Under the Climate Pollution Reduction Grant (CPRG) program administered by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), states, local governments, Tribal Nations, and coalitions of these entities became eligible to receive grant funding to implement community-driven solutions to reduce climate pollution. cprg, logo, epa

Following a competitive application process, EPA distributed over $4.3 billion in July 2024 to mobilize 25 projects designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Find out more about EPA’s project selections here. DEQ cumulatively received $150 million between two awards: the Priority Methane Reduction Projects (PMRP) grant, and the Atlantic Conservation Coalition (ACC) grant.

Discover more about Virginia's CPRG-funded projects below!

Announcements:

DEQ is now reviewing applications to fund landfill methane (LFM) capture and/or utilization projects in Virginia. The Agency will award $8.9 million in CPRG funds to one to three public municipal solid waste landfills that propose the implementation of methane capture and/or beneficial use systems.

DEQ is also reviewing applications to fund edible food recovery and composting projects to reduce the amount of food waste sent to landfills. The Agency will award $8 million in CPRG funds to selected subawardees for the implementation of proposed projects.

Priority Methane Reduction Projects (PMRP) Grant

Project Description
Anticipated Benefits
Resources and Milestones

The PMRP grant provides $99,999,999 to form a coalition between DEQ and the Virginia Department of Energy to reduce methane emissions in the Commonwealth. This grant will fund three programs:

Program #1: Coal mine methane (CMM) capture and/or utilization

Program #2: Landfill methane capture and/or utilization

Program #3: Food rescue and composting

Capturing methane from coal mines and landfills will reduce greenhouse gas emissions across multiple sectors, offer economic benefits, provide job opportunities, ensure energy reliability and security, and reduce co-pollutant emissions.

Reducing organic landfill waste through food waste diversion and composting will result directly in decreased greenhouse gas emissions from Virginia’s landfills. This program aims to increase food availability, heighten consumer awareness, and reduce costs for selected organizations through a reduced need for disposal and hauling. Increasing composted materials will also provide the additional benefit of recycling nutrients back into Virginia soils. This program will provide funding to colleges, universities, and state agencies.

Atlantic Conservation Coalition (ACC) Grant

Project Description
Anticipated Benefits
Resources and Milestones

The ACC award of $421,238,074 funds a four-state coalition led by the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (NC DNCR). This coalition will allocate funds to the Maryland Department of the Environment, the South Carolina Office of Resilience, The Nature Conservancy (TNC), and Virginia DEQ to promote coastal resilience and sustainable forestry management practices. This will be accomplished by protecting and restoring high-carbon coastal habitats and peatlands, as well as managing the protection, use, and restoration of forested lands.

DEQ is receiving $50,000,000 of these funds to enter subaward agreements with the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR), the Virginia Port Authority (VPA), and Tribal Nations to implement projects on Virginia’s natural and working lands. In addition to DEQ’s award, TNC was awarded $47,237,677 under the ACC of TNC’s funds will be used to implement carbon sequestration projects in Virginia.

Questions? Contact us!

Email us with questions, comments, and concerns: CPRG@deq.virginia.gov.