The State of Illinois was recently awarded more than $430 million from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) for its Climate Pollution Reduction Grant program application. The funding will be utilized for building and industry decarbonization, freight electrification, climate-smart agriculture, and renewable energy deployment.

According to the state’s grant application, the state will implement projects that include dedicating:

-$115 million for heavy-duty vehicle electrification,
-$172 million to improve access and affordability for clean building technologies, and
-more than $111 to improve access and affordability for clean building technologies.

The U.S. EPA stated that these projects would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 971 million metric tons by 2050, equivalent to the emissions of about five million homes over 25 years. The grant will help support and offset some costs associated with the state’s ongoing goal of reaching 100 percent carbon-free power by 2045.

Nearly 300 applications were submitted nationwide for the project implementation grants, but only 25 grants totaling $4.3 billion were awarded by the U.S. EPA. The State of Illinois received the third-largest grant award.