Community Air Pollution Monitoring Projects in Idaho and Other States to Receive $500,000 in EPA Funding
Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced community air pollution monitoring projects lead by the Hispanic Access Foundation in Idaho and other states will receive $499,922 in funding to enhance air quality monitoring. The projects are among 132 air monitoring projects in 37 states to receive $53.4 million in funding from the Inflation Reduction Act and the American Rescue Plan, with an emphasis on underserved, historically marginalized, and communities overburdened by pollution.
“I’ve traveled across the country and visited communities who’ve suffered from unhealthy, polluted air for far too long. I pledged to change that by prioritizing underserved communities and ensuring they have the resources they need to confront longstanding pollution challenges,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “The air monitoring projects we are announcing today, which include the first EPA grants funded by President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, will ensure dozens of overburdened communities have the tools they need to better understand air quality challenges in their neighborhoods and will help protect people from the dangers posed by air pollution.”
“With this historic funding, we can make a real difference in helping communities work to improve air quality at the local level, collect air quality information where they see the greatest need, and build partnerships to amplify the health benefits in underserved and overburdened communities across Alaska and the Northwest,” said EPA Region 10 Administrator Casey Sixkiller.
"For more than a decade, Hispanic Access has catapulted our trust-based community networks into action by providing access, capacity, and the belief to create beneficial changes in their communities,” said Hispanic Access Foundation President/CEO Maite Arce. “From advocating for environmental justice to protecting waters and public lands, we've supported community leaders as they decide what is best for themselves, we design solutions together, and advocate for change. We are thrilled to receive the support from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to equip our community networks in raising awareness of air pollutants affecting their local communities and addressing air quality issues locally."
EPA will be funding the following project:
Hispanic Access Foundation: El Aire Que Respiramos (the Air We Breathe): Latino Citizen Science Project -$499,922
The Air We Breathe will measure PM2.5 concentrations at 12 heavily populated Latino sites in Caldwell, Idaho (and communities in Illinois, Texas, California, and Nevada). The project will raise awareness and improve understanding of PM2.5 pollution in the communities and will empower these same communities to make adjustments in their daily lives and to advocate for change as needed.
See the full list of applications selected for awards nationwide.
The amount of the anticipated grant funding ranges from $57,000 to $500,000, which will enhance air monitoring in communities and establish important partnerships to address air quality concerns. More than half of the selected applications are from community and nonprofit organizations. Tribes are receiving 12 percent of the total funding for this competition. EPA will start the process to award the funding by the end of 2022, once the grant applicants have met all legal and administrative requirements. The grantees will have three years to spend the funds from the time EPA awards the grants.
In addition to the selections for the competitive grants announced today, EPA has awarded nearly $22.5 million from the American Rescue Plan in direct awards to state, tribal, and local air agencies for continuous monitoring of fine particle and other common pollutants. Another $5 million in American Rescue Plan funding is going toward advancing the EPA Regional Offices’ mobile air monitoring capacity and establishing air sensor loan programs. These investments will improve EPA's ability to support communities that need short-term monitoring and air quality information.
Background
In spring 2021, Congress passed the American Rescue Plan, providing EPA with a one-time supplemental appropriation of $100 million to address health outcome disparities from pollution and the COVID-19 pandemic. Half of that $100 million, was dedicated to air quality monitoring. In July 2021, EPA announced the $20 million American Rescue Plan Enhanced Air Quality Monitoring for Communities Grant Competition. The goal of this competition was to improve air quality monitoring in and near underserved communities across the United States, support community efforts to monitor their own air quality, and promote air quality monitoring partnerships between communities and tribal, state, and local governments. EPA received more than 200 applications in response to the competition.
The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 provides funding to EPA to deploy, integrate, support, and maintain fenceline air monitoring, screening air monitoring, national air toxics trend stations, and other air toxics and community monitoring. Specifically, the IRA provides funding for grants and other activities under section 103 and section 105 of the Clean Air Act. EPA is using approximately $32.3 million of this funding to select 77 high-scoring community monitoring applications.
These grant selections further the goals of President Biden’s Executive Order, Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad, which formalized the federal commitment to address the disproportionately high and adverse health and environmental impacts on overburdened communities. By enhancing air monitoring and encouraging partnerships with communities, EPA is investing in efforts to better protect people’s health, particularly those in underserved communities.
“I’ve traveled across the country and visited communities who’ve suffered from unhealthy, polluted air for far too long. I pledged to change that by prioritizing underserved communities and ensuring they have the resources they need to confront longstanding pollution challenges,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “The air monitoring projects we are announcing today, which include the first EPA grants funded by President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, will ensure dozens of overburdened communities have the tools they need to better understand air quality challenges in their neighborhoods and will help protect people from the dangers posed by air pollution.”
“With this historic funding, we can make a real difference in helping communities work to improve air quality at the local level, collect air quality information where they see the greatest need, and build partnerships to amplify the health benefits in underserved and overburdened communities across Alaska and the Northwest,” said EPA Region 10 Administrator Casey Sixkiller.
"For more than a decade, Hispanic Access has catapulted our trust-based community networks into action by providing access, capacity, and the belief to create beneficial changes in their communities,” said Hispanic Access Foundation President/CEO Maite Arce. “From advocating for environmental justice to protecting waters and public lands, we've supported community leaders as they decide what is best for themselves, we design solutions together, and advocate for change. We are thrilled to receive the support from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to equip our community networks in raising awareness of air pollutants affecting their local communities and addressing air quality issues locally."
