EPA Regional Administrator visits UVA to discuss environmental issues, research
PHILADELPHIA. PA – Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator Adam Ortiz visited the University of Virginia campus in Charlottesville, Virginia, to engage with thought leaders and researchers and learn about the university’s innovative projects addressing environmental challenges.
Ortiz met with UVA’s Environmental Institute staff and students to gain insight into the cutting-edge research projects and have in-depth discussions that provided additional perspectives on environmental justice, climate equity and economic prosperity across the Mid-Atlantic Region.
“Learning about the important research work ongoing at UVA’s Environmental Institute is key to achieving our mission,” said EPA Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator Adam Ortiz. “Protecting our planet is a shared responsibility. Engagement opportunities like this visit lead to a deeper understanding of environmental issues and strengthen our capability to develop effective solutions that help all communities.”
Discussions between Ortiz and the UVA faculty, researchers and students included findings on climate change and rising sea levels along coastlines, programs affecting tribes and indigenous peoples, the effects of green energy in rural Virginia, and a roundtable discussion on the region’s efforts and research opportunities.
This visit highlights the EPA’s dedication to collaborating with academic institutions to encourage dialogue and information sharing that helps protect human health and the environment.
“UVA’s Environmental Institute is very pleased to host EPA Regional Administrator Adam Ortiz, who is a leader in innovative climate solutions,” said Karen McGlathery, UVA’s Environmental Institute Director. “UVA has exciting frontier research that addresses some of the most pressing environmental challenges our region faces. This conversation is important as we consider how UVA research leads the way for solutions that engage diverse stakeholders on issues ranging from coastal resilience to environmental justice.”
Before the visit concluded, Ortiz also met with students to discuss EPA efforts, answer questions and promote career opportunities with the agency.
Elizabeth Andrews, Environmental Institute's Inaugural Practitioner Fellow, is presenting in front of the room. EPA Mid-Atlantic Region Regional Administrator Adam Ortiz is sitting upfront with Terri Dean, Chief of Staff along with University of Virginia staff.
Ortiz met with UVA’s Environmental Institute staff and students to gain insight into the cutting-edge research projects and have in-depth discussions that provided additional perspectives on environmental justice, climate equity and economic prosperity across the Mid-Atlantic Region.
“Learning about the important research work ongoing at UVA’s Environmental Institute is key to achieving our mission,” said EPA Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator Adam Ortiz. “Protecting our planet is a shared responsibility. Engagement opportunities like this visit lead to a deeper understanding of environmental issues and strengthen our capability to develop effective solutions that help all communities.”
Discussions between Ortiz and the UVA faculty, researchers and students included findings on climate change and rising sea levels along coastlines, programs affecting tribes and indigenous peoples, the effects of green energy in rural Virginia, and a roundtable discussion on the region’s efforts and research opportunities.
This visit highlights the EPA’s dedication to collaborating with academic institutions to encourage dialogue and information sharing that helps protect human health and the environment.
“UVA’s Environmental Institute is very pleased to host EPA Regional Administrator Adam Ortiz, who is a leader in innovative climate solutions,” said Karen McGlathery, UVA’s Environmental Institute Director. “UVA has exciting frontier research that addresses some of the most pressing environmental challenges our region faces. This conversation is important as we consider how UVA research leads the way for solutions that engage diverse stakeholders on issues ranging from coastal resilience to environmental justice.”
Before the visit concluded, Ortiz also met with students to discuss EPA efforts, answer questions and promote career opportunities with the agency.
Elizabeth Andrews, Environmental Institute's Inaugural Practitioner Fellow, is presenting in front of the room. EPA Mid-Atlantic Region Regional Administrator Adam Ortiz is sitting upfront with Terri Dean, Chief of Staff along with University of Virginia staff.
EPA Highlights Nearly $6 Million for Clean School Buses in Pontiac, Michigan
Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recognized Pontiac School District in eastern Michigan as recipients of funding from EPA's Clean School Bus program. The school district will receive up to a total of $5,925,000 million from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to help purchase 15 electric school buses for cleaner air in and around the community.
EPA Region 5 Administrator Debra Shore and Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) Director Phil Roos joined school district leaders on a tour of an electric school bus and highlighted how these vehicles will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, save schools money, and better protect children’s health. The investment will also drive demand for American-made batteries and vehicles, boost domestic manufacturing, and create good-paying jobs.
“Thanks to the President’s Investing in America Agenda and EPA’s Clean School Bus program, Pontiac School District is providing a healthier environment for its students, bus drivers, and school staff,” said EPA Region 5 Administrator Debra Shore. “Upgrading to electric school buses is a major win for the community and will mean reduced air pollution in and around schools.”
“Clean and electric school buses protect our children and communities and are a key solution to meeting Michigan’s ambitious climate goals,” said EGLE Director Phil Roos. “I applaud the Biden Administration for investing in Michigan school districts like Pontiac. Prior to the passage of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Michigan had 17 electric school buses, and the federal Clean School Bus program and investments from Governor Gretchen Whitmer and state partners have accelerated Michigan’s transition to a clean energy future. Today, more than 200 clean-powered school buses are on the road or arriving soon in Michigan.”
"The positive impact these buses will bring to the wellbeing of our students and our community as a whole is incredible,” said Dr. Kimberly Leverette, Interim Superintendent. “We are ecstatic to have been selected to be part of this game-changing initiative. Thanks to an outstanding internal team and exceptional partners, I'm excited to say, we're ready to bring 40 electric buses to Pontiac!"
“Electric school buses are already making a big difference for children across Michigan. These new buses will improve air quality while helping the Pontiac School District cut their transportation costs and keep more resources in the classroom,” said Sen. Debbie Stabenow.
“Thanks to the bipartisan infrastructure law I helped pass, we are providing safer and more efficient transportation options for students in Pontiac who ride the bus to school,” said Sen. Gary Peters. “This is a major investment which will help replace aging school buses, helping to lower emissions and protect both students and staff.”
