Montana News
Montana selected to receive federal funding for reducing emissions
Montana has been selected to receive competitive federal funding that will reduce planet-warming emissions. As MTPR's Ellis Julin reports, the money will target priority industries like agriculture. This spring, cities and state governments submitted over 300 applications, hoping to secure a piece of a $4 billion federal pie to address climate change. Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced where the grants will be awarded, and Montana is one of 25 recipients across the country. The State Department of Natural Resources and Conservation will receive over $49 million to fund projects like expanding urban forests, extinguishing coal seam fires, and improving soil health on agricultural lands. According to federal estimates, these projects will reduce emissions by 14.6 million metric tons by 2050. EPA's Region-Aid Administrator Casey Becker says Montana's plan rose to the top because it targeted emissions related to agriculture, natural resources, and working lands. It's a really important piece, and it's a good complement to everything else, EPA, Department of Energy, and other agencies are doing to boost the economy, improve climate, improve air quality. The EPA estimates that all of the projects funded through these grants will reduce a total of 971 million metric tons of carbon dioxide over 25 years. That's roughly equivalent to the amount of annual emissions from 5 million homes. The grants are part of the nation's largest package of climate spending, the Inflation Reduction Act, passed by Democrats and signed by President Biden in 2022. In Missoula, I'm Ellis Chulin. This is MTPR.