EPA Region 7 Partners with AmeriCorps VISTA to Bring Green Service Opportunities to Midwest
LENEXA, KAN. (MAY 21, 2024) – In a first-of-its-kind effort for the Agency, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 7 has partnered with AmeriCorps Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA) to launch the new Green VISTA Corps program.
Through this historic partnership, Region 7’s Green VISTA program will provide new opportunities for volunteers and community organizations to make meaningful change toward advancing environmental justice and anti-poverty efforts in historically underserved areas.
“It’s a natural fit for EPA to partner with AmeriCorps VISTA,” said EPA Region 7 Administrator Meg McCollister. “What VISTA works to achieve in communities really complements the goals of our Agency, particularly concerning our shared commitment to universal environmental protection and inclusive decision-making for healthier communities.”
The Green VISTA program will place three VISTA members in positions with local organizations in St. Louis and Kansas City to support projects to increase environmental resiliency and improve community health. The program aims to build long-lasting pathways that will further environmental justice (EJ) efforts in the Midwest.
“The Green VISTA Corps program we are developing in the Midwest is more than a pilot. It's a call to action and a promise of a brighter, more equitable, and sustainable future for all,” said AmeriCorps Portfolio Manager Melissa Mohler.
Two organizations will host a VISTA member based on their commitment to creating environmental justice-focused outcomes and feedback from the communities they serve:
Lewis Place Historic Preservation (LPHP) in St. Louis: The VISTA member will serve the organization’s Community Resilience Project, working on their alternative energy and energy reduction program, community disaster relief and cleanup efforts.
earthday365 in St. Louis: The VISTA member will serve as an EJ Outreach Coordinator, supporting the organization’s sustainability certification and environmental justice outreach programs.
These opportunities are national service opportunities, not EPA jobs. Interested individuals will apply to AmeriCorps VISTA.
Lewis Place Historical Preservation is accepting applications for its Community Resilience Project position through July 11, 2024. Applications for earthday365’s EJ Outreach Coordinator position will be accepted through July 31, 2024.
To learn more about the Green VISTA AmeriCorps pilot program and see eligibility requirements, visit:
Lewis Place Community Resilience Project with LPHP
EJ Outreach Coordinator with earthday365
About AmeriCorps VISTA
AmeriCorps is a federal agency that connects volunteers with service opportunities across the country. AmeriCorps offers service opportunities in all sectors with different time commitments and requirements, from part-time volunteers to full-time members. The VISTA program was founded in 1965, designed to provide needed resources to nonprofit organizations and public agencies to increase their capacity to lift communities out of poverty.
AmeriCorps volunteers and members are eligible for benefits for their service. Depending on the program, AmeriCorps members are eligible for education awards, supplemental health insurance, loan deferment, and more.
All three Region 7 Green VISTA positions offer training, health coverage, relocation and living allowances, child care assistance (for those eligible), an education award upon successful completion of service, and a choice of an education award or an “End of Service” stipend after the year of service.
In addition, VISTA members who serve for at least one year gain non-competitive eligibility when applying for federal jobs, allowing federal agencies the ability to hire a VISTA alum who meets the minimum job qualifications without undergoing all the formalities of the competitive process.
Learn more about AmeriCorps VISTA.
# # #
Learn more about EPA Region 7
View all Region 7 news releases
Connect with EPA Region 7 on Facebook and Instagram
Follow us on X: @EPARegion7
Through this historic partnership, Region 7’s Green VISTA program will provide new opportunities for volunteers and community organizations to make meaningful change toward advancing environmental justice and anti-poverty efforts in historically underserved areas.
“It’s a natural fit for EPA to partner with AmeriCorps VISTA,” said EPA Region 7 Administrator Meg McCollister. “What VISTA works to achieve in communities really complements the goals of our Agency, particularly concerning our shared commitment to universal environmental protection and inclusive decision-making for healthier communities.”
The Green VISTA program will place three VISTA members in positions with local organizations in St. Louis and Kansas City to support projects to increase environmental resiliency and improve community health. The program aims to build long-lasting pathways that will further environmental justice (EJ) efforts in the Midwest.
“The Green VISTA Corps program we are developing in the Midwest is more than a pilot. It's a call to action and a promise of a brighter, more equitable, and sustainable future for all,” said AmeriCorps Portfolio Manager Melissa Mohler.
Two organizations will host a VISTA member based on their commitment to creating environmental justice-focused outcomes and feedback from the communities they serve:
Lewis Place Historic Preservation (LPHP) in St. Louis: The VISTA member will serve the organization’s Community Resilience Project, working on their alternative energy and energy reduction program, community disaster relief and cleanup efforts.
earthday365 in St. Louis: The VISTA member will serve as an EJ Outreach Coordinator, supporting the organization’s sustainability certification and environmental justice outreach programs.
These opportunities are national service opportunities, not EPA jobs. Interested individuals will apply to AmeriCorps VISTA.
Lewis Place Historical Preservation is accepting applications for its Community Resilience Project position through July 11, 2024. Applications for earthday365’s EJ Outreach Coordinator position will be accepted through July 31, 2024.