EPA will be funding the following project:
Hispanic Access Foundation: El Aire Que Respiramos (the Air We Breathe): Latino Citizen Science Project -$499,922
The Air We Breathe will measure PM2.5 concentrations at 12 heavily populated Latino sites in Caldwell, Idaho (and communities in Illinois, Texas, California, and Nevada). The project will raise awareness and improve understanding of PM2.5 pollution in the communities and will empower these same communities to make adjustments in their daily lives and to advocate for change as needed.
See the full list of applications selected for awards nationwide.
The amount of the anticipated grant funding ranges from $57,000 to $500,000, which will enhance air monitoring in communities and establish important partnerships to address air quality concerns. More than half of the selected applications are from community and nonprofit organizations. Tribes are receiving 12 percent of the total funding for this competition. EPA will start the process to award the funding by the end of 2022, once the grant applicants have met all legal and administrative requirements. The grantees will have three years to spend the funds from the time EPA awards the grants.
In addition to the selections for the competitive grants announced today, EPA has awarded nearly $22.5 million from the American Rescue Plan in direct awards to state, tribal, and local air agencies for continuous monitoring of fine particle and other common pollutants. Another $5 million in American Rescue Plan funding is going toward advancing the EPA Regional Offices’ mobile air monitoring capacity and establishing air sensor loan programs. These investments will improve EPA's ability to support communities that need short-term monitoring and air quality information.
Background
In spring 2021, Congress passed the American Rescue Plan, providing EPA with a one-time supplemental appropriation of $100 million to address health outcome disparities from pollution and the COVID-19 pandemic. Half of that $100 million, was dedicated to air quality monitoring. In July 2021, EPA announced the $20 million American Rescue Plan Enhanced Air Quality Monitoring for Communities Grant Competition. The goal of this competition was to improve air quality monitoring in and near underserved communities across the United States, support community efforts to monitor their own air quality, and promote air quality monitoring partnerships between communities and tribal, state, and local governments. EPA received more than 200 applications in response to the competition.
The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 provides funding to EPA to deploy, integrate, support, and maintain fenceline air monitoring, screening air monitoring, national air toxics trend stations, and other air toxics and community monitoring. Specifically, the IRA provides funding for grants and other activities under section 103 and section 105 of the Clean Air Act. EPA is using approximately $32.3 million of this funding to select 77 high-scoring community monitoring applications.
These grant selections further the goals of President Biden’s Executive Order, Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad, which formalized the federal commitment to address the disproportionately high and adverse health and environmental impacts on overburdened communities. By enhancing air monitoring and encouraging partnerships with communities, EPA is investing in efforts to better protect people’s health, particularly those in underserved communities.
Biden-Harris Administration Announces First Round of Historic Investments to Increase Competition and Expand Meat and Poultry Processing Capacity
OMAHA, November 2, 2022 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that the Biden-Harris Administration is investing $73 million in 21 grant projects through the first round of the Meat and Poultry Processing Expansion Program (MPPEP). MPPEP delivers on President Biden‘s call to increase competition across the economy to help lower costs for American families.
EPA, Congressmembers Announce Dallas Independent School District Clean School Bus Funding
DALLAS, TEXAS (Nov. 2, 2022) — Officials from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Dallas Independent School District (DISD) and three members of the North Texas congressional delegation gathered yesterday to celebrate DISD’s funding through EPA’s Clean School Bus Program. The district will receive $7.1 million to fund the purchase of up to 25 zero-emission electric buses.
“We are thrilled Dallas ISD was selected for the first round of funding through EPA’s new Clean School Bus program and President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law,” said Regional Administrator Earthea Nance. “The new, zero-emission buses will protect school children and staff, reduce pollution and help improve air quality, all while saving the district money.”
“We are grateful to EPA for making these funds available through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and to our congressional delegation for their support,” said DISD Superintendent Stephanie Elizalde. “I can’t wait to see these buses rolling down our streets, making the air cleaner for our students immediately, as well as for the future.”
“I am pleased to learn that Dallas ISD has been selected for participation in the EPA’s Clean School Bus Program, a groundbreaking initiative that will provide $7 million in funding for 25 new electric school buses. Once fully implemented, students will ride buses that are healthier for the environment—and in turn, healthier for them,” said Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson.
“This is great news for Dallas schools and shows how the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law continues to deliver and how North Texas school districts can lead the nation in the adoption of this technology,” said Congressman Colin Allred. “I am a graduate of Dallas public schools, and I took the bus when I was growing up, so I know how important this service is for families. I was glad to join the EPA this summer in urging our schools to apply for this funding and I am proud that Dallas ISD will receive 25 clean, pollution-free electric school buses.”
"Today's funding will provide a critical investment to climate security and children's futures here in North Texas," said Rep. Veasey. "Last year, I was proud to vote for the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that made this accomplishment possible by ensuring our communities have the tools to switch dirty diesel-powered buses to zero-emissions electric buses."
In May, EPA announced the availability of $500 million for its Clean School Bus Program. Given overwhelming demand from school districts across the country, including in low-income communities, Tribal nations, and territories, EPA nearly doubled the amount of funding that will be awarded to $965 million. The rebate application period closed in August with an outstanding response from school districts seeking to purchase electric and low-emission school buses across the country.
Last week, EPA announced the selection of 389 applications totaling $913 million to support the purchase of 2,463 buses, 95% of which will be electric. EPA will distribute awards to school districts in all 50 states, Washington D.C., along with several federally recognized Tribes and U.S. territories. School districts identified as priority areas serving low-income, rural, and, or Tribal students make up 99% of the projects that were selected. More applications are under review, and the agency plans to select more to reach the full $965 million in the coming weeks.
