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.
EPA report: US fuel economy marks a new record high; CO2 emissions reach record lows, and all large manufacturers meet greenhouse gas standards
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday released its annual Automotive Trends Report, which shows that model year 2022 vehicle fuel economy reached a record high while emission levels dropped to record low levels. The report also shows that through the MY 2022 reporting period, all 14 large manufacturers are in compliance with the light-duty greenhouse gas program requirements.
“As the United States accelerates towards a clean transportation future, today’s report highlights the historic progress made so far by the industry to reduce climate pollution and other harmful emissions,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “We are thrilled to see manufacturers continue to innovate and develop technologies in multiple vehicle categories that have led to a substantial increase in miles per gallon, passing cost savings onto families across the nation.”
Key highlights of the report:
New vehicle carbon dioxide emissions and fuel economy had the biggest annual improvement of the last nine years, reaching record low CO2 emissions and record high fuel economy.
From MY 2021-22, average fuel economy increased by 0.6 mpg, which is more than double the annual rate of improvement in fuel economy over the last decade.
Most vehicle types are at their best-ever fuel economy, including sport utility vehicles, which increased their fuel economy by 2.4 mpg in MY 2022.
The average estimated real-world CO2 emission rate for all new vehicles fell by 3% to the lowest level ever reported.
Since MY 2004, CO2 emissions have decreased 27%, and fuel economy has increased 35%.
Electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles helped reduce the overall average CO2 emissions from the MY 2022 fleet by 22 grams per mile and improved fuel economy by 1.2 mpg in MY 2022.
Most manufacturers have made improvements in fuel economy over the past five years, and they continue to use a wide array of advanced technologies to achieve CO2 emissions, fuel economy, and performance goals. In MY 2022, the combined category of electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid vehicles, and fuel cell vehicles increased from 4% of production in MY 2021 to 7% of production in MY 2022 and are projected to reach 12% of production in MY 2023. This trend will likely continue as EV production is expected to grow across the industry in coming years.
This annual report reflects EPA’s commitment to provide the public with information about new light-duty vehicle greenhouse gas emissions, fuel economy, technology data, and auto manufacturers' performance in meeting the nation’s emissions standards. EPA’s annual Automotive Trends Report is separate from the agency’s regulatory process.
Read the full EPA Annual Automotive Trends Report and learn more about the trends.
“As the United States accelerates towards a clean transportation future, today’s report highlights the historic progress made so far by the industry to reduce climate pollution and other harmful emissions,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “We are thrilled to see manufacturers continue to innovate and develop technologies in multiple vehicle categories that have led to a substantial increase in miles per gallon, passing cost savings onto families across the nation.”
Key highlights of the report:
New vehicle carbon dioxide emissions and fuel economy had the biggest annual improvement of the last nine years, reaching record low CO2 emissions and record high fuel economy.
From MY 2021-22, average fuel economy increased by 0.6 mpg, which is more than double the annual rate of improvement in fuel economy over the last decade.
Most vehicle types are at their best-ever fuel economy, including sport utility vehicles, which increased their fuel economy by 2.4 mpg in MY 2022.
The average estimated real-world CO2 emission rate for all new vehicles fell by 3% to the lowest level ever reported.
Since MY 2004, CO2 emissions have decreased 27%, and fuel economy has increased 35%.
Electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles helped reduce the overall average CO2 emissions from the MY 2022 fleet by 22 grams per mile and improved fuel economy by 1.2 mpg in MY 2022.
Most manufacturers have made improvements in fuel economy over the past five years, and they continue to use a wide array of advanced technologies to achieve CO2 emissions, fuel economy, and performance goals. In MY 2022, the combined category of electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid vehicles, and fuel cell vehicles increased from 4% of production in MY 2021 to 7% of production in MY 2022 and are projected to reach 12% of production in MY 2023. This trend will likely continue as EV production is expected to grow across the industry in coming years.
This annual report reflects EPA’s commitment to provide the public with information about new light-duty vehicle greenhouse gas emissions, fuel economy, technology data, and auto manufacturers' performance in meeting the nation’s emissions standards. EPA’s annual Automotive Trends Report is separate from the agency’s regulatory process.
Read the full EPA Annual Automotive Trends Report and learn more about the trends.
EPA Cites Dem-Con Metal Recycling for Clean Air Act Violations at Facility in Shakopee, Minnesota
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently issued an order to Dem-Con Metal Recycling, a scrap metal recycler in Shakopee, Minnesota, for alleged violations of the Clean Air Act. Dem-Con will pay $140,000 in civil penalties.
EPA alleged that Dem-Con accepted small appliances, such as refrigerators and room air conditioners, that contained ozone-depleting refrigerant without taking proper precautions to recover the chemicals. EPA will require Dem-Con to develop a refrigerant management plan which will include proper refrigerant recovery processes, or they will need to verify refrigerant recovery from items arriving from outside the facility. They also need to notify customers on proper refrigerant recovery requirements.