To learn more about the Green VISTA AmeriCorps pilot program and see eligibility requirements, visit:
Lewis Place Community Resilience Project with LPHP
EJ Outreach Coordinator with earthday365
About AmeriCorps VISTA
AmeriCorps is a federal agency that connects volunteers with service opportunities across the country. AmeriCorps offers service opportunities in all sectors with different time commitments and requirements, from part-time volunteers to full-time members. The VISTA program was founded in 1965, designed to provide needed resources to nonprofit organizations and public agencies to increase their capacity to lift communities out of poverty.
AmeriCorps volunteers and members are eligible for benefits for their service. Depending on the program, AmeriCorps members are eligible for education awards, supplemental health insurance, loan deferment, and more.
All three Region 7 Green VISTA positions offer training, health coverage, relocation and living allowances, child care assistance (for those eligible), an education award upon successful completion of service, and a choice of an education award or an “End of Service” stipend after the year of service.
In addition, VISTA members who serve for at least one year gain non-competitive eligibility when applying for federal jobs, allowing federal agencies the ability to hire a VISTA alum who meets the minimum job qualifications without undergoing all the formalities of the competitive process.
Learn more about AmeriCorps VISTA.
# # #
Learn more about EPA Region 7
View all Region 7 news releases
Connect with EPA Region 7 on Facebook and Instagram
Follow us on X: @EPARegion7
Texas Petrochemical Company Pleads Guilty to Clean Air Act Violation, Fined More than $30 Million in Criminal Fines and Civil Penalties Related to Explosions at Its Facility in Port Neches
WASHINGTON – Today, May 21, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Justice announced the filing of a felony criminal charge and related civil complaint and consent decree under the Clean Air Act against TPC Group LLC, a Texas petrochemical company. TPC Group also entered a guilty plea today to a one-count information charging the company with a violation of the Clean Air Act before U.S. Magistrate Judge Zack Hawthorn for the Eastern District of Texas.
The filings address explosions that caused injuries, evacuations and significant air pollution. The company has agreed to pay over $30 million in criminal fines and civil penalties and spend approximately $80 million to improve its risk management program and improve safety issues at TPC Group’s Port Neches and Houston facilities.
According to information provided in court, on Nov. 27, 2019, two explosions at TPC Group’s Port Neches facility prompted evacuations of thousands of residents from the City of Port Neches and surrounding areas, released more than 11 million pounds of extremely hazardous substances and caused more than $130 million in offsite property damage and other impacts to human health and the environment. Four employees and one contractor suffered injuries including concussions, burns, perforated eardrums, tinnitus and cracked teeth.
“TPC recklessly risked the lives of thousands of Port Neches residents and illegally released millions of gallons of extremely hazardous substances into the environment,” said David M. Uhlmann, EPA Assistant Administrator for the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “Today’s criminal and civil settlements hold TPC accountable for endangering the Port Neches community and require the company to invest approximately $80 million to improve safety at TPC Group facilities. These settlements highlight the strong partnership between EPA’s criminal and civil enforcement programs and demonstrate EPA’s emphasis on a more strategic and collaborative approach to enforcement and compliance assurance.”
“Port Neches residents will always remember the day before Thanksgiving 2019,” said Acting Associate Attorney General Benjamin C. Mizer. “That day, powerful explosions at the TPC Group’s facility caused evacuations, injuries, air pollution and more than $130 million in damage. This entirely preventable accident was the result of the company’s failure to take the necessary precautions to control a hazardous chemical even though it was well aware of the serious risks. Today’s criminal plea and settlement send a clear message that safety measures are not optional and that we will hold violators accountable.”
“When a disaster happens like at Port Neches, public safety is paramount,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “TPC Group’s knowing failure to comply with the chemical accident prevention provisions of the Clean Air Act at its Port Neches and Houston facilities placed its workers, neighbors and the environment in danger. Community members have expressed concerns about potential explosions happening at TPC Group’s Houston facility, like what happened in 2019 at Port Neches. Importantly, today’s criminal plea and civil settlement includes safety requirements that will help prevent future incidents.”
“Protecting our environment and the safety of the citizens of Southeast Texas will always be a priority of our office,” said U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs for the Eastern District of Texas. “The community of Port Neches and their neighbors will never forget the horror of being awakened in the middle of the night – hours before Thanksgiving – by the frightening sounds of the TPC plant explosion at their doorsteps. TPC violated the law when it ignored its own safety protocols, which led to a disastrous explosion with catastrophic consequences that directly endangered the lives of TPC workers and the surrounding community. Today’s guilty plea shows that businesses that choose to place profits over safeguards and legal compliance will face serious consequences.”
“The people of Port Neches had their lives disrupted because of a major disaster in their neighborhood. TPC must uphold the accident-prevention standards in the Clean Air Act to ensure families and workers are not harmed,” said EPA Region 6 Regional Administrator Dr. Earthea Nance. “And when companies do not comply with these important safety regulations, EPA and our federal partners will continue to hold them accountable, in this case by requiring TPC to spend $80 million to reduce health risks at its facility and $12.1 million in civil penalties so communities like Port Neches will be protected from harm in the future.”
TPC Group’s facility produced the hazardous chemical Butadiene, which is used in the production of tires, latexes and plastics. Butadiene can form a “popcorn polymer,” which can grow at an accelerating rate and cause catastrophic events, including explosions and fires. The company was aware that this polymer was forming in some of its production lines, and the risks it posed, but failed to take necessary measures to prevent the explosion.
