NY-NJ port takes next steps to study dredging amid larger ship calls
The port wants to dig to a 55-foot depth because an increasing number of vessels calling are testing the current capacity of its shipping channels.
COAC Convenes in Washington, D.C., for Last 16th Term Trade Advisory Committee Meeting
By Marcy Mason
It was a time of reflection with an eye toward the future when the 16th term of U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s trade advisory committee met for their last public meeting on Dec. 13, in Washington, D.C. Members of the Commercial…
It was a time of reflection with an eye toward the future when the 16th term of U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s trade advisory committee met for their last public meeting on Dec. 13, in Washington, D.C. Members of the Commercial…
Carriers push Indian rates higher as Suez crisis muddles US, Europe routings
After holding rates firm at end-November levels into the first week of December, major container lines have pushed short-term contract pricing substantially higher for Indian bookings in the last few days.
U.S. Department of Agriculture Announces Key Staff Appointments
WASHINGTON, December 20, 2023 — The U.S. Department of Agriculture today announced the names of individuals who will hold senior staff positions in Washington, D.C.
Georgette Furukawa has been appointed Chief of Staff for the Agricultural Marketing Service
Georgette Furukawa has been appointed Chief of Staff for the Agricultural Marketing Service
Biden-Harris Administration selects Denver-based JSI Research and Training Institute to receive $50M to fund Environmental Justice projects as part of Investing in America Agenda
DENVER (Dec. 20, 2023) – Today, as part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, the Biden-Harris Administration announced JSI Research and Training Institute, Inc. (JSI) of Denver, Colorado, has been selected to receive $50 million under EPA’s Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Grantmaking program created by President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, the largest climate action investment in history. JSI will use these funds to serve as a Grantmaker for project applicants across EPA Region 8, which includes Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, Wyoming and 28 Tribal Nations.
This new grant program, which will make it easier for small community-based organizations to access federal environmental justice funding, responds to community feedback about the need to reduce barriers to federal funds. Specifically, the program will improve the efficiency of the awards process to ensure communities that have long faced underinvestment can access the benefits of the largest climate investment in history. Communities will be able to apply to JSI for a subgrant to fund a range of different environmental project activities, including small local clean ups; local emergency preparedness and disaster resiliency programs; environmental workforce development programs for local jobs reducing greenhouse gas emissions; fence-line air quality and asthma related projects; healthy homes programs; and projects addressing illegal dumping.
“This Grantmakers funding will create much-needed opportunities for Environmental Justice communities and leaders to receive federal grants s for locally-developed projects that focus on improving the environment, public health and quality of life,” said EPA Regional Administrator KC Becker. “EPA looks forward to collaborating with JSI to deliver resources and support in the communities that need them most.”
“Access to clean water and clean air is a fundamental human right,” said U.S. Senator Michael Bennet. “This investment will help remove barriers to obtaining federal funds for small community-based organizations in parts of Colorado that have long been disproportionately affected by poor water and air quality. It is important to ensure those communities receive the resources they need.”
“Our Inflation Reduction Act gives us a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to address climate change for the communities that are facing it head-on,” said U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper. “Today’s investment will catalyze locally-led solutions for climate resilience in Colorado and other Western states.”
“Today’s announcement represents a transformative step in our fight for environmental justice,” said U.S. Representative Diana DeGette. “Thanks to the Biden Administration, these investments will help ensure communities across the Mountain West have cleaner air and water – improving public health across the region. I’m proud that Denver will continue to be a leader in this fight. As we address the climate crisis and the harmful pollution fueling it, we’re working together to ensure a healthier, more equitable future for all.”
EPA Grantmakers will work in collaboration with EPA to issue subgrants to community-based nonprofit organizations and other eligible organizations representing disadvantaged communities. As a Grantmaker, JSI will design comprehensive application and submission processes, award environmental justice subgrants, implement tracking and reporting systems and provide resources and support to communities.