Those school districts who received an award can now proceed with purchasing new buses and eligible infrastructure. Selectees will need to submit Payment Request Forms with purchase orders demonstrating they have ordered new buses and eligible infrastructure. EPA is also partnering with the U.S. Department of Energy and Department of Transportation to provide school districts with robust technical assistance to ensure effective implementation.
These awards are the first $1 billion of a five-year, $5 billion program created by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. EPA is also designing the next rounds of program funding to launch in the coming months, which will include an ambitious grant competition. Through future rounds of funding, EPA will make available another $1 billion for clean school buses in Fiscal Year 2023. EPA encourages school districts not selected in the first round of rebates – and those that did not apply this funding cycle – to participate in future rounds.
About the Clean School Bus Rebate Program
The Clean School Bus Program will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, save money for school districts and produce cleaner air. Diesel air pollution is linked to asthma and other conditions that harm students’ health and cause them to miss school, particularly in communities of color and Tribal communities. Phasing out these diesel engines will ensure cleaner air for students, bus drivers, and school staff working near the bus loading areas, and the communities through which the buses drive each day. The reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from these bus replacements will also help to address the outsized role of the transportation sector in fueling the climate crisis. The program will also save school districts money as they upgrade school bus fleets, replacing older, heavily polluting buses with brand new clean school buses, while freeing up needed resources for schools.
The 2022 Clean School Bus Rebates prioritize low-income, rural, and Tribal communities. The vast majority of applicants met the priority definition under the 2022 Clean School Bus Rebates criteria, resulting in access to more funds for buses and electric vehicle infrastructure for schools in areas that need them the most. The program also delivers on President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative, which aims to deliver 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal investments to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized, underserved and overburdened by pollution.
View the full list of Clean School Bus award recipients here.
Connect with the Environmental Protection Agency Region 6 on Facebook, Twitter, or visit our homepage.
“We are thrilled Dallas ISD was selected for the first round of funding through EPA’s new Clean School Bus program and President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law,” said Regional Administrator Earthea Nance. “The new, zero-emission buses will protect school children and staff, reduce pollution and help improve air quality, all while saving the district money.”
“We are grateful to EPA for making these funds available through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and to our congressional delegation for their support,” said DISD Superintendent Stephanie Elizalde. “I can’t wait to see these buses rolling down our streets, making the air cleaner for our students immediately, as well as for the future.”
“I am pleased to learn that Dallas ISD has been selected for participation in the EPA’s Clean School Bus Program, a groundbreaking initiative that will provide $7 million in funding for 25 new electric school buses. Once fully implemented, students will ride buses that are healthier for the environment—and in turn, healthier for them,” said Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson.
“This is great news for Dallas schools and shows how the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law continues to deliver and how North Texas school districts can lead the nation in the adoption of this technology,” said Congressman Colin Allred. “I am a graduate of Dallas public schools, and I took the bus when I was growing up, so I know how important this service is for families. I was glad to join the EPA this summer in urging our schools to apply for this funding and I am proud that Dallas ISD will receive 25 clean, pollution-free electric school buses.”
"Today's funding will provide a critical investment to climate security and children's futures here in North Texas," said Rep. Veasey. "Last year, I was proud to vote for the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that made this accomplishment possible by ensuring our communities have the tools to switch dirty diesel-powered buses to zero-emissions electric buses."
In May, EPA announced the availability of $500 million for its Clean School Bus Program. Given overwhelming demand from school districts across the country, including in low-income communities, Tribal nations, and territories, EPA nearly doubled the amount of funding that will be awarded to $965 million. The rebate application period closed in August with an outstanding response from school districts seeking to purchase electric and low-emission school buses across the country.
Last week, EPA announced the selection of 389 applications totaling $913 million to support the purchase of 2,463 buses, 95% of which will be electric. EPA will distribute awards to school districts in all 50 states, Washington D.C., along with several federally recognized Tribes and U.S. territories. School districts identified as priority areas serving low-income, rural, and, or Tribal students make up 99% of the projects that were selected. More applications are under review, and the agency plans to select more to reach the full $965 million in the coming weeks.
Those school districts who received an award can now proceed with purchasing new buses and eligible infrastructure. Selectees will need to submit Payment Request Forms with purchase orders demonstrating they have ordered new buses and eligible infrastructure. EPA is also partnering with the U.S. Department of Energy and Department of Transportation to provide school districts with robust technical assistance to ensure effective implementation.
These awards are the first $1 billion of a five-year, $5 billion program created by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. EPA is also designing the next rounds of program funding to launch in the coming months, which will include an ambitious grant competition. Through future rounds of funding, EPA will make available another $1 billion for clean school buses in Fiscal Year 2023. EPA encourages school districts not selected in the first round of rebates – and those that did not apply this funding cycle – to participate in future rounds.
About the Clean School Bus Rebate Program
The Clean School Bus Program will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, save money for school districts and produce cleaner air. Diesel air pollution is linked to asthma and other conditions that harm students’ health and cause them to miss school, particularly in communities of color and Tribal communities. Phasing out these diesel engines will ensure cleaner air for students, bus drivers, and school staff working near the bus loading areas, and the communities through which the buses drive each day. The reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from these bus replacements will also help to address the outsized role of the transportation sector in fueling the climate crisis. The program will also save school districts money as they upgrade school bus fleets, replacing older, heavily polluting buses with brand new clean school buses, while freeing up needed resources for schools.
The 2022 Clean School Bus Rebates prioritize low-income, rural, and Tribal communities. The vast majority of applicants met the priority definition under the 2022 Clean School Bus Rebates criteria, resulting in access to more funds for buses and electric vehicle infrastructure for schools in areas that need them the most. The program also delivers on President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative, which aims to deliver 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal investments to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized, underserved and overburdened by pollution.