An initial explosion occurred at the facility’s South Unit. A secondary explosion followed, and a series of fires erupted at the facility which blew contaminants into the air. As a result of the explosions, mandatory evacuations were ordered for residents within a four-mile radius of the facility, voluntary orders to shelter in place were issued for residents in the surrounding area and local schools were closed for multiple days to allow buildings to be cleaned, repaired and inspected.
The company has agreed to pay $18 million in criminal fines. The plea agreement also includes a one-year term of probation and publishing of a public apology. The $12.1 million in civil penalty payments will be made through bankruptcy proceedings. TPC Group will also spend approximately $80 million to improve its risk management program and improve safety issues at both facilities.
TPC Group has been criminally charged and pleaded guilty to knowingly failing to implement its own written operating procedures, including monthly flushing of production lines that would have prevented the explosion. Clean Air Act regulations require planning to prevent accidental releases of hazardous chemicals and makes implementation of those plans mandatory.
The civil complaint includes 27 claims and counts – some of which included numerous violations – against TPC Group for violations of the Clean Air Act at its Port Neches facility, including numerous violations that led to the 2019 explosions. The Port Neches facility is now used for storage purposes only. The civil complaint also includes 26 claims and counts against TPC Group for Clean Air Act violations at the company’s Houston facility, including failing to promptly take corrective actions for hundreds of pieces of process equipment. And failing to address similar conditions that led to the Port Neches explosions.
Under the proposed civil consent decree, TPC Group is required to update safety information for equipment at its Port Neches and Houston facilities to ensure that they are designed, maintained, inspected and operated in a safe manner. TPC Group must overhaul its process hazard analysis program to ensure prompt completion of all corrective actions and remedial measures to mitigate hazards at the facilities. TPC Group will also update operating procedures and training for its workers and contractors. TPC Group has agreed to audit and revise their emergency shutdown procedures and implement key performance indicators.
The company will now provide incident investigations to EPA and release incident report information to the public on a publicly available website. The consent decree requires TPC Group to conduct an audit of the relief system design at the Houston facility to ensure the system can handle all appropriate scenarios.
TPC Group will also install and continually use air monitors at the fence line of each facility and in the neighboring communities. Data from the air monitors will be available on TPC Group’s website. TPC Group agreed to conduct an inherently safer technology review to identify safer technology alternatives that minimize or eliminate the potential for accidental chemical releases. TPC Group is required to host community meetings to inform the community about risks associated with its facilities, share evacuation routes, and share information about how to properly shelter in place.
Under section 112(r) of the Clean Air Act, facilities like TPC Group’s in Port Neches and Houston must identify hazards, design and maintain a safe facility, minimize the consequences of accidental releases that do occur and comply with regulatory prevention measures. Failing to comply with these requirements increases the risk of accidents and threatens surrounding communities that are commonly overburdened with pollution.
EPA investigated this matter and received extensive cooperation from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). On the date of the explosion, a Unified Command was established that included Jefferson County Judge Jeff Branick, the Jefferson County Office of Emergency Management, the EPA, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and TPC Group. If you know of an unsafe industrial situation or an environmental violation, report it at EPA’s Enforcement and Compliance History Online (ECHO) page.
The proposed consent decree was lodged in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas and is subject to a 30-day public comment period and final court approval. The consent decree and information on how to submit a public comment are also available on the Justice Department’s website.
For more information about today’s settlement, please visit the TPC Civil Settlement sheet. The Strategic Civil-Criminal Enforcement Policy was released on April 17, 2024.
The filings address explosions that caused injuries, evacuations and significant air pollution. The company has agreed to pay over $30 million in criminal fines and civil penalties and spend approximately $80 million to improve its risk management program and improve safety issues at TPC Group’s Port Neches and Houston facilities.
According to information provided in court, on Nov. 27, 2019, two explosions at TPC Group’s Port Neches facility prompted evacuations of thousands of residents from the City of Port Neches and surrounding areas, released more than 11 million pounds of extremely hazardous substances and caused more than $130 million in offsite property damage and other impacts to human health and the environment. Four employees and one contractor suffered injuries including concussions, burns, perforated eardrums, tinnitus and cracked teeth.
“TPC recklessly risked the lives of thousands of Port Neches residents and illegally released millions of gallons of extremely hazardous substances into the environment,” said David M. Uhlmann, EPA Assistant Administrator for the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “Today’s criminal and civil settlements hold TPC accountable for endangering the Port Neches community and require the company to invest approximately $80 million to improve safety at TPC Group facilities. These settlements highlight the strong partnership between EPA’s criminal and civil enforcement programs and demonstrate EPA’s emphasis on a more strategic and collaborative approach to enforcement and compliance assurance.”
“Port Neches residents will always remember the day before Thanksgiving 2019,” said Acting Associate Attorney General Benjamin C. Mizer. “That day, powerful explosions at the TPC Group’s facility caused evacuations, injuries, air pollution and more than $130 million in damage. This entirely preventable accident was the result of the company’s failure to take the necessary precautions to control a hazardous chemical even though it was well aware of the serious risks. Today’s criminal plea and settlement send a clear message that safety measures are not optional and that we will hold violators accountable.”
