The U.S. EPA's Climate Pollution Reduction Grants (CPRG) program is a $5 billion investment over 4 years to provide states, local governments, tribes, and territories with funding to develop and implement plans for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and other harmful air pollution.
The West Virginia Office of Energy (WVOE) received a $3 million planning grant from EPA to lead the development a Priority Energy Action Plan (by March 1, 2024), a Comprehensive Energy Action Plan (by mid-2025) and a Status Report (by mid 2027). WVOE is partnering with experts from the public sector (Marshall University, West Virginia University) and private sector (In-2-Market, Inc.) to ensure success in this endeavor.
The Priority Energy Action Plan (PEAP) will leverage previous State efforts as well as investments from industry, education, and local governments to identify Reliable, Efficient, Affordable, and Local (REAL) strategies for emissions reductions in West Virginia. WVOE will also conduct extensive stakeholder engagement, with a focus on historically disadvantaged communities, to ensure that priorities and projects represented in the PEAP are beneficial to all West Virginians.
This plan will cover the entire state, enabling eligible entities within West Virginia to apply for competitive funding to implement projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions. To be eligible for funding, implementation activities must be described in the PEAP.
The EPA has released additional guidance regarding Implementation Grants, which you can read more about HERE. Full instructions on how to submit a proposal as part of West Virginia’s Implementation Grant Application are provided below.
To receive funding from the Implementation phase of the EPA’s Climate Pollution Reduction Grant, interested organizations and groups can submit their pre-application materials through an eligible entity, such as the State of West Virginia. These materials must align with the GHG Reduction Measures identified in the eligible entity’s priority planning document, known in West Virginia as the Priority Energy Action Plan (PEAP).
In compliance with EPA requirements, the West Virginia Office of Energy will review all pre-applications for technical and administrative merit (such as availability of funds and alignment with PEAP and EPA priorities), and compile all selected pre-applications into a consolidated, full application for submission to the EPA CPRG Implementation Grants program.
A list of common questions related to the Implementation Grants process, including examples of allowable and unallowable proposals, is available in the West Virginia CPRG Implementation Grant Q&A:
Implementation Grants:
Frequently Asked Questions
This document will be updated as new information becomes available.
There are two options for prospective applicants to receive funding through West Virginia’s CPRG Implementation Grant:
Under this option, the State of West Virginia will solicit individual projects targeted at its priority GHG reduction measure. The State does not anticipate accepting new project proposals for the project-based reduction measure once CPRG funds are awarded.
Organizations interested in submitting a GHG reduction project will complete the WV CPRG Project Pre-Application by March 5th 2024 to ensure they meet eligibility requirements, provide project details for technical and administrative review, and provide information for the State’s Full Application to the CPRG Implementation Grant program on April 1st 2024.
GHG Reduction Measures Eligible for Project Submissions
New Baseload Generation with Small Modular Reactors,
Geothermal, Hydropower, and Natural Gas
Carbon Capture Sequestration on Existing Facilities
Coal Mine Methane Leakage Reduction and Use
Natural Gas and Petroleum Systems Methane Leakage Reduction and Use
Efficiency Improvements and Electrification in Existing Industrial Facilities
For reduction measures targeted at government applicants (counties, municipalities, or state agencies) with the potential to attract a high volume of smaller-budget projects, the State of West Virginia will create structured programs to distribute funds to emergent projects over the life of the grant. This method provides maximum flexibility to applicants with substantial needs around energy audits or efficiency improvements but who are not yet prepared to engage contractors or compile budgets around these tasks.
Agencies ready to support the creation of such efforts will complete the WV CPRG Program Pre-Application by March 5th, 2024 to ensure they meet eligibility requirements for future program participation, and to provide information for the State’s Implementation Grant Application to the EPA April 1st 2024.
GHG Reduction Measures Targeted for Program Submission
Efficiency Improvements in Existing Fossil Fuel-Fired Power Plants
Energy Audits for State, County, and Local Government Buildings
GHG Reduction Programs for State Government Buildings
Per EPA guidelines, all applications for the WV CPRG Implementation Grant—whether Project or Program—must align with the Priority GHG Reduction Measures identified in West Virginia’s Priority Energy Action Plan (PEAP). Applications for topics outside of these measures will be returned without review.
This timeline shows the two funding pathways available through West Virginia’s Climate Pollution Reduction Implementation Grant. As an example, it uses two GHG Reduction measures—Carbon Capture Sequestration and Energy Audits of Government-Owned Buildings—to show the differences between the two submission tracks. Dates listed after the EPA submission deadline of April 1, 2024 are estimates only and may be adjusted as necessary.
To view a sample of the pre-application, click HERE.
February 14th, 2024 10:00-12:00| video
February 20th, 2024 3:00-5:00| video
February 29th, 2024, 10:00-12:00| Register HERE
Workshop recordings and supplementary materials will be posted after each session.
WV CPRG Meeting - Electricity Generation | video | transcript
WV CPRG Meeting - Industry Transportation | video | transcript
WV CPRG Meeting - County & Municipal Governments | video | transcript
WV CPRG Meeting - Presentation Slides | presentation
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