Energy Funds For All Logo
Federal Funding In Action

Success Stories

Discover how federal funding helped lower energy bills, create jobs, and advance clean energy here in the Carolinas. These real-world projects highlight the impact of federal funding in action!

local government hero img

If you are looking for a specific recipient category (ie. schools, nonprofits, SC, NC, etc), you can search this page for your preferred keyword! Hit Command + F on Mac, or Control + F on Windows, then type your word.

Many of the programs below are no longer available due to federal policy changes, depleted funding, or program closures. We’ve archived the funding opportunities that we previously tracked for reference and to document what was previously available to Carolina residents. If you want more incentives like these, tell your Federal, North Carolina, and South Carolina legislators.

Did you know? Out of the top 20 congressional districts to benefit from clean energy investments since the IRA passed, North Carolina’s 9th Congressional District ranks 1st with $12.8 billion, and South Carolina’s 1st and 7th Districts rank 11th and 12th with $3.5 and $3.3 billion, respectively. (Source: Atlas Public Policy)

Equity Is Embedded in Every Category

Rather than list “Environmental Justice” as a separate category, we want to highlight that equity is at the heart of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). Many IRA-funded projects are specifically designed to benefit underserved, overburdened, and low-income communities. From clean energy upgrades to transportation and workforce programs, the majority of investments prioritize community resilience, affordability, and access. You’ll find that across all categories — whether it’s grid improvements, workforce development , or conservation efforts — equity and environmental justice are woven into the goals and implementation of each project.

Interactive Map Highlighting what projects were funded in your neighborhood

Grist is a nonprofit, independent media organization dedicated to reporting on climate change. Combining information across multiple datasets, Grist developed an interactive map highlighting where more than $300 billion of the funds promised under the Inflation Reduction Act and the bipartisan infrastructure law have been awarded across the United States. Enter a ZIP code, city name, or other location in the search box to discover projects within any radius of a chosen area.

Solar for All is one of three programs that make up the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF). The NC Solar for All coalition and the South Carolina Office of Resilience both received statewide funding from the EPA. The funds will be used to expand access to solar energy for households in low-income and disadvantaged communities. Funds will also be available for batteries and for upgrades needed to make homes solar-ready. See descriptions of all 60 awardees here. Update: the EPA announced in August 2025 that it would cancel the Solar for All program. Some recipients are taking the matter to court. Read more here. 

North Carolina: The NC Solar for All coalition (NC Department of Environmental Quality, NC Clean Energy Fund, NC Advanced Energy Corporation, and NC Clean Energy Technology Center) was awarded a little over $156 million to fund its EnergizeNC program, which will help low-income NC households affordably install solar and/or battery storage between fall of 2025 and late 2029. Funds will be available for single-family, multifamily, and community solar. The program will strengthen solar job training and the solar job market.  

South Carolina: The South Carolina Office of Resilience (SCOR) was awarded $124.4 million to launch the South Carolina Solar for All Program. In December 2024, SCOR began its one-year Planning Period to refine the program, which was expected to  include the Community Solar Initiative, a residential-serving community solar program for income-qualified residents (homeowners and renters); partnering with utilities to expand or enhance existing utility-run programs; working with energy efficiency and weatherization programs to coordinate activities; building on existing solar workforce training programs; and establishing a Solar Innovation Fund to expand solar opportunities, potentially including resilience hubs, solar, and storage installation at affordable housing facilities. Update: In an August 26, 2025 email to stakeholders SCOR announced that it was closing out its Solar for All grant in response to EPA’s attempt to cancel the program. 

Multistate: The Community Power Coalition (CPC)’s SFA program, “Powering America Together,” will deliver meaningful benefits for Americans in low-income and disadvantaged communities through community solar projects. Led by Inclusive Prosperity Capital, Inc., the program will support the development of low-income community solar projects, reduce carbon emissions, generate energy cost savings, and promote quality jobs, community wealth-building, community energy resilience, and equitable workforce development. CPC’s program will advance solar development in several states, including North and South Carolina.

Program: Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (Solar for All) 

Amount: $156 million (NC)

                $124.4 million (SC)

Location: Statewide, NC and SC

The Montessori School of Columbia installed an 8.16 kilowatt (kW) solar photovoltaic system on their Learning Lab building. This building was recently constructed prior to the project, and it is the School’s goal to achieve a “net zero building”; meaning the facility produces at least as much energy as it uses. The solar system is expected to produce over 11,700 kWh annually. 

Program: SC Energy Office Mini-Grant Program through DOE

Location: Columbia, SC

This Rural Development investment will be used to purchase and install a 7.7 kilowatt (kW) solar array on the farming operation of TK Family Farm LLC. This project will generate 12,087 kilowatt hours (kWh) per year and realize $1,330 of saving per year.

Project: Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) Renewable and Energy Efficiency Program

Amount: $12,590

Location: Polk County, NC

Red Shed Woodworks and Construction Inc., a custom home builder, will purchase and install a 5.6 kilowatt (kW) solar array. This will realize $726 per year in savings, and will replace 6,789 kilowatt hours (kWh) per year. This project will save enough electricity to power one home.

Project: Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) Renewable and Energy Efficiency Program

Amount: $9,525 

Location: Madison County, NC (Marshall)

These funds will be used to assist Walter P Rawl & Sons Inc. with the purchase and installation of a 899.3 kilowatt (kW) direct current (DC) ground-mount photovoltaic (PV) solar array. This is a farming operation that grows leafy greens for retail and the food service industry. This project will realize $84,523 per year in savings and will replace 1,418,867 kilowatt hours (kWh) per year, which is enough electricity to power 131 homes.

Project: Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) Renewable and Energy Efficiency Program

Amount: $944,212 

Location: Lexington County, SC (Pelion)

 

Ashley Solar LLC will purchase and install a 3.564 MWdc commercial utility scale solar array. Ashley Solar LLC is a newly created entity for the purpose of generating electricity in Darlington County. The system is estimated to produce 4,538,200 kilowatt hours (kWh) per year, which is enough electricity to power 419 homes.

Project: Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) Renewable and Energy Efficiency Program

Amount: $2,790,000

Location: Darlington County, SC (Darlington)

This Rural Development investment will be used to purchase and install a 1.782 Megawatts defined conditions (MWDC) commercial utility scale solar array. Luz Solar LLC is a newly created entity for the purpose of generating electricity in Darlington County. The system is estimated to produce
2,282,300 kilowatt hours (kWh) per year, which is enough electricity to power 211 homes.