“When a disaster happens like at Port Neches, public safety is paramount,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “TPC Group’s knowing failure to comply with the chemical accident prevention provisions of the Clean Air Act at its Port Neches and Houston facilities placed its workers, neighbors and the environment in danger. Community members have expressed concerns about potential explosions happening at TPC Group’s Houston facility, like what happened in 2019 at Port Neches. Importantly, today’s criminal plea and civil settlement includes safety requirements that will help prevent future incidents.”
“Protecting our environment and the safety of the citizens of Southeast Texas will always be a priority of our office,” said U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs for the Eastern District of Texas. “The community of Port Neches and their neighbors will never forget the horror of being awakened in the middle of the night – hours before Thanksgiving – by the frightening sounds of the TPC plant explosion at their doorsteps. TPC violated the law when it ignored its own safety protocols, which led to a disastrous explosion with catastrophic consequences that directly endangered the lives of TPC workers and the surrounding community. Today’s guilty plea shows that businesses that choose to place profits over safeguards and legal compliance will face serious consequences.”
“The people of Port Neches had their lives disrupted because of a major disaster in their neighborhood. TPC must uphold the accident-prevention standards in the Clean Air Act to ensure families and workers are not harmed,” said EPA Region 6 Regional Administrator Dr. Earthea Nance. “And when companies do not comply with these important safety regulations, EPA and our federal partners will continue to hold them accountable, in this case by requiring TPC to spend $80 million to reduce health risks at its facility and $12.1 million in civil penalties so communities like Port Neches will be protected from harm in the future.”
TPC Group’s facility produced the hazardous chemical Butadiene, which is used in the production of tires, latexes and plastics. Butadiene can form a “popcorn polymer,” which can grow at an accelerating rate and cause catastrophic events, including explosions and fires. The company was aware that this polymer was forming in some of its production lines, and the risks it posed, but failed to take necessary measures to prevent the explosion.
An initial explosion occurred at the facility’s South Unit. A secondary explosion followed, and a series of fires erupted at the facility which blew contaminants into the air. As a result of the explosions, mandatory evacuations were ordered for residents within a four-mile radius of the facility, voluntary orders to shelter in place were issued for residents in the surrounding area and local schools were closed for multiple days to allow buildings to be cleaned, repaired and inspected.
The company has agreed to pay $18 million in criminal fines. The plea agreement also includes a one-year term of probation and publishing of a public apology. The $12.1 million in civil penalty payments will be made through bankruptcy proceedings. TPC Group will also spend approximately $80 million to improve its risk management program and improve safety issues at both facilities.
TPC Group has been criminally charged and pleaded guilty to knowingly failing to implement its own written operating procedures, including monthly flushing of production lines that would have prevented the explosion. Clean Air Act regulations require planning to prevent accidental releases of hazardous chemicals and makes implementation of those plans mandatory.
The civil complaint includes 27 claims and counts – some of which included numerous violations – against TPC Group for violations of the Clean Air Act at its Port Neches facility, including numerous violations that led to the 2019 explosions. The Port Neches facility is now used for storage purposes only. The civil complaint also includes 26 claims and counts against TPC Group for Clean Air Act violations at the company’s Houston facility, including failing to promptly take corrective actions for hundreds of pieces of process equipment. And failing to address similar conditions that led to the Port Neches explosions.
Under the proposed civil consent decree, TPC Group is required to update safety information for equipment at its Port Neches and Houston facilities to ensure that they are designed, maintained, inspected and operated in a safe manner. TPC Group must overhaul its process hazard analysis program to ensure prompt completion of all corrective actions and remedial measures to mitigate hazards at the facilities. TPC Group will also update operating procedures and training for its workers and contractors. TPC Group has agreed to audit and revise their emergency shutdown procedures and implement key performance indicators.
The company will now provide incident investigations to EPA and release incident report information to the public on a publicly available website. The consent decree requires TPC Group to conduct an audit of the relief system design at the Houston facility to ensure the system can handle all appropriate scenarios.
TPC Group will also install and continually use air monitors at the fence line of each facility and in the neighboring communities. Data from the air monitors will be available on TPC Group’s website. TPC Group agreed to conduct an inherently safer technology review to identify safer technology alternatives that minimize or eliminate the potential for accidental chemical releases. TPC Group is required to host community meetings to inform the community about risks associated with its facilities, share evacuation routes, and share information about how to properly shelter in place.
Under section 112(r) of the Clean Air Act, facilities like TPC Group’s in Port Neches and Houston must identify hazards, design and maintain a safe facility, minimize the consequences of accidental releases that do occur and comply with regulatory prevention measures. Failing to comply with these requirements increases the risk of accidents and threatens surrounding communities that are commonly overburdened with pollution.
EPA investigated this matter and received extensive cooperation from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). On the date of the explosion, a Unified Command was established that included Jefferson County Judge Jeff Branick, the Jefferson County Office of Emergency Management, the EPA, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and TPC Group. If you know of an unsafe industrial situation or an environmental violation, report it at EPA’s Enforcement and Compliance History Online (ECHO) page.
The proposed consent decree was lodged in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas and is subject to a 30-day public comment period and final court approval. The consent decree and information on how to submit a public comment are also available on the Justice Department’s website.
