EPA announces $1.27 million to fund environmental justice efforts in Alaska and the Pacific Northwest
Over $14.1 million will be awarded for projects to address disproportionate environmental or public health harms and risks in underserved communities nationwide
SEATTLE (Dec 16, 2021) — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is awarding $14.1 million in environmental justice grant funding for 133 projects selected through the Environmental Justice Small Grants and Collaborative Problem-Solving Cooperative Agreements programs nationwide. In EPA’s Alaska and Pacific Northwest Region, 12 projects will receive up to $1.27 million.
“President Biden has made it clear that delivering environmental justice is a top priority for this Administration, especially in communities most gravely impacted by the pandemic and health outcome disparities from pollution,” said Administrator Michael S. Regan. "Thanks to the President and Congress, today’s environmental justice grants funded by the American Rescue Plan will provide critical support to our most overburdened and vulnerable communities.”
Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving grants will benefit communities in more than 24 states, including three communities in Washington. Collaborative Problem-Solving grant recipients could receive up to $200,000 each, following successful completion of the award process. Projects selected for funding in Region 10 include:
• Front and Centered, WA – Create a community-based environmental monitoring, reporting, and enforcement system in the Duwamish River Valley, Skagit County, and Yakima County, through community outreach and education, developing an environmental monitoring tool, and a Community and Government Work Group to respond to reports of violations.
• Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, WA – Install an air monitoring network to provide real-time air quality data during the wildfire smoke season and provide data sharing and air quality education to help residents make informed decisions about their actions during times of high air pollution.
• Tulalip Tribes of Washington, WA – Use an E-Learning approach to risk communication on indoor air hazards by creating a set of 12 educational videos and gather feedback and insights from tribal communities that help ensure the videos are culturally tailored.
This year’s Environmental Justice Small Grants awards will benefit communities in more than 37 states, including nine communities in Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington. Selected Small Grant recipients could receive up to $75,000 each, following successful completion of the award process. Projects selected for funding in Region 10 include:
• Methow Valley Citizens Council, Washington – Build climate change resiliency for wildfire and wildfire smoke disaster preparedness.
• Traction: Design, Action, Research, Washington – Combat homelessness by envisioning and developing a master plan and demonstration project for a Tiny House Ecovillage in Seattle.
• Thurston Climate Action Team, Washington – Promote climate justice through public education and improving energy efficiency in homes in Thurston County.
• Vision Church, Washington – Provide COVID-19 relief through prevention education, free and accessible transportation to vaccination sites and distribution of EPA-approved disinfectant kits in Snohomish County.
• Collaborative Effort dba RAIN Incubator, Washington – Institute a green jobs career training program that will qualify graduates as Operators-in-Training in the water treatment field.
• Center for Instructional Organizing, Oregon – Provide training for air quality, water quality and environmental health risk assessment for low-income Latinx and Black Indigenous and People of Color families affected by the Almeda wildfire in the Talent area.
• Urban Gleaners, Oregon – Mitigate food insecurity by providing a link between organizations and businesses that have excess food, and people experiencing food insecurity in Washington and Multnomah counties.
• Anchorage Neighborhood Housing Services, Inc., Alaska – Provide community outreach and environmental education to reduce local greenhouse gas emissions.
• TerraGraphics International Foundation Inc., Idaho – Support environmental education on the Shoshone-Paiute Duck Valley Indian Reservation.
American Rescue Plan Appropriation to EPA
This year, EPA announced spending plans for $100 million in ARP funding appropriated for COVID-19 and health outcome disparities, with $50 million to improve air quality monitoring, and $50 million to address disproportionate environmental or public health harms and risks in underserved communities. Of this $50 million appropriation for environmental justice, $4.1 million went to support 21 projects under the State/Tribal/Local Environmental Justice Cooperative Agreement (SEJCA) awards program. The additional Environmental Justice Small Grants and Collaborative Problem-Solving selections announced today include $9.55 million of ARP funds, with additional funding by regular annual appropriations to EPA. Upcoming ARP-funded environmental justice grant activities will be announced after the Small Grants and Collaborative Problem-Solving awards are finalized.
To learn more about environmental justice at EPA, visit: https://www.epa.gov/environmentaljustice. For up-to-date information about funding opportunities, events, and webinars, subscribe to EPA's Environmental Justice listserv by sending a blank email to: [email protected] and follow us on Twitter: @EPAEnvJustice.
*A previous version of this release on 12-16-2021 stated the 12 projects will receive up to $1.35 million in funding. This has been corrected to $1.27 million on 12-17-2021.