CLEVELAND — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently awarded more than $129 million to Cuyahoga County, as well as the cities of Cleveland and Painesville, to help tackle climate issues. 

What You Need To Know

  • According to a release from the EPA, the county and the two cities will transition away from a coal-fired power plant in northeast Ohio, which the funding will help support

  • Instead, there will be a deployment of 63 megawatts of solar installations on brownfield and previous landfill sites and 10 megawatts of battery storage

  • The funding will also help restore natural habitat and expand tree coverage on a brownfield near Lake Erie

According to a release from the EPA, the county and the two cities will transition away from a coal-fired power plant in northeast Ohio, which the funding will help support. Instead, there will be a deployment of 63 megawatts of solar installations on brownfield and previous landfill sites and 10 megawatts of battery storage. 

The funding, which is from the Climate Pollution Reduction Grant, will also help restore natural habitat and expand tree coverage on a brownfield near Lake Erie. 

“President Biden believes in the power of community-driven solutions to fight climate change, protect public health, and grow our economy. Thanks to his leadership, the Climate Pollution Reduction Grants program will deliver unprecedented resources to states, local governments, and Tribes to fund the solutions that work best in their communities,” said EPA Administrator Michael Regan in a release. “Selected recipients have put forward ambitious plans to advance sustainable agriculture, deploy clean industrial technologies, cut emissions and energy costs in homes and commercial buildings, and provide cost- and energy-efficient heating and cooling to communities, creating economic and workforce development opportunities along the way.” 

The EPA selected 25 applicants for funding, which included states, a Tribe, local governments and coalitions to help tackle the climate crisis. In total, nearly $33 billion in funding was awarded across the nation. 

"This $130 million Climate Pollution Reduction grant from the U.S. EPA will be transformative for Cuyahoga County and Northeast Ohio," said Cuyahoga County Executive Chris Ronayne in a release. "With these resources, we will be able to expand our solar infrastructure, reduce our reliance on fossil fuels, and decrease greenhouse gas emissions. Thank you to the Biden-Harris administration for delivering this investment in Cuyahoga County’s future. This award underscores our commitment to climate leadership and to policies and programs that pave the way for a cleaner, greener, and more sustainable future for all."

The EPA said it expects to announce up to $300 million more in funding under the Climate Pollution Reduction Grants later this summer.