View the full list of Clean School Bus award recipients here.
Connect with the Environmental Protection Agency Region 6 on Facebook, Twitter, or visit our homepage.
EPA Issues Final List of Contaminants for Potential Regulatory Consideration in Drinking Water, Significantly Increases PFAS Chemicals for Review
WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published the Final Fifth Drinking Water Contaminant Candidate List (CCL 5), which will serve as the basis for EPA’s regulatory considerations over the next five-year cycle under the Safe Drinking Water Act. This update includes a substantial expansion of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), an important first step towards identifying additional PFAS that may require regulation under the Safe Drinking Water Act.
“Following public engagement and robust scientific review, the final contaminant candidate list is the latest milestone in our regulatory efforts to ensure safe, clean drinking water for all communities,” said EPA Assistant Administrator for Water Radhika Fox. “As EPA takes action to protect public health and the environment from PFAS, including proposing the first nationwide drinking water standards later this year, today’s final CCL 5 looks further forward to consider additional protective steps for these forever chemicals.”
A year ago, EPA published the PFAS Strategic Roadmap, outlining an Agency-wide approach to addressing PFAS in the environment. Today’s announcement strengthens EPA’s commitment to protect public health from impacts of PFAS and support the Agency’s decision-making for potential future regulations of PFAS.
In addition to a group of PFAS, the Final CCL 5 includes 66 individually listed chemicals, two additional chemical groups (cyanotoxins and disinfection byproducts (DBPs)), and 12 microbes.
In developing the Final CCL 5, EPA requested public nominations, providing an opportunity for people to make recommendations to the Agency about specific contaminants of concern that may disproportionally affect their local community. EPA further enhanced the CCL process based on comments received on this CCL and previous CCLs, including by prioritizing data most relevant to drinking water exposure, improving considerations of sensitive populations including children, and considering the recommendations included in the Review of the EPA’s Draft Fifth Contaminant Candidate List (CCL 5) report from the Science Advisory Board. These improvements resulted in a Final CCL 5 that can better inform prioritization of contaminants for potential regulatory actions and/or research efforts.
More information on the final Fifth Contaminant Candidate List (CCL 5).
“Following public engagement and robust scientific review, the final contaminant candidate list is the latest milestone in our regulatory efforts to ensure safe, clean drinking water for all communities,” said EPA Assistant Administrator for Water Radhika Fox. “As EPA takes action to protect public health and the environment from PFAS, including proposing the first nationwide drinking water standards later this year, today’s final CCL 5 looks further forward to consider additional protective steps for these forever chemicals.”
A year ago, EPA published the PFAS Strategic Roadmap, outlining an Agency-wide approach to addressing PFAS in the environment. Today’s announcement strengthens EPA’s commitment to protect public health from impacts of PFAS and support the Agency’s decision-making for potential future regulations of PFAS.
In addition to a group of PFAS, the Final CCL 5 includes 66 individually listed chemicals, two additional chemical groups (cyanotoxins and disinfection byproducts (DBPs)), and 12 microbes.
In developing the Final CCL 5, EPA requested public nominations, providing an opportunity for people to make recommendations to the Agency about specific contaminants of concern that may disproportionally affect their local community. EPA further enhanced the CCL process based on comments received on this CCL and previous CCLs, including by prioritizing data most relevant to drinking water exposure, improving considerations of sensitive populations including children, and considering the recommendations included in the Review of the EPA’s Draft Fifth Contaminant Candidate List (CCL 5) report from the Science Advisory Board. These improvements resulted in a Final CCL 5 that can better inform prioritization of contaminants for potential regulatory actions and/or research efforts.
More information on the final Fifth Contaminant Candidate List (CCL 5).
EPA and Keweenaw Bay Indian Community in Michigan Begin New Project to Build Resilience at Coastal and Shoreline Habitats
Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency held its first meeting with the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community in Michigan to begin a technical assistance project funded by the American Rescue Plan. EPA and KBIC officials met to discuss risks to human health and the environment from contaminated waste and coastal erosion in specific areas along the Keweenaw Bay shoreline on Lake Superior.
“The traditional territory of the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community includes coastal and shoreline habitats which are critical places for culturally-important species, foods, medicines and gathering,” said EPA Regional Administrator Debra Shore. “EPA is helping the KBIC assess the risks posed by flooding and coastal erosion and develop conceptual design options for five green infrastructure projects to protect its shoreline areas from climate change and natural disasters.”
“KBIC feels very fortunate to be selected to receive assistance through the EPA Equitable Resilience Technical Assistance program,” said KBIC CEO Brigitte LaPointe-Dunham. “This assistance will provide important cultural preservation to continue our way of living on the L'Anse Indian Reservation without concern. Additionally, we are excited for the assessment to be performed and designs to be brought forward that will complete the shoreline project and ultimately mitigate the identified risks to critical infrastructure and ecosystems.”
Portions of the KBIC’s land are contaminated with mining waste. Some areas also face significant challenges from coastal erosion which could threaten drinking water intakes and other critical infrastructure. EPA and the KBIC's Natural Resources Department will assess environmental and human health risks along the Lake Superior shoreline. Together, they will develop design options for green infrastructure projects.
Through technical assistance programs, EPA provides vital resources, including experts, to communities in need. Equitable Resilience Technical Assistance projects build resilience against effects from climate change, natural disasters, and/or industrial or hazardous materials risk. The resilience measures will build community capacity to prepare for, withstand, recover from, and maintain its identity in the face of these risks.