For more information about today’s settlement, please visit the TPC Civil Settlement sheet. The Strategic Civil-Criminal Enforcement Policy was released on April 17, 2024.
EPA settles with Massachusetts solar company for Construction General Permit violations
BOSTON (May 21, 2024) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has settled with Navisun, LLC, a solar energy company based in Hingham, Massachusetts, for alleged violations of the Construction General Permit (CGP), related to stormwater discharges from construction activities. Under the settlement, the company will pay a penalty of $25,000 to resolve the allegations of the two alleged violations.
"Great strides have been made in clean energy production, especially when it comes to solar power. However, clean energy development must be done in environmentally sound ways, and this proposed penalty and subsequent settlement reinforces the commitment we have to our communities and to neighbors." said EPA New England Regional Administrator David W. Cash. "We will do what we can to support private companies that are undertaking clean energy development, but we will also continue to demand adherence to environmental standards, ensuring that no corners are cut, and that no environmental sacrifices are made while undertaking clean energy growth."
EPA alleged that Navisun, LLC violated the terms of the CGP, for stormwater discharges from construction activities at the company's solar farm development site in Acushnet, MA. In late 2022, the stormwater basin at the site failed, leading to discharge of sediment-laden water in two separate storms; the sediment from these discharges impacted a neighbor's pond and well water.
Navisun improved its site controls upon pressure from the Town of Acushnet's local Conservation Agent following the failure, and there were no significant issues when EPA inspected the site in early 2023. An inspection by Acushnet's Conservation Commission a few months later, however, discovered Navisun's failure to stabilize large areas of the site; Navisun subsequently has stabilized the remainder of the site.
About the company
Navisun LLC is a solar energy company that develops, owns and operates small utility-scale commercial and industrial solar farms. The alleged CGP violations occurred at the company's solar farm development site located at 550 Main Street in Acushnet, MA.
More information
Construction General Permit (CGP) and National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)
Learn more about CGP
Learn more about NPDES
"Great strides have been made in clean energy production, especially when it comes to solar power. However, clean energy development must be done in environmentally sound ways, and this proposed penalty and subsequent settlement reinforces the commitment we have to our communities and to neighbors." said EPA New England Regional Administrator David W. Cash. "We will do what we can to support private companies that are undertaking clean energy development, but we will also continue to demand adherence to environmental standards, ensuring that no corners are cut, and that no environmental sacrifices are made while undertaking clean energy growth."
EPA alleged that Navisun, LLC violated the terms of the CGP, for stormwater discharges from construction activities at the company's solar farm development site in Acushnet, MA. In late 2022, the stormwater basin at the site failed, leading to discharge of sediment-laden water in two separate storms; the sediment from these discharges impacted a neighbor's pond and well water.
Navisun improved its site controls upon pressure from the Town of Acushnet's local Conservation Agent following the failure, and there were no significant issues when EPA inspected the site in early 2023. An inspection by Acushnet's Conservation Commission a few months later, however, discovered Navisun's failure to stabilize large areas of the site; Navisun subsequently has stabilized the remainder of the site.
About the company
Navisun LLC is a solar energy company that develops, owns and operates small utility-scale commercial and industrial solar farms. The alleged CGP violations occurred at the company's solar farm development site located at 550 Main Street in Acushnet, MA.
More information
Construction General Permit (CGP) and National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)
Learn more about CGP
Learn more about NPDES
Biden-Harris Administration Announces $25 Million to Help Provide Small, Underserved, and Disadvantaged Communities with Clean and Safe Drinking Water
WASHINGTON – Today, May 21, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced $25 million for states and territories to invest in clean and safe drinking water. This grant funding will specifically benefit underserved, small and disadvantaged communities by upgrading infrastructure to comply with the Safe Drinking Water Act, reducing exposure to Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS), removing sources of lead, and addressing additional local drinking water challenges. The EPA funding announced today advances President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda to help communities make real progress on critical drinking water upgrades.
“Across the country, too many communities struggle to maintain and upgrade drinking water infrastructure that is essential to public health,” said Acting Assistant Administrator for Water Bruno Pigott. “This $25 million in EPA grant funding, along with historic investments from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, will strengthen our nation’s water infrastructure and help ensure everyone has access to clean and safe drinking water.”
This funding is part of the Biden-Harris Justice40 Initiative, which advances environmental justice and benefits disadvantaged communities by ensuring that federal funding is reaching places that need it most.
EPA’s grant funding is flexible and can support a broad range of projects to help communities address drinking water concerns, from household water quality testing to monitoring for drinking water contaminants, including PFAS. These funds can also be used to identify and replace lead service lines to help achieve President Biden’s goal of removing 100% of lead pipes across the country. Funds may also support efforts to build the technical, financial, and managerial abilities of a water system’s operations and staff. Infrastructure projects—from transmission, distribution, and storage—that support drinking water quality improvements are also eligible for grant funding.
The Small, Underserved, and Disadvantaged Community grant program, established under the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation (WIIN) Act, awards funding to states and territories on a non-competitive basis. EPA awards funding to states based on an allocation formula that includes factors for population below the poverty level, small water systems, and underserved communities. Since 2019, this grant program has allocated over $130 million to states, territories and Tribes. There is a separate allotment to support activities in American Indian and Alaska Native Village communities. For more information, visit the WIIN SUDC Grant website.