Project: Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) Renewable and Energy Efficiency Program

Amount: $1,702,000 

Location: Darlington County, SC (Hartsville)

Selected projects include:

  • Phamily Poultry Farms in Clarendon County will receive $140,620 to purchase a ground-mount solar PV system
  • Milky Way Jersy Farm in Anderson County will receive $79,022 to install a new chiller
  • Howle Farms and Livestock in Darlington County will receive $154,590 to buy and install a roof-mounted array of solar panels
  • Kiran Fitness in Cherokee County will receive $260,548 to buy and install a roof-mounted array of solar panels

Project:  Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) Renewable and Energy Efficiency Program

Amount: $634,700

Location: Statewide, SC

The Lugoff Fire Department retrofitted or replaced over 100 fluorescent and metal halide fixtures with
LED bulbs and fixtures in their headquarters station. As the station operates 24 hours a day, seven
days a week, the project was a significant savings opportunity for the Department. The project had
estimated savings of over 49,000 kWh per year with a payback period of less than four years. 

Program: SC Energy Office Mini-Grant Program through DOE

Location: Lugoff, SC

This project will transform 12 school buildings across the Marion County School District (MCSD) as it addresses several significant deferred maintenance issues that currently do not have allocated funding and continue to remain unaddressed. MCSD will work closely with their students throughout the energy efficiency upgrade projects. Students interested in STEM-focused coursework will have the opportunity to work with the team and be involved in various phases of the project. Students from the local technical college will have the opportunity to receive internships.

MCSD functions as a social hub and supports a variety of community activities in addition to school-related sports and extra curriculars. As a rural district, the middle school auditorium provides a space for churches and funerals, and functions as a designated shelter for weather events or natural disasters. MCSD is the primary source of employment for many members of the community. This project will provide benefits to not only the students and school staff, but the entire community of Marion County. MSCD aims to decrease energy burden in disadvantaged communities (DACs), increase parity in clean energy technology access and adoption, and increase energy resilience in DACs. 

Project: Renew America’s Schools

Location: Marion, SC

Hoke County School District (HCSD) was recognized as the second most diverse local educational agency (LEA) in North Carolina. All 12 schools are located within disadvantaged communities. The LEA serves a high number of military families due to proximity to a military base. The schools are all Title 1 eligible and have an average free and reduced priced lunch percentage of 93%. 

The district has struggled to allocate funding to large-scale facility upgrades. HCSD partnered with Johnson Controls Inc (JCI), a firm with expertise in energy auditing and improvements. With this funding, clean energy projects and energy conservation measures will allow for phased implementation across schools in the district. JCI will provide students with exposure to careers in clean energy and technical expertise for STEM classes. In addition, HCSD aims to increase the opportunities for its facility staff to participate in trainings related to operations and maintenance. The team seeks to do outreach to local labor unions, community groups, and workforce development agencies to ensure community benefits of the project.

Project: Renew America’s Schools

Location: Hoke County, NC

Rockingham County Schools (RCS) has innovatively navigated the challenges of maintaining their facilities despite the financial constraints of a district located in a disadvantaged community (DAC) and in a rural location. Each school uses original infrastructure and systems, and despite multiple challenges the schools have remained functioning.

(RCS) seeks to bolster the local talent pool to combat the employment and income decline, with career and technical education (CTE) programming that includes connections to apprenticeships, internships, and adult education. The RCS project will include strategies to engage businesses and organizations representing traditionally underserved groups. Rockingham County Schools are community expansion hubs. Each school uses original infrastructure and systems, and despite multiple challenges the schools have remained functioning. This project will focus on reducing pollution and fuel usage in schools with high energy costs while bolstering the local clean energy job pipeline by providing educational efforts focused on clean energy, energy efficiency skills, and career opportunities.

Project: Renew America’s Schools

Location: Rockingham, SC

Funds will be used to improve heating, insulation, and ventilation. This project will save Bryson Farm $11,359 per year and will reduce electricity by 53,638 kilowatt hours (kWh) per year and propane by 4,260 gallons.

Project: Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) Renewable and Energy Efficiency Program

Amount: $94,300 

Location: Chatham County, NC (Bennett)

Bluebird Farms LLC has a farm nursery operation located in Morganton, NC. This project will realize $2,175 per year in savings and will save 17,096 kilowatt hours (kWh) (60 percent) per year. Bluebird Farms lost 95% of their vegetables in the devastating floodwaters of Hurricane Helene, and is currently working on situating vegetable greenhouses on higher ground and building up healthy soil in marginal, sloped areas that aren’t at risk of flooding.

Project: Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) Renewable and Energy Efficiency Program

Amount: $10,995 

Location: Burke County, NC (Morgantown)

Robert C. Coleman and Richard L. Myers will purchase and install a new GSI 1226 grain dryer for C&M Hog
Farms LLC. The dryer is a portable, continuous-flow dryer designed for small to medium-sized farms, offering flexibility in drying options like all-heat, dry & cool, continuous flow, and batch drying. This project will realize $9,666 per year in savings and will save 81,178 kilowatt hours (kWh) per year, which is enough electricity to power eight homes.

Project: Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) Renewable and Energy Efficiency Program

Amount: $94,846 

Location: Dillon County, SC (Latta)

National Church Residences of Clinton, NC, Inc. – Clinton Crossing, Clinton, NC ($2,560,000)

  • Clinton Crossing received a comprehensive award, which provides funding to properties with the highest need for climate resilience and utility efficiency upgrades. They participated in the HUD Section 202 project-based rental assistance program for low-income seniors.

American Community Developers – Pageland Place Apartments, Pageland, SC ($3,000,000)

  • Pageland Place Apartments received a Leading Edge award, which provides funding to owners with plans for ambitious retrofit activities to achieve zero energy retrofits and advanced green certification.

Hillsborough Apartments, LLC – Mountain Trace AKA Pineridge Apartments, Seneca, SC ($3,360,000)

  • Pineridge Apartments were awarded $60,000/unit under the GRRP’s Leading Edge awards. The two-story buildings were built in 1980, and the grants will be used to improve the apartments to meet green standards.

Project: Green and Resilient Retrofit Program (GRRP)

Some facts on EEHIC Tax Credit use in NC (From Rewiring America)

  • In 2023, more than 62,000 North Carolina families used the Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit (25C) and saved an average of $1,008 on their taxes.

  • The 85,000 North Carolina families who used 25C and/or 25D in 2023 generated $1.1 billion in economic activity and supported 4,015 jobs in the state.

  • Over 1,100 energy-efficiency contractors — including 47 in North Carolina — signed a letter supporting 25C, which has also spurred in-state investment by manufacturers like A.O. Smith, Daikin, Trane, and Stepan.

  • Over 969,000 North Carolina households—58% of all homes—use costly fuels like propane or inefficient electric resistance. With potential savings of $2,530 a year, these homes have the most to gain from 25C and 25D, and the most to lose if they’re eliminated.

  • Widespread adoption of 25C upgrades in the residential sector would enable annual peak demand reductions north of 1 gigawatt, enough to power more than 30 data centers running at full capacity.

Beaufort County’s Solid Waste and Recycling recently received $10,000 in grant funds from the South Carolina Energy Office to purchase an electric utility task vehicle (UTV). The clean energy vehicle will be part of the County’s Litter Control fleet and over the lifetime of the 10-year project, will result in saving Beaufort County a significant amount in fuel charges.

Program: SC Energy Office Mini-Grant Program through DOE

Location: Beaufort, SC

The City of Rock Hill installed two level-two electric vehicle (EV) charging stations, which replaced
two older charging units that were no longer functioning properly. The chargers are in a public
parking lot located near a high traffic area close to I-77 and the popular Riverwalk district.
Annually, the chargers are estimated to provide the power for EV’s to drive over 22,000 miles.

Program: SC Energy Office Mini-Grant Program through DOE

Location: Florence, SC

Berkeley-Charleston-Dorchester Council of Governments (BCDCOG) will receive $6.6 million to build out a robust EV charging network consisting of 124 ports in disadvantaged communities in South Carolina. The project will expand access to electric vehicle technician training and use targeted community engagement to promote the availability of EV charging and monitor the impacts of new infrastructure.

Program: Charging & Fueling Infrastructure Discretionary Grant

Location: Charleston, SC

The one award in the Carolinas went to Fayetteville State University (FSU) in 2023. FSU will work with the UNC Charlotte Industrial Assessment Center and local community colleges to develop an energy management workforce and deliver energy management services for commercial buildings. The project team at FSU, a Historically Black College/University (HBCU), will implement this BTAC in partnership with the state workforce development system, community-based employment support organizations, and local schools and businesses. 

Project: Building, Training, and Assessment Centers

Amount: $900,000

Location: Cumberland County, NC

Multiple cities across NC and SC received funding to purchase zero-emission and low-emission transit buses, including:

North Carolina

  • Cape Fear Public Transportation Authority received $2.8m
  • City of Charlotte – Charlotte Area Transit System received $30.8m
  • City of High Point received $1.2m
  • North Carolina Department of Transportation on behalf of AppalCART received $2.2m
  • North Carolina Department of Transportation on behalf of Columbus County Transportation received $280,800
  • North Carolina Department of Transportation on behalf of ICPTA received $3.3m
  • Research Triangle Regional Public Transportation Authority received $1.6m
  • City of Winston-Salem / Winston-Salem Transit Authority received $4.4m
  • City of Fayetteville received $6.7m
  • City of Greensboro received $22.4m

South Carolina

  • Charleston Area Regional Transportation Authority received ~$26m
  • Greenville Transit Authority d.b.a. Greenlink received $6.3m
  • South Carolina Department of Transportation on behalf of 25 rural transit providers received $15.4m
  • City of Clemson, SC, on behalf of Clemson Area Transit received $4.7m

Project: Low- or No-Emission Bus Grants

Amount: $128 million

Location: Statewide, NC and SC

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ) received funding to continue EPA’s support for the ongoing collection of data on the ambient air concentrations of fine particulate matter throughout the state. PM2.5 (particle matter) describes fine inhalable particles, with diameters that are generally 2.5 micrometers and smaller. EPA, state, tribal and local agencies use that data to ensure that PM in the air is at levels that protect public health and the environment.

Project: Funding to Address Air Pollution: Clean Air Act Grants

Amount: $680,000

Location: Statewide, NC

 

The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC) also received funding for these activities.

Amount: $440,000

Location: Statewide, SC

 

The Forsyth County Office of Environmental Assistance and Protection ($100,000), Mecklenburg County ($170,000), and the Western NC Regional Air Quality Agency ($60,000) all received additional funding for this work locally. 

North Carolina’s Department of Air Quality received funding for the expansion and enhancement of air monitoring activities. Specifically, they will replace, repair, operate, and maintain existing monitors and support operations in and near communities with environmental justice concerns.

Project: Funding to Address Air Pollution: Clean Air Act Grants

Amount: $2,615,000

Location: Statewide, NC

 

Forsyth County also received their own set of funding for these activities in local communities with environmental justice concerns

Amount: $155,200

The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians in North Carolina has been awarded funding to expand and enhance their air monitoring activities. The funding will support the hiring of a project manager to oversee the relocation of an air monitoring site and the implementation of activities aligned with the Clean Air Act Section 105 program. These efforts include air quality monitoring, emissions inventory, pollution control strategy development, regulatory enforcement, public outreach, and staff training. The project will result in a relocated and better-equipped air quality monitoring station with a new shelter, improving data collection and public awareness of air quality programs. The initiative aims to reduce exposure to hazardous air pollutants, benefiting the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and residents across North Carolina.

Project: Funding to Address Air Pollution: Clean Air Act Grants

Amount: $372,000

Location: Cherokee, NC

Asheville-Buncombe Air Quality Agency will expand and enhance air monitoring activities. The funding will support the purchase of a T640X monitor, a backup PM10 monitor, a Whisper Series Alicat FP-25 calibrator kit, three pumps to maintain monitoring equipment, and an AC unit to ensure operational efficiency. These upgrades will strengthen air monitoring sites, improve data collection, and prevent equipment downtime. The project aims to increase air quality monitoring in disadvantaged communities, enhance public awareness of ambient air quality, and reduce human exposure to air pollutants. Additional benefits include improved data availability, the identification of new air sampling methods, and better continuity of operations through adequately staffed monitoring programs. The initiative will directly benefit Asheville-Buncombe residents by providing more reliable and publicly accessible air quality data.

Project: Funding to Address Air Pollution: Clean Air Act Grants

Amount: $233,000

Location: Buncombe County, NC (Asheville)

The South Carolina Department of Environmental Services (SCDES) has received two significant funding awards to enhance air quality monitoring and data management efforts in the state. The first funding, provided through the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), focuses on upgrading monitoring infrastructure, specifically at National Air Toxics Trends Station (NATTS) sites. It includes updating two monitoring shelters, enhancing monitoring for ethylene oxide (EtO), and purchasing laptops and docking stations to improve administrative coordination. Additionally, a subaward will fund air monitoring sample analysis conducted 65 times per year for three years. This initiative aims to improve real-time air quality updates on AirNow.gov, strengthen compliance with National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS), and provide enhanced access to emissions and enforcement data for communities across South Carolina.

The second funding was the result of a departmental restructuring, which led to a novation of responsibilities from the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC) to SCDES. This funding supports similar activities, including monitoring ethylene oxide at NATTS sites and upgrading monitoring shelters. However, this initiative places a greater emphasis on upgrading environmental data management systems and improving public access to air quality data, ensuring stronger compliance with air quality standards and fostering better communication between the state, communities, and regulated industries. Both funding actions are aimed at improving air quality monitoring, advancing environmental data collection, and enhancing public health protections.

Project: Funding to Address Air Pollution: Clean Air Act Grants

Amount(s): $213,525, tbd

Location: Statewide, SC

The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC) has been awarded $157,049 to continue its participation in the National Air Toxics Trends Stations (NATTS) monitoring program, which tracks hazardous air pollutants across the state. This funding, along with $4,951 in EPA in-kind services provided through Eastern Research Group, will support ongoing efforts to monitor and analyze air toxics. By maintaining long-term monitoring, the initiative helps improve public health protections and informs air quality management strategies.

In addition, the South Carolina Department of Environmental Services (SCDES)—which took over air quality monitoring responsibilities from SCDHEC—has been awarded $28,211 to further enhance the NATTS program. This funding will strengthen air toxics monitoring by improving data precision, quality control, and pollutant tracking. Activities include more frequent monitoring of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), carbonyls, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and metals, as well as enhanced analytical procedures to ensure accuracy. These improvements will contribute to a more reliable long-term dataset for evaluating pollution trends, assessing public health risks, and guiding emission reduction strategies.

Project: Funding to Address Air Pollution: Clean Air Act Grants

Amount(s): $157,049, $28,211

Location: Statewide, SC

 

Mecklenburg County Air Quality Agency has also been awarded $71,934 to improve air toxics monitoring and data accuracy. The funding will support the purchase of four VOC calibration cylinders and cover contractual expenses for air monitoring maintenance, technical support, data validation, laboratory analysis, and on-site training for staff. These efforts will enhance data completeness, improve ozone model development, and provide more accurate air toxics data for public access, benefiting Mecklenburg County residents.

Project: Funding to Address Air Pollution: Clean Air Act Grants

Amount: $71,934

Location: Mecklenburg County, NC

Forsyth County has been awarded $52,019 under the Clean Air Act (CAA) grants through the Inflation Reduction Act to improve local air monitoring. The funding will support the replacement of a Teledyne Model T200U NOx analyzer and the purchase of a Teledyne Model T700U multi-gas calibrator for use in a low-income, disadvantaged neighborhood in Winston-Salem, NC. These upgrades will enhance the county’s ability to monitor air pollutants accurately, benefiting the local community by providing more reliable air quality data.

Project: Funding to Address Air Pollution: Clean Air Act Grants

Amount: $52,019

Location: Winston-Salem, NC

Mecklenburg County Air Quality will provide rebates in the Charlotte region in NC and SC for the replacement of ten pieces of nonroad equipment and ten on-road heavy-duty diesel vehicles. The Clean Air Act, particularly through programs like the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA), encourages the replacement or retrofitting of older, high-emission diesel engines to improve air quality and reduce pollutants such as particulate matter (PM) and nitrogen oxides (NOx). This includes one dozer/loader, seven excavators, two generators, one school bus, and nine class 6-8 on-road heavy duty devices vehicles. 

Project: Funding to Address Air Pollution: Clean Air Act Grants

Amount: $1,184,000

Location: Charlotte, NC (Cabarrus, Gaston, Iredell, Lincoln, Mecklenburg, Rowan, and Union) and York, SC

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality has been awarded funding to support the state’s air quality programs. This funding will help the Department of Air Quality upgrade aging equipment in its ambient air monitoring network to improve data reliability and prevent data loss for National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) pollutants. The grant will fund the purchase of eight ozone analyzers, seven ozone calibrators, one sulfur dioxide monitor, one sulfur dioxide calibrator, and seven nasal rangers (field olfactometers) to enhance odor complaint assessments. These improvements will provide more accurate air quality data, ensuring better monitoring and response to air pollution concerns for the benefit of North Carolina residents.

Project: Funding to Address Air Pollution: Clean Air Act Grants

Amount: $313,664

Location: Statewide, NC

 

The Asheville-Buncombe Air Quality Agency also received their own funding for this category. The grant will fund the purchase of one ozone analyzer, one ozone primary standard, a portable flow calibrator for particulate air samplers, and a field olfactometer.

Amount: $46,214

Mecklenburg County has been awarded $200,000 to support compliance with National Ambient Air Quality Standards by implementing a permanent near-road nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) monitoring station. The project will ensure the station meets network design and siting criteria under 40 CFR Part 58, improving air quality monitoring and data collection in the region.

Project: Funding to Address Air Pollution: Clean Air Act Grants

Amount: $200,000

Location: Mecklenburg County, NC

The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians has been awarded funding to expand and enhance air monitoring activities. The project includes purchasing additional smoke sensors and maintaining the existing smoke monitoring network. Expected outcomes include the establishment of a comprehensive smoke monitoring network and a community alert system as part of the Fire Science Initiative, benefiting the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.

Project: Funding to Address Air Pollution: Clean Air Act Grants

Amount: $77,000

Location: Cherokee, NC

The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians will establish a boundary-wide air quality sensor network aimed at community-level pollutant monitoring. The project involves placing low-cost sensors across nine communities on the Qualia boundary, engaging community members in the design and implementation process, and developing an early warning system and real-time data dashboard for air quality visualization. The initiative will use a Community-Based Participatory Research approach to ensure active involvement from tribal members in data collection and dissemination.

Project: Funding to Address Air Pollution: Clean Air Act Grants

Amount: $43,268

Location: Cherokee, NC

NCDEQ received a $3 million award in July 2023 for planning activities. ​The CPRG planning grant and process will cover all of NC and includes ways to reduce greenhouse gas and other air pollutants in two phases:​

  • Development of a Priority Climate Action Plan (PCAP) to identify near-term and high impact projects and strategies to reduce GHG and other air pollutant emissions. ​
  • Development of a Comprehensive Climate Action Plan (CCAP) to implement a longer-term statewide plan to reduce GHG and other air pollutant emissions.

Project: Climate Pollution Reduction Grant

Amount: $3,000,000

Location: Statewide (NC)

Central Pines Regional Council is also leading a planning process through the CPRG to conduct extensive community engagement and develop two climate action plans for the Raleigh-Cary and Durham-Chapel Hill Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSA). These plans will be developed in coordination with other plans being created in the state – the State of North Carolina and the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia MSA – and local climate plans already underway. 

The Centralina Regional Council received the third CPRG for the state and will work with its partners (Anson, Cabarrus, Cleveland, Gaston, Iredell, Lincoln, Mecklenburg, Rowan, Stanly and Union counties in North Carolina and Chester, Lancaster and York counties in South Carolina).

SC’s state CPRG program is a 4-year planning initiative called the Palmetto Air Quality Collaborative (PAQC) to develop innovative strategies to reduce greenhouse gases (GHG) and air pollution in South Carolina. This initiative intends to lay the groundwork for lowering air emissions, engaging communities, and supporting workforce and economic development opportunities. The PAQC is co-led by the SC Office of Resilience (SCOR) and SC Department of Environmental Services (SCDES).

Project: Climate Pollution Reduction Grant

Amount: $3,000,000

Location: Statewide (SC)

The Appalachian Council of Governments in the Greenville-Anderson, SC Metro Area and The Central Midlands Council of Governments also received planning grants. The CMCOG covers Fairfield, Lexington, Newberry and Richland Counties.

In August, the EPA announced the five selected recipients of $34 million in grant funding to address indoor air pollution in schools. These five selected applications will fund proposed initiatives to monitor and reduce greenhouse gas emissions and indoor air pollution at schools from kindergarten through grade 12 in low-income, disadvantaged, and Tribal communities across the country.

  1. The Go Green Initiative will partner with the National School Boards Association and their state affiliates to provide education and training for school staff, administrators, and school board officials involved in improving school indoor air quality and reducing climate pollution across all 50 states, as well as providing targeted, intensive technical assistance and capacity building in Tribal and low-income school districts in all 10 EPA regions. ($8 million)

  2. The American Lung Association will deploy the Clean Air School Challenge to raise awareness, educate, build capacity, increase implementation, and recognize the efforts of schools in low-income, disadvantaged, and Tribal communities nationwide as they implement comprehensive indoor air quality and greenhouse gas management plans. ($8 million)

  3. The U.S. Green Building Council’s Center for Green Schools will build capacity among school district staff in low-income, disadvantaged and Tribal communities to establish indoor air quality management and greenhouse gas reduction plans. This work builds on long-running and successful support that the Center for Green Schools has provided to hundreds of school district staff, who collectively serve 9.3 million students. The program places direct emphasis on making capacity building and training activities more accessible to school district staff serving low-income, disadvantaged, and Tribal communities. ($6.5 million)

Project: Funding to Address Air Pollution at Schools

Amount: $22.5 million

Location: Nationwide

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality was awarded $18,489,784 in FY23 and $8,645,084 in FY24 to strengthen our grids against wildfires, extreme weather, and other natural disasters. Funds support a variety of grid-hardening measures, including:

  • Modernizing and upgrading grid infrastructure
  • Implementing distributed energy resources like microgrids and battery storage
  • Improving system operations to anticipate and recover from outages
  • Reducing the likelihood and consequences of grid failure.

A major focus is on prioritizing communities that are most vulnerable to grid disruptions, especially underserved and disadvantaged areas. NCDEQ then awarded subgrants to the following groups:

  • City of Gastonia ($679,000) – Weatherization Technologies and Equipment
  • City of Wilson ($3,630,983) – Utility Pole Management
  • Fayetteville Public Works Commission ($3,642,346) – Utility Pole Management
  • Four County Electric Membership Corporation (EMC) ($2,900,850) – Weatherization Technologies and Equipment

     —–

South Carolina’s Public Service Authority DBA Santee Cooper was awarded $10,404,331 in FY23 and $5,458,242 in FY24. Subgrantees for SC include:

  • Berkeley Electric Cooperative ($982,228) – Weatherization Technologies and Equipment

  • Broad River Electric Cooperative ($183,964) – Monitoring and Control Technologies

  • City of Rock Hill ($71,470) – Weatherization Technologies and Equipment

  • Coastal Electric Cooperative ($400,000) – Monitoring and Control Technologies

  • Coastal Electric Cooperative ($796,000) – Replacement of Old Overhead Conductors

  • Fairfield Electric Cooperative ($225,000) – Monitoring and Control Technologies

  • Fairfield Electric Cooperative ($900,000) – Weatherization Technologies and Equipment

  • Gaffney Board of Public Works ($417,605) – Monitoring and Control Technologies

  • Horry Electric Cooperative ($779,823) – Monitoring and Control Technologies

  • Laurens Commission of Public Works ($777,917) – Utility Pole Management

  • Lockhart Power Company ($833,333) – Weatherization Technologies and Equipment

  • Marlboro Pee Dee Electric Cooperative ($1,191,604) – Monitoring and Control Technologies

  • Palmetto Electric Cooperative ($1,946,000) – Monitoring and Control Technologies

  • York Electric Cooperative ($125,193) – Hardening of Power Lines, Facilities, Substations, or Other Systems

  • York Electric Cooperative ($152,664) – Monitoring and Control Technologies

  • York Electric Cooperative ($59,886) – Undergrounding of Electrical Equipment

  • York Electric Cooperative ($924,212) – Undergrounding of Electrical Equipment

Project: Grid Resilience State and Tribal Formula Grant Program

Amount:

$27,134,868 (NC)

$15,862,573 (SC)

Location: Statewide NC and SC

The Grid Deployment Office (GDO) administered a $10.5 billion Grid Resilience and Innovation partnerships (GRIP) program to accelerate the deployment of transformative projects that will help to ensure the reliability of the power sector’s infrastructure, so all American communities have access to affordable, reliable electricity. GRIP includes Grid Resilience Utility and Industry Grants, Smart Grid Grants, and the Grid Innovation Program.

Through the first and second rounds of GRIP funding, GDO has announced a total of $7.6 billion in funding for 105 selected projects in all 50 states and the District of Columbia to protect the U.S. power grid against growing threats of extreme weather, lower costs for communities, and enable additional grid capacity to meet load growth stemming from an increase in manufacturing, data centers, and electrification.