“I’m thrilled that students in Pontiac will soon be on their way to school in electric, low-emission buses,” said Rep. Haley Stevens. “Thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which I helped pass, these buses will not only provide critical transportation, but do so without exposing our students and community to dangerous, polluting exhaust. I can’t wait to see these rolling through our streets!”
“Today, we are celebrating the Pontiac School District for receiving a total of 40 all-electric school buses. The District is adding 15 additional electric school buses to its existing fleet of 25 all-electric buses thanks to the EPA funding under the Clean Bus School Program. This is a school district leading the electric charge in an area needing clean air solutions! It’s also hope and cause for celebration for an entire community of students, bus drivers and residents whose health will no longer be compromised by tailpipe pollution from replaced fossil-fueled buses. More than anything, this achievement speaks to the District’s total commitment to cleaner air and a healthier future for our kids!” said Elizabeth Hauptman from Moms Clean Air Force, a member of the Michigan clean school bus coalition.
In January, EPA announced the selection of 67 applications totaling nearly $1 billion to support the purchase of over 2,700 clean school buses, 95% of which will be electric. EPA will distribute awards to selectees in 37 states. Prioritized school districts in low-income, rural, and/or Tribal communities make up approximately 86% of the projects selected for funding. The program delivers on President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative, which aims to deliver 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal investments to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized, underserved and overburdened by pollution.
In Michigan, EPA is awarding more than $17 million to three school districts to help purchase 45 clean school buses. In addition, Michigan is expected to receive additional funding through third party selectees that are working with multiple states. Michigan’s legislature also included $125 million for clean school buses in the state’s school aid budget, which will support the transition to cleaner buses across the state improving air quality and the health of Michigan’s school children.
EPA’s $5 billion Clean School Bus Program, created by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, includes both a grant program where selected applicants are awarded funds to purchase buses, and a rebate program that allows selectees to receive awards before purchasing eligible buses that replace existing school buses with clean and zero-emission models. Pontiac’s Clean School Bus grant is among the second round of selections announced for the newly created program. EPA will make more funds available for clean school buses in additional rounds of funding.
About the Clean School Bus Rebate Program
The Clean School Bus Program funds electric buses, producing zero tailpipe emissions, as well as propane and compressed natural gas (CNG) buses, resulting in lower tailpipe emissions compared to their older diesel predecessors.
The Clean School Bus Program will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, save money for school districts, and produce cleaner air. Air pollution from older diesel engines is linked to asthma and other conditions that harm students’ health and cause them to miss school, particularly in communities of color and Tribal communities. Efforts to minimize the effects of these older diesel engines will ensure cleaner air for students, bus drivers, and school staff working near the bus loading areas, and the communities through which the buses drive each day.
The reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from these bus replacements will also help to address the outsized role of the transportation sector in fueling the climate crisis. The Program will benefit school districts as they upgrade to cost saving and fuel-efficient school bus fleets, by replacing existing buses with brand new zero-emission and clean school buses and freeing up needed resources for schools.
For more information, please email CleanSchoolBus@epa.gov.
View the full list of Clean School Bus grantees.
EPA Region 5 Administrator Debra Shore and Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) Director Phil Roos joined school district leaders on a tour of an electric school bus and highlighted how these vehicles will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, save schools money, and better protect children’s health. The investment will also drive demand for American-made batteries and vehicles, boost domestic manufacturing, and create good-paying jobs.
“Thanks to the President’s Investing in America Agenda and EPA’s Clean School Bus program, Pontiac School District is providing a healthier environment for its students, bus drivers, and school staff,” said EPA Region 5 Administrator Debra Shore. “Upgrading to electric school buses is a major win for the community and will mean reduced air pollution in and around schools.”
“Clean and electric school buses protect our children and communities and are a key solution to meeting Michigan’s ambitious climate goals,” said EGLE Director Phil Roos. “I applaud the Biden Administration for investing in Michigan school districts like Pontiac. Prior to the passage of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Michigan had 17 electric school buses, and the federal Clean School Bus program and investments from Governor Gretchen Whitmer and state partners have accelerated Michigan’s transition to a clean energy future. Today, more than 200 clean-powered school buses are on the road or arriving soon in Michigan.”
"The positive impact these buses will bring to the wellbeing of our students and our community as a whole is incredible,” said Dr. Kimberly Leverette, Interim Superintendent. “We are ecstatic to have been selected to be part of this game-changing initiative. Thanks to an outstanding internal team and exceptional partners, I'm excited to say, we're ready to bring 40 electric buses to Pontiac!"
“Electric school buses are already making a big difference for children across Michigan. These new buses will improve air quality while helping the Pontiac School District cut their transportation costs and keep more resources in the classroom,” said Sen. Debbie Stabenow.
“Thanks to the bipartisan infrastructure law I helped pass, we are providing safer and more efficient transportation options for students in Pontiac who ride the bus to school,” said Sen. Gary Peters. “This is a major investment which will help replace aging school buses, helping to lower emissions and protect both students and staff.”
“I’m thrilled that students in Pontiac will soon be on their way to school in electric, low-emission buses,” said Rep. Haley Stevens. “Thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which I helped pass, these buses will not only provide critical transportation, but do so without exposing our students and community to dangerous, polluting exhaust. I can’t wait to see these rolling through our streets!”
“Today, we are celebrating the Pontiac School District for receiving a total of 40 all-electric school buses. The District is adding 15 additional electric school buses to its existing fleet of 25 all-electric buses thanks to the EPA funding under the Clean Bus School Program. This is a school district leading the electric charge in an area needing clean air solutions! It’s also hope and cause for celebration for an entire community of students, bus drivers and residents whose health will no longer be compromised by tailpipe pollution from replaced fossil-fueled buses. More than anything, this achievement speaks to the District’s total commitment to cleaner air and a healthier future for our kids!” said Elizabeth Hauptman from Moms Clean Air Force, a member of the Michigan clean school bus coalition.
In January, EPA announced the selection of 67 applications totaling nearly $1 billion to support the purchase of over 2,700 clean school buses, 95% of which will be electric. EPA will distribute awards to selectees in 37 states. Prioritized school districts in low-income, rural, and/or Tribal communities make up approximately 86% of the projects selected for funding. The program delivers on President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative, which aims to deliver 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal investments to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized, underserved and overburdened by pollution.
