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DEP Now Accepting Industrial Decarbonization Grant Applications For $396 Million In Federal Funds Under RISE PA To Create Jobs, Cut Energy Costs For Medium, Large Industries

On February 26, the Department of Environmental Protection announced it is now accepting grant applications from medium and large industries for the Reducing Industrial Sector Emissions in Pennsylvania (RISE PA) Program.

The deadline to apply is August 29, for the first round of grants. Grant awards will be announced in the Fall.

[Note: The Pennsylvania Technical Assistance Program (PennTAP) is administering the RISE PA program for small and mid-sized industries and has not yet begun to accept applications. Visit the PennTAP RISE PA website for more information. Read more here.]

Grant applications from companies that own industrial facilities, mines, and natural gas infrastructure for projects are expected to create up to 6,000 jobs and reduce air pollution in the industrial and manufacturing sectors.

$396 million in federal funds are available for projects that reduce air pollution from industrial facilities and create jobs.

“My Administration is taking real action to create energy jobs and grow our economy – and today, our natural gas companies, mines, and industrial manufacturers can apply for this commonsense initiative that will help them continue growing their operations while reducing costs and air pollution in our communities,” said Governor Josh Shapiro. “Through RISE PA, we will offer grants for companies working to make their operations more efficient, creating thousands of good-paying construction and manufacturing jobs in the process. This investment will help us reduce toxic air pollution, invest in our energy sector, and continue Pennsylvania’s legacy of energy leadership.”

“This program is going to create good paying union jobs, make Pennsylvania more competitive in global markets, and lead to cleaner air for us to breathe. It’s a commonsense program that improves the economy and the environment,” said DEP Acting Secretary Jessica Shirley. “Pennsylvania has a long industrial history and this program is going to write the next chapter of it – more jobs, stronger communities, and cleaner air.”

Union labor, environmental advocates, and leaders from across the energy industry have praised the RISE PA program, which will create jobs and lead to cleaner air and a stronger economy in Pennsylvania.

RISE PA establishes a competitive grant program to fund innovative projects that reduce pollution from industrial sources.

The RISE PA program is funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as part of the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act.

Governor Shapiro has filed a lawsuit challenging the Trump Administration’s unconstitutional freeze of federal funding, and thanks to the Governor’s lawsuit and continued engagement with the Trump Administration, this funding is currently accessible to DEP.

Examples of eligible initiatives could include installing energy-efficient heat recovery systems to reduce the energy required to heat or cool an industrial facility, electrifying an industrial plant by swapping out diesel-powered generators with equipment that runs on electricity, and capturing coal mine methane from mining operations.

All of these projects would make our air cleaner while creating good jobs and helping companies cut costs.

Prospective projects will need to satisfy the following proposed criteria--

-- Benefit communities near industrial sites that have higher rates of toxic air pollution

-- Achieve greenhouse gas emission reductions that are long-lasting and certain

-- Incorporate high labor standards, emphasize job quality, and support equitable workforce development

Pennsylvania has a long legacy as a national energy leader – for over one hundred years, the Commonwealth has been one of the nation’s top energy producers, embracing innovation to create jobs, lower costs, and drive progress.

RISE PA will continue that through grant awards that reduce emissions while supporting and creating good paying jobs.

The program is funded through a federal Climate Pollution Reduction Grants Program grant awarded to Pennsylvania in July 2024.

More information on the program, including application guidance, can be found on the DEP Reducing Industrial Sector Emissions in Pennsylvania (RISE PA) Program webpage.

For more information on environmental programs in Pennsylvania, visit DEP’s website. Submit Environmental Complaints; Click Here to sign up for DEP’s newsletter; sign up for DEP’s eNotice; Like DEP on Facebook, Follow DEP on Twitter and visit DEP’s YouTube Channel.

[Editor’s Note: Funding for RISE PA was recently unfrozen as a result of a lawsuit filed by Gov. Shapiro, but uncertainty clouds the future of this EPA program through Congressional and other action. On February 26, the President announced he would cut EPA’s budget by 65%.]

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