El Paso reaches out to residents for climate action plan

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- The City of El Paso hosted an open-house public meeting on Wednesday at the Chamizal Community Center and Library, 2119 Cypress, to reach out to the community and ask them what issues surrounding the climate are affecting them most.

"What we're really about is what it means for El Paso and climate change means heat," El Paso's Climate and Sustainability Officer Nicole Alderete Ferrini said. "It means more severe storms. It means more flooding. And these are the things we know we need to protect our community from."

The meeting was also used to educate residents about how El Paso is able to pursue federal funds through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Climate Pollution Reduction Grants.

To be eligible to apply for grants, El Paso must first develop and submit a Priority Climate Action Plan following EPA program requirements. In addition, to qualify for this competitive grant process, El Paso must submit its action plan by March 1, 2024.