Today, Congresswoman Deborah Ross (NC-02) announced that $421 million in federal funding from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is coming to North Carolina and other states across the mid-Atlantic from the Climate Pollution Reduction Grant program to tackle the climate crisis, reduce air pollution, advance environmental justice, and improve climate resilience. Awarded to the Atlantic Conservation Coalition which will partner with The Nature Conservancy, the funding will reduce greenhouse gas emissions across North Carolina, South Carolina, Maryland, and Virginia and preserve and restore thousands of acres of coastal wetlands and forests. North Carolina is expected to receive more than $50 million from this grant.

Made possible by the Inflation Reduction Act, the Climate Pollution Reduction Grant program supports initiatives to reduce air and water pollution like the Atlantic Conservation Coalition – a dynamic partnership among the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, South Carolina Office of Resilience, Maryland Department of the Environment, and Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources. In April, Congresswoman Ross joined Senator Thom Tillis and Representatives Valerie Foushee (NC-04), Jeff Jackson (NC-14) and Wiley Nickel (NC-13) in supporting the Atlantic Conservation Coalition’s application for the grant.

“I’m incredibly excited to see an historic $421 million coming to North Carolina and other mid-Atlantic states to combat the climate crisis and protect our rich environmental heritage through the Climate Pollution Reduction Grant program,” said Congresswoman Ross. “I supported our state’s application for this grant and fought to pass the Inflation Reduction Act to deliver transformative investments that will improve air and water quality, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and preserve our environment for generations to come. I’m proud to support this bold initiative and will continue working to create a better, more sustainable future for all North Carolinians.”