EPA Press Office:

EPA Announces New Initiatives to Strengthen HBCU Engagement and Environmental Partnerships

Latest actions build on EPA Administrator Regan’s commitment to deliver real results for Historically Black Colleges and Universities and surrounding communities

WASHINGTON – Today, July 31, at the United Negro College Fund’s UNITE 2024 Summit, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael S. Regan unveiled the latest actions under the Agency’s comprehensive engagement plan with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).  Later this year, EPA will launch a $2.5 million competitive grant opportunity to support HBCUs and partners. EPA will also appoint a permanent HBCU Outreach and Engagement Liaison within the Administrator’s Office, as well as the founding members of EPA’s first-ever HBCU-MSI Federal Advisory Council. These actions deliver on the Biden-Harris Administration’s whole-of-government investment efforts in HBCUs and reflect EPA’s commitment to achieving real results that empower students and support the communities that HBCUs serve. 

“HBCUs produce some of the best and brightest minds our country has to offer,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “At every level of this Administration, including Vice President Kamala Harris, HBCU graduates are delivering real results, and we’re more committed than ever to partnering and empowering HBCU students and leaders across the country. At EPA, HBCUs have a permanent seat at our table, so that these institutions remain at the forefront of the environmental movement.” 

$2.5 Million Competitive Grant Opportunity 

EPA is establishing a $2.5 million competitive grant opportunity to support collaboration among students and faculty from HBCUs. This program will focus on funding projects that advance workforce development, environmental education, and capacity building. It will also support community projects addressing environmental justice, climate change, water quality, and land health on campuses and in surrounding communities. A Notice of Funding Opportunity for this grant is expected to be issued in early October. 

Permanent HBCU Outreach and Engagement Liaison 

EPA will appoint a permanent HBCU Outreach and Engagement Liaison within the Administrator’s Office. This liaison will advise on initiatives related to HBCUs, ensuring these institutions are fully informed about EPA resources, funding opportunities, and engagement activities. The liaison will also facilitate coordination within EPA, maintaining a resource repository for both internal and external stakeholders. This appointment is a direct result of EPA’s commitment to turning bold promises into real results. 

HBCU-MSI Federal Advisory Council 

EPA will announce the inaugural members of its first-ever HBCU-MSI Federal Advisory Council. The council will offer strategic advice on leveraging the expertise within HBCU-MSIs to advance EPA's mission and support these institutions. The council will deliver independent recommendations on enhancing the participation of HBCU-MSIs in federal programs and diversifying EPA’s workforce. Selections for the council will be announced by Fall 2024, featuring representatives from academia, industry, community organizations, and local governments nationwide.   

Background 

HBCUs play a critical role in producing influential leaders and addressing environmental challenges. EPA has emphasized the importance of collaborating with HBCUs to support their communities and empower their students to engage in environmental and climate action. Our visits to HBCUs have involved hosting roundtables and dialogues, directly engaging with students, faculty, and other stakeholders about the vital role these institutions play in their communities. 

During Administrator Regan’s Journey to Justice Tour, leaders from Jackson State University, Tougaloo College, and Texas Southern University highlighted the need for greater opportunities for students to gain environmental field experience and for increased federal funding to address environmental challenges in vulnerable communities. These discussions have reinforced EPA's commitment to nurturing future environmental leaders and delivering real results from bold promises. 

In 2022, EPA established an internal advisory council to strengthen relationships with HBCUs. This council has identified enhanced opportunities for student recruitment and support through grants, contracts, transparent data sharing, and community engagement, which has informed our engagement plan with HBCUs and the announcements made today. 

HBCUs and Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) are pivotal in producing Black and minority graduates, particularly in STEM fields. Despite their significant contributions, these institutions face systemic barriers to accessing federal programs and resources. HBCUs often serve underserved communities, providing essential opportunities for economic mobility and academic advancement. 

For additional information on this grant and the three project areas, please visit EPA’s HBCU Engagement webpage.

For further information: EPA Press Office (Press@epa.gov)

 EPA Press Office:

Biden-Harris Administration Proposes Ban on Numerous Consumer and Workplace Uses of Cancer-Causing 1-Bromopropane to Protect Public Health

EPA proposal is latest action under nation’s premier chemical safety law, ensuring worker protections and advancing President Biden’s Cancer Moonshot

WASHINGTON – Today, July 31, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced a proposed rule under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) to safeguard public health and protect consumers and workers, with this latest proposal focused on the solvent 1-bromopropane (1-BP). Exposure to this chemical can cause serious health effects such as skin, lung, and intestinal cancer; damage to the liver, kidneys, and nervous system; and effects on the reproductive systems that lead to reduced fertility. If finalized, the rule would prohibit all but one consumer use of 1-BP, as well as some workplace uses.

