$10 Million Award to University of Connecticut to Help Local Communities Address Environmental Justice Challenges Across New England
BOSTON (October 30, 2024) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced that the University of Connecticut's (UConn) Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Center (TCTAC) is open and accepting requests from communities and organizations across New England for technical assistance to help address local environmental justice challenges. EPA selected UConn to establish one of 18 TCTACs across the country and awarded UConn $10 million to support this work for five years.
UConn's TCTAC will provide critical support to overburdened communities in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont and federally recognized Tribes in New England. The assistance will help local communities navigate the federal grant application process, strengthen their capacity for community engagement, and ensure they can benefit from funding opportunities from the Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
"Too often, communities with the most pressing environmental justice concerns have been left behind due to barriers in accessing federal funding," said EPA New England Regional Administrator David W. Cash. "UConn's technical assistance center is a game-changer for New England and will provide greater access to services to ensure overburdened and underserved communities and our Tribal nations can access historic investments to address generational environmental and health disparities."
"As Connecticut's flagship university, UConn takes pride in service to our communities and helping to prepare them for the environmental challenges they face in the present and the future," says Pamir Alpay, UConn Vice President for Research, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship. "With the EPA's generous support, we are proud to extend our expertise and resourcefulness to support environmental justice throughout the cities, towns, and Tribes of New England."
U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal said: "Armed with this $10 million, UConn will support communities fighting to restore and preserve environmental resources. Aid from experienced experts will be particularly important to underserved areas facing economic and health inequities. This supremely smart investment benefits our entire state."
"Community leaders and grassroots organizations are the driving force behind Connecticut's conservation efforts, but too often, these small groups find it nearly impossible to navigate the bureaucratic red tape to access federal grants and programs," said U.S. Senator Chris Murphy. "I'm proud to see the federal government partnering with UConn to help ensure every community can fully benefit from the Biden-Harris Administration's historic investments in environmental justice."
"I am thrilled to see UConn's Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Center open and available to communities interested in accessing the suite of programs, benefits, and funding made available by the Biden Administration." said U.S. Representative John B. Larson. "The entire Connecticut Congressional delegation has worked together to secure federal funding and enact new incentives to unleash clean energy in our communities, strengthen public health, and make our state's infrastructure more resilient to climate change. This technical assistance center is a vital resource for ensuring that all people across New England can equitably advocate for their environmental interests. I will continue to work with UConn and our state and local partners to accomplish these goals and ensure a healthy environment for generations to come."
"The University of Connecticut's Technical Assistance Center is here to help communities across the state and region address the effects of climate change and prepare for a clean energy future," said U.S. Representative Joe Courtney. "This is particularly important in helping organizations unlock and use funding from the federal Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act that my colleagues and I championed in Congress. Under President Maric's highly skilled leadership and her strong background in energy sciences, the mission of the Assistance Center is in good hands."
UConn will partner with the following organizations to engage with local communities:
- Environmental Protection Network will provide region-wide support for community capacity building to address challenging health and environmental injustices, offer technical assistance, education and outreach, and conduct community engagement.
- Groundwork USA affiliates in Bridgeport, Conn., Lawrence, Mass., and Providence R.I., will coordinate outreach to urban-based community organizations and help tailor technical assistance to meet the diverse needs of urban communities.
- New England Rural Health Association in Vermont will coordinate outreach to rural community-based organizations via its more than 600 members and provide technical assistance to address environmental and energy needs as well as public transit, broadband and cell service.
- University of Massachusetts Boston's Institute for New England Native American Studies will coordinate the outreach to Tribes and Native non-profit organizations across the region and tailor location-based technical assistance to meet each tribe's unique needs.
- University of Southern Maine's New England Environmental Finance Center will provide sustainable solutions to fund and finance environmental and climate priorities and technical assistance to address climate adaptation and water infrastructure needs.
UConn's services can be requested through a website, email or by phone. UConn will assist eligible entities to identify funding resources and submit funding proposals, write and manage grants, and plan for grant and project implementation.
Background
The formation of the EJ technical assistance centers is in direct response to feedback from communities and environmental justice leaders who have long called for technical assistance and capacity building support for communities and their partners as they work to access critical federal resources. The 18 centers will provide comprehensive coverage for the entire United States through a network of over 160 partners including community-based organizations, additional academic institutions, and Environmental Finance Centers, so that more communities can access federal funding opportunities like those made available through President Biden's Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
The EJ TCTAC program is part of the Federal Interagency Thriving Communities Network and delivers on the Biden-Harris Administration's Justice40 Initiative to ensure that 40% of the benefits of certain federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities. The new technical assistance centers will help ensure communities with environmental justice concerns can access President Biden's historic investments in America to address generational disinvestment, legacy pollution, infrastructure challenges, and build a clean energy economy that will lower energy costs, strengthen our energy security, and meet our climate goals.
Learn more about UCONN's TCTAC.