For more information on the Clean Air Act, visit EPA’s website.
EPA alleged that Dem-Con accepted small appliances, such as refrigerators and room air conditioners, that contained ozone-depleting refrigerant without taking proper precautions to recover the chemicals. EPA will require Dem-Con to develop a refrigerant management plan which will include proper refrigerant recovery processes, or they will need to verify refrigerant recovery from items arriving from outside the facility. They also need to notify customers on proper refrigerant recovery requirements.
For more information on the Clean Air Act, visit EPA’s website.
EPA completes reviews at five New Hampshire Superfund sites
BOSTON (Dec. 20, 2023) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has completed required comprehensive site cleanup reviews, or Five-Year reviews, of five National Priority List Sites (Superfund Sites) across New Hampshire.
"Continuing to monitor Superfund sites after our primary cleanup work is completed ensures that site remedies are continuing to protect human health and the natural environment, and that communities who had been burdened by concerns of contamination can rest easier," said EPA New England Regional Administrator David W. Cash. "By completing these reviews of the cleanups every five years, EPA can continue to keep communities in the know, and information up-to-date."
As required by law, EPA conducts reviews at Superfund sites after cleanup remedies have been implemented every five years. This comprehensive review of previous work helps ensure that EPA continues to evaluate the performance of cleanup efforts and determines whether any further action to protect human health or the environment is required.
The Superfund Sites in New Hampshire where EPA has completed Five-Year Reviews during the 2023 Fiscal Year, are listed below. The following links provide access to each Superfund Site page where you can find their Five-Year Review report(s). The Five-Year Review of each of these sites concluded that the remedies continue to effectively protect peoples' health and the environment and made recommendations for follow up actions where needed.
Completed New Hampshire Five Year Reviews in Fiscal Year 2023:
Kearsarge Metallurgical Corp., Conway, New Hampshire
Tibbetts Road, Barrington, New Hampshire
Fletcher's Paint Works & Storage, Milford, New Hampshire
South Municipal Water Supply Well, Peterborough, New Hampshire
Mottolo Pig Farm, Raymond, New Hampshire
Background
The Superfund program, a federal program established by Congress in 1980, investigates and cleans up the most complex, uncontrolled, or abandoned hazardous waste sites in the country and endeavors to facilitate activities to return them to productive use.
Throughout the process of designing and constructing a cleanup at a hazardous waste site, EPA's primary goal is to protect public health and the environment. At many sites, EPA continues to ensure it remains true to EPA's mission, by requiring cleanup reviews every five years. It is important for EPA to regularly check on these sites to ensure the cleanup remedy is working properly. These reviews identify issues (if any) that may affect the protectiveness of the completed remedy and, if necessary, recommend action(s) necessary to address them.
There are many phases of the Superfund cleanup process including considering future use and redevelopment at sites and conducting post cleanup monitoring of sites.
More information:
For more information about EPA's Superfund program, visit www.epa.gov/superfund
"Continuing to monitor Superfund sites after our primary cleanup work is completed ensures that site remedies are continuing to protect human health and the natural environment, and that communities who had been burdened by concerns of contamination can rest easier," said EPA New England Regional Administrator David W. Cash. "By completing these reviews of the cleanups every five years, EPA can continue to keep communities in the know, and information up-to-date."
As required by law, EPA conducts reviews at Superfund sites after cleanup remedies have been implemented every five years. This comprehensive review of previous work helps ensure that EPA continues to evaluate the performance of cleanup efforts and determines whether any further action to protect human health or the environment is required.
The Superfund Sites in New Hampshire where EPA has completed Five-Year Reviews during the 2023 Fiscal Year, are listed below. The following links provide access to each Superfund Site page where you can find their Five-Year Review report(s). The Five-Year Review of each of these sites concluded that the remedies continue to effectively protect peoples' health and the environment and made recommendations for follow up actions where needed.
Completed New Hampshire Five Year Reviews in Fiscal Year 2023:
Kearsarge Metallurgical Corp., Conway, New Hampshire
Tibbetts Road, Barrington, New Hampshire
Fletcher's Paint Works & Storage, Milford, New Hampshire
South Municipal Water Supply Well, Peterborough, New Hampshire
Mottolo Pig Farm, Raymond, New Hampshire
Background
The Superfund program, a federal program established by Congress in 1980, investigates and cleans up the most complex, uncontrolled, or abandoned hazardous waste sites in the country and endeavors to facilitate activities to return them to productive use.
Throughout the process of designing and constructing a cleanup at a hazardous waste site, EPA's primary goal is to protect public health and the environment. At many sites, EPA continues to ensure it remains true to EPA's mission, by requiring cleanup reviews every five years. It is important for EPA to regularly check on these sites to ensure the cleanup remedy is working properly. These reviews identify issues (if any) that may affect the protectiveness of the completed remedy and, if necessary, recommend action(s) necessary to address them.
