Remarks for the Climate Pollution Reduction Grant Event in North Carolina, As Prepared for Delivery
Michael Regan
Brunswick County, NC
Thank you, Katherine, for that kind introduction.
Governor Cooper, as always, it’s great to have you here with us. We’re so grateful for your leadership and continued partnership with this administration...and for your commitment to create a better, more sustainable future for all North Carolinians.
Congressman Nickel, thank you for being here. We appreciate your tremendous leadership.
Secretary Wilson, thank you for joining us today, and for your efforts to protect North Carolina’s natural lands and make the state more resilient in the face of climate change.
La’Meshia, it’s good to see you again. Thank you for your unrelenting advocacy for the people of your community.
And thank you to everyone at the Nature Conservancy for hosting us here today at this beautiful location. We appreciate all that you do to conserve America's natural beauty, and for your nature-based work to reduce carbon emissions.
Your efforts could not be more evident than where we are standing today. The peatlands here in the Green Swamp Preserve have existed for millennia, remaining natural and undrained, the way a peatland is supposed to be.
Peatlands like this one cover around a third of the Earth’s surface, but store twice as much carbon as all of the world’s forests.
Because these swamps contain vast amounts of carbon...when they’re drained or burned, they release huge quantities of climate pollution and can no longer serve as natural buffers for flooding and wildfires...not only threatening biological diversity and ecological health, but also threatening the health of our communities.
That’s why the Nature Conservancy’s work to restore and protect places like this is so critical in our nation’s efforts to combat the climate crisis.
President Biden and Vice President Harris understand that we must leave no stone unturned in the fight against climate change...and that’s why...together they’ve put forth the most ambitious climate agenda in history.
Thanks to the President and Vice President’s investments in America, this administration has made the largest climate investment ever...delivering billions of dollars to state, local, and Tribal governments to tackle climate change with the urgency it demands.
These investments are ensuring that we are building innovative and forward-thinking climate solutions from the bottom up and not the top down...giving power and resources to our state and local governments, who know their communities better than we ever could.
And one of the most innovative and exciting programs created by this historic funding is EPA’s Climate Pollution Reduction Grants Program...which is investing billions of dollars to help implement community-driven solutions that reduce air pollution...advance environmental justice...and help accelerate America’s clean energy transition.
Last week, we announced the selection of 25 recipients for our CPRG program...who will receive over $4.3 billion dollars to fund climate solutions that work for their communities.
These grants will fund projects that protect public health...support environmental conservation...stimulate economic growth and create good paying jobs...and chart a path toward unprecedented climate pollution reductions.
One of the best examples is right here in North Carolina...these grants will deliver $421 million dollars to support a bipartisan multi-state coalition focused on the protection and restoration of over 200,000 acres of coastal habitats, forests, and farmland across North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and Maryland...
Not only will this ensure our natural lands remain vibrant and resilient...these projects are also estimated to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 28 million metric tons by 2050.
Folks, these grants present a historic opportunity for communities to chart their own path toward a cleaner and more resilient future, here and across the country...
An opportunity for all levels of government to develop and implement innovative climate solutions that address the needs of their communities...
An opportunity to protect and preserve America’s natural beauty from the threat of pollution and environmental degradation...
And an opportunity to give communities, particularly overburdened and underserved communities, a seat at the table in the fight against climate change...
EPA’s greatest privilege and responsibility is ensuring that all people in this country — no matter the color of their skin, the community they live in, or how much money they have in their pocket — have clean air to breathe, clean water to drink, and an opportunity to live a healthy life...
And thanks to the bold and visionary leadership of President Biden and Vice President Harris, we are one step closer to that goal.
Thank you. It’s now my pleasure to turn things over to my good friend, Governor Cooper.