EPA’s Office of Community Revitalization is providing Equitable Resilience Technical Assistance to four state and tribal governments in 2022. EPA’s assistance will be informed by community-based organizations in each location to ensure that the projects are centered on the vision of those who live and work in these communities. This effort is part of EPA’s commitment to achieving environmental justice by elevating community efforts to address legacy injustices made worse by a changing climate and the COVID-19 pandemic.
For more information on Equitable Resilience Technical Assistance, please visit EPA’s website.
“The traditional territory of the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community includes coastal and shoreline habitats which are critical places for culturally-important species, foods, medicines and gathering,” said EPA Regional Administrator Debra Shore. “EPA is helping the KBIC assess the risks posed by flooding and coastal erosion and develop conceptual design options for five green infrastructure projects to protect its shoreline areas from climate change and natural disasters.”
“KBIC feels very fortunate to be selected to receive assistance through the EPA Equitable Resilience Technical Assistance program,” said KBIC CEO Brigitte LaPointe-Dunham. “This assistance will provide important cultural preservation to continue our way of living on the L'Anse Indian Reservation without concern. Additionally, we are excited for the assessment to be performed and designs to be brought forward that will complete the shoreline project and ultimately mitigate the identified risks to critical infrastructure and ecosystems.”
Portions of the KBIC’s land are contaminated with mining waste. Some areas also face significant challenges from coastal erosion which could threaten drinking water intakes and other critical infrastructure. EPA and the KBIC's Natural Resources Department will assess environmental and human health risks along the Lake Superior shoreline. Together, they will develop design options for green infrastructure projects.
Through technical assistance programs, EPA provides vital resources, including experts, to communities in need. Equitable Resilience Technical Assistance projects build resilience against effects from climate change, natural disasters, and/or industrial or hazardous materials risk. The resilience measures will build community capacity to prepare for, withstand, recover from, and maintain its identity in the face of these risks.
EPA’s Office of Community Revitalization is providing Equitable Resilience Technical Assistance to four state and tribal governments in 2022. EPA’s assistance will be informed by community-based organizations in each location to ensure that the projects are centered on the vision of those who live and work in these communities. This effort is part of EPA’s commitment to achieving environmental justice by elevating community efforts to address legacy injustices made worse by a changing climate and the COVID-19 pandemic.
For more information on Equitable Resilience Technical Assistance, please visit EPA’s website.
EPA Awards Nearly $3M in Research Grants to Identify and Measure Economic Benefits of Improved Water Quality
WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced grants to four universities totaling $2,964,932 for research to refine the measurement of benefits of water quality improvements, either directly or through indicators.
“At EPA, we know that when we take action to protect and improve our water resources, communities see economic and environmental benefits in return. That’s why the Agency is supporting research to improve the scientific basis behind the measurement of these benefits,” said Chris Frey, Assistant Administrator for EPA’s Office of Research and Development. “The research funding announced today will help communities and environmental experts better estimate the costs and benefits of improved local water conditions, especially in underserved and overburdened communities.”
Across the United States, the beneficial impacts of healthy waterbodies can be extensive. These benefits include recreational uses such as swimming, boating, and wildlife viewing as well as increased property values and reduced drinking water treatment costs. Quantifying these benefits can help support national, state, tribal, and local water quality decision-making.
However, there are many gaps in the existing research, such as the valuation of water quality improvements in many areas, the benefits of improvements to coastal areas, and how water quality changes may impact underserved communities. To address these and other research gaps, the funded projects will evaluate economic benefits and costs, including predicting the environmental justice and other distributional consequences of surface water quality improvements nationwide.
The following universities are receiving awards:
University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minn., to identify water quality improvements and river restoration along the Mississippi River to improve the understanding of the benefits, costs, and equity considerations of investments that improve water quality.
University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wis., to collect data and select models quantifying stressors in watersheds to estimate the economic benefits of surface water quality improvements in nationwide locations in a scientifically valid manner.
University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, to use a two-stage model to produce regional water quality valuation estimates for three under-studied regions.
University of Missouri, Columbia, Mo., to conduct research with community partners to assess how different populations value water quality improvements and aquatic resources in Midwest reservoirs.
Learn more about the funded recipients.
Learn more about EPA research grants.
“At EPA, we know that when we take action to protect and improve our water resources, communities see economic and environmental benefits in return. That’s why the Agency is supporting research to improve the scientific basis behind the measurement of these benefits,” said Chris Frey, Assistant Administrator for EPA’s Office of Research and Development. “The research funding announced today will help communities and environmental experts better estimate the costs and benefits of improved local water conditions, especially in underserved and overburdened communities.”
Across the United States, the beneficial impacts of healthy waterbodies can be extensive. These benefits include recreational uses such as swimming, boating, and wildlife viewing as well as increased property values and reduced drinking water treatment costs. Quantifying these benefits can help support national, state, tribal, and local water quality decision-making.
However, there are many gaps in the existing research, such as the valuation of water quality improvements in many areas, the benefits of improvements to coastal areas, and how water quality changes may impact underserved communities. To address these and other research gaps, the funded projects will evaluate economic benefits and costs, including predicting the environmental justice and other distributional consequences of surface water quality improvements nationwide.
The following universities are receiving awards:
University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minn., to identify water quality improvements and river restoration along the Mississippi River to improve the understanding of the benefits, costs, and equity considerations of investments that improve water quality.
University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wis., to collect data and select models quantifying stressors in watersheds to estimate the economic benefits of surface water quality improvements in nationwide locations in a scientifically valid manner.
University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, to use a two-stage model to produce regional water quality valuation estimates for three under-studied regions.
University of Missouri, Columbia, Mo., to conduct research with community partners to assess how different populations value water quality improvements and aquatic resources in Midwest reservoirs.
