Murphy Announces $30 Million in Climate Solutions Grants for Carbon Reduction Projects

Funding aims to expand coastal wetland restoration, forest regeneration, and urban tree canopy improvements across New Jersey.

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has announced the availability of $30 million in Natural Climate Solutions grants to help local governments and nonprofit organizations reduce carbon emissions through nature-based projects. Applications for funding will open on August 4 and will be accepted on a rolling basis for one year through the DEP’s online portal, with grants awarded on a first-come, first-served basis.

This second round of funding brings the total investment in the program to $54.3 million since its launch. The initiative is a key part of New Jersey’s strategy to meet its 2050 goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent below 2006 levels.

Grant awards will range from $250,000 to $5 million for projects lasting three to five years. Half of the available funding—$15 million—will be dedicated to “blue carbon” projects that enhance coastal ecosystems such as tidal wetlands and seagrass meadows, while the remaining $15 million will support “green carbon” initiatives focused on forests and urban tree canopies. Funding comes from proceeds generated by New Jersey’s participation in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI).

The program supports projects that capture and store atmospheric carbon dioxide through natural processes, such as reforestation, afforestation, urban tree planting, and wetland restoration. Coastal ecosystems are a particular focus because tidal marshes and seagrass meadows can sequester more carbon per unit area than terrestrial forests.

“This unique program empowers communities across New Jersey to pursue natural ways of reducing climate pollutants that worsen the effects of our changing climate,” Environmental Protection Commissioner Shawn M. LaTourette said. “By investing in blue and green carbon projects, we are reducing greenhouse gas emissions and enhancing the resilience of our coastal and forested landscapes, ensuring cleaner air and healthier communities for generations to come.”

The DEP previously awarded $24.3 million in January 2023 to fund 14 projects in the program’s initial round. Those projects included planting 1,000 trees to improve Trenton’s urban canopy and restoring nearly 20 acres of tidal salt marsh while constructing a living shoreline and oyster reefs.

For more information on the Natural Climate Solutions Grant Program, including application details and updates on awarded projects, click here.