Indiana passed over for funding to help cut greenhouse gas emissions, aims to do so anyway

A federal grant spurred Indiana to create its first climate plan and the state had hoped another grant would help put it into action. It didn’t get it, but the Indiana Department of Environmental Management said it still plans to continue the work.

The Environmental Protection Agency announced the 25 recipients of the Climate Pollution Reduction Grant Program last week. Neither Indiana nor its cities that applied got the money. Still, IDEM said in a statement it aims to submit a comprehensive climate action plan to the EPA next year and an update on how it reduced its greenhouse gas emissions in 2027.

More than a dozen cities in Indiana already had climate action plans when the state started this process a year ago. Shannon Anderson is with Earth Charter Indiana which, among other things, helps Indiana cities develop climate solutions. She said even this first step has been meaningful.

“I think that the formula grants that the were provided by EPA were a really nice carrot to get some states to kind of get up on their feet and think about climate action planning in a real, tangible way,” Anderson said.

In fact, the same year the state received the planning grant, Indiana lawmakers shut down a bill by youth at Confront the Climate Crisis to create a task force to discuss climate solutions.

“Creating a comprehensive climate action plan is something I don’t think many people five or even four years ago would have expected out of Indiana,” Anderson said.

The EPA said Indiana can still apply for other federal grants to help reach its climate goals. There’s also expected to be another round of funding once participants finalize their comprehensive climate action plans.

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Anderson said if Hoosiers show overwhelming support for the climate plan then the state is more likely to take action to reduce Indiana’s greenhouse gas emissions.

“Especially as Statehouse gets geared up for session next year. I think that what constituents want matters,” she said.

You can take a survey on the next phase of Indiana’s climate action plan through Aug. 10.

IDEM didn’t make anyone available for an interview.

“While we’re disappointed, we remain committed to supporting the sustainability and resiliency measures that Indiana companies, schools, nonprofits, and municipalities are already pursuing across the state,” the agency said on its website for the climate program.

Rebecca is our energy and environment reporter. Contact her at rthiele@iu.edu or follow her on Twitter at @beckythiele.