In Michigan, EPA is awarding more than $17 million to three school districts to help purchase 45 clean school buses. In addition, Michigan is expected to receive additional funding through third party selectees that are working with multiple states. Michigan’s legislature also included $125 million for clean school buses in the state’s school aid budget, which will support the transition to cleaner buses across the state improving air quality and the health of Michigan’s school children.
EPA’s $5 billion Clean School Bus Program, created by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, includes both a grant program where selected applicants are awarded funds to purchase buses, and a rebate program that allows selectees to receive awards before purchasing eligible buses that replace existing school buses with clean and zero-emission models. Pontiac’s Clean School Bus grant is among the second round of selections announced for the newly created program. EPA will make more funds available for clean school buses in additional rounds of funding.
About the Clean School Bus Rebate Program
The Clean School Bus Program funds electric buses, producing zero tailpipe emissions, as well as propane and compressed natural gas (CNG) buses, resulting in lower tailpipe emissions compared to their older diesel predecessors.
The Clean School Bus Program will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, save money for school districts, and produce cleaner air. Air pollution from older diesel engines is linked to asthma and other conditions that harm students’ health and cause them to miss school, particularly in communities of color and Tribal communities. Efforts to minimize the effects of these older diesel engines will ensure cleaner air for students, bus drivers, and school staff working near the bus loading areas, and the communities through which the buses drive each day.
The reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from these bus replacements will also help to address the outsized role of the transportation sector in fueling the climate crisis. The Program will benefit school districts as they upgrade to cost saving and fuel-efficient school bus fleets, by replacing existing buses with brand new zero-emission and clean school buses and freeing up needed resources for schools.
For more information, please email CleanSchoolBus@epa.gov.
View the full list of Clean School Bus grantees.
EPA celebrates 20 years of methane reduction accomplishments at the Global Methane Forum
GENEVA – As part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to cut methane pollution that threatens the climate and public health, the EPA and State Department officials convened a group of 450 global leaders at the 2024 Global Methane Forum this week. The Global Methane Forum provides an opportunity for members of the Global Methane Initiative, participants of the Global Methane Pledge and others to share successful actions, discuss next steps, and learn from peers and technical experts.
“This event marks the Global Methane Initiative’s 20th anniversary as a global public-private partnership that, since 2004, has led the way on advancing technical understanding to reduce methane, a potent greenhouse gas that contributes about one-third of today’s warming,” said Tomás Carbonell, Deputy Assistant Administrator of the EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation and Chair of GMI. “GMI has created networks of people around the world who can act on methane and achieve ambitious reductions. We are grateful to see the world rallying behind this important effort as we know that together we can mobilize greater methane action.”
At the 2024 Global Methane Forum, the U.S., and representatives from more than 50 other countries highlighted actions taken by national and international policy makers and the private sector to reduce methane emissions. Over 30 specific projects and activities were showcased as examples for countries to emulate in addressing methane, including the EPA’s recent historic oil and gas regulations under the Clean Air Act.
“Methane is the fastest way to reduce near term warming and essential to keep 1.5 degrees within reach,” said Rick Duke, Deputy Special Envoy for Climate. “GMI has led the way in demonstrating how to reduce methane across sectors and laid a foundation to achieve the Global Methane Pledge goal of reducing emissions 30% by 2030.”
GMI plays a critical role in advancing technical understanding that advances the ambitious global methane reduction targets of 30% by 2030, under the Global Methane Pledge. GMI has enabled the EPA to forge strong bilateral and multilateral collaboration with other countries, including India and China, in the effort to reduce methane emissions as quickly as possible.
Global Methane Initiative
In 2004 the EPA and the State Department launched the Global Methane Initiative (then known as the Methane to Markets Partnership) along with 14 countries and leading industry groups. There are 49 GMI Partner countries today.
In support of the Global Methane Initiative, an international public-private partnership committed to addressing methane, the U.S. has fostered global collaboration and sharing on methane mitigation strategies, providing technical assistance, building capacity, and hosting eight GMI Global Methane Forums and Expos in five different countries and virtually.
Through the Global Methane Initiative, the EPA spearheads technical collaboration and innovation that leads to methane emissions reductions across key sectors including oil and gas, coal mining, municipal solid waste, agricultural manure management, and municipal wastewater. The EPA’s work has demonstrated the technical effectiveness, commercial availability, and economic benefits of projects that convert waste methane into useful energy. The EPA’s technical leadership has been a critical element in the success of this initiative, based on successful legacy domestic public-private partnerships like the Natural Gas STAR partnership and the Landfill Methane Outreach Program.
Since 2004, the EPA, with funding and support from the Department of State, has developed technical assessments, best practices, technical guidance, and tools, and provided training to more than 50,000 people across 70 countries. EPA has hosted the Secretariat of the GMI since its launch, organizing meetings, workshops, and trainings, and managing communications to build partner countries’ capacity to address methane. GMI efforts have led to implementation of innovative projects and efforts such as the world’s largest coal mine methane recovery project, the World Bank’s innovative Pilot Auction Facility for Methane and Climate, deployment of pioneering technologies to reduce methane emissions from coal mine ventilation shafts, strengthened facility-specific emissions inventories in the oil and gas sector, and developed tools for the solid waste sector that have been used by more than 60 cities to assess methane reduction opportunities. These efforts through GMI have resulted in methane emissions reductions of more than 540 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent, equal to taking 115 million gasoline powered passenger vehicles off the road for a year. Every $1 invested by the United States in GMI leverages approximately $6 in investments from other stakeholders.