JSI’s team will focus on environmental, public health and quality of life improvements in the most overburdened, vulnerable and underserved communities by co-designing an equitable and inclusive grantmaking application and scoring process. The Institute will reach out to communities across EPA Region 8, reducing burdens on subgrantees and engaging in monitoring, evaluation and reporting that ensures the integrity, compliance and impact of the program. JSI has more than 30 years as an environmental health training and technical assistance provider and grant manager. The subgrants are expected to become available by summer of 2024.
JSI’s partners include:
The Montana Watershed Coordination Council (Helena, Montana)
The Oglala Lakota Cultural & Economic Revitalization Initiative (Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, South Dakota)
Dakota Resource Council (Bismarck, North Dakota)
The Wyoming Outdoor Council (Lander, Wyoming)
The Community Health Association of Mountains/Plains States (Denver, Colorado)
Equitable funding Advisory/Training Partner Community-Centric Fundraising (Seattle, Washington)
Grantmakers are expected to begin opening competitions and awarding subgrants by summer 2024. Community-based nonprofit organizations and other eligible organizations seeking subgrant funding will be able to apply for subgrants through three concurrent tiers offered by the Grantmakers. Tier One will consist of grants for $150,000 for assessment, Tier Two will consist of grants for $250,000 for planning, and Tier Three will consist of grants for $350,000 for project development. In addition, $75,000 will be available for capacity-constrained community-based organizations through a noncompetitive process under Tier One. Each Grantmaker will design and implement a distribution program best suited for their region and communities.
The Grantmakers program is part of the Federal Interagency Thriving Communities Network and delivers on the Biden-Harris Administration’s Justice40 Initiative, which set the goal that 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution. Grantmakers will work in collaboration with the Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Centers (EJ TCTACs) to create a robust support network to assist eligible entities when applying.
Learn more about the Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Grantmakers.
Background
From day one of their administration, President Biden and Vice President Harris have made achieving environmental justice a top priority. In August 2022, President Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act into law, creating the largest investment in environmental and climate justice in U.S. history. EPA received $3 billion in total to award grants and fund related technical assistance to benefit disadvantaged communities.
EPA has since launched and expanded innovative programs to provide more support than ever before to communities that unjustly bear the burdens of environmental harm and pollution. This investment includes the $177 million for the creation of 16 EJ TCTACs in partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy to remove barriers to federal resources and help communities pursue funding opportunities like those made available through President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda.
EPA announced nearly $128 million to fund 186 projects across the country that advance environmental justice as part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda. The organizations, which EPA has selected through its Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem Solving Cooperative Agreement and Environmental Justice Government-to-Government programs, will use the funds to ensure disadvantaged communities that have historically suffered from underinvestment have access to clean air and water and climate resilience solutions in alignment with the Biden-Harris Administration’s Justice40 Initiative.
Last month, EPA also announced approximately $2 billion in funding available to support community-driven projects that deploy clean energy, strengthen climate resilience and build capacity for communities to tackle environmental and climate justice challenges. The Community Change Grants are the single largest investment in environmental justice going directly to communities in history, and will advance collaborative efforts to achieve a healthier, safer and more prosperous future for all.
Learn more about environmental justice at EPA.
For up-to-date information on when subgrants will be available, subscribe to the Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights’ listserv by sending a blank email to: join-epa-ej@lists.epa.gov. Follow OEJECR on X (formerly Twitter): @EPAEnvJustice.
This new grant program, which will make it easier for small community-based organizations to access federal environmental justice funding, responds to community feedback about the need to reduce barriers to federal funds. Specifically, the program will improve the efficiency of the awards process to ensure communities that have long faced underinvestment can access the benefits of the largest climate investment in history. Communities will be able to apply to JSI for a subgrant to fund a range of different environmental project activities, including small local clean ups; local emergency preparedness and disaster resiliency programs; environmental workforce development programs for local jobs reducing greenhouse gas emissions; fence-line air quality and asthma related projects; healthy homes programs; and projects addressing illegal dumping.