FY 2024 Small, Underserved and Disadvantaged Communities (SUDC) Grant Allotments for States and Territories
Based on FY 2024 Appropriations of $25,080,000
State/Territory
FY 2024 Allotment
State/Territory
FY 2024 Allotment
Alabama
$369,000
Montana
$326,000
Alaska
$571,000
Nebraska
$284,000
American Samoa
$141,000
Nevada
$293,000
Arizona
$490,000
New Hampshire
$259,000
Arkansas
$342,000
New Jersey
$406,000
California
$1,624,000
New Mexico
$393,000
Colorado
$462,000
New York
$1,047,000
Connecticut
$273,000
North Carolina
$679,000
Delaware
$195,000
North Dakota
$210,000
District of Columbia
$151,000
Northern Mariana Islands
$142,000
Florida
$961,000
Ohio
$609,000
Georgia
$664,000
Oklahoma
$492,000
Guam
$135,000
Oregon
$425,000
Hawaii
$170,000
Pennsylvania
$799,000
Idaho
$316,000
Puerto Rico
$478,000
Illinois
$702,000
Rhode Island
$168,000
Indiana
$422,000
South Carolina
$375,000
Iowa
$348,000
South Dakota
$240,000
Kansas
$381,000
Tennessee
$403,000
Kentucky
$340,000
Texas
$1,821,000
Louisiana
$641,000
Utah
$291,000
Maine
$238,000
U.S. Virgin Islands
$138,000
Maryland
$305,000
Vermont
$210,000
Massachusetts
$348,000
Virginia
$469,000
Michigan
$650,000
Washington
$566,000
Minnesota
$382,000
West Virginia
$315,000
Mississippi
$420,000
Wisconsin
$439,000
Missouri
$524,000
Wyoming
$238,000
“Across the country, too many communities struggle to maintain and upgrade drinking water infrastructure that is essential to public health,” said Acting Assistant Administrator for Water Bruno Pigott. “This $25 million in EPA grant funding, along with historic investments from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, will strengthen our nation’s water infrastructure and help ensure everyone has access to clean and safe drinking water.”
This funding is part of the Biden-Harris Justice40 Initiative, which advances environmental justice and benefits disadvantaged communities by ensuring that federal funding is reaching places that need it most.
EPA’s grant funding is flexible and can support a broad range of projects to help communities address drinking water concerns, from household water quality testing to monitoring for drinking water contaminants, including PFAS. These funds can also be used to identify and replace lead service lines to help achieve President Biden’s goal of removing 100% of lead pipes across the country. Funds may also support efforts to build the technical, financial, and managerial abilities of a water system’s operations and staff. Infrastructure projects—from transmission, distribution, and storage—that support drinking water quality improvements are also eligible for grant funding.
The Small, Underserved, and Disadvantaged Community grant program, established under the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation (WIIN) Act, awards funding to states and territories on a non-competitive basis. EPA awards funding to states based on an allocation formula that includes factors for population below the poverty level, small water systems, and underserved communities. Since 2019, this grant program has allocated over $130 million to states, territories and Tribes. There is a separate allotment to support activities in American Indian and Alaska Native Village communities. For more information, visit the WIIN SUDC Grant website.
FY 2024 Small, Underserved and Disadvantaged Communities (SUDC) Grant Allotments for States and Territories
Based on FY 2024 Appropriations of $25,080,000
State/Territory
FY 2024 Allotment
State/Territory
FY 2024 Allotment
Alabama
$369,000
Montana
$326,000
Alaska
$571,000
Nebraska
$284,000
American Samoa
$141,000
Nevada
$293,000
Arizona
$490,000
New Hampshire
$259,000
Arkansas
$342,000
New Jersey
$406,000
California
$1,624,000
New Mexico
$393,000
Colorado
$462,000
New York
$1,047,000
Connecticut
$273,000
North Carolina
$679,000
Delaware
$195,000
North Dakota
$210,000
District of Columbia
$151,000
Northern Mariana Islands
$142,000
Florida
$961,000
Ohio
$609,000
Georgia
$664,000
Oklahoma
$492,000
Guam
$135,000
Oregon
$425,000
Hawaii
$170,000
Pennsylvania
$799,000
Idaho
$316,000
Puerto Rico
$478,000
Illinois
$702,000
Rhode Island
$168,000
Indiana
$422,000
South Carolina
$375,000
Iowa
$348,000
South Dakota
$240,000
Kansas
$381,000
Tennessee
$403,000
Kentucky
$340,000
Texas
$1,821,000
Louisiana
$641,000
Utah
$291,000
Maine
$238,000
U.S. Virgin Islands
$138,000
Maryland
$305,000
Vermont
$210,000
Massachusetts
$348,000
Virginia
$469,000
Michigan
$650,000
Washington
$566,000
Minnesota
$382,000
West Virginia
$315,000
Mississippi
$420,000
Wisconsin
$439,000
Missouri
$524,000
Wyoming
$238,000
Biden-Harris Administration Announces Availability of $14 Million in Brownfields Job Training Grants Under Investing in America Agenda
WASHINGTON – Today, May 21, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced the availability of approximately $14 million from President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda for environmental job training grants under EPA’s Brownfields Job Training Program. Through the Notice of Funding Opportunity, made possible by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, EPA anticipates awarding approximately 20 grants nationwide at amounts up to $500,000 per award.
