$267 Million in New Awards Will Cut Industrial Pollution, Lower Energy Costs, and Strengthen Pennsylvania Manufacturing
HARRISBURG — The Keystone Research Center (KRC) today welcomed the announcement of $267,825,160 in new Reducing Industrial Sector Emissions in Pennsylvania (RISE PA) grants for 31 manufacturing projects across the commonwealth, a major step forward for Pennsylvania’s industrial future and for the workers and communities that depend on a competitive, modern manufacturing base.
The awards, made under the Medium-scale and Large-scale Award Tracks of the $396 million RISE PA program, are projected to save Pennsylvania businesses more than $3.1 million annually in energy costs and reduce more than 1.3 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents within the first year of implementation, which is the equivalent of taking more than 320,000 cars off the road for a year.
“These awards show what smart industrial policy looks like in practice,” said Stephen Herzenberg, Economist at the Keystone Research Center. “RISE PA is helping Pennsylvania manufacturers cut pollution, cut energy costs, and stay competitive, all at the same time. By pairing public investment with strong labor standards and community benefits, this program is creating good-paying jobs that workers can raise a family on, cleaning up the air in the neighborhoods nearest these facilities, and positioning Pennsylvania to lead the next generation of American manufacturing rather than watch it move to other states or overseas.”
The industrial sector is the highest-emitting sector in Pennsylvania, accounting for roughly 30 percent of the state’s total annual greenhouse gas emissions and a significant share of the soot, smog, and other air pollution that contribute to asthma, heart disease, and other health problems in nearby communities. The RISE PA awards announced today by Governor Josh Shapiro fund a wide range of proven decarbonization solutions, including electrification, energy efficiency upgrades, low-carbon fuel switching, on-site solar and other renewables, anaerobic digesters, combined heat and power systems, methane capture, and carbon capture technologies at facilities ranging from food processing plants to steel mills to natural gas compressor stations.
RISE PA is the second-largest competitive federal grant award in Pennsylvania’s history. It is funded through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Climate Pollution Reduction Grants created through the Inflation Reduction Act in 2022. The program is built on a structure that goes beyond emissions reductions alone. Recipients can earn additional bonuses worth up to 10 percent of project cost each for delivering measurable community benefits, meeting Fair Labor standards that honor workers’ freedom to organize, and achieving deeper greenhouse gas reductions. A 15% apprenticeship utilization requirement and prevailing wage requirements apply across the program, a national best practice for ensuring that publicly funded industrial modernization trains and hires local workers for the jobs of the future.
KRC has spent the past year providing technical assistance to RISE PA applicants, with a particular focus on helping unionized employers and their partners take full advantage of the Fair Labor and Community Benefits bonuses. That work has included facility-level data on emissions and toxics, plain-language guidance on program requirements, and direct support for applicants navigating the medium- and large-scale tracks.
“Pennsylvania is showing that you do not have to choose between a strong manufacturing economy and clean air,” Herzenberg added. “The companies and communities benefiting from these awards are proof that climate action and economic competitiveness go hand in hand. The next step is to pair this progress with policies that deliver cheaper, cleaner power across the grid so that Pennsylvania families and businesses see lower utility bills as well as cleaner air.”
KRC congratulates the 31 award recipients and looks forward to seeing these projects come to life in communities across Pennsylvania, with additional RISE PA funding rounds planned through 2028.