Electric vehicle charging infrastructure. Pedestrian and bike safety improvements. A grant to study demand and potential capacity for transit services between Hermiston and the Tri-Cities.

Nearly $111.8 million in funding from the state’s Climate Commitment Act, or CCA, was spent in Benton and Franklin counties during the 2025 fiscal year, according to state-provided data. Implemented in 2021, the state law established a market-based cap-and-invest program that has the largest polluters purchase allowances which are then used to fund climate and environmental projects throughout the state.

Those funds went to a variety of projects and initiatives in the Mid-Columbia conducted by state agencies but also city governments, educational institutions, utilities and manufacturers.

And millions of dollars of that money went to transportation-related projects as part of efforts to reduce greenhouse gases. Here’s a look at those efforts:

EV/zero-emission vehicles - $3.9 million

• Women of Wisdom Tri-Cities, a nonprofit focused on supporting women and providing social and economic development, received four grants funded by CCA dollars. The largest was for $2.6 million to build an EV charging network in Benton, Walla Walla, Yakima and King counties with chargers installed at public sites. The other three grants totaling more than $550,000 were to establish and sustain a carshare program using zero-emission vehicles.
• Energy Northwest received three grants for more than $700,000 to install EV charging infrastructure in various places around the Mid-Columbia and Eastern Washington.

Transit - $3.1 million

• Ben Franklin Transit received $2.8 million to sustain its VIA Connect Services program. The on-demand rideshare service is primarily for riders whose starting locations or destinations are too far from existing bus stops. BFT also received $93,583 for bus stop upgrades, as well as support for current and future frequent service needs.
• The Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation received $87,400 to study the possible demand and capacity for transit service between Hermiston and the Tri-Cities.

• The Arc of the Tri-Cities received two grants for $61,200 to pay for demand-responsive transportation for disabled individuals.

Bike/pedestrian crossing safety - $569,416

• West Richland received about $375,000 to pay for pedestrian and bike safety improvements at Watkins Way and Candy Mountain, as well as at several other heavily used crossings. 
• Pasco received more than $100,000 to build pedestrian crossings at Sandifur Boulevard and Road 90, and Argent Road and Road 88, as well as to help fund the Sylvester Street pedestrian and bike overpass.
• Connell received $53,200 for improved signage at school crossings.
• Kennewick received $32,634 for school and pedestrian crossing improvements on South Conway Place.
• Richland received $5,260 for transportation and connectivity improvements in central Richland.