For Immediate Release
EPA Announces $250M to NJDEP for Nation-Leading Charging Infrastructure Along I-95 Corridor
Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) was awarded $248,900,000 in funding as part of the Climate Pollution Reduction Grant (CPRG) program implementation awards. The EPA selected 25 total applications from state, local, and regional entities on the frontlines of fighting climate pollution. The grants awarded will support their efforts to develop and implement a variety of strong, local greenhouse gas reduction strategies.
The NJDEP was awarded funding on behalf of the Clean Corridor Coalition for zero-emission medium- and heavy-duty vehicles (ZE-MHDV) infrastructure along the I-95 corridor. The Coalition includes three additional states that will also receive this infrastructure, Connecticut, Delaware, and Maryland, with the NJDEP leading the effort and implementation. In total, this project is estimated to cumulatively reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 0.46 million metric tons of CO2 equivalent (CO2e) between 2025-2030, and by 18.6 million metric tons by 2050.
A full list of recipients of CPRG implementation grants can be found here. All 25 of the climate pollution reduction efforts selected to receive funding align closely with the goals and missions of the Sierra Club’s campaigns, from working to decarbonize the industrial sector, to efforts to electrify homes and buildings, and invest in clean public transportation and zero emission vehicles.
Anjuli Ramos-Busot, Director of Sierra Club New Jersey, issued the following statement:
“New Jersey is the most densely populated state in the country and a commuter hub for all its surrounding states. Because of this, our transportation corridors are a massive source of carbon emissions and air pollution with the Interstate-95 freight corridor being one of the most impactful due to its congestion and scale.
With this CPRG award of almost $249 million from the EPA, the NJDEP will be the leading agency in a four-state effort from Connecticut to Maryland deploying charging infrastructure for medium- and heavy-duty trucks. Electrifying I-95 in these particular states, one of the busiest areas in the country, is an extraordinary effort that will deliver long lasting public health benefits for New Jerseyans and the region. This is a massive win for climate action, regional air quality, and the communities experiencing roadway pollution.
“We thank the Biden-Harris Administration for these investments coming from the Inflation Reduction Act and their meaningful impacts in NJ and the region for climate action and public health. We look forward to seeing New Jersey lead the way toward electrification for the North East and more charging infrastructure on our highways and interstates in the near future.”
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About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.