Regional Planning Efforts for the Climate Pollution Reduction Grant
On this page you can find:
What is the Albuquerque MSA Comprehensive Climate Action Plan? 
What is the Climate Pollution Reduction Program? 
Key CPRG Resources
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Climate Pollution Reduction Grants (CPRG) program provides funding to U.S. states, regions, territories, and tribes to make meaningful plans and implement projects that meaningfully reduce greenhouse gasses (GHGs) and other harmful air pollutants while also benefiting frontline communities.
The CPRG program is structured into two funding opportunities and several phases. The first funding was released to U.S. states, regions, territories, and tribes to develop region-wide climate action plans. Both the City of Albuquerque and the State of New Mexico received this initial grant to lead planning efforts with and on behalf of their respective regions. For the City, the funds will spearhead collaborative climate action planning for four years for the Albuquerque Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) and State respectively. The timeline for the City-led planning includes:
- 2024: Publishing an initial set of projects that reduce pollution and benefit frontline communities
- 2024: Completing a region-wide greenhouse gas inventory
- 2024: Conducting a region-wide community survey
- 2024-2025: Building out and supporting a region-wide CPRG Task Force
- 2026: Publishing a community-driven Comprehensive Climate Action Plan
- 2027: Submitting a status report to EPA
An additional opportunity the CPRG program offers is a chance to receive funding for implementing climate pollution reduction projects within the region. This is done through a competitive grant process that awards funding for projects to be completed over a five-year period. In order for projects to be considered for the CPRG Implementation Grant, they need to be identified the initial set of projects identified. The City of Albuquerque Office of Sustainability has submitted a grant application for the fifteen strongest projects submitted during the earliest phase of this program.
The Comprehensive Climate Action Plan will be the result of deep, regional, and collaborative efforts to set forth goals and strategies for equitable and coordinated climate action.
Currently in the early stages of development, this planning effort will engage a multitude of stakeholders in the Albuquerque Metro Statistical Area, such as: local, state, and tribal governments, community members, non-profits, industry, and more. The anticipated result of this effort will be a multi-jurisdictional plan that identifies actions that:
- Have significant climate pollution reductions,
- Have significant benefits to frontline communities – those that experience the first and worst of climate change, and
- Help the Metro Statistical Area become a thriving, climate resilient urban center.
The City of Albuquerque Office of Sustainability is committed to guiding the implementation of CPRG’s Planning Program to center the needs of frontline communities, perform deep, lasting climate pollution reduction, and break down silos. Ultimately, progress towards a more equitable and climate-resilient MSA requires coordinated action between the cities, counties, industry, and all members of the community. To ensure this effort will encompass both meaningful community engagement and industry best practices, there will be several opportunities for stakeholders to get involved through a future community survey, task force members, and working groups.
CCAP Partners
This regional effort is also made possible thanks to support from our growing list of partners
- Bernalillo County
- Mid-Region Council of Governments
- Pueblo of San Felipe
- Albuquerque Justice40 Oversight Coordinating Committee
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Equity and Justice40
A critical component of the CPRG program is its rootedness in community. In alignment with the Biden Administration's commitment of centering equity in policies and federal funding, CPRG embraces the Justice40 Initiative, a “whole-of-government” approach to directing at least 40 percent of the benefits from a variety of federal funds to frontline communities. This common ethos is reflected in CPRG’s goals to prioritize climate pollution reduction efforts that work to address environmental injustice and empower community-driven solutions in frontline communities. Collaboration with and direction from frontline communities, need to be and remain central to shaping this multi-jurisdictional plan.
As part of this effort, CPRG remains a line item in each meeting of the Albuquerque Justice 40 Oversight Coordinating Committee, and the Committee helped support Priority Climate Action Plan community engagement.
Key Resources for the Albuquerque MSA Climate Action Planning Effort: