North Raleigh Today

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) State Energy Office is organizing public engagement sessions in February and March. These sessions aim to inform and gather feedback on efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions under the federal Climate Pollution Reduction Grant’s (CPRG) Comprehensive Climate Action Plan (CCAP).

The CPRG program, part of the federal Inflation Reduction Act, provides funds to states, local governments, territories, and tribes for developing plans to cut greenhouse gas emissions and other air pollutants. The planning project in North Carolina involves multiple agencies including the Department of Transportation, Department of Commerce, Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, with DEQ as the lead.

North Carolina received $3 million from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for this planning phase. As required by the program, a Priority Climate Action Plan (PCAP) was submitted in 2024. The state is now working on a Comprehensive Climate Action Plan due in 2025. The PCAP identified key measures for reducing greenhouse gases and ensuring equitable implementation across North Carolina. The CCAP will build on these foundations by updating existing strategies based on current science and best practices.

Public engagement sessions are being held to discuss how community climate strategies can be integrated into these plans. Residents are encouraged to share new initiatives or projects related to greenhouse gas reduction since the publication of the PCAP. Feedback from these sessions will guide DEQ's future priorities and projects.

Sessions are available both virtually and in-person at various locations:

- Morganton: March 13 at Western Piedmont Community College Foothills Higher Education Center.

- Roanoke Rapids: March 20 at Center for Energy Education.

- Wilmington: March 27 at New Hanover County Arboretum.

A formal comment period for the draft CCAP will open in August 2025. Public input can also be sent via email to cprg@deq.nc.gov or voicemail at (919) 707-8672.

For more information about CPRG or past public sessions, visit their webpage. Input in Spanish or other languages can be coordinated through Sascha Medina.