There are many phases of the Superfund cleanup process including considering future use and redevelopment at sites and conducting post cleanup monitoring of sites.
More information:
For more information about EPA's Superfund program, visit www.epa.gov/superfund
Biden-Harris Administration Selects California-Based Social and Environmental Entrepreneurs, Inc. to Receive $50 Million to Fund Environmental Justice Projects
SAN FRANCISCO – Today, as part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, the Biden-Harris Administration announced that California-based Social and Environmental Entrepreneurs, Inc. (SEE) has been selected to serve as the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Region 9 Grantmaker. SEE will receive $50,000,000 under EPA’s Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Grantmaking program, which President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act created.
This new grant program, which will make it easier for community-based organizations (CBOs) to access federal environmental justice funding, responds to community feedback about the need to reduce barriers to federal funds and 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 SEE 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.
“For far too long, communities that have borne the burden of environmental injustice have faced barriers towards obtaining the funding necessary to protect their communities,” Regional Administrator Martha Guzman stated. “Thanks to this innovative new program, these communities will have more equitable access to such federal funds needed to tackle longstanding environmental and public health needs.”
SEE will leverage its expertise and local connections to design a subgrant program that prioritizes equity-centered grantmaking processes and procedures in collaboration with its grantmaking partners: Community Foundation of Southern Arizona, International Community Foundation, Liberty Hill Foundation, Native Americans Philanthropy, and Resources Legacy Fund. They will use community outreach, a future Community Advisory Panel, and their collective regional grantmaking expertise to inform their outreach and grantmaking process to address urgent environmental and public health issues impacting communities across the region equitably. The program's streamlined award process will fund projects to reach socially vulnerable communities and those overburdened with pollution or high environmental or health risks.
“I am deeply honored and grateful for EPA’s support, which will enable our nonprofit cohort to amplify our impact in advancing environmental justice and tackling urgent climate and environmental challenges,” said Jennifer Hoffman, Chief Executive Officer of SEE. “We are committed to enhancing the grantmaking awards process’s efficiency so resources reach the Region 9 frontline communities that need them most, fostering innovation and driving sustainable change. Together, we will make meaningful strides toward a more equitable future where every individual and ecosystem thrives.”
EPA Grantmakers will collaborate with EPA’s Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights to issue subgrants to CBOs and other eligible organizations representing disadvantaged communities. As a Grantmaker, SEE will design comprehensive application and submission processes, award environmental justice subgrants, implement tracking and reporting systems, and provide community resources and support. The subgrants are expected to become available by the summer of 2024.
In addition, EPA has selected the Climate Justice Alliance to receive $50,000,000 as a National Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Grantmaker to provide additional support, coordination, and oversight to subgrantees, applicants, and Regional Grantmakers across the western part of the country.
“Congratulations to Berkeley’s Climate Justice Alliance on their selection as Regional Grantmaker under the Biden Administration’s Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Grantmaking program—which I am proud to say was authorized by the Inflation Reduction Act, legislation championed by President Biden and legislation I fought for in the 117th Congress,” remarked Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA, D-12). “With marginalized communities everywhere experiencing record pollution, environmental justice can’t wait. I know that the Climate Justice Alliance will use this opportunity to build capacity within their organization to address the pressing environmental and public health issues of the East Bay while working towards a cleaner future for us all.”
Climate Justice Alliance’s program, UNITE-EJ (United Network for Impact, Transformation, and Equity in Environmental Justice Communities), aims to unite collaborators nationwide to enable communities with environmental justice concerns and organizations nationwide to address environmental and public health issues. UNITE-EJ seeks to equip CBOs with the support, partnerships, and funding necessary to address legacy, present, and future environmental and public health injustices. UNITE-EJ and its partners will collaboratively develop and implement a simplified application, review, and award process that reduces barriers to EJ organizations’ access to federal funding.
“UNITE-EJ is excited and ready to serve as a bridge, model, and catalyst among organizations nationwide to confront the legacy of environmental harms, mitigate the effects of climate change, support the frontlines in enacting their localized visions for thriving communities, and pilot co-governance between the EPA and frontline communities hit first and worst by environmental injustice and climate change,” stated Marion Gee, Co-Executive Director, Climate Justice Alliance. “Climate Justice Alliance leads the UNITE-EJ application with skilled and highly-respected partners The Chisholm Legacy Project, NDN Collective, Fund for Frontline Power, JustFund, Amalgamated Foundation, Tishman Environment, and Design Center at The New School, and the Center for the Urban Environment at Kean University.”
