In 2022, the Inflation Reduction Act created the Climate Pollution Reduction Grant to help with regional-scale climate action planning. Local governments in the Denver-Aurora-Lakewood Metropolitan Statistical Area (illustrated in the map below) banded together to apply for this grant.

The resulting Climate Pollution Reduction Grant Denver-Aurora-Lakewood Metropolitan Statistical Area was selected to receive a $1 million planning grant to develop climate action plans in coordination with stakeholders throughout the region. The DRCOG Board of Directors on April 19, 2023, voted unanimously to accept the role of lead agency for the Climate Pollution Reduction Grant.

• Priority Climate Action Plan due March 1, 2024.
• Comprehensive Climate Action Plan due December 1, 2025.
• Status report due August 1, 2027, at the close of the four-year grant period.

The Priority Climate Action Plan is the first deliverable due under phase 1 of the Climate Pollution Reduction Grant program and will determine what projects and programs regionally will be included in the phase 2 grant applications for implementation.

To identify priorities for this plan, DRCOG is coordinating and collaborating with other eligible entities within the planning area. To be eligible for funding, solutions within the implementation grant application must be aligned with solutions in the region’s priority climate action plan. The final draft of the priority climate action plan will be available in January 2024 for entities in the planning region to develop their implementation grant applications.

How your organization can engage

The draft strategies for the priority climate action plan are being researched and vetted. Now is a crucial time for the project team to hear your input and the input of communities that you represent. Your feedback helps ensure that the strategies meet the dual goals of reducing climate pollution and enhancing benefits for low-income, disproportionately affected communities.

Please go to the forum questions found under the "get involved" section below, where you can provide input on important questions that will guide this process, including:

1. What strategies or programs do you think will be effective in reducing climate pollution, including greenhouse gas emissions and co-pollutants that impact air quality?
2. What strategies or programs do you think will reduce environmental injustice and improve quality of life (through energy cost savings, supporting affordable transportation solutions, increasing access to green spaces, etc.) for low-income, disadvantaged communities?
3. What messaging have you seen be effective in communicating about sustainability, climate change, and climate action work in the communities you represent and serve?
4. What information and resources would you like to be provided with to support dialogue in your network and community regarding this project and potential solutions?
5. How would you like to provide input from you and the communities you represent back to DRCOG regarding this process and project?

The Denver Regional Council of Governments is honored to have been awarded a nearly $200 million federal grant from the Environmental Protection Agency’s Climate Pollution Grants, aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions and other harmful air pollutants. The grant from the Environmental Protection Agency will fund an ambitious and comprehensive regional program aimed at transforming the building sector in the Denver area, with focused investment in underserved low-income and disadvantaged communities.

The grant-funded program will support several coordinated initiatives to reduce carbon pollution from buildings, foster workforce development and offer financial incentives for home services and electric appliances, such as heat pumps, water heaters and electric cooktops and ranges. Each initiative will address specific environmental and industry challenges and improve air quality and public health in the Denver region and promote sustainability across the region.