CHICAGO (WGEM) – Illinois is getting more than half-a-billion dollars from the federal government to invest in clean energy and help reduce pollution throughout the state.
Friday, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker (D) and U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., celebrated the two grants.
One is a $430 million Climate Pollution Reduction Grant. The other is a grant worth $95 million from the EPA’s Clean Ports Program.
“This tremendous partnership between state and federal agencies has once again yielded tremendous results for our state, cleaner air and water, stronger and more sustainable infrastructure and further economic growth and opportunity,” Pritzker said.
He said the money will help the state move forward on projects in transportation, agriculture and construction. Money will go to charging infrastructure for heavy-duty vehicles, help farmers transition to more sustainable agricultural practices and use clean building technology to lower homeowners’ energy bills. Money will also help Illinois’ ports advance towards net-zero carbon emissions.
“Our ports are an essential part of our economy, and this grant will ensure their long-term stability and support the workers, business and communities that rely on them,” Pritzker said.
These grants were made possible due to the Inflation Reduction Act. Passed in 2022, the federal law did several things including making major climate change investments.
“It was historic, the largest investment ever in the climate crisis,” Durbin said.
He supported the law in the U.S. Senate.
He said the federal government is investing about $630 billion in clean technology, which has spurred around $1 trillion in private investment across the U.S. Illinois has so far received about $19 billion thanks to the law.
“The Inflation Reduction Act invested in communities, clean energy jobs and manufacturing for all Americans regardless of whether they live or what their party affiliation may be,” Durbin said.
Pritzker said the grants will also help Illinois reached its goals set out in the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act, which is for the state to transition to 100% clean energy by 2050.
Copyright 2024 WGEM. All rights reserved.