Groups that work in NC and SC that received funding include:

  • Georgia Transmission Corporation – $97,910,605
    Selected – Grid Resilience Utility and Industry Grants

  • Surry-Yadkin Electric Membership Corporation (SYEMC) – $7,486,808
    Awarded – Smart Grid Grants

  • North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality and State Energy Office – $57,099,386
    Selected – Grid Innovation Program

  • Jones-Onslow Electric Membership Corporation – $42,317,886
    Selected – Grid Resilience Utility and Industry Grants

  • Virginia Electric and Power Co. (Dominion Energy Virginia) – $33,654,095
    Awarded – Smart Grid Grants

  • Tennessee Valley Authority – $250,000,000
    Selected – Grid Resilience Utility and Industry Grants

  • Randolph Electric Membership Corporation – $11,481,931
    Selected – Grid Resilience Utility and Industry Grants

  • Fayetteville Public Works Commission (PWC) – $11,436,783
    Selected – Smart Grid Grants

  • Highland Electric Fleets, Inc. – $10,918,827
    Selected – Smart Grid Grants

  • Virginia Department of Energy – $85,433,351
    Selected – Grid Innovation Program

  • Tri-County Electric Cooperative, Inc. (TCE) – $4,665,803
    Awarded – Grid Resilience Utility and Industry Grants

Project: Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships (GRIP) Program Projects

Amount: Varies

Location: Statewide, NC and SC

On October 13, 2024, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced more than $600 million to bolster grid resilience and reliability in the face of extreme weather and increased electricity demand across the states affected by Hurricanes Helene and Milton. The funding will help harden the electric grid across the Southeastern U.S.; install advanced conductors and controls to help local power companies better face increasing extreme weather; deploy self-healing devices and enable more efficient and precise dispatching of field teams during outages; upgrade lines to meet critical capacity and flexibility for projected load growth and renewable integration; and build, rebuild, or reconductor transmission infrastructure. This investment will help reduce the likelihood of outages, speed up restoration times, and increase grid operational resilience for millions of customers in communities most susceptible to prolonged outages in one of the highest storm-risk regions of the country. 

Projects receiving funding within communities affected by Hurricane Helene include: 

  • Randolph Electric Membership Corporation (Up to $11.4 million in North Carolina)
  • Tennessee Valley Authority (Up to $250 million in Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia)
  • Georgia Transmission Corporation (Up to $97 million in Georgia, Arkansas, Arizona, Kentucky, Maine, Minnesota, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Mexico, South Dakota, and Wisconsin)

Project: Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships (GRIP) Program Projects

Amount: Varies

Location: Statewide, NC

Sandy Island (SC7): A preliminary investigation feasibility report (PIFR), plan, and design will be prepared to determine if WFPO can be used to assist with flooding on Sandy Island. Recent flooding has threatened infrastructure, notably homes, businesses, and transportation routes. The project looks to reduce flood damages throughout the island. 

Buck Creek (SC7): A preliminary investigation feasibility report (PIFR) will be prepared to determine if WFPO can be used to assist with flooding in the Buck Creek Watershed. Changes within the primarily agricultural watershed are a concern regarding recent flood events. A watershed plan will provide guidance for reducing flood damages

Project: Watershed and Flood Prevention Operations

Amount: $2,500,000

Location: Georgetown and Horry Counties, SC

Central Midlands Council of Governments (SC) received a fund for Municipal Solar + Smart Surfaces (S3) Projects, a matching fund designed to leverage local finances and increase investment in established and resilient infrastructure projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) while also addressing extreme heat, flooding, pollution, and equity challenges. The S3 Fund will incentivize municipal solar and smart surface (such as green infrastructure and cool roofs and pavements) projects undertaken by local governments across the Midlands.  

Based on information provided by the applicant, the selected project will deliver the following benefits to reduce GHGs and support communities 1: 

  • Allocate funds to projects across 7 counties and 34 municipalities, nearly 50% of which represent low-income and disadvantaged communities. 
  • Implement up to 10 municipal solar power projects and up to 5 smart surface projects to reduce concentrated urban heat island impacts that disproportionately affect low-income and disadvantaged communities. 
  • Establish a simple, accessible, and flexible funding mechanism for the use of local governments to invest in solar photovoltaics and smart surfaces projects. 
  • Pilot innovative, impactful, and highly visible projects that will inspire additional investment and leverage ongoing community support. 
  • Create paid training opportunities and high-quality jobs for the region’s diverse workforce. 

Project: Climate Pollution Reduction Grant

Amount: $8,739,181

Location: Newberry, Saluda, Richland, Lexington, and Fairfield Counties, SC

The Downtown Fort Mill Mobility and Parking Plan proposes a comprehensive transportation plan to identify and address existing transportation barriers within the Town of Fort Mill’s Downtown District. Central to this plan is addressing the railroad tracks that bisect the town’s downtown area, and remedying other obstacles in accessing the area, such as increased traffic due to population growth rate, increase in crashes involving vulnerable road users, and assess parking conditions. The railroad tracks that divide the town created major obstacles in growth and connectivity of the west side of the downtown area, as transportation access across the tracks is limited. This has led to multiple crashes involving motor vehicles and freight trains. Due to the increased traffic in Main Street and lack of adequate active transportation facilities, pedestrian and cycling mode share is limited. The Town of Fort Mill’s proposed study will include a safety analysis of crashes, assessment of the pedestrian network (including ADA accessibility), parking assessment and inventory, parking utilization analysis, and review of current policies, ordinances, and adopted plans

Project: Reconnecting Communities Pilot (RCP) Grant Program

Amount: $160,000

Location: Fort Mill, SC

The Walnut Cove Greenway project seeks to develop conceptual design and preliminary engineering of the preferred greenway concept to create a safer and more direct route downtown for residents of southern Walnut Cove. Currently, there exist multiple barriers to safe and effective transportation between the Walnut Tree neighborhood (primarily racial minority) and schools, goods and services located in downtown Walnut Cove. There is precisely one roadway that provides access to the rest of town from the Walnut Tree neighborhood and points south and east. That roadway, NC Highway 65, has a speed limit of 45 mph within town, no sidewalks, and almost non-existent shoulders. The Walnut Tree Neighborhood is approximately 3,000 linear feet from downtown Walnut Cove. However, a resident would have to walk approximately 1.2 miles to access downtown via the existing roadway. The preferred trail concept links East Walnut Cove Community Park to downtown Walnut Cove, passing through Walnut Tree and providing trail access to that neighborhood. A potential secondary trail connects the neighborhood on Stokesburg Road to the main trail. Reflecting local preferences and terrain limitations, both recommended trails are almost entirely separated from vehicle traffic, running through utility easements and undeveloped natural areas near the floodplain.

