EPA Grants Colorado Energy Office $129 Million to invest in greenhouse gas emissions reduction
DENVER - Today, Governor Polis and the Colorado Energy Office celebrate an awarded $129 million granted by the EPA to invest in new initiatives to help improve Colorado’s air quality. The announcement of the grant allows Colorado to expand initiatives and promote community-driven solutions to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions across the state.
“Colorado continues to lead the nation in climate initiatives that reduce air pollution, and move us closer to our climate goals. Investing in clean energy is an investment in Colorado, and we are grateful to be recognized by the federal government for our landmark plans to reduce emissions by creating more transit oriented communities while continuing to save Coloradans money,” said Governor Polis.
The awarded funding will be used to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by expanding methane monitoring; investing in new methane capture initiatives; providing incentives to help large commercial buildings decarbonize; and through a new Local Government Climate Action Accelerator, to support local governments to adopt and implement climate friendly policies e. The Local Government Climate Action Accelerator will help towns, cities and counties to reduce emissions from areas under their own jurisdiction and control, particularly in land use, buildings, and waste.
“We are proud of all the work we have done to position ourselves as a national leader in addressing climate change through economy-wide emissions reductions,” said Colorado Energy Office Executive Director Will Toor. “Local and Tribal government actions are crucial to this effort, and this funding will ensure that they can adopt and implement key policies to help us achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. This funding will also help large building owners reduce their energy usage and associated emissions. We are grateful to the EPA for this award and for recognizing the great work happening across the state to protect the environment, improve air quality, and save Coloradans money.”
“Since its establishment, the Colorado Energy Office’s mission has been to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through clean and efficient energy,” said EPA Regional Administrator KC Becker. “Their plan to reduce emissions from coal mines, landfills, and decarbonize commercial buildings through this grant will benefit Coloradans across our state and across industries.”
“Cutting emissions of this powerful greenhouse gas is absolutely vital to achieving our overall climate goals,” said Executive Director Jill Hunsaker Ryan. “These initiatives represent an extraordinary investment in Colorado’s future, and I am grateful to the EPA for the funding. These plans will improve our understanding of methane emissions, enhance the accuracy and reliability of our data, and ultimately result in hundreds of thousands of tons of emissions reductions annually.”
The Climate Pollution Reduction Grant award is the latest in a series of competitive and formula funds Colorado has been awarded from programs created by the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 and Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021. In April of this year, the Colorado Energy Office was awarded $156 million in competitive funds from the EPA for Colorado Solar for All (COS4A) which will help accelerate widespread adoption of rooftop and distributed solar in Colorado. Colorado has also been awarded $140 million in funding from the Department of Energy to administer home energy rebates to invest in energy efficiency and electrification. Colorado has received other funding from the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program, the Energy Grid Resiliency Formula funds, and the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant program, among others.
Some of Colorado climate action initiatives include:
- DOLA’s Strong Communities
- CDOT’s Revitalizing Main Streets
- CDPHE’s Front Range Waste Diversion Enterprise, Recycling Resources Economic Opportunity, and Clean Fleet Vehicle and Technology
- CEO’s Energy Code and Enforcement Grant Program and High Efficiency Electric Heating and Appliances
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