CPRG environmental grant funding available for eligible organizations

The EPA commissions two competitive environmental grant programs. The respective application deadlines are April 1 and May 1, 2024.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is allocating grant money for separate entity groups in support of Priority Climate Action Plan (PCAP) development. The first environmental grant is designed for general competition and the second is exclusive to territories and tribes. With these climate pollution reduction grant (CPRG) implementations having a total budget of $5 billion, the EPA is empowering entities nationwide to take action in curbing air pollution and creating a cleaner environment. Funding is also allotted to help organizations craft comprehensive climate action plans (CCAPs). A target year of 2025 is set for these to be finalized.

The importance of developing effective environmental plans with CPRG grant funding

Given the overwhelming evidence in favor of climate change, entities in charge of infrastructure planning need to emphasize sustainability in their developments. Pursuing sustainable initiatives is key to fostering a more habitable ecosystem, and funding from a CPRG grant can give your organization the flexibility and financial resources to pioneer new climate-conscious infrastructure projects. By applying for one of these environmental grants, your organization can also partner with and encourage private sector firms in their efforts to similarly go green.

For transportation planners, in particular, the incentive to embrace sustainability is even greater. Many freight companies’ fleet managers realize the benefits of modifying their operations to be greener, but at the same time, they need to be supported by those who are planning the networks their drivers travel on. One such example is via fleet electrification. Transitioning to electric vehicles (EVs) is one of the most effective ways for a company’s fleet operations to become more sustainable, but the infrastructure its drivers use daily also needs to be built to handle a shift to EVs. This means building more public EV charging stations, making structural improvements to refine traffic flow, and knowing what other areas of infrastructure are best to enhance.

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) provides further information on recent federal initiatives to improve charger accessibility for EV drivers. In 2022 and 2023, the FHWA administered nearly $623 million in grants to increase charging stations and alternative fuel source presence in specific locations.

Developing more efficient road networks is another equally important component of sustainability for transportation planners. By studying relevant data about common traffic bottlenecks and implementing new construction projects to help alleviate them, the duration of time that vehicles spend idling and emitting excess greenhouse gasses can be reduced.

Furthermore, greener highway funding initiatives like these tie into the overarching objectives of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). Passed in late 2021, this bill includes financial backing for eligible organizations that invest in new solutions for making transportation safer and more efficient. Several key points in this piece of legislation reference initiatives like vehicle electrification and clean energy, which can ultimately help municipalities meet their specific greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction targets.

Commercial VMT data’s value for PCAP strategies

At Geotab, we’re passionate about helping organizations use data to develop intelligent sustainability strategies. We’ve signed a climate pledge that details our solidarity in fighting climate change as we work with others toward a net-zero future by 2040. Our Altitude platform helps entities study commercial vehicle miles traveled (VMT) data and build smarter infrastructure as a result. With assistance from key data categories like stop and road analytics and vehicle and vocation information, modelers and forecasters can infer the purposes behind common driver tendencies and build decarbonization-friendly infrastructure. Examples of these greener infrastructure projects range from identifying common stoppage locations and building EV charging stations to studying route analytics and revamping problematic areas (therefore reducing idle traffic). 

Eligible departments should take advantage of the available CPRG grants and gain holistic insight into national transportation trends using the capabilities of our platform. Strengthen your forecasting and GHG reduction initiatives with Altitude and apply for CPRG funding by visiting www.grants.gov today.

Discuss involving Geotab during your bid for CPRG grant implementation by contacting us here.