Money coming to DRCOG to tackle air pollution, environmental justice - Englewood Herald
Money coming to DRCOG to tackle air pollution, environmental justice | Englewoodherald.net
The Denver Regional Council of Governments will receive $1 million from the Inflation Reduction Act to cut pollution and build clean energy economies across the Denver-Aurora-Lakewood metropolitan statistical area.
The Environmental Protection Agency announced the news on May 3.
“This program, funded through the Inflation Reduction Act, provides flexible planning resources to local governments, states, tribes and territories for climate solutions that protect communities from pollution and advance environmental justice,” a news release reads.
According to the news release, DRCOG will collaborate with municipalities and communities to create a climate action plan while focusing on low-income and disadvantaged communities.
The grants will be awarded and administered later this summer.
“This is the first step in a strategic effort to help our cities build common-sense solutions to reduce climate pollution,”reads EPA Regional Administrator KC Becker’s statement in the news release. “EPA looks forward to supporting locally-grown projects that will make Denver-area communities healthier and stronger.”
Related Knowledge Center: ENERGY BASICS: nuclear
Nuclear energy provides almost 20 percent of the U.S. electricity supply. Advocates have called for an expanded role for nuclear as an emissions-free fuel source. But the economics of building new reactors are daunting. In addition, lingering safety concerns are an institutionalized part of the calculation of nuclear regulation, and highly radioactive nuclear waste remains a can that public officials have been inclined to kick down the road. The Energy Information Administration projects a sharp decline in nuclear power generation over the next decade, as new nuclear plants — two are planned — are more than offset by anticipated retirements of several operating reactors.