New Report Highlights IRA Funded Projects in the South

Five cities provide a blueprint for strategic climate investments in action

WASHINGTON, Sept. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Southern Environmental Law Center released a new report today, "Southern Solutions: How Federal Funding Is Sparking Climate Progress," that explores how five Southern cities are harnessing federal funding in innovative ways to slash pollution, spur local economies, create new high-quality jobs, and enhance community resilience.

The report focuses on Birmingham, Alabama; Knoxville Tennessee; Memphis, Tennessee; Columbia, South Carolina; and Brunswick, Georgia. To date, the five cities featured in this report—representing over 1.2 million people — have received over $572.2 million in federal funding with many grants still in the pipeline. Implementation of these federal climate funds is underway in cities across the country.

"Each community has unique needs, history, and opportunities to adapt and respond to climate change," said Southern Environmental Law Center's Climate Initiative Leader Alys Campaigne. "These case studies illustrate what's possible when there's purposeful planning and coordination between communities, local governments, and federal agencies."

While not recognized as often as their northeast and west coast peers, southern cities have leveraged federal funding to advance locally-led, innovative climate, clean energy, and community resilience goals. These diverse case studies highlight the broad-based approaches and bold on-the-ground actions enabled by new federal investments. They provide a blueprint for other Southern communities eager to tap into the remaining billions in climate funds to create transformative local impact.

The Southern Environmental Law Center partnered with Hua Nani Partners to develop this report.

Link to Report: Southern Solutions: How Federal Funding Is Sparking Climate Progress

Newsfeed: Federal funding is sparking climate progress - Southern Environmental Law Center

The Southern Environmental Law Center is one of the nation's most powerful defenders of the environment, rooted in the South. With a long track record, SELC takes on the toughest environmental challenges in court, in government, and in our communities to protect our region's air, water, climate, wildlife, lands, and people. Nonprofit and nonpartisan, the organization has a staff of 200, including more than 120 legal and policy experts, and is headquartered in Charlottesville, Va., with offices in Asheville, Atlanta, Birmingham, Chapel Hill, Charleston, Nashville, Richmond, and Washington, D.C.

southernenvironment.org

SOURCE Southern Environmental Law Center