Iowa rejects more federal money, this time for pollution reduction

Iowa is one in every of 4 state governments that missed a deadline final week to take part within the federal Local weather Air pollution Discount Grants (CPRG) program.

Why it issues: Rejecting federal cash is a development that has value the state greater than $200 million.

• And this time, by declining $3 million in planning grants that do not require a state match, Iowa will not be capable of faucet into part II of this system — a $4.6 billion allocation to assist states transition to wash power economies.

State of play: The CPRG is a part of the Democrats’ Inflation Discount Act signed by President Biden final 12 months to scale back the federal deficit, lower greenhouse gasoline emissions and decrease well being insurance-related prices.

• States needed to file a Discover of Intent to Take part (NOIP) within the CPRG by March 31.

Of notice: Georgia, Kentucky and South Dakota additionally didn’t submit NOIPs, in response to a current EPA standing report.

Flashback: Gov. Kim Reynolds introduced on Fox Information in 2021 that she’d returned $95 million in federal cash for COVID-19 testing in colleges claiming Iowa did not want it.

• Her administration additionally declined a $30 million federal grant for youngster care providers in November and, as of February, had forfeited no less than $89.5 million in emergency rental help.

What they’re saying: The governor’s workplace and the Iowa Division of Pure Assets, which oversaw a state committee that reviewed local weather change in 2008, didn’t reply to Axios’ inquiries.

In the meantime, Polk County and the DSM Space Metropolitan Planning Group now plan to pursue CPRG participation due to the state authorities’s absence in this system.

• They hope to assert among the cash the state authorities declined, Polk County Administrator John Norris tells Axios.
• Metro areas have till April 28 to use.

Sure, however: Whereas native participation “is an thrilling risk,” it additionally means the cash would go to giant metro areas relatively than to a coordinated statewide method, Brian Campbell, director of the Iowa Environmental Council, tells Axios.