“This Grantmakers funding will create much-needed opportunities for Environmental Justice communities and leaders to receive federal grants s for locally-developed projects that focus on improving the environment, public health and quality of life,” said EPA Regional Administrator KC Becker. “EPA looks forward to collaborating with JSI to deliver resources and support in the communities that need them most.”
“Access to clean water and clean air is a fundamental human right,” said U.S. Senator Michael Bennet. “This investment will help remove barriers to obtaining federal funds for small community-based organizations in parts of Colorado that have long been disproportionately affected by poor water and air quality. It is important to ensure those communities receive the resources they need.”
“Our Inflation Reduction Act gives us a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to address climate change for the communities that are facing it head-on,” said U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper. “Today’s investment will catalyze locally-led solutions for climate resilience in Colorado and other Western states.”
“Today’s announcement represents a transformative step in our fight for environmental justice,” said U.S. Representative Diana DeGette. “Thanks to the Biden Administration, these investments will help ensure communities across the Mountain West have cleaner air and water – improving public health across the region. I’m proud that Denver will continue to be a leader in this fight. As we address the climate crisis and the harmful pollution fueling it, we’re working together to ensure a healthier, more equitable future for all.”
EPA Grantmakers will work in collaboration with EPA to issue subgrants to community-based nonprofit organizations and other eligible organizations representing disadvantaged communities. As a Grantmaker, JSI will design comprehensive application and submission processes, award environmental justice subgrants, implement tracking and reporting systems and provide resources and support to communities.
JSI’s team will focus on environmental, public health and quality of life improvements in the most overburdened, vulnerable and underserved communities by co-designing an equitable and inclusive grantmaking application and scoring process. The Institute will reach out to communities across EPA Region 8, reducing burdens on subgrantees and engaging in monitoring, evaluation and reporting that ensures the integrity, compliance and impact of the program. JSI has more than 30 years as an environmental health training and technical assistance provider and grant manager. The subgrants are expected to become available by summer of 2024.
JSI’s partners include:
The Montana Watershed Coordination Council (Helena, Montana)
The Oglala Lakota Cultural & Economic Revitalization Initiative (Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, South Dakota)
Dakota Resource Council (Bismarck, North Dakota)
The Wyoming Outdoor Council (Lander, Wyoming)
The Community Health Association of Mountains/Plains States (Denver, Colorado)
Equitable funding Advisory/Training Partner Community-Centric Fundraising (Seattle, Washington)
Grantmakers are expected to begin opening competitions and awarding subgrants by summer 2024. Community-based nonprofit organizations and other eligible organizations seeking subgrant funding will be able to apply for subgrants through three concurrent tiers offered by the Grantmakers. Tier One will consist of grants for $150,000 for assessment, Tier Two will consist of grants for $250,000 for planning, and Tier Three will consist of grants for $350,000 for project development. In addition, $75,000 will be available for capacity-constrained community-based organizations through a noncompetitive process under Tier One. Each Grantmaker will design and implement a distribution program best suited for their region and communities.
The Grantmakers program is part of the Federal Interagency Thriving Communities Network and delivers on the Biden-Harris Administration’s Justice40 Initiative, which set the goal that 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution. Grantmakers will work in collaboration with the Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Centers (EJ TCTACs) to create a robust support network to assist eligible entities when applying.
Learn more about the Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Grantmakers.
Background
From day one of their administration, President Biden and Vice President Harris have made achieving environmental justice a top priority. In August 2022, President Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act into law, creating the largest investment in environmental and climate justice in U.S. history. EPA received $3 billion in total to award grants and fund related technical assistance to benefit disadvantaged communities.
EPA has since launched and expanded innovative programs to provide more support than ever before to communities that unjustly bear the burdens of environmental harm and pollution. This investment includes the $177 million for the creation of 16 EJ TCTACs in partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy to remove barriers to federal resources and help communities pursue funding opportunities like those made available through President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda.
EPA announced nearly $128 million to fund 186 projects across the country that advance environmental justice as part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda. The organizations, which EPA has selected through its Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem Solving Cooperative Agreement and Environmental Justice Government-to-Government programs, will use the funds to ensure disadvantaged communities that have historically suffered from underinvestment have access to clean air and water and climate resilience solutions in alignment with the Biden-Harris Administration’s Justice40 Initiative.
