Central Midlands Council of Governments (South Carolina)
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Overview
| Anticipated Award Amount | $8,739,181 | |
|---|---|---|
| Applicant | Central Midlands Council of Governments (South Carolina) | |
| Application Title | Fund for Municipal Solar + Smart Surfaces (S3) Projects in the Midlands of South Carolina | |
| Sectors | Agriculture and Natural and Working Lands Buildings Electric Power |
|
| Estimated GHG Reductions 1 |
Cumulative 2025‑2030: Cumulative 2025‑2050: |
|
Selected Application Summary
The selected application will implement the Smart Surfaces + Solar Fund (S3 Fund), 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 selected application will establish the Community Change Microgrants, an innovative program element, to assist the Central Midlands Council of Governments and local governments who utilize the S3 Fund to engage with communities to promote climate resiliency. 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.
Key Things to Know
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.
Activities in the selected application reflect measures in Central Midlands Council of Governments’ Priority Climate Action Plan (pdf) (2.7 MB).
1 The emission reduction estimates, as well as the descriptions of measures and benefits, were summarized from information provided by the applicant. These estimates, along with the award amount, are subject to change.
EPA will award grants to selected applicants once they meet all legal and administrative requirements. As of July 2024, grants are expected to be awarded by the end of 2024.
About EPA's Climate Pollution Reduction Grants (CPRG) Implementation Grants
Authorized under the Inflation Reduction Act, EPA’s CPRG program will provide nearly $5 billion in grants for states, local governments, Tribes, and territories to develop and implement ambitious plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other harmful air pollution while benefitting low-income and disadvantaged communities.
For more information, visit Climate Pollution Reduction Grants.