Grantmakers are expected to begin opening competitions and awarding subgrants by summer 2024. CBOs and other eligible organizations seeking subgrant funding can 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 CBOs through a noncompetitive process during 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. It 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 marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution. Grantmakers will collaborate 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
Vice President Kamala Harris and EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan were joined by Dr. Robert Bullard, a Distinguished Professor of Urban Planning and Environmental Policy at Texas Southern University, to announce the historic Grantmaker Awards. 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.
Learn more about EPA’s Pacific Southwest Region. Connect with us on Facebook and X.
This new grant program, which will make it easier for community-based organizations (CBOs) to access federal environmental justice funding, responds to community feedback about the need to reduce barriers to federal funds and 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 SEE 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.
“For far too long, communities that have borne the burden of environmental injustice have faced barriers towards obtaining the funding necessary to protect their communities,” Regional Administrator Martha Guzman stated. “Thanks to this innovative new program, these communities will have more equitable access to such federal funds needed to tackle longstanding environmental and public health needs.”
SEE will leverage its expertise and local connections to design a subgrant program that prioritizes equity-centered grantmaking processes and procedures in collaboration with its grantmaking partners: Community Foundation of Southern Arizona, International Community Foundation, Liberty Hill Foundation, Native Americans Philanthropy, and Resources Legacy Fund. They will use community outreach, a future Community Advisory Panel, and their collective regional grantmaking expertise to inform their outreach and grantmaking process to address urgent environmental and public health issues impacting communities across the region equitably. The program's streamlined award process will fund projects to reach socially vulnerable communities and those overburdened with pollution or high environmental or health risks.
“I am deeply honored and grateful for EPA’s support, which will enable our nonprofit cohort to amplify our impact in advancing environmental justice and tackling urgent climate and environmental challenges,” said Jennifer Hoffman, Chief Executive Officer of SEE. “We are committed to enhancing the grantmaking awards process’s efficiency so resources reach the Region 9 frontline communities that need them most, fostering innovation and driving sustainable change. Together, we will make meaningful strides toward a more equitable future where every individual and ecosystem thrives.”
EPA Grantmakers will collaborate with EPA’s Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights to issue subgrants to CBOs and other eligible organizations representing disadvantaged communities. As a Grantmaker, SEE will design comprehensive application and submission processes, award environmental justice subgrants, implement tracking and reporting systems, and provide community resources and support. The subgrants are expected to become available by the summer of 2024.
In addition, EPA has selected the Climate Justice Alliance to receive $50,000,000 as a National Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Grantmaker to provide additional support, coordination, and oversight to subgrantees, applicants, and Regional Grantmakers across the western part of the country.
“Congratulations to Berkeley’s Climate Justice Alliance on their selection as Regional Grantmaker under the Biden Administration’s Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Grantmaking program—which I am proud to say was authorized by the Inflation Reduction Act, legislation championed by President Biden and legislation I fought for in the 117th Congress,” remarked Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA, D-12). “With marginalized communities everywhere experiencing record pollution, environmental justice can’t wait. I know that the Climate Justice Alliance will use this opportunity to build capacity within their organization to address the pressing environmental and public health issues of the East Bay while working towards a cleaner future for us all.”
Climate Justice Alliance’s program, UNITE-EJ (United Network for Impact, Transformation, and Equity in Environmental Justice Communities), aims to unite collaborators nationwide to enable communities with environmental justice concerns and organizations nationwide to address environmental and public health issues. UNITE-EJ seeks to equip CBOs with the support, partnerships, and funding necessary to address legacy, present, and future environmental and public health injustices. UNITE-EJ and its partners will collaboratively develop and implement a simplified application, review, and award process that reduces barriers to EJ organizations’ access to federal funding.
“UNITE-EJ is excited and ready to serve as a bridge, model, and catalyst among organizations nationwide to confront the legacy of environmental harms, mitigate the effects of climate change, support the frontlines in enacting their localized visions for thriving communities, and pilot co-governance between the EPA and frontline communities hit first and worst by environmental injustice and climate change,” stated Marion Gee, Co-Executive Director, Climate Justice Alliance. “Climate Justice Alliance leads the UNITE-EJ application with skilled and highly-respected partners The Chisholm Legacy Project, NDN Collective, Fund for Frontline Power, JustFund, Amalgamated Foundation, Tishman Environment, and Design Center at The New School, and the Center for the Urban Environment at Kean University.”
Grantmakers are expected to begin opening competitions and awarding subgrants by summer 2024. CBOs and other eligible organizations seeking subgrant funding can 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 CBOs through a noncompetitive process during 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. It 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 marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution. Grantmakers will collaborate 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
Vice President Kamala Harris and EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan were joined by Dr. Robert Bullard, a Distinguished Professor of Urban Planning and Environmental Policy at Texas Southern University, to announce the historic Grantmaker Awards. 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.
Learn more about EPA’s Pacific Southwest Region. Connect with us on Facebook and X.