which more often than not are American-made,” said U.S. Senator Tom Carper (DE), Chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. “Thanks to our investments in the Inflation Reduction Act, EPA is helping our nation’s companies to better understand and communicate the environmental impacts of their products. This will create new markets for American manufacturers making cleaner products and help reduce greenhouse gas emissions across our economy.”

 

This new grant program—Reducing Embodied Greenhouse Gas Emissions for Construction Materials and Products—will help businesses develop robust Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) which disclose environmental impacts across the life of a product. Embodied greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions—also called embodied carbon—refers to the amount of GHG emissions associated with the extraction, production, transport, and manufacturing stages of a product's life. EPDs facilitate the reliable tracking of emissions associated with construction materials and products to inform procurement decisions. 

 

EPA will provide grants to businesses that manufacture, remanufacture, and refurbish construction materials and products for developing and verifying EPDs, and to states, Tribes, and nonprofit organizations that will support such businesses. The EPDs generated through this grant program will make it easier for state and local governments—and other institutional buyers—to ensure the construction projects they fund are using low carbon construction materials.

 

EPA is working with other federal agencies as part of a broader initiative funded by the Inflation Reduction Act to address the embodied carbon of construction materials with the goal of substantially lowering the levels of embodied carbon and other greenhouse gas emissions. The Inflation Reduction Act also appropriated more than $2 billion to the General Services Administration to use low embodied carbon materials in the construction and renovation of federal buildings and $2 billion to the Federal Highway Administration to incentivize or reimburse the use of low embodied carbon construction materials in certain transportation projects.  

 

Billions of tons of concrete, asphalt, steel, glass, and other construction materials and products are required to build, maintain, and operate our country’s buildings and infrastructure. These new grants will support the historic investments made through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act to strengthen America’s infrastructure while advancing America's industrial capacity to supply the goods and materials of the future and growing good jobs for American workers.

 

Eligibility and Application Information

The deadline to apply to this grant competition is January 8, 2024. EPA requests the submittal of an optional Notice of Intent to apply by October 27, 2023, by sending an email to embodiedcarbon@epa.gov.

 

Eligible entities include:

• Businesses that manufacture, remanufacture, and refurbish construction materials and products, and 

• States, Tribes, and nonprofit organizations that will support such businesses. 

 

Under this program, EPA plans to award in Fiscal Year 2024 up to 40 grants and/or cooperative agreements, some which would enable funding and technical assistance to flow to hundreds of small businesses via subaward programs established by selected eligible applicants.

 

Funding amounts for individual grant and cooperative agreements are anticipated to be in the range of $250,000 to $10 million. In addition, EPA will consider subranges of grants in the amounts of $250,000 to $749,999; $750,000 to $4.99 million dollars; and $5 million to $10 million dollars.

 

EPA has published the Notice of Funding Opportunity for this grant competition on grants.gov. Earlier this month, EPA published an assistance listing detailing key parameter of the program, which can be viewed at Sam.gov. 

 

Informational Webinar

The grant program will host two webinars to provide information on this grant competition and the application process on November 2, 2023, from 2 – 3 pm ET and November 14, 2023, from 2 – 3 pm ET. Link to register for webinars. 

 

Tools and resources for prospective grantees, including webinar recordings, links and helpful templates, can be found on EPA’s webpage.

For further information: EPA Press Office (press@epa.gov)