Residents in Central Arkansas can expect thousands of trees to be planted, an expansion of electric vehicle charging stations and improved energy efficiency in commercial and public buildings in the coming years, thanks to nearly $100 million in grant funding from the federal Environmental Protection Agency.
The funds were secured by a regional planning coalition that includes Metroplan in Central Arkansas, the Northwest Arkansas Regional Planning Commission and the city of Fort Smith. The coalition announced last week it was one of 25 recipients nationwide to receive a Climate Pollution Reduction Grant, an initiative aimed at driving community-based projects to mitigate pollution and bolster environmentally friendly projects.
It is the largest grant Metroplan has ever received, the organization’s leadership said.
During an event at Little Rock’s Two Rivers Park Tuesday, Metroplan’s leadership provided more details for how the $49 million earmarked for Central Arkansas will be spent.
Metroplan will invest in planting more than 170,000 trees, 136 EV charging stations and energy efficiency infrastructure. There will also be an electric bike rebate program, which will provide rebates for over 1,200 electric bike purchases once the program is up and running.
“In Pulaski County, we are known for leading innovations, like our trail systems, our solar-powered county structures and our recycling programs,” Pulaski County Judge Barry Hyde said. “As we grow, we must balance economic development and environmental stewardship, investing in renewable resources to ensure a sustainable future.”
Hyde also serves as the president of Metroplan.
Northwest Arkansas and Fort Smith will receive the remainder of the funding for similar initiatives. Over the next 25 years, as the projects are implemented, they are expected to reduce over 1 million metric tons of carbon dioxide, according to EPA estimates.
“Our citizens will benefit for decades to come as a result of this grant,” Casey Covington, Metroplan’s executive director, said Tuesday.
The Climate Pollution Reduction Grants program is part of the Inflation Reduction Act, or IRA, passed by Congress and signed by President Joe Biden in 2022. The bill dedicates hundreds of billions of dollars to renewable energy projects across the U.S.
“Receiving one of these grants is no small feat,” said David Garcia, the director of the Environmental Protection Agency’s Air and Radiation Division for Region 6. “EPA received 299 applications from all over the country requesting $33 billion worth of projects in funding.”
Region 6 includes Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas and 66 tribal nations.
Covington said Metroplan’s share of the grant will go to the following projects:
- $6 million dollars for land acquisition and conservation through existing projects run by the Nature Conservancy and Arkansas Heritage Commission
- $9.5 million for tree planting
- $8 million for pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure to provide more active transportation options
- $3.5 million for electric bike rebates and electric vehicles
- $5 million to convert old street lights into LED lights
- $7 million for building energy efficiency, for both private businesses and public buildings
- $7.75 million for a new cooling and heating system for Little Rock Airport
- $1.5 million for workforce development to go about implementing all the projects.
Correction: In an article published July 22, 2024, Casey Covington was incorrectly identified as Chris Covington.