Last month, EPA also announced approximately $2 billion in funding available to support community-driven projects that deploy clean energy, strengthen climate resilience and build capacity for communities to tackle environmental and climate justice challenges. The Community Change Grants are the single largest investment in environmental justice going directly to communities in history, and will advance collaborative efforts to achieve a healthier, safer and more prosperous future for all.
Learn more about environmental justice at EPA.
For up-to-date information on when subgrants will be available, subscribe to the Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights’ listserv by sending a blank email to: join-epa-ej@lists.epa.gov. Follow OEJECR on X (formerly Twitter): @EPAEnvJustice.
Biden-Harris Administration Selects RTI International to Receive $100M to Fund Environmental Justice Projects Across U.S., to Include Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska, as Part of Investing in America Agenda
LENEXA, KAN. (DEC. 20, 2023) – Today, as part of President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda, the Biden-Harris administration announced that the RTI International has been selected to serve as Environmental Justice Grantmaker, which will provide grant awards under EPA’s Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Grantmaking program that was created by President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, the largest investment in climate action in history.
This new grant program, which will make it easier for small, community-based organizations to access federal environmental justice (EJ) funding, responds to community feedback about the need to reduce barriers to federal funds and improve the efficiency of the awards process to ensure that communities that have long faced underinvestment can access the benefits of the largest climate investment in history.
Communities will be able to apply to RTI International for a subgrant to fund a range of different environmental project activities, including (but not limited to) small local cleanups; local emergency preparedness and disaster resiliency programs; environmental workforce development programs for local jobs reducing greenhouse gas emissions; fenceline air quality and asthma-related projects; healthy homes programs; and projects addressing illegal dumping.
President Biden is delivering the most ambitious EJ agenda in our nation’s history. Vice President Kamala Harris and EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan were joined by Dr. Robert Bullard, distinguished professor of urban planning and environmental policy at Texas Southern University, to announce the historic Grantmaker awards.
“Community-based organizations understand the needs of the areas in which they live, work, and play, and are best suited to address the unique environmental and public health concerns of communities with environmental justice concerns,” said EPA Region 7 Administrator Meg McCollister. “The Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Grantmaking program will help our Heartland Region 7 communities get access to the funds they need to make local changes based on local needs.”
“One of the greatest barriers to accessing federal investments for underserved communities is a lack of technical expertise in researching and applying for federal grants that are available to a wide range of community organizations,” said U.S. Representative Emanuel Cleaver II (MO-5). “Thanks to this funding from the President’s Inflation Reduction Act, we can help more local nonprofits and community service organizations obtain federal investments dedicated to environmental justice projects. Not only will this strengthen public health and combat the impacts of climate change, but it will also help to revitalize communities by stimulating economic development and creating good-paying jobs. That’s what President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda is all about, and that’s why I was proud to support his Inflation Reduction Act.”
“We are thrilled to lend RTI’s wealth of expertise to this important program that will help ensure that local organizations across the U.S., regardless of circumstance, can be active participants in defining how to best advance environmental justice in their communities,” said Daniela Pineda, senior director of the Transformative Research Unit for Equity (TRUE) and director of the Thriving Communities Project at RTI International.
EPA Grantmakers will work in collaboration with EPA’s Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights to issue subgrants to community-based, nonprofit organizations and other eligible organizations representing disadvantaged communities. As a Grantmaker, RTI International will design comprehensive application and submission processes, award EJ subgrants, implement tracking and reporting systems, and provide resources and support to communities. The subgrants are expected to become available by summer 2024.
EPA has selected RTI International as a National Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Grantmaker to provide additional support, coordination, and oversight to the subgrantees, applicants, and Regional Grantmakers across the central part of the country. As a National Grantmaker, RTI International and its partner team will emphasize local community outreach to accelerate grant awards to communities most in need. RTI International will ensure that funding enables projects that support the goals and strategies of EPA’s Strategic Plan and the broader Justice40 Initiative, such as clean, healthy air and clean, safe water for all communities, and safety of chemicals for people and the environment.