Learn more about the funded recipients.
Learn more about EPA research grants.
EPA Highlights $11 Million for Clean School Buses in Southeast Michigan
CHICAGO (November 2, 2022) — Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recognized Ypsilanti Community Schools and Dearborn Public Schools in southeast Michigan as Fiscal Year 2022 recipients of EPA's Clean School Bus Program rebate competition. The school districts will receive up to a total of $11 million from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to help purchase 28 zero-emission school buses for cleaner air in and around their schools.
In Ypsilanti, EPA Region 5 Administrator Debra Shore, Congresswoman Debbie Dingell, and Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) Director Liesl Clark joined school district leaders on a tour an electric school bus and highlighted how these vehicles will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, save schools money, and better protect children’s health. The investment will also drive demand for American-made batteries and vehicles, boost domestic manufacturing, and create good-paying jobs.
“Thanks to the Clean School Bus program, Ypsilanti and Dearborn are making significant progress in providing a healthier environment for their students, bus drivers, and school staff,” said EPA Region 5 Administrator Debra Shore. “Upgrading to electric school buses is a major win for these communities that will reduce harmful air pollution in and around schools. EPA is proud to be able to partner with them and help move our country forward towards a cleaner, healthier future.”
“We know that diesel exhaust from school buses has a negative impact not only on our environment, but on the health of our children, teachers, bus drivers, and the surrounding communities,” said Congresswoman Debbie Dingell. “With this funding from the Clean School Bus program, Dearborn and Ypsilanti will be able to take diesel buses off the roads, reducing our carbon emissions and ensuring the air our children breathe on the way to school is cleaner and free from dangerous pollutants.”
“These grants are forward-focused in two crucial ways,” said Michigan EGLE Director Liesl Clark. “They protect the health of our children and generations to come in Michigan’s promising clean-energy future, and they move us toward the ambitious goals we’ve set to reduce our carbon footprint and avert the worst impacts of the climate crisis.”
Ypsilanti Community Schools will receive up to $3.9 million to help purchase up to 10 electric school buses.
“The 10 electric buses purchased with the $3.9 million will help us provide cleaner transportation to our students and benefit our community by decreasing our carbon footprint,” said Dr. Carlos Lopez, Assistant Superintendent, Ypsilanti Community Schools. “These electric buses could eliminate more than 2 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions each year which can result in a reduction in the number of children who are exposed to high levels of air pollutants. Overall, this will improve the quality of life for our residents throughout Michigan and the world.”
Dearborn Public Schools will receive up to $7.1 million to help purchase up to 18 electric buses.
“We are excited to be one of several school districts in our state to receive this funding, allowing us to purchase up to 18 electric school buses. Adding these vehicles to our fleet will provide us with the opportunity to evaluate this new technology and how it performs in the real-world environment year-round,” said Dr. Glenn Maleyko, Superintendent of Dearborn Public Schools. “The Dearborn Public Schools has a long history of educating students on the importance of being good stewards of the environment and the addition of electric school buses will reinforce the importance of that message.”
Last week, EPA announced the selection of 389 applications totaling $913 million to support the purchase of 2,463 buses, 95% of which will be electric. EPA will distribute awards to school districts in all 50 states, Washington D.C., along with several federally recognized Tribes and U.S. territories. School districts identified as priority areas serving low-income, rural, and, or Tribal students make up 99% of the projects that were selected. More applications are under review, and the agency plans to select more to reach the full $965 million in the coming weeks.
In Michigan, EPA is awarding more than $50 million to 25 school districts to help purchase 138 clean school buses.
These awards are among the first $1 billion of a five-year, $5 billion program created by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. EPA is also designing the next rounds of program funding to launch in the coming months, which will include an ambitious grant competition. Through future rounds of funding, EPA will make available another $1 billion for clean school buses in Fiscal Year 2023. EPA encourages school districts not selected in the first round of rebates – and those that did not apply this funding cycle – to participate in future rounds.
About the Clean School Bus Rebate Program
The Clean School Bus Program will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, save money for school districts, and produce cleaner air. Diesel air pollution is linked to asthma and other conditions that harm students’ health and cause them to miss school, particularly in communities of color and Tribal communities. Phasing out these diesel engines will ensure cleaner air for students, bus drivers, and school staff working near the bus loading areas, and the communities through which the buses drive each day. The reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from these bus replacements will also help to address the outsized role of the transportation sector in fueling the climate crisis. The program will also save school districts money as they upgrade school bus fleets, replacing older, heavily polluting buses with brand new clean school buses, while freeing up needed resources for schools.
The 2022 Clean School Bus Rebates prioritize low-income, rural, and Tribal communities. The vast majority of applicants met the priority definition under the 2022 Clean School Bus Rebates criteria, resulting in access to more funds for buses and electric vehicle infrastructure for schools in areas that need them the most. The program also delivers on President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative, which aims to deliver 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal investments to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized, underserved and overburdened by pollution.
View the full list of Clean School Bus award recipients here.
In Ypsilanti, EPA Region 5 Administrator Debra Shore, Congresswoman Debbie Dingell, and Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) Director Liesl Clark joined school district leaders on a tour an electric school bus and highlighted how these vehicles will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, save schools money, and better protect children’s health. The investment will also drive demand for American-made batteries and vehicles, boost domestic manufacturing, and create good-paying jobs.
“Thanks to the Clean School Bus program, Ypsilanti and Dearborn are making significant progress in providing a healthier environment for their students, bus drivers, and school staff,” said EPA Region 5 Administrator Debra Shore. “Upgrading to electric school buses is a major win for these communities that will reduce harmful air pollution in and around schools. EPA is proud to be able to partner with them and help move our country forward towards a cleaner, healthier future.”