Global Methane Pledge
The Global Methane Pledge, launched at COP26 by the European Union and the United States, now has over 155 government participants representing over 50% of global anthropogenic methane emissions. Participants agree to take voluntary actions to contribute to a collective effort to reduce global methane emissions by at least 30% from 2020 levels by 2030. Since its launch, the GMP has generated unprecedented momentum for methane mitigation, with major work underway in six action areas including: the Energy Pathway, the Waste Pathway, the Food and Agriculture Pathway, Methane plans and policies, Data for Methane Action, and Finance for Methane Abatement. Meeting the GMP would reduce methane emissions to a level consistent with 1.5°C pathways while delivering significant benefits for human health, food security, and our economies such as preventing 26 million tons of crop losses, 255,000 premature deaths, 775,000 asthma-related hospitalizations and 73 billion hours of lost labor due to extreme heat annually. Learn more about the Global Methane Pledge.
“This event marks the Global Methane Initiative’s 20th anniversary as a global public-private partnership that, since 2004, has led the way on advancing technical understanding to reduce methane, a potent greenhouse gas that contributes about one-third of today’s warming,” said Tomás Carbonell, Deputy Assistant Administrator of the EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation and Chair of GMI. “GMI has created networks of people around the world who can act on methane and achieve ambitious reductions. We are grateful to see the world rallying behind this important effort as we know that together we can mobilize greater methane action.”
At the 2024 Global Methane Forum, the U.S., and representatives from more than 50 other countries highlighted actions taken by national and international policy makers and the private sector to reduce methane emissions. Over 30 specific projects and activities were showcased as examples for countries to emulate in addressing methane, including the EPA’s recent historic oil and gas regulations under the Clean Air Act.
“Methane is the fastest way to reduce near term warming and essential to keep 1.5 degrees within reach,” said Rick Duke, Deputy Special Envoy for Climate. “GMI has led the way in demonstrating how to reduce methane across sectors and laid a foundation to achieve the Global Methane Pledge goal of reducing emissions 30% by 2030.”
GMI plays a critical role in advancing technical understanding that advances the ambitious global methane reduction targets of 30% by 2030, under the Global Methane Pledge. GMI has enabled the EPA to forge strong bilateral and multilateral collaboration with other countries, including India and China, in the effort to reduce methane emissions as quickly as possible.
Global Methane Initiative
In 2004 the EPA and the State Department launched the Global Methane Initiative (then known as the Methane to Markets Partnership) along with 14 countries and leading industry groups. There are 49 GMI Partner countries today.
In support of the Global Methane Initiative, an international public-private partnership committed to addressing methane, the U.S. has fostered global collaboration and sharing on methane mitigation strategies, providing technical assistance, building capacity, and hosting eight GMI Global Methane Forums and Expos in five different countries and virtually.
Through the Global Methane Initiative, the EPA spearheads technical collaboration and innovation that leads to methane emissions reductions across key sectors including oil and gas, coal mining, municipal solid waste, agricultural manure management, and municipal wastewater. The EPA’s work has demonstrated the technical effectiveness, commercial availability, and economic benefits of projects that convert waste methane into useful energy. The EPA’s technical leadership has been a critical element in the success of this initiative, based on successful legacy domestic public-private partnerships like the Natural Gas STAR partnership and the Landfill Methane Outreach Program.
Since 2004, the EPA, with funding and support from the Department of State, has developed technical assessments, best practices, technical guidance, and tools, and provided training to more than 50,000 people across 70 countries. EPA has hosted the Secretariat of the GMI since its launch, organizing meetings, workshops, and trainings, and managing communications to build partner countries’ capacity to address methane. GMI efforts have led to implementation of innovative projects and efforts such as the world’s largest coal mine methane recovery project, the World Bank’s innovative Pilot Auction Facility for Methane and Climate, deployment of pioneering technologies to reduce methane emissions from coal mine ventilation shafts, strengthened facility-specific emissions inventories in the oil and gas sector, and developed tools for the solid waste sector that have been used by more than 60 cities to assess methane reduction opportunities. These efforts through GMI have resulted in methane emissions reductions of more than 540 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent, equal to taking 115 million gasoline powered passenger vehicles off the road for a year. Every $1 invested by the United States in GMI leverages approximately $6 in investments from other stakeholders.
Global Methane Pledge
The Global Methane Pledge, launched at COP26 by the European Union and the United States, now has over 155 government participants representing over 50% of global anthropogenic methane emissions. Participants agree to take voluntary actions to contribute to a collective effort to reduce global methane emissions by at least 30% from 2020 levels by 2030. Since its launch, the GMP has generated unprecedented momentum for methane mitigation, with major work underway in six action areas including: the Energy Pathway, the Waste Pathway, the Food and Agriculture Pathway, Methane plans and policies, Data for Methane Action, and Finance for Methane Abatement. Meeting the GMP would reduce methane emissions to a level consistent with 1.5°C pathways while delivering significant benefits for human health, food security, and our economies such as preventing 26 million tons of crop losses, 255,000 premature deaths, 775,000 asthma-related hospitalizations and 73 billion hours of lost labor due to extreme heat annually. Learn more about the Global Methane Pledge.
Statement by EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan on National Agriculture Day
WASHINGTON – Today, March 19, 2024, in celebration of National Agriculture Day, EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan issued the following statement:
“Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) commemorates National Agriculture Day, recognizing the invaluable contributions of America’s farmers and ranchers to our nation and the world. We owe a debt of gratitude to our agricultural producers, not only for delivering abundant food, feed, fuel and fiber, but also for their efforts to ensure clean water, clean air, healthy soils, and nature-based climate solutions.
Over the past year, I am proud to have visited farms in Wisconsin and Kansas to gain firsthand knowledge of the kinds of sustainable innovation and technology being adopted on farms across the country. I have also attended the largest farmer-led convention in the United States and have regularly hosted agricultural stakeholders in my office in Washington, DC.
Farmers and ranchers will always have a seat the table as we work together optimize agricultural productivity while minimizing environmental impact. That’s why I recently announced the creation of EPA’s first-ever Office of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, to help forge practical, science-based policies that protect the environment while ensuring a vibrant and productive agricultural system.
I am also grateful for the recent policy recommendations (pdf) from EPA’s Farm, Ranch, and Rural Communities Federal Advisory Committee (FRRCC), a group that provides independent policy advice and information to the agency on a range of environmental issues that are of importance to agriculture and rural communities. The FRRCC’s most recent recommendations are focused on how EPA can best support the agriculture sector’s climate mitigation and adaptation goals, and today, I am proud to offer a formal response (pdf), including several immediate actions the agency is taking to advance priorities identified by the committee.”
