Air Quality
The Pathways to the Future: Air Quality Plan is now live!
Thank you to all who gave your input! The final plan presents a menu of 22 measures for reducing greenhouse gases and air pollution, across 6 sectors of the economy. With a commitment to innovation and sustained investment, the Richmond region could theoretically reduce emissions by 96% by 2050!
The Climate Pollution Reduction Grant (CPRG) program is an important opportunity for the Richmond region to support green development while lowering harmful air pollution.
Administered by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the CPRG program was established by the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 to fund the development and implementation of local and state climate action plans.
Key Program Steps
In 2023, the EPA distributed planning grants to states, local governments, tribes, and other entities to develop and implement Priority Climate Action Plans (PCAP) and Comprehensive Climate Action Plans (CCAP). PlanRVA received $1 million to develop a plan for the Richmond Metro Statistical Area.
The Pathways to the Future: Air Quality Plan is a roadmap for tackling damaging air pollution while supporting the creation of good jobs, investing in communities, and improving public health by reducing exposure to harmful air pollution.
Where we are now: Supporting Implementation
The Air Quality Plan was submitted to the federal government in December 2025. In 2026, we are focusing on supporting our partners priority projects and getting set up to track progress. A status report is due to the EPA in 2027.
Achieving our net-zero target by 2050 requires action to be taken at all levels and by all types of stakeholders. The menu of options presented in the plan includes measures suited for local governments, regional bodies, nonprofits, and private business. The region's spirit of cooperation and innovation continues to be one of its greatest strengths. PlanRVA will pursue funding to support the implementation of greenhouse gas reduction measures, identifying opportunities from federal, state, and philanthropic sources.
PlanRVA will also help localities to create Mini-Action Plans (MAPs) that align with the regional Air Quality Plan but which reflect each community's own priorities and capacity. By helping localities focus on achievable, short-term goals, these MAPs will ensure steady progress while keeping the region aligned around common objectives.
Community feedback: Key to developing the CCAP
PlanRVA and its locality partners are focused on collecting community feedback during the planning process, with an emphasis on engaging overburdened and historically underinvested communities throughout the region.
PlanRVA organized a series of intercepts, focus groups, and community ideation sessions in 2024, in addition to an online survey, to hear from people living in the region about their ideas for reducing climate pollution. Check out the Community Feedback page to see the results of this effort.
A critical resource for the region's future
When it comes to reducing harmful air pollution, it’s important we have a shared vision and plan for the region. Pathways to the Future: Air Quality will guide regional partners in future actions to mitigate dangerous air contaminants.
This plan represents one of the first opportunities to collect and aggregate data related to local sources of air pollution, along with strategies to reduce impacts.