Environment
Energy & Environment Innovation Plan
The Division of Environmental Quality (DEQ), City of Fort Smith, Metroplan, and Northwest Arkansas Regional Planning Commission (NWARPC) are leading an initiative to develop a plan that enables access to and enhances Arkansas’s competitiveness for federal funding for energy infrastructure and supports investment in technologies and practices that reduce pollutant emissions, create high-quality jobs, and spur economic growth in the state. You can find updated information about this plan at the Arkansas Department of Energy and Environment Energy and Environment Innovation Plan website.
Thank you for your engagement!
Thank you to everyone who helped to develop the NWA Energy & Environment Innovation (EEI) Plan! Thanks to you, we’ve identified and prioritized regional strategies to protect natural assets, create jobs and spur economic growth, and enhance the quality of life in Northwest Arkansas! The measures in the EEI Plan were identified and developed with the community through a public engagement process that included:
- 2 Online Public Surveys and Idea Boxes
- Social Media Engagement
- 4 In-person Open Houses across the region
- Tabling at Community Events across the region
- 7 Stakeholder Meetings
- 2 Focus Group Meetings
Review Past Public Outreach Efforts
Phase 2 outreach efforts for the Comprehensive Action Plan (CAP) process included a public survey and “idea box”. In addition, NWARPC held two regional public open houses on Tuesday, September 17, 2024 in Huntsville, AR and on Thursday, September 19, 2024 in Springdale, AR. The open houses presented information bout the CAP and gathered community input for the CAP. Meeting materials can be found here. Download the translated handout here.
On Thursday, July 18, 2024, a public discussion was hosted by the NWA Green Team at the Fayetteville Public Library. The discussion centered around sustainability efforts in Northwest Arkansas, including the City of Fayetteville’s Climate Action Plan the Northwest Arkansas Energy & Environment Innovation Plan and a new mapping tool to help identify ecologically valuable land. The discussion was led by representatives from the Northwest Arkansas Regional Planning Commission, the City of Fayetteville, and Olsson.
Phase 1 outreach efforts for the Priority Action Plan (PAP) process included a statewide public survey and “idea box”. In addition, NWARPC held two regional public open houses on Monday, October 23, 2023 in Huntsville, AR and on Thursday, October 26, 2023 in Springdale, AR. The open houses presented information bout the PAP and gathered community input for the PAP. Meeting materials can be found here. Download the translated handout here.
Planning Deliverables
- NWA Priority Action Plan (PAP) Supplement – completed December 1, 2023
- NWA Comprehensive Action Plan (CAP) Supplement – due to ADEE February 28, 2025
- Status Updates – Coming Early 2027
Adopted Plans
- NWA Energy & Environment Innovation (EEI) Priority Action Plan (PAP) – adopted May 22, 2024 by Resolution #2024-10
Climate Pollution Reduction Grants
The Climate Pollution Reduction Grants (CPRG) program provides $5 billion in grants to states, local governments, tribes, and territories to develop and implement ambitious plans for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and other harmful air pollution. Authorized under Section 60114 of the Inflation Reduction Act, this two-phase program provides $250 million for noncompetitive planning grants, and approximately $4.6 billion for competitive implementation grants.
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