For more information on the EPA’s agriculture-related initiatives and the Office of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, please visit EPA’s Agriculture and Rural Affairs page.
“Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) commemorates National Agriculture Day, recognizing the invaluable contributions of America’s farmers and ranchers to our nation and the world. We owe a debt of gratitude to our agricultural producers, not only for delivering abundant food, feed, fuel and fiber, but also for their efforts to ensure clean water, clean air, healthy soils, and nature-based climate solutions.
Over the past year, I am proud to have visited farms in Wisconsin and Kansas to gain firsthand knowledge of the kinds of sustainable innovation and technology being adopted on farms across the country. I have also attended the largest farmer-led convention in the United States and have regularly hosted agricultural stakeholders in my office in Washington, DC.
Farmers and ranchers will always have a seat the table as we work together optimize agricultural productivity while minimizing environmental impact. That’s why I recently announced the creation of EPA’s first-ever Office of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, to help forge practical, science-based policies that protect the environment while ensuring a vibrant and productive agricultural system.
I am also grateful for the recent policy recommendations (pdf) from EPA’s Farm, Ranch, and Rural Communities Federal Advisory Committee (FRRCC), a group that provides independent policy advice and information to the agency on a range of environmental issues that are of importance to agriculture and rural communities. The FRRCC’s most recent recommendations are focused on how EPA can best support the agriculture sector’s climate mitigation and adaptation goals, and today, I am proud to offer a formal response (pdf), including several immediate actions the agency is taking to advance priorities identified by the committee.”
For more information on the EPA’s agriculture-related initiatives and the Office of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, please visit EPA’s Agriculture and Rural Affairs page.
EPA digs into Charlottesville Urban Garden during National Agriculture Week
PHILADELPHIA (March 19, 2024) – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator Adam Ortiz and Charlottesville Mayor Juandiego Wade marked National Agriculture Week by visiting Charlottesville High School’s urban garden to learn from students about their sustainable agriculture practices and impact on the Charlottesville, Virginia community.
EPA Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator Adam Ortiz stands with Charlottesville High School students in the urban garden.During this visit, Ortiz and Wade engaged with students, CHS staff, and community members to explore the garden and learn about its impact on promoting environmental sustainability and addressing food equity in the local community.
“The Charlottesville High School urban garden exemplifies the strength of aligning education, community involvement and environmental stewardship for a brighter, cleaner future,” said EPA Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator Adam Ortiz. “Witnessing the students’ passion and commitment to building a resilient, sustainable and equitable community highlights the power these initiatives have in inspiring the next generation of leaders in agriculture and environmental conservation.”
Ortiz spoke with the students about the agriculture community's vital role as the backbone of the nation. He shared that local initiatives like the urban garden help contribute to clean air and water, while also helping farmers overcome extreme weather challenges for stronger food systems and healthier, more resilient communities.
The leaders also recognized the students and the Urban Farming Program faculty for their focus on entrepreneurship, environmentally friendly practices and food security, as evidenced by their annual contributions of up to 2,000 pounds of produce to the community.
“It was such an incredible opportunity to have Adam Ortiz visit CHS’s urban garden and witness the students’ commitment to the protection and success of urban agriculture as an important climate adaptation and resilience strategy,” said Charlottesville Mayor Juandiego Wade. “A sustainable and food-secure future starts with our youth and that is evident based on the involvement and hard work of the students right here in Charlottesville.”
This visit also allowed Ortiz and Wade to meet with leaders from Cultivate Charlottesville, a non-profit organization that helps manage the urban gardens, to talk about their role in using the garden’s produce to increase accessibility to healthy foods and create environmental resilience in underserved sections of the Charlottesville community.
"We are honored to welcome the EPA and Mayor Wade to our school to witness firsthand the incredible work being done in our urban garden," said Charlottesville High School Interim Principal Kenneth Leatherwood. "Our staff and students are doing great work, and we want our students to fully understand what the EPA does to help the agriculture community."
The EPA is committed to raising awareness about sustainable agriculture practices for continued environmental stewardship through continued environmental education and outreach engagements.
Visit the EPA's website for more information on Urban Agriculture.
Visit the Charlottesville High School Urban Farming website for more information.
EPA Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator Adam Ortiz stands with Beth Cheuk from Charlottesville City Schools and Charlottesville Mayor Juandiego Wade.
EPA Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator Adam Ortiz stands with Charlottesville High School students in the urban garden.
EPA Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator Adam Ortiz stands with Charlottesville High School students in the urban garden.During this visit, Ortiz and Wade engaged with students, CHS staff, and community members to explore the garden and learn about its impact on promoting environmental sustainability and addressing food equity in the local community.
“The Charlottesville High School urban garden exemplifies the strength of aligning education, community involvement and environmental stewardship for a brighter, cleaner future,” said EPA Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator Adam Ortiz. “Witnessing the students’ passion and commitment to building a resilient, sustainable and equitable community highlights the power these initiatives have in inspiring the next generation of leaders in agriculture and environmental conservation.”
Ortiz spoke with the students about the agriculture community's vital role as the backbone of the nation. He shared that local initiatives like the urban garden help contribute to clean air and water, while also helping farmers overcome extreme weather challenges for stronger food systems and healthier, more resilient communities.
The leaders also recognized the students and the Urban Farming Program faculty for their focus on entrepreneurship, environmentally friendly practices and food security, as evidenced by their annual contributions of up to 2,000 pounds of produce to the community.
“It was such an incredible opportunity to have Adam Ortiz visit CHS’s urban garden and witness the students’ commitment to the protection and success of urban agriculture as an important climate adaptation and resilience strategy,” said Charlottesville Mayor Juandiego Wade. “A sustainable and food-secure future starts with our youth and that is evident based on the involvement and hard work of the students right here in Charlottesville.”
This visit also allowed Ortiz and Wade to meet with leaders from Cultivate Charlottesville, a non-profit organization that helps manage the urban gardens, to talk about their role in using the garden’s produce to increase accessibility to healthy foods and create environmental resilience in underserved sections of the Charlottesville community.
"We are honored to welcome the EPA and Mayor Wade to our school to witness firsthand the incredible work being done in our urban garden," said Charlottesville High School Interim Principal Kenneth Leatherwood. "Our staff and students are doing great work, and we want our students to fully understand what the EPA does to help the agriculture community."
The EPA is committed to raising awareness about sustainable agriculture practices for continued environmental stewardship through continued environmental education and outreach engagements.
Visit the EPA's website for more information on Urban Agriculture.
Visit the Charlottesville High School Urban Farming website for more information.
EPA Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator Adam Ortiz stands with Beth Cheuk from Charlottesville City Schools and Charlottesville Mayor Juandiego Wade.
EPA Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator Adam Ortiz stands with Charlottesville High School students in the urban garden.
Sharp slide in spot rates provides background to trans-Pacific contract talks
This year’s annual service contract negotiations are occurring amid the latest disruption in container shipping as vessels divert away from the Red Sea and Suez Canal to avoid possible attacks by Houthi militants.
Biden-Harris Administration announces $24 million in pollution prevention grants under President’s Investing in America agenda
WASHINGTON – Today, March 18, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced the availability of nearly $24 million in grants to support states, U.S. territories, and Tribes in providing technical assistance to businesses to develop and adopt pollution prevention practices. The funding is available through two Notice of Funding Opportunities (NOFOs) for EPA’s Pollution Prevention program, with approximately $14 million in grants available at no cost share/match requirement, thanks to funding made possible by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
“Pollution prevention practices are an important and cost-effective strategy to protect communities and the environment by helping businesses prevent pollution before it’s even created,” said EPA Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention Deputy Assistant Administrator for Pollution Prevention Jennie Romer. “Thanks to the historic investment from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, EPA is helping to spur economic growth by expanding and accelerating the practices that are win-wins for human health, the environment and American businesses.”
The United States produces billions of pounds of pollution each year and spends billions of dollars per year controlling it. Pollution prevention, also known as P2 or source reduction, is any practice that reduces, eliminates, or prevents pollution at its source prior to recycling, treatment, or disposal. Preventing pollution at the source rather than managing waste afterwards is an important way to support American businesses while reducing exposure to toxic chemicals in communities and conserving natural resources. These practices are essential for protecting health, improving environmental conditions–including in and around disadvantaged communities–and preserving natural resources like wetlands, groundwater sources, and other critical ecosystems.
Two grant opportunities are being announced today:
$14 million P2 Grant Opportunity: The $14 million NOFO is the third of five annual installments of P2 grant funding provided by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. This opportunity does not include the fifty percent grantee funds matching requirement required by traditional P2 grants, increasing access to the funding for all communities. Grants supported with Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funds will be fully funded at the time grants are awarded (rather than receiving funding in installments). The maximum amount of each grant is $350,000.
$9.94 million P2 Grant Opportunity: The $9.94 million NOFO is part of the traditional P2 grants program that has been administered by the Agency for over 25 years. The funding is over a two-year funding cycle with individual grant awards up to $700,000 for the two-year funding period or $350,000 funded per year and includes a cost share/match requirement of fifty percent.
EPA’s Pollution Prevention Grant Program is advancing President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative, which aims to deliver 40 percent of the overall benefits of certain federal investments to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution. For both grant funding opportunities, EPA is encouraging applicants to address environmental justice in their project(s) to help transform disadvantaged communities, as identified by the Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool, into healthy, thriving communities capable of addressing the environmental and public health challenges they have historically faced, as well as current and future challenges.
EPA’s P2 Hub Resources Center webpage includes links to resources for grantees including webinars, writing guidance, networking tools, and helpful templates. Additionally, EPA’s P2 Grant Partner Connection List can be used by potential applicants and partners to identify each other and create partnerships.
Grant applications will need to address at least one of six National Emphasis Areas (NEAs) which were established to generate the most beneficial economic, environmental and health impacts when applying P2 practices, and to facilitate sharing of information among grantees working on similar issues:
Food and Beverage Manufacturing and Processing
Chemical Manufacturing, Processing and Formulation
Automotive Manufacturing and Maintenance
Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing and Maintenance
Metal Manufacturing and Fabrication
Supporting Pollution Prevention in Indian Country and for Alaska Native Villages
Eligible applicants include states, state entities such as universities, U.S. territories and possessions, and federally recognized Tribes and intertribal consortia. Applicants are strongly encouraged to consider partnering with others in the P2 stakeholder community to strengthen their ability to provide P2 technical assistance to businesses and facilitate the development, adoption and dissemination of P2 solutions.
Applications are due by May 17, 2024. Additional information is available on grants.gov under Funding Opportunity Announcements EPA-HQ-OCSPP-OPPT-FY2024-001 and EPA-I-HQ-OCSPP-OPPT-FY2024-002. Please consult the solicitation for further details.
EPA will host three informational webinars for potential applicants and interested stakeholders. The webinars will review information about the P2 Grant Program and the application process to help potential applicants submit a high-quality application to EPA for consideration. Time will be provided during the webinars for questions from participants.
March 26, 2024, 2-3:30 p.m. ET Register here.
March 27, 2023, 2-3:30 p.m. ET for Tribal entities Register here.
April 11, 2023, 2-3:30 p.m. ET Register here.
Background
EPA’s Pollution Prevention Program has issued nearly 500 grants between 2011-2021, totaling more than $54 million, which have helped businesses identify, develop and adopt P2 approaches. The results include 20.8 million metric tons of greenhouse gases eliminated, 52 billion gallons of water saved, 1 billion pounds of hazardous materials reduced, and $2.3 billion in savings for business.
President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law made a historic $100 million investment in EPA’s P2 Program, more than doubling the funding for P2 grants. The first round of 39 awards funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law was announced in September 2022 and the second round of 24 awards was announced October 2023. These grants are supporting businesses to tackle pollution at the community level. For example, a P2 grant to Kansas State University funded projects to prevent pollution including in disadvantaged communities, by identifying simple, cost-effective ways Kansas companies - in industries ranging from aerospace to flour milling - could save more than $400,0000.
Similarly, EPA’s traditional P2 grants have helped strengthen economic growth while cutting pollution. For example, under an EPA P2 grant, the Washington State Department of Ecology helped a metal finisher cut more than 50,000 pounds of hazardous materials from its production even while its production volume tripled. A grant to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency helped an employee-owned manufacturing company reuse coolant, saving up to $30,000 annually and reducing coolant waste by 11,000 gallons.
Read more about P2 and the P2 Grant Program.
“Pollution prevention practices are an important and cost-effective strategy to protect communities and the environment by helping businesses prevent pollution before it’s even created,” said EPA Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention Deputy Assistant Administrator for Pollution Prevention Jennie Romer. “Thanks to the historic investment from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, EPA is helping to spur economic growth by expanding and accelerating the practices that are win-wins for human health, the environment and American businesses.”
The United States produces billions of pounds of pollution each year and spends billions of dollars per year controlling it. Pollution prevention, also known as P2 or source reduction, is any practice that reduces, eliminates, or prevents pollution at its source prior to recycling, treatment, or disposal. Preventing pollution at the source rather than managing waste afterwards is an important way to support American businesses while reducing exposure to toxic chemicals in communities and conserving natural resources. These practices are essential for protecting health, improving environmental conditions–including in and around disadvantaged communities–and preserving natural resources like wetlands, groundwater sources, and other critical ecosystems.
Two grant opportunities are being announced today:
$14 million P2 Grant Opportunity: The $14 million NOFO is the third of five annual installments of P2 grant funding provided by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. This opportunity does not include the fifty percent grantee funds matching requirement required by traditional P2 grants, increasing access to the funding for all communities. Grants supported with Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funds will be fully funded at the time grants are awarded (rather than receiving funding in installments). The maximum amount of each grant is $350,000.
$9.94 million P2 Grant Opportunity: The $9.94 million NOFO is part of the traditional P2 grants program that has been administered by the Agency for over 25 years. The funding is over a two-year funding cycle with individual grant awards up to $700,000 for the two-year funding period or $350,000 funded per year and includes a cost share/match requirement of fifty percent.
EPA’s Pollution Prevention Grant Program is advancing President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative, which aims to deliver 40 percent of the overall benefits of certain federal investments to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution. For both grant funding opportunities, EPA is encouraging applicants to address environmental justice in their project(s) to help transform disadvantaged communities, as identified by the Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool, into healthy, thriving communities capable of addressing the environmental and public health challenges they have historically faced, as well as current and future challenges.
EPA’s P2 Hub Resources Center webpage includes links to resources for grantees including webinars, writing guidance, networking tools, and helpful templates. Additionally, EPA’s P2 Grant Partner Connection List can be used by potential applicants and partners to identify each other and create partnerships.
Grant applications will need to address at least one of six National Emphasis Areas (NEAs) which were established to generate the most beneficial economic, environmental and health impacts when applying P2 practices, and to facilitate sharing of information among grantees working on similar issues:
Food and Beverage Manufacturing and Processing
Chemical Manufacturing, Processing and Formulation
Automotive Manufacturing and Maintenance
Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing and Maintenance
Metal Manufacturing and Fabrication
Supporting Pollution Prevention in Indian Country and for Alaska Native Villages
Eligible applicants include states, state entities such as universities, U.S. territories and possessions, and federally recognized Tribes and intertribal consortia. Applicants are strongly encouraged to consider partnering with others in the P2 stakeholder community to strengthen their ability to provide P2 technical assistance to businesses and facilitate the development, adoption and dissemination of P2 solutions.
Applications are due by May 17, 2024. Additional information is available on grants.gov under Funding Opportunity Announcements EPA-HQ-OCSPP-OPPT-FY2024-001 and EPA-I-HQ-OCSPP-OPPT-FY2024-002. Please consult the solicitation for further details.
EPA will host three informational webinars for potential applicants and interested stakeholders. The webinars will review information about the P2 Grant Program and the application process to help potential applicants submit a high-quality application to EPA for consideration. Time will be provided during the webinars for questions from participants.
March 26, 2024, 2-3:30 p.m. ET Register here.
March 27, 2023, 2-3:30 p.m. ET for Tribal entities Register here.
April 11, 2023, 2-3:30 p.m. ET Register here.
Background
EPA’s Pollution Prevention Program has issued nearly 500 grants between 2011-2021, totaling more than $54 million, which have helped businesses identify, develop and adopt P2 approaches. The results include 20.8 million metric tons of greenhouse gases eliminated, 52 billion gallons of water saved, 1 billion pounds of hazardous materials reduced, and $2.3 billion in savings for business.
President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law made a historic $100 million investment in EPA’s P2 Program, more than doubling the funding for P2 grants. The first round of 39 awards funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law was announced in September 2022 and the second round of 24 awards was announced October 2023. These grants are supporting businesses to tackle pollution at the community level. For example, a P2 grant to Kansas State University funded projects to prevent pollution including in disadvantaged communities, by identifying simple, cost-effective ways Kansas companies - in industries ranging from aerospace to flour milling - could save more than $400,0000.
Similarly, EPA’s traditional P2 grants have helped strengthen economic growth while cutting pollution. For example, under an EPA P2 grant, the Washington State Department of Ecology helped a metal finisher cut more than 50,000 pounds of hazardous materials from its production even while its production volume tripled. A grant to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency helped an employee-owned manufacturing company reuse coolant, saving up to $30,000 annually and reducing coolant waste by 11,000 gallons.
Read more about P2 and the P2 Grant Program.
Ft. Lewis College students receive $75K EPA award for water sampling project to better detect bacteria in surface waters
DURANGO, Colo. - Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) awarded $75,000 to a team of Ft. Lewis College students for a water bacteria detection research project.
