John Nicholson Chief Deputy Secretary | North Carolina Department Of Environmental Quality
John Nicholson Chief Deputy Secretary | North Carolina Department Of Environmental Quality
The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) State Energy Office is organizing public engagement sessions in February and March to discuss the state's initiative to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This effort is part of the federal Climate Pollution Reduction Grant’s (CPRG) Comprehensive Climate Action Plan (CCAP).
The CPRG program, under the federal Inflation Reduction Act, provides funding to states, local governments, territories, and tribes for developing plans to cut greenhouse gas emissions and other harmful pollutants. In North Carolina, this planning project involves collaboration among several departments including Transportation, Commerce, Natural and Cultural Resources, with DEQ as the lead.
North Carolina received $3 million from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for the planning phase of the CPRG. The state has already submitted a Priority Climate Action Plan (PCAP) in 2024 and is now working on a Comprehensive Climate Action Plan (CCAP), due in 2025. The PCAP identified key measures for reducing greenhouse gases and outlined methods for equitable implementation across North Carolina. The CCAP will expand on these strategies using updated science and best practices.
DEQ invites public input on incorporating existing community climate strategies or new ideas into the current measures prioritized in the PCAP. Public feedback will help shape future projects and priorities. Residents can attend sessions virtually or in person.
Public Engagement Session #4 will be held at Western Piedmont Community College Foothills Higher Education Center in Morganton on March 13 at 6:00 p.m., Session #5 at Center for Energy Education in Roanoke Rapids on March 20 at 6:00 p.m., and Session #6 at New Hanover County Arboretum in Wilmington on March 27 at 6:00 p.m.
A formal public comment period regarding the draft CCAP will open in August 2025. Feedback can also be sent via email to cprg@deq.nc.gov with “CPRG Comment” as the subject line or by voicemail at (919) 707-8672.
For more information about the CPRG program and past sessions, visit their webpage. Those wishing to provide input in Spanish or another language should contact Sascha Medina.
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