Grantmakers are expected to begin opening competitions and awarding subgrants by summer 2024. Community-based, nonprofit organizations and other eligible organizations seeking subgrant funding will be able to apply for subgrants through three concurrent tiers offered by the Grantmakers.
Tier One will consist of grants for $150,000 for assessment; Tier Two will consist of grants for $250,000 for planning; and Tier Three will consist of grants for $350,000 for project development. In addition, $75,000 will be available for capacity-constrained, community-based organizations through a non-competitive process under Tier One. Each Grantmaker will design and implement a distribution program best suited for their region and communities.
The Grantmakers program is part of the Federal Interagency Thriving Communities Network and delivers on the Biden-Harris administration’s Justice40 Initiative, which set the goal that 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution. Grantmakers will work in collaboration with the Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Centers (EJ TCTACs) to create a robust support network to assist eligible entities when applying.
Learn more about the Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Grantmakers.
Background
From day one of their administration, President Biden and Vice President Harris have made achieving environmental justice a top priority. In August 2022, President Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act into law, creating the largest investment in environmental and climate justice in U.S. history. EPA received $3 billion in total to award grants and fund related technical assistance to benefit disadvantaged communities.
EPA has since launched and expanded innovative programs to provide more support than ever before to communities that unjustly bear the burdens of environmental harm and pollution. This includes the $177 million for the creation of 16 EJ TCTACs, in partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy, to remove barriers to federal resources and help communities pursue funding opportunities like those made available through President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda.
EPA announced nearly $128 million to fund 186 projects across the country that advance EJ as part of President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda. The organizations, which EPA has selected through its Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving Cooperative Agreement and Environmental Justice Government-to-Government programs, will use the funds to ensure that disadvantaged communities that have historically suffered from underinvestment have access to clean air and water and climate resilience solutions in alignment with the Biden-Harris administration’s Justice40 Initiative.
Last month, EPA also announced approximately $2 billion in funding available to support community-driven projects that deploy clean energy, strengthen climate resilience, and build capacity for communities to tackle environmental and climate justice challenges. The Community Change Grants are the single largest investment in environmental justice going directly to communities in history and will advance collaborative efforts to achieve a healthier, safer, and more prosperous future for all.
Learn more about environmental justice at EPA.
For up-to-date information on when subgrants will be available, subscribe to the EPA Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights’ listserv by sending a blank email to join-epa-ej@lists.epa.gov. Follow OEJECR on X (formerly Twitter) at @EPAEnvJustice.
# # #
Learn more about EPA Region 7
View all Region 7 news releases
Connect with EPA Region 7 on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter: @EPARegion7
This new grant program, which will make it easier for small, community-based organizations to access federal environmental justice (EJ) funding, responds to community feedback about the need to reduce barriers to federal funds and improve the efficiency of the awards process to ensure that communities that have long faced underinvestment can access the benefits of the largest climate investment in history.
Communities will be able to apply to RTI International for a subgrant to fund a range of different environmental project activities, including (but not limited to) small local cleanups; local emergency preparedness and disaster resiliency programs; environmental workforce development programs for local jobs reducing greenhouse gas emissions; fenceline air quality and asthma-related projects; healthy homes programs; and projects addressing illegal dumping.
President Biden is delivering the most ambitious EJ agenda in our nation’s history. Vice President Kamala Harris and EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan were joined by Dr. Robert Bullard, distinguished professor of urban planning and environmental policy at Texas Southern University, to announce the historic Grantmaker awards.
“Community-based organizations understand the needs of the areas in which they live, work, and play, and are best suited to address the unique environmental and public health concerns of communities with environmental justice concerns,” said EPA Region 7 Administrator Meg McCollister. “The Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Grantmaking program will help our Heartland Region 7 communities get access to the funds they need to make local changes based on local needs.”