“We know that diesel exhaust from school buses has a negative impact not only on our environment, but on the health of our children, teachers, bus drivers, and the surrounding communities,” said Congresswoman Debbie Dingell. “With this funding from the Clean School Bus program, Dearborn and Ypsilanti will be able to take diesel buses off the roads, reducing our carbon emissions and ensuring the air our children breathe on the way to school is cleaner and free from dangerous pollutants.”
“These grants are forward-focused in two crucial ways,” said Michigan EGLE Director Liesl Clark. “They protect the health of our children and generations to come in Michigan’s promising clean-energy future, and they move us toward the ambitious goals we’ve set to reduce our carbon footprint and avert the worst impacts of the climate crisis.”
Ypsilanti Community Schools will receive up to $3.9 million to help purchase up to 10 electric school buses.
“The 10 electric buses purchased with the $3.9 million will help us provide cleaner transportation to our students and benefit our community by decreasing our carbon footprint,” said Dr. Carlos Lopez, Assistant Superintendent, Ypsilanti Community Schools. “These electric buses could eliminate more than 2 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions each year which can result in a reduction in the number of children who are exposed to high levels of air pollutants. Overall, this will improve the quality of life for our residents throughout Michigan and the world.”
Dearborn Public Schools will receive up to $7.1 million to help purchase up to 18 electric buses.
“We are excited to be one of several school districts in our state to receive this funding, allowing us to purchase up to 18 electric school buses. Adding these vehicles to our fleet will provide us with the opportunity to evaluate this new technology and how it performs in the real-world environment year-round,” said Dr. Glenn Maleyko, Superintendent of Dearborn Public Schools. “The Dearborn Public Schools has a long history of educating students on the importance of being good stewards of the environment and the addition of electric school buses will reinforce the importance of that message.”
Last week, EPA announced the selection of 389 applications totaling $913 million to support the purchase of 2,463 buses, 95% of which will be electric. EPA will distribute awards to school districts in all 50 states, Washington D.C., along with several federally recognized Tribes and U.S. territories. School districts identified as priority areas serving low-income, rural, and, or Tribal students make up 99% of the projects that were selected. More applications are under review, and the agency plans to select more to reach the full $965 million in the coming weeks.
In Michigan, EPA is awarding more than $50 million to 25 school districts to help purchase 138 clean school buses.
These awards are among the first $1 billion of a five-year, $5 billion program created by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. EPA is also designing the next rounds of program funding to launch in the coming months, which will include an ambitious grant competition. Through future rounds of funding, EPA will make available another $1 billion for clean school buses in Fiscal Year 2023. EPA encourages school districts not selected in the first round of rebates – and those that did not apply this funding cycle – to participate in future rounds.
About the Clean School Bus Rebate Program
The Clean School Bus Program will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, save money for school districts, and produce cleaner air. Diesel air pollution is linked to asthma and other conditions that harm students’ health and cause them to miss school, particularly in communities of color and Tribal communities. Phasing out these diesel engines will ensure cleaner air for students, bus drivers, and school staff working near the bus loading areas, and the communities through which the buses drive each day. The reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from these bus replacements will also help to address the outsized role of the transportation sector in fueling the climate crisis. The program will also save school districts money as they upgrade school bus fleets, replacing older, heavily polluting buses with brand new clean school buses, while freeing up needed resources for schools.
The 2022 Clean School Bus Rebates prioritize low-income, rural, and Tribal communities. The vast majority of applicants met the priority definition under the 2022 Clean School Bus Rebates criteria, resulting in access to more funds for buses and electric vehicle infrastructure for schools in areas that need them the most. The program also delivers on President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative, which aims to deliver 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal investments to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized, underserved and overburdened by pollution.
View the full list of Clean School Bus award recipients here.
EPA Awards California $609 Million in Historic Federal Funding to Improve Water Quality
SAN FRANCISCO (November 2, 2022) — Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced funding to the State of California for water infrastructure improvements under the Biden-Harris Administration’s historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). California has been awarded more than $609 million in capitalization grants through the State Revolving Funds (SRFs) to supplement the state’s annual base SRF funding of $144 million.
The announcement was made at the Keyes Community Services District (Keyes CSD), a community water system that was recently awarded $10.4 million in SRF loan forgiveness funding, to improve drinking water quality and compliance at four groundwater wells serving several small, disadvantaged communities in the area.
“Just over five years ago, our community was confronting a failing drinking water system,” said Ernest Garza, General Manager of the Keyes Community Service District. “But with assistance through the State Revolving Fund, we were able to consolidate multiple smaller systems, insert a treatment system for arsenic, and afford the system’s long-term operation and maintenance. And now, again with SRF assistance through a $10 million grant, we are adding a filtration system to capture 1,2,3-Trichloropropane. The cost of all these would have been prohibitive—increasing rates beyond what our community could bear. Without these grants, we would not be able to provide safe drinking water to our customers.”
The capitalization grants mark the first significant distribution of water infrastructure investments to California following passage of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The BIL allocates more than $50 billion toward repairing the nation’s essential water infrastructure, in turn helping communities access clean, safe and reliable drinking water, prevent flooding, collect and treat wastewater to protect public health, and safeguard vital waterways.
“All communities need access to clean, reliable, safe water,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “Thanks to President Biden’s leadership and the resources from the historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we are repairing aging water infrastructure, replacing lead service lines, cleaning up contaminants, and making our communities more resilient in the face of floods and climate impacts.”
