About

CLIMATE RESILIENT RVA

The Climate Pollution Reduction Grant (CPRG) program is an important opportunity for the Richmond region to support green development while lowering greenhouse gas emissions.    

Administered by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the CPRG program was established by the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 to fund the development and implementation of local and state climate action plans in line with federal commitments to achieve a net-zero economy by 2050.

 

Key CPRG Grant Program Steps

  • Due March 1, 2024

    • Near-term, implementation-ready, priority greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction measures

    • Prerequisite for implementation grant

  • Due April 1, 2024

    • Applications for implementation grants corresponding to PCAP priorities

  • Due December 2025

    • Near- and long-term GHG emission reduction goals and strategies

    • Emissions reduction targets for 2030 and 2050

    • Impact assessment on low-income and disadvantaged communities

    • Workforce development analysis

  • Due in 2027

    • Updated analyses and plans

    • Progress and next steps for key metrics

In 2023, the EPA distributed planning grants to states, local governments, tribes and other entities to develop and implement Priority Climate Action Plans (PCAP) and Comprehensive Climate Action Plans (CCAP). PlanRVA received $1 million to develop a climate action plan for the Richmond Metro Statistical Area.

 

The CPRG process gives the Richmond Region an opportunity to tackle damaging climate pollution while supporting the creation of good jobs, promote environmental justice and deliver cleaner air by reducing harmful air pollution. 

Where we are now: The Comprehensive Climate Action Plan  

PlanRVA and its partners submitted the first phase, the Priority Climate Action Plan (PCAP) to the EPA on March 1, 2024, leveraging feedback from the community and local data in the transportation and waste sectors. More than 800 people in the region engaged in the process. We also applied for a $187 million implementation grant, tied to the PCAP, for completion of the Fall Line Trail and two connector trails.

Now, the organization is focusing on phase 2: its Comprehensive Climate Action Plan (CCAP), which will detail long-term strategies to lower greenhouse gas emissions across all sectors of the economy. Your perspective is critical for this plan.   

Sectors in the CCAP include: agriculture and working lands, buildings, industry, energy, transportation and waste. 

The CCAP will also incorporate an analysis of current and projected greenhouse emissions and will establish reduction targets for 2030 and 2050.

The region’s CCAP is due to the EPA in December 2025.

PlanRVA fielded an online survey and hosted a series of public events to collect community input during the spring and summer of 2024. Our community report will be out in the Fall of 2024.

Community feedback: Key to developing the CCAP 

PlanRVA and its locality partners are focused on collecting community feedback during the planning process, with an emphasis on engaging overburdened and historically underinvested communities throughout the region. 

PlanRVA organized a series of intercepts, focus groups, and community ideation sessions in 2024, in addition to an online survey, to hear from people living in the region about their ideas for reducing climate pollution. Your feedback will be shared with workgroups developing the measures for the plan. Our community report of your feedback will be out in the Fall of 2024.

Sign up to stay informed about community engagement updates.

A critical resource for the region’s future 

When it comes to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, it’s important we have a shared vision and plan for the region. The CCAP will guide regional partners in future actions to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions.   

The CCAP represents one of the first opportunities to collect and aggregate data related to local causes of greenhouse gas emissions, along with strategies to reduce impacts.