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Environmental and Climate Justice Block Grants [1]

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Date: 2025-07 

Section 60201 of the IRA amends the Clean Air Act by adding a new section 138 on “environmental and climate justice block grants.” Section 138 of the Clean Air Act appropriates $2.8 billion to the EPA Administrator to award grants to community-based nonprofit organizations as well as partnerships between those organizations and Indian tribes, local governments, and institutions of higher education. Eligible entities may use grant funds for climate resiliency, adaptation, and mitigation activities; reducing indoor toxics and air pollution; community-led pollution monitoring, prevention, and remediation; investments in technologies and infrastructure to improve resilience or reduce emissions; related workforce development; and improved engagement of disadvantaged communities in public processes. Grants may be awarded for periods of up to three years and must benefit disadvantaged communities.

Section 138 of the Clean Air Act also appropriates an additional $200 million to the EPA administrator provide technical assistance to entities receiving the grants described above.

The funds appropriated under section 138 will remain available until September 30, 2026.

Eligible Entities: Non-profit Organization

Environmental Justice Considerations: Grants may only be awarded for activities that benefit disadvantaged communities.

Current Status: Contracts / Funds Revoked from Recipient, Repealed or Modified by Congress Section 60016 of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025 (Public Law 119-21) rescinded unobligated funds under this IRA provision.

Implementation Status at End of Biden Administration: In Progress Section 60201 of the IRA appropriates $3 billion to EPA – $2.8 billion to award grants for environmental and climate justice and $200 million to provide technical assistance to entities receiving the grants. The funds must be used by September 30, 2026. EPA has awarded more than $2.3 billion. In October 2023, EPA announced $128 million through its Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem Solving Cooperative Agreement and Environmental Justice Government-to-Government grant programs. In December 2023, EPA awarded $600 million for 11 selected Grantmakers under EPA’s Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Grantmaking program. In November 2024, EPA announced the selection of nearly $1.6 billion in funding for 105 selected applications to help disadvantaged communities tackle environmental and climate justice challenges through projects that reduce pollution, increase community climate resilience, and build community capacity. EPA has also announced the availability of approximately $2.5 million in funding to UPLIFT Climate and Environmental Community Action Grant. The application will close February 5, 2025.

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[1] Url: https://iratracker.org/programs/ira-section-60201-environmental-and-climate-justice-block-grants/

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