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PITTSBURGH (AP/KDKA) – Pittsburgh is one of 20 cities being awarded support for its work to reduce carbon emissions.

The cities were announced Sunday as the latest winners in the Bloomberg American Cities Climate Challenge. Each will receive a support package valued at up to $2.5 million.

The $70 million program aims to help cities accelerate plans to fight climate change. It’s backed by former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

Bloomberg joined Mayor Bill Peduto for a press conference at the West End Overlook on Sunday.

In a press release, the City of Pittsburgh said the money will further the ongoing initiatives in its Climate Action Plan.

Pittsburgh will work with Bloomberg Philanthropies to to scale renewable power throughout the city through new community solar programs, deepen energy efficiency efforts through new financing programs and implementation of the city’s new energy transparency bench-marking ordinance, and expand bike and pedestrian infrastructure in priority areas in the city by 2020.

Pittsburgh, Boston, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. join six other winning cities announced in an earlier round. Others will be announced this fall.

Bloomberg says the federal government is “asleep at the wheel” on climate change, leaving cities to play a larger role.

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