“Since 1998, EPA’s Brownfields Job Training Grants have helped train more than 21,700 people and place 16,200 in careers remediating land and improving environmental health and safety,” said Clifford Villa, EPA Deputy Assistant Administrator for the Office of Land and Emergency Management. “Thanks to the funding from President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda, the Brownfields Job Training program continues to support training and employment for residents affected by brownfield sites and to advance environmental justice across the country.”
EPA’s Brownfields Job Training Grant program is a unique employment and training grants program. The grants allow nonprofit and other eligible organizations to recruit, train, and retain a local, skilled workforce by prioritizing unemployed and under-employed workers, including low-income individuals living in communities disproportionately impacted by solid and hazardous waste, in environmental jobs. In the previous award cycle, EPA selected 14 grant recipients including “Groundwork Ohio River Valley” for a grant targeting job training participants from Cincinnati, specifically young people from neighborhoods that have been identified as climate-vulnerable; have higher percentages of brownfields located in their areas; and also see high rates of unemployment or underemployment.
Job training participants learn the skills and earn credentials needed to secure full-time, sustainable employment in the environmental field, including brownfields assessment and cleanup. These jobs reduce environmental contamination and build more sustainable futures for communities. Through the Job Training Grant program, communities have the flexibility to deliver eligible training that meets their local labor market demands in the environmental sector.
Thanks to the historic $1.5 billion brownfields investment from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, EPA has provided more than three times the previous funding levels to support Brownfields Job Training Programs. This budget boost provides communities, states, and Tribal Nations the opportunity to apply for larger grants to help build and enhance the environmental curriculum in their job training programs, support job creation and community revitalization at brownfield sites.
The Brownfields Job Training Grants program is advancing the President’s Justice40 Initiative to ensure that 40% of overall benefits from certain federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution. As part of this effort, EPA’s Brownfields Program is meeting this commitment and advancing environmental justice considerations into all aspects of our work. 100% of the 2024 Brownfields Job Training program applications selected to receive funding proposed to work in areas that include historically disadvantaged communities.
EPA expects the longer application window (approximately 90 days instead of the standard 60 days) will give potential applicants more time to consider recent programmatic changes, including whether to form and apply as a Brownfields Job Training Grant Coalition. The deadline to apply for the Notice of Funding Opportunity is August 15, 2024.
The Office of Brownfields and Land Revitalization will host an outreach webinar on June 6th, 2024, from 1 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. EDT to explain the grant guidelines for interested applicants and to address commonly asked questions. Prior registration is not required. Join the June 6th webinar.
View Fiscal Year 2025 Guidelines and other application resources available on EPA’s Brownfields Job Training Grants webpage
Visit EPA’s Brownfields Job Training Grants – Technical Assistance Resources webpage for other application resources
Learn more on EPA’s Brownfields Program on EPA’s Brownfields webpage
“Since 1998, EPA’s Brownfields Job Training Grants have helped train more than 21,700 people and place 16,200 in careers remediating land and improving environmental health and safety,” said Clifford Villa, EPA Deputy Assistant Administrator for the Office of Land and Emergency Management. “Thanks to the funding from President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda, the Brownfields Job Training program continues to support training and employment for residents affected by brownfield sites and to advance environmental justice across the country.”
EPA’s Brownfields Job Training Grant program is a unique employment and training grants program. The grants allow nonprofit and other eligible organizations to recruit, train, and retain a local, skilled workforce by prioritizing unemployed and under-employed workers, including low-income individuals living in communities disproportionately impacted by solid and hazardous waste, in environmental jobs. In the previous award cycle, EPA selected 14 grant recipients including “Groundwork Ohio River Valley” for a grant targeting job training participants from Cincinnati, specifically young people from neighborhoods that have been identified as climate-vulnerable; have higher percentages of brownfields located in their areas; and also see high rates of unemployment or underemployment.
Job training participants learn the skills and earn credentials needed to secure full-time, sustainable employment in the environmental field, including brownfields assessment and cleanup. These jobs reduce environmental contamination and build more sustainable futures for communities. Through the Job Training Grant program, communities have the flexibility to deliver eligible training that meets their local labor market demands in the environmental sector.
Thanks to the historic $1.5 billion brownfields investment from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, EPA has provided more than three times the previous funding levels to support Brownfields Job Training Programs. This budget boost provides communities, states, and Tribal Nations the opportunity to apply for larger grants to help build and enhance the environmental curriculum in their job training programs, support job creation and community revitalization at brownfield sites.
The Brownfields Job Training Grants program is advancing the President’s Justice40 Initiative to ensure that 40% of overall benefits from certain federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution. As part of this effort, EPA’s Brownfields Program is meeting this commitment and advancing environmental justice considerations into all aspects of our work. 100% of the 2024 Brownfields Job Training program applications selected to receive funding proposed to work in areas that include historically disadvantaged communities.
EPA expects the longer application window (approximately 90 days instead of the standard 60 days) will give potential applicants more time to consider recent programmatic changes, including whether to form and apply as a Brownfields Job Training Grant Coalition. The deadline to apply for the Notice of Funding Opportunity is August 15, 2024.