EPA is also proposing worker protections for most industrial and commercial uses that would not be banned under the rule. These protections would help keep both workers and consumers safe from the harmful effects of 1-BP exposure and align with President Biden’s Cancer Moonshot, a whole-of-government approach to end cancer as we know it. This is the seventh existing chemical for which EPA has proposed a rule to address unreasonable risks under TSCA section 6(a) since Congress amended the law in 2016.

“The science shows that 1-BP can cause cancer and other serious health problems, and today’s action is an important step to use the power of our nation’s chemical safety law to finally protect people from this dangerous chemical and prevent cancer-causing exposure,” said Assistant Administrator for the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention Michal Freedhoff. “Our proposal would end all unsafe consumer exposures from this chemical and put strict protections in place for workers to ensure critical uses can continue safely.”

1-BP is a solvent that is widely used in cleaning and degreasing operations, spray adhesives and dry cleaning. 1-BP is also used in insulation for building and construction materials and in the manufacture of other chemicals. Consumer uses of 1-BP include aerosol degreasers, spot cleaners, stain removers and insulation.

EPA is proposing to protect the public from exposure to 1-BP by banning all consumer uses of this chemical except in insulation (because EPA determined that this use did not contribute to the unreasonable risk to people). The ban on consumer uses would begin to go into effect within six months after the final rule is published and would come fully into force within 15 months.

EPA is also proposing to ban some industrial and commercial uses of 1-BP for which EPA analysis identified safer alternatives. The ban on industrial and commercial uses would begin to go into effect six months after the final rule is published and would come fully into effect within 18 months. The industrial and commercial uses to be prohibited include:

• Dry cleaning, spot cleaning and stain removers.
• Adhesives and sealants.
• Coin and scissor cleaners.
• Automotive care products used as engine degreasers, brake cleaners and refrigerant flushes.
• Anti-adhesive agents used for mold cleaning and release products.
• Functional fluids used as refrigerants or cutting oils
• Arts, crafts and hobby materials.

The proposed rule would also require worker protections for several industrial and commercial uses of 1-BP that would continue but which EPA has determined contribute to the unreasonable risk to human health that must be addressed, including its use in vapor and aerosol degreasing, electronics and electronic and metal products. To continue these uses, non-federal workplaces would need to implement a Workplace Chemical Protection Program, including an exposure limit, within 12 months. EPA is also proposing to require the use of chemical-resistant gloves within six months for some uses for non-federal workplaces, including manufacturing, processing (which includes recycling) and disposal, to protect workers from exposures to 1-BP through the skin. Federal agencies (and federal contractors acting for or on behalf of the federal government) would be required to implement a Workplace Chemical Protection Program and use chemical-resistant gloves within three years.

Many workplaces already employ stringent controls to reduce exposures to 1-BP. For some workplaces, such as those using 1-BP in vapor degreasing, these existing controls may already sufficiently reduce exposure to meet the inhalation exposure concentration limit proposed in this rulemaking.

EPA encourages members of the public to read and comment on the proposed rule. EPA is especially interested in hearing perspectives on the feasibility and efficacy of the proposed requirements from entities that would be required to implement the proposed workplace protections, such as manufacturers, processors and users of 1-BP, as well as small quantity users, such as laboratories.

EPA will accept public comments on the proposed rule for 1-BP for 45 days following publication in the Federal Register.  Members of the public may submit comments to docket EPA-HQ-OPPT-2020-0471 at the Regulations.gov page.

EPA will host a public webinar to provide an overview of the proposal on Wednesday, August 28, 2024, at 1:00 p.m. EDT. Registration is available at the TSCA webinar page.

Learn more about today’s 1-BP proposal.

For further information: EPA Press Office (press@epa.gov)

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EPA Proposes Updated Cleanup Plan for Emmell’s Septic Landfill Superfund Site in Galloway, NJ

NEW YORK (July 30, 2024) - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is seeking public input on a proposed draft update to the 2008 cleanup plan for the Emmell’s Septic Landfill Superfund Site in Galloway Township, Atlantic County, New Jersey. Based on scientific study and new information, EPA is updating its cleanup plan to address soil contamination at the site that continues to impact groundwater quality.

The 30-day public comment period begins on July 30, 2024. EPA will host a virtual public meeting on August 7, 2024, at 6:00 p.m. to discuss the proposed plan, which will not be finalized until the agency considers public comments. You can register for the meeting by signing up at this link.