“One of the greatest barriers to accessing federal investments for underserved communities is a lack of technical expertise in researching and applying for federal grants that are available to a wide range of community organizations,” said U.S. Representative Emanuel Cleaver II (MO-5). “Thanks to this funding from the President’s Inflation Reduction Act, we can help more local nonprofits and community service organizations obtain federal investments dedicated to environmental justice projects. Not only will this strengthen public health and combat the impacts of climate change, but it will also help to revitalize communities by stimulating economic development and creating good-paying jobs. That’s what President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda is all about, and that’s why I was proud to support his Inflation Reduction Act.”
“We are thrilled to lend RTI’s wealth of expertise to this important program that will help ensure that local organizations across the U.S., regardless of circumstance, can be active participants in defining how to best advance environmental justice in their communities,” said Daniela Pineda, senior director of the Transformative Research Unit for Equity (TRUE) and director of the Thriving Communities Project at RTI International.
EPA Grantmakers will work in collaboration with EPA’s Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights to issue subgrants to community-based, nonprofit organizations and other eligible organizations representing disadvantaged communities. As a Grantmaker, RTI International will design comprehensive application and submission processes, award EJ subgrants, implement tracking and reporting systems, and provide resources and support to communities. The subgrants are expected to become available by summer 2024.
EPA has selected RTI International as a National Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Grantmaker to provide additional support, coordination, and oversight to the subgrantees, applicants, and Regional Grantmakers across the central part of the country. As a National Grantmaker, RTI International and its partner team will emphasize local community outreach to accelerate grant awards to communities most in need. RTI International will ensure that funding enables projects that support the goals and strategies of EPA’s Strategic Plan and the broader Justice40 Initiative, such as clean, healthy air and clean, safe water for all communities, and safety of chemicals for people and the environment.
Grantmakers are expected to begin opening competitions and awarding subgrants by summer 2024. Community-based, nonprofit organizations and other eligible organizations seeking subgrant funding will be able to apply for subgrants through three concurrent tiers offered by the Grantmakers.
Tier One will consist of grants for $150,000 for assessment; Tier Two will consist of grants for $250,000 for planning; and Tier Three will consist of grants for $350,000 for project development. In addition, $75,000 will be available for capacity-constrained, community-based organizations through a non-competitive process under Tier One. Each Grantmaker will design and implement a distribution program best suited for their region and communities.
The Grantmakers program is part of the Federal Interagency Thriving Communities Network and delivers on the Biden-Harris administration’s Justice40 Initiative, which set the goal that 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution. Grantmakers will work in collaboration with the Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Centers (EJ TCTACs) to create a robust support network to assist eligible entities when applying.
Learn more about the Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Grantmakers.
Background
From day one of their administration, President Biden and Vice President Harris have made achieving environmental justice a top priority. In August 2022, President Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act into law, creating the largest investment in environmental and climate justice in U.S. history. EPA received $3 billion in total to award grants and fund related technical assistance to benefit disadvantaged communities.
EPA has since launched and expanded innovative programs to provide more support than ever before to communities that unjustly bear the burdens of environmental harm and pollution. This includes the $177 million for the creation of 16 EJ TCTACs, in partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy, to remove barriers to federal resources and help communities pursue funding opportunities like those made available through President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda.
EPA announced nearly $128 million to fund 186 projects across the country that advance EJ as part of President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda. The organizations, which EPA has selected through its Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving Cooperative Agreement and Environmental Justice Government-to-Government programs, will use the funds to ensure that disadvantaged communities that have historically suffered from underinvestment have access to clean air and water and climate resilience solutions in alignment with the Biden-Harris administration’s Justice40 Initiative.
Last month, EPA also announced approximately $2 billion in funding available to support community-driven projects that deploy clean energy, strengthen climate resilience, and build capacity for communities to tackle environmental and climate justice challenges. The Community Change Grants are the single largest investment in environmental justice going directly to communities in history and will advance collaborative efforts to achieve a healthier, safer, and more prosperous future for all.
Learn more about environmental justice at EPA.
For up-to-date information on when subgrants will be available, subscribe to the EPA Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights’ listserv by sending a blank email to join-epa-ej@lists.epa.gov. Follow OEJECR on X (formerly Twitter) at @EPAEnvJustice.
# # #
Learn more about EPA Region 7
View all Region 7 news releases
Connect with EPA Region 7 on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter: @EPARegion7
EPA Secures Agreement from Chemours to Conduct New Sampling for PFAS Contamination near Washington Works, WV Facility
PHILADELPHIA, PA – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that Chemours Company FC, LLC has agreed to conduct sampling for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, surrounding its Washington Works facility in Washington, West Virginia.
The agreement under Section 3013 of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) requires Chemours to take samples and analyze soil, surface water, sediment, groundwater, and certain waste streams generated by the facility to collect information on known and potential PFAS contamination. This agreement will provide data to improve the agency’s understanding of the extent of PFAS contamination and how migration of PFAS contamination may impact communities. EPA, under its existing enforcement authorities, will continue to address imminent and substantial endangerment situations posed by PFAS contamination.
“Chemours and other PFAS manufacturers must be held accountable for contamination from forever chemicals,” said Assistant Administrator David M. Uhlmann of EPA's Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “EPA is working closely with Ohio and West Virginia to determine the extent of PFAS contamination from the Washington Works facility and will ensure that Chemours takes steps based on the sampling results to better protect nearby communities from forever chemicals.”
This agreement is part of EPA’s FY2024-2027 National Enforcement Compliance Initiative on Addressing Exposure to PFAS. The PFAS initiative is focused on using EPA’s enforcement tools to achieve site characterization, control ongoing releases that pose a threat to human health and the environment, ensure compliance with permits and other agreements (e.g., Federal Facility Agreements) to prevent and address PFAS contamination, and address endangerment issues as they arise.
Chemours owns and operates Washington Works, a manufacturing facility located on the southeast bank of the Ohio River across from the state of Ohio. Since 1951, a variety of PFAS have been manufactured, produced, generated, or used at the facility and there have been PFAS releases from its operations. Certain wastes generated by the facility containing PFAS have been disposed of in landfills which are managed under the West Virginia Solid Waste Management Program and the West Virginia National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Stormwater Program.
“EPA’s announcement today is a crucial action towards protecting communities in West Virginia from these forever chemicals,” EPA Mid-Atlantic Administrator Adam Ortiz said. “It also builds on the work our State partners are doing to provide clean water and clean air for people across the Mountain State.”
Read more about the Washington Works facility and EPA’s RCRA Corrective Action.
The agreement under Section 3013 of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) requires Chemours to take samples and analyze soil, surface water, sediment, groundwater, and certain waste streams generated by the facility to collect information on known and potential PFAS contamination. This agreement will provide data to improve the agency’s understanding of the extent of PFAS contamination and how migration of PFAS contamination may impact communities. EPA, under its existing enforcement authorities, will continue to address imminent and substantial endangerment situations posed by PFAS contamination.
“Chemours and other PFAS manufacturers must be held accountable for contamination from forever chemicals,” said Assistant Administrator David M. Uhlmann of EPA's Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “EPA is working closely with Ohio and West Virginia to determine the extent of PFAS contamination from the Washington Works facility and will ensure that Chemours takes steps based on the sampling results to better protect nearby communities from forever chemicals.”
This agreement is part of EPA’s FY2024-2027 National Enforcement Compliance Initiative on Addressing Exposure to PFAS. The PFAS initiative is focused on using EPA’s enforcement tools to achieve site characterization, control ongoing releases that pose a threat to human health and the environment, ensure compliance with permits and other agreements (e.g., Federal Facility Agreements) to prevent and address PFAS contamination, and address endangerment issues as they arise.
Chemours owns and operates Washington Works, a manufacturing facility located on the southeast bank of the Ohio River across from the state of Ohio. Since 1951, a variety of PFAS have been manufactured, produced, generated, or used at the facility and there have been PFAS releases from its operations. Certain wastes generated by the facility containing PFAS have been disposed of in landfills which are managed under the West Virginia Solid Waste Management Program and the West Virginia National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Stormwater Program.
“EPA’s announcement today is a crucial action towards protecting communities in West Virginia from these forever chemicals,” EPA Mid-Atlantic Administrator Adam Ortiz said. “It also builds on the work our State partners are doing to provide clean water and clean air for people across the Mountain State.”
Read more about the Washington Works facility and EPA’s RCRA Corrective Action.
EPA Secures Agreement from Chemours to Conduct New Sampling for PFAS Contamination near Washington Works, WV Facility
WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that Chemours Company FC, LLC has agreed to conduct sampling for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, surrounding its Washington Works facility in Washington, West Virginia.
The agreement under Section 3013 of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) requires Chemours to take samples and analyze soil, surface water, sediment, groundwater, and certain waste streams generated by the facility to collect information on known and potential PFAS contamination. This agreement will provide data to improve the agency’s understanding of the extent of PFAS contamination and how migration of PFAS contamination may impact communities. EPA, under its existing enforcement authorities, will continue to address imminent and substantial endangerment situations posed by PFAS contamination.
“Chemours and other PFAS manufacturers must be held accountable for contamination from forever chemicals,” said Assistant Administrator David M. Uhlmann of EPA's Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “EPA is working closely with Ohio and West Virginia to determine the extent of PFAS contamination from the Washington Works facility and will ensure that Chemours takes steps based on the sampling results to better protect nearby communities from forever chemicals.”
This agreement is part of EPA’s FY2024-2027 National Enforcement Compliance Initiative on Addressing Exposure to PFAS. The PFAS initiative is focused on using EPA’s enforcement tools to achieve site characterization, control ongoing releases that pose a threat to human health and the environment, ensure compliance with permits and other agreements (e.g., Federal Facility Agreements) to prevent and address PFAS contamination, and address endangerment issues as they arise.
Chemours owns and operates Washington Works, a manufacturing facility located on the southeast bank of the Ohio River across from the state of Ohio. Since 1951, a variety of PFAS have been manufactured, produced, generated, or used at the facility and there have been PFAS releases from its operations. Certain wastes generated by the facility containing PFAS have been disposed of in landfills which are managed under the West Virginia Solid Waste Management Program and the West Virginia National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Stormwater Program.
Read more about the Washington Works facility and EPA’s RCRA Corrective Action.
The agreement under Section 3013 of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) requires Chemours to take samples and analyze soil, surface water, sediment, groundwater, and certain waste streams generated by the facility to collect information on known and potential PFAS contamination. This agreement will provide data to improve the agency’s understanding of the extent of PFAS contamination and how migration of PFAS contamination may impact communities. EPA, under its existing enforcement authorities, will continue to address imminent and substantial endangerment situations posed by PFAS contamination.
“Chemours and other PFAS manufacturers must be held accountable for contamination from forever chemicals,” said Assistant Administrator David M. Uhlmann of EPA's Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “EPA is working closely with Ohio and West Virginia to determine the extent of PFAS contamination from the Washington Works facility and will ensure that Chemours takes steps based on the sampling results to better protect nearby communities from forever chemicals.”
This agreement is part of EPA’s FY2024-2027 National Enforcement Compliance Initiative on Addressing Exposure to PFAS. The PFAS initiative is focused on using EPA’s enforcement tools to achieve site characterization, control ongoing releases that pose a threat to human health and the environment, ensure compliance with permits and other agreements (e.g., Federal Facility Agreements) to prevent and address PFAS contamination, and address endangerment issues as they arise.
Chemours owns and operates Washington Works, a manufacturing facility located on the southeast bank of the Ohio River across from the state of Ohio. Since 1951, a variety of PFAS have been manufactured, produced, generated, or used at the facility and there have been PFAS releases from its operations. Certain wastes generated by the facility containing PFAS have been disposed of in landfills which are managed under the West Virginia Solid Waste Management Program and the West Virginia National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Stormwater Program.
Read more about the Washington Works facility and EPA’s RCRA Corrective Action.