Albuquerque’s war chest for its battle against greenhouse-gas emissions has received a boost.
The city’s Sustainability Office this morning announced a $1 million grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The money is to go toward climate pollution reduction planning for the metro area.
The immediate task for the city is to develop a priority climate action plan by March 1, according to a news release. That plan will serve as a short-term road map to guide requests for additional federal dollars and leverage local funding and support. A comprehensive climate action plan is to be completed in 2025.
The grant will allow the city to bring in a grant manager, a community engagement contractor, and a contractor to conduct a new greenhouse gas inventory.
“We are focused on making our home a more climate resilient place for our families now, and for the future families of Albuquerque,” Mayor Tim Keller said in the release. “We’re leading the coordination with other agencies to take climate action planning to the next level and make an even greater impact.”
The release states that the grant is helping transform the Albuquerque metro area into “a climate-resilient and healthy community for all.”
Ann Simon, the city’s Deputy Director of Policy and Sustainability Officer, says that reducing climate pollution is good for the environment and vital to maintaining residents’ health and quality of life.
“We’re gaining more support to keep the momentum that we started with our 2021 Climate Action Plan goals so that we can continue to make Albuquerque a more resilient city for our frontline communities,” Simon said in the release.
Sandra West, a Sustainable Waste Specialist in the city’s sustainability office, said that much has changed since the previous goals were established, and that the new plan will reflect the community’s updated vision and extend to areas beyond the city limits.
West said that the grants from the EPA’s Climate Pollution Reduction Grants program were open to states and the country’s largest metropolitan areas. The program consists of two phases, the first being for planning grants, with another $12.6 billion available for implementation.
Residents may provide feedback on the draft priority climate action plan through Jan. 22. West said the comprehensive climate action plan process will include more community engagement.
The planning and implementation are expected to be a four-year process.
How to Participate
Anyone interested in learning more about the city’s climate planning or in providing feedback can go here.