EPA allots climate pollution grants for natural lands and agriculture

Illinois will encourage the adoption of no-till farming while Minnesota aims to restore 10,000 acres of degraded peatlands with their share of $931 million awarded to agricultural and natural lands projects by the Environmental Protection Agency on Monday. The money is part of $4.3 billion in Climate Pollution Reduction grants for 25 projects in 30 states.

The EPA said projects involving agriculture, working, and natural lands would support precision agriculture and climate-smart practices on more than 2 million acres; reforest, restore, or protect up to 250,000 acres of coastal and forest land; and reduce nitrous oxide emissions by the equivalent of 15 million tons of carbon dioxide.

With the grants, Illinois would promote climate-smart practices, including the conversion of 300,000 acres to no-till; Nebraska would promote precision agriculture and the use of biochar to reduce agricultural emissions; Montana would work with ranchers to improve land productivity and improve grazing practices; Minnesota would restore peatlands; and the Atlantic Conservation Coalition, working in four states from Maryland to North Carolina, would reduce harmful runoff into the Chesapeake Bay, restore wetlands in North Carolina, and improve land management in South Carolina, Virginia, and Maryland.

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