Project: Reconnecting Communities Pilot (RCP) Grant Program

Amount: $250,000

Location: Stokes County, NC

Dave Lyle Boulevard is a five-lane, state-owned, arterial roadway constructed in the mid-1970s that runs from Rock Hill’s downtown, through Rock Hill’s largest economic hub, and underneath Interstate 77. Railroad tracks owned and operated by Norfolk Southern Corporation run parallel to Dave Lyle Boulevard. These two facilities bisect Rock Hill’s downtown, disconnecting the area at a crucial location. In 2017, the City of Rock Hill and the Rock Hill Economic Development Corporation (RHEDC) set out to engage local businesses, community partners, and individual leaders in the community to revitalize the city’s downtown. The City and RHEDC hoped that this new effort – coined the Knowledge Park Action Plan (KPAP) – would catalyze economic innovations, improve community connectivity and engagement, and foster growth in the downtown area. The advisory committee engaged 80+ residents, the Knowledge Park leadership group, property owners and developers, nearby Winthrop University, local businesses, and the African American Business District in the planning process and released a connectivity study in March 2018. This study identified the current connectivity barriers, outlined feedback from stakeholders, and recommended a course of action – construction of a pedestrian/cyclist bridge over Dave Lyle Boulevard and the parallel railroad tracks. This bridge will run perpendicularly across Dave Lyle and the railroad tracks, between White Street and Main Street, and will be fully ADA accessible and available for use by both pedestrians and cyclists.

Project: Reconnecting Communities Pilot (RCP) Grant Program

Amount: $10,109,074

Location: York County, NC

The City of Charlotte received $1 million to study and reimagine two major I-77 interchanges in the city’s historic West End—home to Johnson C. Smith University, a Historically Black University with deep ties to the Civil Rights Movement. The project aims to reconnect this historically Black community to jobs, healthcare, grocery stores, and public spaces by addressing barriers created by past infrastructure decisions, including the construction of I-77. The study will explore safer, more equitable mobility options for non-motorized travelers, propose recommendations for equitable transit-oriented development, and promote mixed-use, mixed-income housing. Building on past planning efforts, the study seeks to restore access to Charlotte’s Uptown while honoring community priorities and correcting longstanding divides.

Project: Reconnecting Communities Pilot (RCP) Grant Program

Amount: $1,000,000

Location: Charlotte, NC

Connecting Highland: Access, Neighborhood Growth, Equity (Project CHANGE) includes completion of a feasibility study to move 1.4 miles of rail corridor an average of 200 feet northward and burying it in a large ditch that currently runs through Downtown Gastonia, enabling a cap to be built over the ditch. The existing rail corridor creates a barrier to mobility, connectivity, access, and economic development to the transportation disadvantaged communities to the north, as well as an overall connectivity study for the downtown area.

Project: Reconnecting Communities Pilot (RCP) Grant Program

Amount: $2,000,000

Location: Gaston County, NC

This project will retrofit existing underutilized road spaces along a 5.25 mile stretch of Rozzelles Ferry Road and Valleydale Road into dedicated shared-use paths allowing safe crossing across access barriers such as the I-85, NC highway 16/Brookshire Boulevard, and multiple active rail lines. The project aims to bridge divided communities by providing equitable access to transit options, greenspaces, and commercial areas, reconnecting the social and economic fabric of the city.

Project: Reconnecting Communities Pilot (RCP) Grant Program

Amount: $1,290,480 

Location: Charlotte, NC

The West Innes Street Corridor Plan will re-envision a 1.6 mile, four-lane undivided high-speed roadway thoroughfare, and reconnect Downtown Salisbury to the city’s largest and most historic institutions, such as Livingstone College, Catawba College, the Salisbury VA Hospital, and Novant Health. The collaborative and engaging planning effort will study existing conditions to develop alternative design concepts to improve multimodal safety of the roadway, and develop equitable land use and economic development policies and programs for the surrounding economically disadvantaged neighborhoods

Project: Reconnecting Communities Pilot (RCP) Grant Program

Amount: $400,000

Location: Rowan County, NC

The N.C. Department of Environmental Quality will use funding to sample private wells near the Sampson County landfill to assess potential PFAS contamination in the drinking water. The health department will address private well contamination throughout Sampson County. Residents whose wells contain toxic PFAS or other pollutants could receive free water treatment to reduce or eliminate contaminant levels.

Project: Environmental Justice Government-to-Government Program (EJG2G or now, G2G)

Amount: $1,000,000

Location: Sampson County, NC

SC Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) and its partners will work together to communicate and then apply the principles of Community-Managed Disaster Risk Reduction (CMDRR) training in the form of a Field Practicum (FP). The FP takes the theory taught in a classroom setting and puts it into practice. Each FP will follow the process established in CMDRR training and includes the completion of a set of assessments in South Carolina communities with Environmental Justice (EJ) concerns. 

Project: Environmental Justice Government-to-Government Program (EJG2G or now, G2G)

Amount: $1,000,000

Location: North Charleston, Greenville, and Columbia, SC

The North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources received a grant award to support a broad array of carbon-reducing natural land conservation and restoration projects. With this funding, over 200,000 acres of coastal habitats, forests, and farmland will be preserved, enhanced, or restored across North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and Maryland.

Project: Climate Pollution Reduction Grant

Amount: $421,000,000

Location: Statewide (NC and SC)

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service selected several projects that will help address important ecosystem restoration needs and build climate resiliency throughout the Albemarle-Pamlico Region in Eastern North Carolina. This investment will fund nature-based solutions, which are sustainable practices that use natural features or processes to reduce carbon emissions and improve climate adaptation and resilience on nine units of the National Wildlife Refuge System and on State-owned game lands. These restored public lands will be able to better adapt to rising seas, floods, droughts, and wildfires by focusing on peatland restoration, shoreline protection, improvements to water quality, upgrades to wetland impoundment infrastructure and reconnecting floodplains. The projects will also benefit communities and private landowners whose lands are impacted by severe weather and improve living conditions for threatened and endangered wildlife.

Projects identified include:

  • Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge (Tyrell, Dare Counties): Projects will focus on upgrading water-management infrastructure to reduce the impacts of saltwater intrusion.
  • Cedar Island National Wildlife Refuge (Carteret County): Nature-based solutions to construct living shorelines will reduce wave action, trap sediment, and protect high priority sites for wildlife. Projects will help protect valuable marsh and wetland habitats, which can reduce the severity of storm surge during severe weather events and improve water quality in nearshore waters.
  • Currituck National Wildlife Refuge (Currituck County): Nature-based solutions to construct living shorelines will stabilize and slow loss of shoreline and marsh habitat on Monkey Island. Projects will reduce wave action, trap sediment, and protect high priority sites for wildlife. 
  • Mackay Island National Wildlife Refuge (Currituck County): Nature-based solutions to construct living shorelines will reduce wave action, trap sediment, and protect high priority sites for wildlife. Projects will help protect valuable marsh and wetland habitats, which can reduce the severity of storm surge during severe weather events and improve water quality in nearshore waters.
  • Mattamuskeet National Wildlife Refuge (Hyde County): Projects will focus on improving Lake Mattamuskeet water quality and water management capability by re-directing water runoff. Improving the water quality of the lake is expected to foster the growth of submerged aquatic vegetation, which is critically important for wintering waterfowl.
  • Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge (Dare County): Nature-based solutions to construct living shorelines will reduce wave action, trap sediment, and protect high priority sites for wildlife. Projects will help protect valuable marsh and wetland habitats, which can reduce the severity of storm surge during severe weather events and improve water quality in nearshore waters.
  • Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge (Hyde, Washington, Tyrell Counties): Projects will focus on restoring peatlands. Healthy forested peatlands offer some of nature’s best carbon storage while protecting local communities from flooding, saltwater intrusion, and wildfires.
  • Roanoke River National Wildlife Refuge (Bertie County):Projects will remove barriers that isolate the Roanoke River from its floodplain. Reconnected floodplains provide more capacity for flood flows, which can reduce the severity of flooding in neighboring communities. Connected floodplains are also expected to provide new recreational opportunities, improve aesthetic values of the landscape, and increase available homes and food sources for fish and other aquatic species. 
  • Swanquarter National Wildlife Refuge (Hyde County): Nature-based solutions to construct living shorelines will reduce wave action, trap sediment, and protect high priority sites for wildlife. Projects will help protect valuable marsh and wetland habitats, which can reduce the severity of storm surge during severe weather events and improve water quality in nearshore waters.
  • North Carolina Game Lands: North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission will receive $5 million to be invested on several State-owned Game Lands in the Albemarle-Pamlico region, such as Goose Creek Game Land and Gull Rock Game Land. Much like projects on units of the National Wildlife Refuge System, those on North Carolina Game Lands will focus on shoreline protection, improvements to water quality, climate resiliency, and wetland impoundment upgrades.

Project: IRA Restoration and
Resilience Framework

Amount: $27.25 million

Location: Statewide, NC

North Carolina’s Atlantic Conservation Coalition (“ACC”) was selected for the CPRG award, receiving the fourth largest single award in the competition. The $421 million grant will be transformational for conservation and environmental restoration efforts in the Southeast. The grant is one of the four largest single awards distributed by the EPA for the CPRG program and will be managed by the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (“DNCR”) and is the largest award in EPA history for natural climate solutions.

With this funding, over 200,000 acres of coastal habitats, forests, and farmland will be preserved, enhanced, or restored across North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and Maryland. Under EPA’s Climate Pollution Reduction Grant program, North Carolina and a bipartisan multi-state coalition will deploy natural climate solutions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, investing in our coastal wetlands, peatlands, forests, and urban forestry while creating economic and workforce development opportunities along the way.

Each of the four states will receive $50 million for “shovel-ready” projects. The 21 projects identified by the coalition will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by an estimated 28 million metric tons of CO2e by 2050. These projects include salt marsh restoration, conserving land for outdoor recreation, building living shorelines, cost-assistance to small forest landowners, urban tree planting, farmland preservation, and reforestation among other activities.

 In North Carolina, this grant will support the directives of Governor Cooper’s Executive Order 305, which set bold goals to conserve and restore natural and working lands by 2040 and the North Carolina Natural and Working Lands Action Plan. The funding will be used to restore over 600 acres of coastal habitats, build living shorelines, reforest over 55,000 acres, plant 1,200 urban trees, and permanently add 3,300 acres to the North Carolina State Park System. In addition, The Nature Conservancy will preserve, restore, or improve 126,000 acres of land across the four states including 33,000 acres in North Carolina.

Project: Climate Pollution Reduction Grant

Amount: $421 million

Location: Statewide, NC and SC

The Buffalo Creek project is slated to become a N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission game land and will add 1,218 acres of public access to parts of Watauga and Caldwell counties. This 1,218-acre acquisition includes some of the highest quality aquatic habitat for 27 North Carolina species of greatest conservation need and 8 federally listed non-aquatic threatened and endangered species. The property represents a link between two properties, creating a nearly 3,000-acre public land asset that will be managed and used by the public in addition to being visible from the Blue Ridge Parkway, the most visited National Park Site in the United States.

Project: Forest Legacy Program (Section 23003 of the IRA)

Amount: $13.5 Million

Location: Watuage and Caldwell Counties, NC

The Roanoke River Bottomlands Forest Project expands a protected corridor along the Roanoke River to over 55,100 acres, which includes the Roanoke River National Wildlife Refuge and is located at the river’s confluence with the Albemarle-Pamlico National Estuary. It will create 2 new public access sites along the river as well as a camping platform and opportunities for public waterfowl hunting. The project lies within the Eastern NC Sentinel Landscape.

Project: Forest Legacy Program (Section 23003 of the IRA)

Amount: $3 million

Location: Martin County, NC

The Foothills Scenic Corridor is a 435-acre project whose mature hardwood forest buffers and preserves the aquatic integrity of Short Branch Creek, a portion of the North Saluda River, and the Saluda Watershed Reservoir which it abuts, helping secure the drinking water supply for over one-half million people. The tract contains a diversity of unique communities and geologic features, harboring at least 81 Species of Greatest Conservation Need in the South Carolina State Wildlife Action Plan.

Project: Forest Legacy Program (Section 23003 of the IRA)

Amount: $1.5 million

Location: Greenville, SC

Great Pee Dee River Corridor – Tracts A and B
This purchase of 491 acres buffers and preserves the aquatic integrity of the Great Pee Dee River and its wetlands, helping secure both the drinking water supply for over 55,000 downstream consumers and Federally Designated Critical Habitat for Atlantic Sturgeon. This strategic project will protect sensitive ecological communities and provide more year-round public access for outdoor recreation.

Project: Forest Legacy Program (Section 23003 of the IRA)

Amount: $750,000

Location: Marion County, SC

Pee Dee Basin Initiative is a 61,340-acre conservation easement and 880-acre fee simple acquisition. It is the largest single conservation land protection project ever undertaken by South Carolina. It will conserve expansive working forests to benefit the timber economy while conserving habitat for at least 115 priority plant and animal species and expand a corridor of protected lands to protect water resources and increase resiliency of South Carolina’s landscape.

Project: Forest Legacy Program (Section 23003 of the IRA)

Amount: $50 million

Location: Marion, Williamsburg, Georgetown Counties, SC

Note: While this category includes only a handful of featured projects, we felt it was important to highlight these impactful efforts. Conservation and restoration are not our website’s primary focus, but they play a vital role in building climate resilience. Across North and South Carolina, millions more in funding is supporting similar projects that protect natural resources and strengthen communities.

IRA Tax Credit Projects in NC

Energy Funds For All Logo
FAQ
Resources
About Us
Testimonials
Success Stories
Contact