Regional Climate Pollution Reduction Plan
Investing in our Communities
We are stronger when we work together towards common goals and interests. Our organization collaborates with community partners across the region to create jobs, stimulate economic development, and enhance the quality of life for area residents. We are doing this through work that supports local communities. As part of this ongoing work, we have developed a Regional Climate Pollution Reduction Plan (CPRP). The development of this plan is supported by a $1 million planning grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). It will be used to develop a plan that covers all 10 counties in Southwestern Pennsylvania.
Overview
The US EPA’s Climate Pollution Reduction Grants (CPRG) Program provides funding to develop and implement plans for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions-reduction projects. The CPRG program includes two phases: Planning and Implementation.
Planning Phase
Ongoing and Active Efforts
The planning phase aims to understand and address sources of climate pollution and emissions, as well as helping to identify high-priority GHG-reduction projects.
Part One:
A Priority Climate Action Plan (PCAP) was completed in March 2024. All priority regional emissions-reduction measures were required to be included in the PCAP to qualify for funding in the Implementation Phase of this grant program.
Part Two:
A Comprehensive Climate Action Plan (CCAP) is due two years after the award of the Planning Grant and will be due in August 1st, 2025. The CCAP is completed after the PCAP and will provide a long-term projection of emissions-reduction measures and their efficacy.
Climate Action Plan Documents
PCAP
- Completed March 2024
- Initial inventory of GHG emissions
- Emissions-reduction actions
- Includes analysis of planning and project benefits to low-income and disadvantaged communities (LIDAC) in the region
CCAP
- Due mid-2025
- Comprehensive inventory of GHG emissions
- Emissions-reduction actions
- Workforce, low-income, and disadvantaged community benefits analyses
Plan Timeline
The CPRP timeline, outlined here, highlights key milestones illustrating the plan’s progress and overall lifecycle.
Public Engagement
Make Your Voice Heard!
Join us in creating a regional climate plan that promotes high-quality jobs, economic growth, better health outcomes, and an enhanced quality of life.
Public engagement is essential, involving individuals and organizations in decisions that impact their communities to ensure inclusivity and address their needs. Broad participation is critical to shaping the region’s climate plan.
We will collaborate with all residents, businesses, and officials, with a focus on communities facing significant environmental justice concerns. Various partners will be involved and affected by the development of the CCAP.
The following information details the CPRP stakeholders:
SPC
SPC, the Metropolitan Planning Organization for the 10-county region around Pittsburgh, PA, is governed by representatives from each county, the City of Pittsburgh, and other regional leaders. It is responsible for developing plans, policies, and funding allocations for the region’s transportation and economic development.
Steering Committee
The Steering Committee (SC) for the CPRP consists of 12 members: one from each of SPC’s 10 counties, one from the City of Pittsburgh, and one from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PA DEP). The SC oversees and guides the strategic development of the CPRP, identifying issues and engaging with the region’s stakeholders.
Regional Advisory Committee
The Regional Advisory Committee (RAC) comprises expert stakeholders from community, government, non-profit and private-sector organizations. The RAC will facilitate input and dialogue throughout the CCAP development process and assist in coordinating public outreach and engagement efforts.
Public Stakeholders
Public stakeholders are individuals or organizations with a vested interest in the region’s CPRP, and your participation is crucial as your perspectives, needs, and concerns will help shape its development.
i. Stakeholders and members of the public are welcomed (and encouraged) to attend upcoming meetings that will take place throughout Southwestern Pennsylvania. These meetings will focus on the CPRG plan that our team will develop, and we want to hear from area residents about what climate-related issues matter the most to them. There will be 11 meetings scheduled across the region in 2025 (one in each of the 10 counties we represent and one in the City of Pittsburgh). Location details and meeting times will be posted on this page, so stay tuned. Additionally, we will also post the details on the meetings on the event page on our website.
Supporting Initiatives
CPRG Implementation Workshops and Focus Groups
In January 2024, we also hosted a Climate Pollution Reduction Implementation Grants Workshop to foster regional dialogue and collaboration on climate-related initiatives. Featured speakers included Partner4Work, PA DEP, and Sustainable Pittsburgh. Attendees received an introduction to the CPRG program, as well as an overview of the CPRG program’s workforce development requirements; other federal funding opportunities and potential partnerships were also discussed.
In February 2024, our organization hosted four sector-based focus groups to research, coordinate, and prioritize projects for the Implementation Grant application. These sessions focused on workforce development, community benefits, building systems, transportation, and regional systems like waste management and agriculture.
Upcoming Events
We are currently planning our initial round of public meetings for the Comprehensive Climate Action Plan (CCAP).
We will be holding a series of 11 hybrid meetings, one in each of our ten member counties, plus the City of Pittsburgh, in 2025
Please check back for further updates, and sign up for our newsletter to stay informed about our Climate Pollution Reduction Plan!
We want to hear from you!
Please share your thoughts by completing the Public Comment Form. If you have a community event and would like one of our team members to attend or speak about our ongoing CPRP efforts, please send us an email at cprg@spcregion.org.