The Office of Brownfields and Land Revitalization will host an outreach webinar on June 6th, 2024, from 1 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. EDT to explain the grant guidelines for interested applicants and to address commonly asked questions. Prior registration is not required. Join the June 6th webinar.
View Fiscal Year 2025 Guidelines and other application resources available on EPA’s Brownfields Job Training Grants webpage
Visit EPA’s Brownfields Job Training Grants – Technical Assistance Resources webpage for other application resources
Learn more on EPA’s Brownfields Program on EPA’s Brownfields webpage
EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan Hosts Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for the National Environmental Museum and Education Center
WASHINGTON – Today, May 21, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael S. Regan was joined by past and present Senior EPA Officials and other environmental stakeholders to officially open the National Environmental Museum and Education Center. The Center, which is located in the William Jefferson Clinton building on the corner of 13th and Pennsylvania Ave, is designed to inspire and educate the public about the nation’s environmental history and the efforts EPA and its partners at the state, local and Tribal levels have taken to protect air, water, land and public health.
“From Love Canal and the founding of EPA more than 50 years ago to the historic funding of our Investing in America agenda, our new museum chronicles our nation’s work to protect public health and the environment – a movement that has transcended political and geographic divides,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “Our work with state, local and Tribal partners has changed people’s lives, it has restored our connection with the environment and our planet, and it will ensure that future generations will continue to have clean air to breathe, safe water to drink, and clean land to live, work and play on.
The National Environmental Museum and Education Center tells EPA’s story since its creation under President Richard Nixon. From the Tribal communities who have cared for and called our lands home for centuries, to the states and communities who have fought to protect their air, land and water, everyone has played a role in this movement and in protecting the nation’s public health and the environment. EPA and its partners have cleaned up contaminated sites and turned them into economic engines for communities, reduced dangerous air pollution like mercury and sulfur dioxide and the greenhouse gases that are fueling climate change, removed contaminants from drinking water and cleaned up our nation’s most treasured waterways. The agency is also engaging in meaningful ways with environmental justice and overburdened communities to bring about positive changes in every single zip code.
As visitors explore the museum, they will learn about environmental conditions in the 1960s and 1970s before EPA was established. They will explore the progress that EPA and its partners have made as well as the work still to be done to ensure that everyone in this country has access to clean air to breathe, clean water to drink and clean land to play on. They will also learn what actions they can take to be a part of the nation’s environmental future. Whether it’s recycling, driving an electric vehicle, composting food waste, installing rooftop solar on their homes or planting native plants, each visitor can be an active participant in bringing awareness to the environmental issues that impact communities across the country.
For the remainder of May 2024, the museum will be open Tuesday through Thursday, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (closed federal holidays). Beginning in June 2024, the museum will be open Tuesday through Friday, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (closed federal holidays). To request to visit the museum at another date or time, please send an email to NEMEC@epa.gov.
For additional information on the museum, please visit the National Environmental Museum and Education Center page.
“From Love Canal and the founding of EPA more than 50 years ago to the historic funding of our Investing in America agenda, our new museum chronicles our nation’s work to protect public health and the environment – a movement that has transcended political and geographic divides,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “Our work with state, local and Tribal partners has changed people’s lives, it has restored our connection with the environment and our planet, and it will ensure that future generations will continue to have clean air to breathe, safe water to drink, and clean land to live, work and play on.
The National Environmental Museum and Education Center tells EPA’s story since its creation under President Richard Nixon. From the Tribal communities who have cared for and called our lands home for centuries, to the states and communities who have fought to protect their air, land and water, everyone has played a role in this movement and in protecting the nation’s public health and the environment. EPA and its partners have cleaned up contaminated sites and turned them into economic engines for communities, reduced dangerous air pollution like mercury and sulfur dioxide and the greenhouse gases that are fueling climate change, removed contaminants from drinking water and cleaned up our nation’s most treasured waterways. The agency is also engaging in meaningful ways with environmental justice and overburdened communities to bring about positive changes in every single zip code.
As visitors explore the museum, they will learn about environmental conditions in the 1960s and 1970s before EPA was established. They will explore the progress that EPA and its partners have made as well as the work still to be done to ensure that everyone in this country has access to clean air to breathe, clean water to drink and clean land to play on. They will also learn what actions they can take to be a part of the nation’s environmental future. Whether it’s recycling, driving an electric vehicle, composting food waste, installing rooftop solar on their homes or planting native plants, each visitor can be an active participant in bringing awareness to the environmental issues that impact communities across the country.
For the remainder of May 2024, the museum will be open Tuesday through Thursday, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (closed federal holidays). Beginning in June 2024, the museum will be open Tuesday through Friday, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (closed federal holidays). To request to visit the museum at another date or time, please send an email to NEMEC@epa.gov.
For additional information on the museum, please visit the National Environmental Museum and Education Center page.
SC Ports closed to truckers on Monday
Drivers will not be able to go into the Port of Charleston or inland ports today.
‘Software issue’ closes Charleston, inland ports to truckers: SC Ports
Few details are known about the extent of the software problem and whether it impacts only the truck gates or all operations inside the terminals such as ship-to-shore cranes, yard hostler vehicles and container stacks.