As part of EPA’s People, Prosperity and the Planet (P3) Program, the award will provide funding for the students to develop and validate a scientific system to rapidly detect specific waterborne bacteria from environmental water samples, known as an open-source Droplet Digital Polymerase Chain Reaction. The students will test water samples from the Animas River and communicate the importance of water resource protection to communities in the Four Corners area.
“Access to clean water is critical for protecting human health and the environment,” said KC Becker, EPA Regional Administrator. “Congratulations to these Fort Lewis College students, whose ground-breaking project develops innovative solutions to some of the most difficult water-quality challenges facing our region.”
This award is part of nearly $1.2 million in funding granted to 16 college student teams across the nation. The two-year project funding promotes hands-on experience, enabling students to turn their creative design and engineering ideas into reality, while helping solve real-world environmental challenges. Students will propose innovative and sustainable ideas and concepts and carry them through the research, design and demonstration stages. During the second year of the award, student teams will showcase their designs at EPA’s National Student Design Expo.
Teams from the following institutions are also receiving funding via EPA’s 20th Annual P3 awards:
Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama, for Biochar-Enabled Platform for Enhanced Destruction and Defluorination of Short-Chain Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in Water
Fashion Institute of Technology, New York, New York, for Developing Reusable and Antiviral Face Masks from Plastic Waste
Mercer University, Macon, Georgia, for Navigating the Food-Energy-Water Nexus through the Conversion of Food Waste to Biocrude
New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, New Jersey, for Two-dimensional Molybdenum Disulfide (MoS2)-Based Field Effect Transistor Sensors for Airborne PFAS Detection
New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, New Jersey, for Zirconium-modified Mica Coupled with Nanobubbles for Enhanced Phosphorus Removal, Recovery, and Reuse
Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia, for Production of Lithium Carbonate from Geothermal Brine by Selective Extraction of Lithium Using a Novel Ion Sieve Method
Queens University of Charlotte, Charlotte, North Carolina, for Biodiesel Production from Ethanol and Glycerol: a Living Laboratory for STEM Students
The State University of New York at Binghamton, Binghamton, New York, for Sensor on Wheels (SOW): A Field-Deployable Environmental Pathogen Detection Tool
University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida, for Solar-driven Photodegradation of Microcystin Using a Novel Gold-decorated Nickel Metalorganic Framework (Au/Ni-MOF)
University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, for 100% Compostable Packaging Film
University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, for Enhancement of PFAS-Contaminated Organic Wastes Treatment in Anaerobic Digestion by Carbon Materials
University of Nevada, Reno, Nevada, for Understanding and Predicting Disparities in Organic Contaminant Levels in Blood among the U.S. Population
University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, for Cellulose-Metal Organic Frameworks Hybrid Adsorbent for PFAS Removal from Water
Widener University, Chester, Pennsylvania, for Developing Geopolymer Cement using Sewage Sludge Ash as Precursors
Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, Massachusetts, for 3D-Printed Floating Photocatalyst Structures that Mimic Natural Objects to Combat Harmful Algal Blooms
More information about this year’s recipients, EPA’s P3 Program and the EPA National Student Design Expo Experience is available online.
As part of EPA’s People, Prosperity and the Planet (P3) Program, the award will provide funding for the students to develop and validate a scientific system to rapidly detect specific waterborne bacteria from environmental water samples, known as an open-source Droplet Digital Polymerase Chain Reaction. The students will test water samples from the Animas River and communicate the importance of water resource protection to communities in the Four Corners area.
“Access to clean water is critical for protecting human health and the environment,” said KC Becker, EPA Regional Administrator. “Congratulations to these Fort Lewis College students, whose ground-breaking project develops innovative solutions to some of the most difficult water-quality challenges facing our region.”
This award is part of nearly $1.2 million in funding granted to 16 college student teams across the nation. The two-year project funding promotes hands-on experience, enabling students to turn their creative design and engineering ideas into reality, while helping solve real-world environmental challenges. Students will propose innovative and sustainable ideas and concepts and carry them through the research, design and demonstration stages. During the second year of the award, student teams will showcase their designs at EPA’s National Student Design Expo.
Teams from the following institutions are also receiving funding via EPA’s 20th Annual P3 awards:
Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama, for Biochar-Enabled Platform for Enhanced Destruction and Defluorination of Short-Chain Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in Water
Fashion Institute of Technology, New York, New York, for Developing Reusable and Antiviral Face Masks from Plastic Waste
Mercer University, Macon, Georgia, for Navigating the Food-Energy-Water Nexus through the Conversion of Food Waste to Biocrude
New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, New Jersey, for Two-dimensional Molybdenum Disulfide (MoS2)-Based Field Effect Transistor Sensors for Airborne PFAS Detection
New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, New Jersey, for Zirconium-modified Mica Coupled with Nanobubbles for Enhanced Phosphorus Removal, Recovery, and Reuse
Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia, for Production of Lithium Carbonate from Geothermal Brine by Selective Extraction of Lithium Using a Novel Ion Sieve Method
Queens University of Charlotte, Charlotte, North Carolina, for Biodiesel Production from Ethanol and Glycerol: a Living Laboratory for STEM Students
The State University of New York at Binghamton, Binghamton, New York, for Sensor on Wheels (SOW): A Field-Deployable Environmental Pathogen Detection Tool
University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida, for Solar-driven Photodegradation of Microcystin Using a Novel Gold-decorated Nickel Metalorganic Framework (Au/Ni-MOF)
University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, for 100% Compostable Packaging Film
University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, for Enhancement of PFAS-Contaminated Organic Wastes Treatment in Anaerobic Digestion by Carbon Materials
University of Nevada, Reno, Nevada, for Understanding and Predicting Disparities in Organic Contaminant Levels in Blood among the U.S. Population
University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, for Cellulose-Metal Organic Frameworks Hybrid Adsorbent for PFAS Removal from Water
Widener University, Chester, Pennsylvania, for Developing Geopolymer Cement using Sewage Sludge Ash as Precursors
Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, Massachusetts, for 3D-Printed Floating Photocatalyst Structures that Mimic Natural Objects to Combat Harmful Algal Blooms
More information about this year’s recipients, EPA’s P3 Program and the EPA National Student Design Expo Experience is available online.