COLUMBIA, S.C. — The Climate Pollution Reduction Grants program is the larger portion of a $5 billion initiative in the Inflation Reduction Act.
Under the newly initiative, states and cities will have more flexibility in the design of projects and in applying for funding. There is one key requirement: in addition to reducing pollution, these proposals must also create jobs and provide health benefits to disadvantaged communities. The distribution of grants is scheduled to begin next fall, with the application deadline set for spring 2024.
The grant announcement coincides with NASA's sharing of the first images from TEMPO, short for Tropospheric Emissions: Monitoring of Pollution. TEMPO's first images of North America provide scientists with a unique view of pollution hotspots.
The images show pollution patterns in urban areas and industrial zones. Harvard reports that in addition to nitrogen dioxide, TEMPO will track most major air pollutants during daylight hours, including ozone, aerosols, sulfur dioxide, and formaldehyde from cars, oil refineries, and wildfires. Before, such pollutants were hidden in reflected sunlight and unable to be detected.