The Indiana Department of Environmental Management is conducting a survey asking Indiana residents to weigh in on how the state could spend federal grant money intended to improve Indiana’s air quality.
Part of that process is soliciting community feedback, particularly from groups that have historically not been part of climate decisions but may have been most impacted.
“It’s important for every Hoosier’s voice to be heard,” said Scott Deloney, branch chief of air programs with IDEM’s Office of Air Quality. “But we want to make sure that we are dedicating our resources to evaluating the measures and the benefits that are most important to each Hoosier, especially those in low income and disadvantaged communities.”
Gary residents can complete the survey here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/incprg
The survey closes next Wednesday, Nov. 29.
IDEM received $3 million from the Environmental Protection Agency’s Climate Pollution Reduction Grant earlier this year to develop a Priority Climate Action Plan for Indiana. Now, IDEM is in the planning process to develop proposal ideas that will go to the EPA.
Climate action plans are particularly crucial for locals in Gary and northwest Indiana, one of the most air-polluted regions in the country. According to a 2021 EPA Toxic Release Inventory Report, about 26 million pounds of toxic chemicals were released into the air in 2019 in Indiana, and over 1.5 million pounds of that air pollution came from Lake County.
IDEM conducted a series of four community engagement public meetings this fall in Portage, Indianapolis, Ferdinand, and Fort Wayne for local residents to share what they would like to see in their state’s priority climate action plan. Portage is the closest city to Gary.
When asked why IDEM did not conduct community engagement meetings in Gary, Deloney said the agency has committed to coming to the city and other parts of northwest Indiana once officials go public with the information gathered from the survey later next year.
Deloney said the survey is critical to creating a tailored action plan for Indiana residents and their communities.
“The input that we’re getting from this survey is going to help identify where we dedicate our resources to researching and calculating the benefits associated with draft climate plan actions,” he said.
IDEM has received almost 1,000 survey responses and nearly 300 email responses, Deloney said.
Indiana may be eligible for further grant funding to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, IDEM said, after the state submits a draft climate action plan to the EPA by March 2024. After the first planning stage, the second phase — which includes applications for grant implementations — will be due April 1.
The Climate Priority Action Plan will “serve as the foundation for being able to implement climate pollution reduction measures a year from now,” Deloney said.
The CPRG program also works in tandem with the Biden administration’s Justice40 Initiative, which aims to ensure 40% of the overall benefits of climate, clean energy, and other federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities that have been marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution.
Residents are encouraged to learn more about IDEM’s Climate Pollution Reduction Grant Program, including an overview of the grant, a timeline of the environmental action plan, information on the important greenhouse gas sectors, and potential pollution reduction measures.