Biden-Harris Administration Announces $1.5 Million for Environmental Justice Projects in Communities Across Wisconsin as Part of Investing in America Agenda
City of Milwaukee Environmental Collaboration Office and Reflo Inc. announced as part of largest investments through EPA’s Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem Solving Cooperative Agreement and Environmental Justice Government-to-Government grant p
WASHINGTON (Oct. 24, 2023) — Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced $1.5 million to fund two projects in Wisconsin that advance environmental justice as part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda. The City of Milwaukee Environmental Collaboration Office and community non-profit Reflo Inc., 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.
Thanks to President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act—the largest climate investment in U.S. history—this funding is a part the largest investment ever announced under these two longstanding EPA programs. This is the first in a series of environmental justice grant announcements the agency will announce before the end of the year.
“No President has invested more in environmental justice than President Biden, and under his leadership we’re removing longstanding barriers and meaningfully collaborating with communities to build a healthier future for all,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “Together, these community-driven projects will improve the health, equity, and resilience of communities while setting a blueprint for local solutions that can be applied across the nation.”
“Today’s historic announcement is one part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to ensuring all Americans have equal access to clean and safe communities," said EPA Region 5 Administrator Debra Shore. "Thanks to these transformative investments, EPA is empowering overburdened communities to address environmental or public health issues in their communities.”
“Every Wisconsinite deserves to live in a safe, clean environment, but sadly, some communities have been hit hard by legacy pollution, hurting residents’ health and our economy,” said Sen. Tammy Baldwin. “I am proud to support this investment that will help keep Milwaukee families healthy, open doors for young people interested in careers in sustainability, and make sure that no community is left behind.”
“Better awareness equals better access,” said Rep. Gwen Moore. “With this funding, my constituents can take better advantage of the resources and programs in our community to make their home environment safer and more energy efficient. I also support the funding to help more of our young people enter green careers. I am so pleased that the EPA continues to champion environmental justice, and I am thrilled to see direct funding flow toward our collective goal of equity.”
The grants announced today deliver on President Biden’s commitment to advance equity and justice throughout the United States. The two grant programs directly advance the President’s Justice40 initiative to deliver 40 percent of the overall benefits of certain federal investments to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution.
The Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem Solving (EJCPS) Program
EPA’s EJCPS program provides financial assistance to eligible organizations working to address local environmental or public health issues in their communities. The program builds upon President Biden’s Executive Orders 13985 and 14008, creating a designation of funds exclusively for small nonprofit organizations, which are defined as having 5 or fewer full-time employees, thus ensuring that grant resources reach organizations of lower capacity that historically struggle to receive federal funding. Eleven of the organizations selected for EJCPS this year are small nonprofit organizations, receiving over $1.6 million in total.
In Wisconsin, Reflo Inc. has been selected to receive $500,000 for a collaborative project to harmonize Milwaukee community-based organizations supporting summer high school environmental internships.
Environmental Justice Government-to-Government (EJG2G)
EPA’s EJG2G program provides funding at the state, local, territorial, and Tribal level to support government activities in partnership with community-based organizations that lead to measurable environmental or public health impacts in communities disproportionately burdened by environmental harms.
In Wisconsin, the city of Milwaukee Environmental Collaboration Office has been selected to receive $1 million for the Healthy Homes & ECO Neighborhoods project, which seeks to expand access to housing improvement programs and federal funding sources through collaborative outreach.
Additional Background:
From day one of his administration, President Biden has made achieving environmental justice a top priority. And in August 2022, Congress passed, and 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 appropriations to provide grants and technical assistance for activities advancing environmental and climate justice.
Under the Inflation Reduction Act, EPA has 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 Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Centers (EJ TCTACs) 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 has also launched and will award funds through the $550 million Thriving Communities Grantmaking Program before the end of 2023.
To learn more about environmental justice at EPA, visit our website.