“President Biden has been clear—we cannot leave any community behind as we rebuild America’s water infrastructure,” said EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Martha Guzman. “With the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, nearly half of the additional State Revolving Funds will now be grants or fully forgivable loans, making access to these critical water resources easier for small, rural, and disadvantaged communities such as the community here in Keyes, California.”
The California State Water Resources Control Board is the administrator of the state’s Clean Water and Drinking Water SRF programs, providing communities a permanent, independent source of low-cost financing for a wide range of water quality infrastructure projects.
“In just the last two years alone, California has invested $9 billion to make our communities more drought-resilient and our partnership with the Biden-Harris Administration will further accelerate our efforts,” said Yana Garcia, California Secretary for Environmental Protection. “Adding this historic federal funding provides nothing short of a transformational opportunity to upgrade our aging infrastructure so it can withstand the impacts of drought and climate change. We are grateful for the support of federal partners who share the same bold vision and sense of responsibility toward the future that has driven our state’s environmental policies for decades.”
EPA’s State Revolving Funds are part of President Biden’s Justice40 initiative, which aims to deliver at least 40% of the benefits from certain federal programs to underserved communities. Furthermore, nearly half the funding available through the SRFs, thanks to the BIL, must be grants or forgivable loans that remove barriers to investing in essential water infrastructure in underserved communities across rural America and in urban centers.
Capitalization grants will continue to be awarded, on a state-by-state basis, over the course of the next four years. As grants are awarded, the state SRF programs can begin to distribute the funds as grants and loans to communities across their state.
“Drought and climate change are exposing the limitations of our 20th century water infrastructure, which decades of exclusion and disinvestment in disadvantaged communities have only exacerbated,” said E. Joaquin Esquivel, chair of the State Water Resources Control Board. “To overcome these challenges, the State Water Board will leverage our financial resources, like the BIL funding, to increase levels of loan forgiveness so that we can help more struggling systems provide safe drinking water and adapt to our changed climate."
More information about funding is available on EPA’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law webpage.
Learn more about California’s Drinking Water State Revolving Fund and Clean Water State Revolving Fund Programs.
Learn more about EPA’s Pacific Southwest Region. Connect with us on Facebook and on Twitter.
The announcement was made at the Keyes Community Services District (Keyes CSD), a community water system that was recently awarded $10.4 million in SRF loan forgiveness funding, to improve drinking water quality and compliance at four groundwater wells serving several small, disadvantaged communities in the area.
“Just over five years ago, our community was confronting a failing drinking water system,” said Ernest Garza, General Manager of the Keyes Community Service District. “But with assistance through the State Revolving Fund, we were able to consolidate multiple smaller systems, insert a treatment system for arsenic, and afford the system’s long-term operation and maintenance. And now, again with SRF assistance through a $10 million grant, we are adding a filtration system to capture 1,2,3-Trichloropropane. The cost of all these would have been prohibitive—increasing rates beyond what our community could bear. Without these grants, we would not be able to provide safe drinking water to our customers.”
The capitalization grants mark the first significant distribution of water infrastructure investments to California following passage of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The BIL allocates more than $50 billion toward repairing the nation’s essential water infrastructure, in turn helping communities access clean, safe and reliable drinking water, prevent flooding, collect and treat wastewater to protect public health, and safeguard vital waterways.
“All communities need access to clean, reliable, safe water,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “Thanks to President Biden’s leadership and the resources from the historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we are repairing aging water infrastructure, replacing lead service lines, cleaning up contaminants, and making our communities more resilient in the face of floods and climate impacts.”
“President Biden has been clear—we cannot leave any community behind as we rebuild America’s water infrastructure,” said EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Martha Guzman. “With the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, nearly half of the additional State Revolving Funds will now be grants or fully forgivable loans, making access to these critical water resources easier for small, rural, and disadvantaged communities such as the community here in Keyes, California.”
The California State Water Resources Control Board is the administrator of the state’s Clean Water and Drinking Water SRF programs, providing communities a permanent, independent source of low-cost financing for a wide range of water quality infrastructure projects.
“In just the last two years alone, California has invested $9 billion to make our communities more drought-resilient and our partnership with the Biden-Harris Administration will further accelerate our efforts,” said Yana Garcia, California Secretary for Environmental Protection. “Adding this historic federal funding provides nothing short of a transformational opportunity to upgrade our aging infrastructure so it can withstand the impacts of drought and climate change. We are grateful for the support of federal partners who share the same bold vision and sense of responsibility toward the future that has driven our state’s environmental policies for decades.”
EPA’s State Revolving Funds are part of President Biden’s Justice40 initiative, which aims to deliver at least 40% of the benefits from certain federal programs to underserved communities. Furthermore, nearly half the funding available through the SRFs, thanks to the BIL, must be grants or forgivable loans that remove barriers to investing in essential water infrastructure in underserved communities across rural America and in urban centers.
Capitalization grants will continue to be awarded, on a state-by-state basis, over the course of the next four years. As grants are awarded, the state SRF programs can begin to distribute the funds as grants and loans to communities across their state.
“Drought and climate change are exposing the limitations of our 20th century water infrastructure, which decades of exclusion and disinvestment in disadvantaged communities have only exacerbated,” said E. Joaquin Esquivel, chair of the State Water Resources Control Board. “To overcome these challenges, the State Water Board will leverage our financial resources, like the BIL funding, to increase levels of loan forgiveness so that we can help more struggling systems provide safe drinking water and adapt to our changed climate."
More information about funding is available on EPA’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law webpage.
Learn more about California’s Drinking Water State Revolving Fund and Clean Water State Revolving Fund Programs.
Learn more about EPA’s Pacific Southwest Region. Connect with us on Facebook and on Twitter.