Metroplan, Northwest Arkansas Regional Planning Commission, and City of Fort Smith (Arkansas and Oklahoma)
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Overview
| Anticipated Award Amount | $99,999,999 | |
|---|---|---|
| Coalition | Lead Applicant: Metropolitan Planning Organization for Central Arkansas Coalition Members: City of Fort Smith and Northwest Arkansas Regional Planning Commission |
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| Application Title | Energy and Environment Innovation for the Natural State | |
| Sectors | Agriculture and Natural and Working Lands Buildings Electric Power Transportation |
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| Estimated GHG Reductions 1 |
Cumulative 2025‑2030: Cumulative 2025‑2050: |
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Selected Application Summary
The selected application will support the Metropolitan Planning Organization for Central Arkansas (Metroplan), the Northwest Arkansas Regional Planning Commission, and the City of Fort Smith in their transition to clean energy in Arkansas and Oklahoma. Under the grant, the coalition will fund the implementation of shovel-ready, impactful, and transformative projects including the development of green networks to restore lands and promote active transportation and transit. The selected application will support the transition to efficient and electrified transportation and improve building efficiency.
Key Things to Know
Based on information provided by the applicant, the selected project will deliver the following benefits to reduce greenhouse gases and support communities 1:
- Promote carbon sequestration projects to reduce transportation emissions and protect and restore natural infrastructure corridors.
- Construct bicycle and pedestrian trails to improve electric bike access, including vouchers reserved for income-qualified applicants.
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Connect low-income and disadvantaged communities to jobs, education, services, and natural places.
- Improve transportation efficiency by incentivizing the conversion of fossil fuel public fleets to electric vehicles and deploy electric vehicle charging infrastructure for public-use and for fleet operators.
- Pilot innovative funding solutions to reduce energy consumption in buildings with the establishment of a revolving, low-interest loan fund for small property assessed clean energy projects with a focus on low-income and disadvantaged communities.
- Establish a program for small grants to help organizations participate in energy savings performance contracts with a focus on public buildings and low-income and disadvantaged communities.
Activities in the selected application reflect measures in Arkansas Department of Energy and Environment’s Priority Climate Action Plan.
1 The emission reduction estimates, as well as the descriptions of measures and benefits, were summarized from information provided by the applicant. These estimates, along with the award amount, are subject to change.
EPA will award grants to selected applicants once they meet all legal and administrative requirements. As of July 2024, grants are expected to be awarded by the end of 2024.
About EPA's Climate Pollution Reduction Grants (CPRG) Implementation Grants
Authorized under the Inflation Reduction Act, EPA’s CPRG program will provide nearly $5 billion in grants for states, local governments, Tribes, and territories to develop and implement ambitious plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other harmful air pollution while benefitting low-income and disadvantaged communities.
For more information, visit Climate Pollution Reduction Grants.