“The EPA encourages people to provide input on its proposal to use several cleanup methods at the Superfund site to further protect the Galloway Township community,” said EPA Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia. “This updated plan will allow us to effectively tackle the remaining sources of pollution in the soil and ensure the continued protection of the local community.”

The proposed update to the cleanup plan includes several key steps. The EPA will remove soil down to 5 feet and dispose of soil with elevated levels of contamination at a licensed facility off-site. For the remaining deeper soil, which is contaminated with volatile organic compounds (VOCs), the EPA will use treatments that either bind or break down the contaminants and help prevent the contamination from moving off-site. After treatment, the excavated area will be filled with clean soil and replanted.

Additionally, the cleanup update proposes to eliminate the installation of specialized wells that were required under the original cleanup. These wells, called biosparging wells, were designed to inject air into the groundwater, aiding naturally occurring bacteria in breaking down vinyl chloride, a harmful contaminant. However, recent sampling shows that vinyl chloride levels have decreased naturally and because of other remediation efforts at the site, making the biosparging wells unnecessary.

This updated plan builds on earlier efforts by EPA to control groundwater contamination at the site, including the construction of a groundwater pump and treatment system completed in 2010, followed by an expansion of the system in 2012. In 2017, the EPA further refined its cleanup plan by replacing drinking water wells that had been impacted by site-related contamination, and this project was completed in 2022.

Written comments on the proposed plan may be submitted to Joseph Gowers, Remedial Project Manager, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 290 Broadway – 19th Floor, New York, NY 10007 or via email: gowers.joe@epa.gov.

For additional background and to see the proposed cleanup plan, visit the Emmell’s Septic Landfill Superfund site profile page.

Follow EPA Region 2 on X and visit our Facebook page. For more information about EPA Region 2, visit our website.

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For further information: Contact: Stephen McBay, (212)-637-3672, mcbay.stephen@epa.gov

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EPA to Complete Major Phase of Cleanup at Former Unimatic Manufacturing Corp. Building

Demolition and soil cleanup come to an end as sediment cleanup and groundwater monitoring ramps up

Fairfield, N.J. (July 26, 2024) - Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced that it is delivering on its promise to Invest in America and clean up Superfund sites that have been waiting for funding. Using a total of about $30 million in funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, EPA has demolished the heavily contaminated building at the Unimatic Manufacturing Corp. Superfund site in Fairfield, N.J. and has finished removing contaminated soil from the site. In September, U.S. Army Corps contractors will dig up and remove sediment in wetlands and streams downstream from this site and will also monitor groundwater. EPA Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia and U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill joined state and local partners at the site today to celebrate the milestone and mark the beginning of the next phase of cleanup also funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. 

“Three years ago, I stood at this very site and made a promise that the EPA would use funding from the Biden-Harris Administration’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to clean up legacy pollution at our country’s most toxic sites,” said EPA Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia. “Today we have delivered on that promise here in Fairfield, with a cleaned-up property and the opportunity to redevelop it and make it into something better for the community.”

“This investment of $30 million in funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is a monumental step forward for Fairfield and for communities across New Jersey affected by toxic pollution,” said Senator Cory Booker. “New Jersey is home to the most Superfund sites in the nation, and I’m proud to see federal, state, and local partners come together to secure urgently needed funding for the cleanup of this heavily contaminated site. Addressing industrial pollution and transforming this site into a safer place for the community will pave the way for a healthier, more sustainable future for New Jersey residents.”

“I was proud to fight hard to pass the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which is not only funding construction of the Gateway Tunnel, but is helping us clean up toxic chemicals from former manufacturing plants across the Garden State – including the Unimatic Superfund Site. I first visited this site back in 2019, and it is so exciting to be back to see how our federal tax dollars continue to be used to clean up Unimatic and improve the quality of life for New Jerseyans. Thank you to the EPA and all who are working to remediate the Unimatic Superfund Site,” said Representative Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11).

“I applaud the Biden-Harris Administration, our Congressional delegation, the EPA, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for their commitment to making New Jersey safer as they continue work to clean up the former Unimatic Manufacturing Corp. site,” said Governor Phil Murphy. "I am pleased by the ongoing progress of this project and to see this work enter the next phase of sediment and groundwater cleanup. Thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we are continuing to make strides toward our goal of building a cleaner, greener future for New Jersey.”

“The DEP thanks the Biden-Harris Administration, the EPA and Representative Mikie Sherrill for securing Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funds to accelerate cleanup efforts that will ultimately allow the community to repurpose this former industrial site to better serve their needs,” said New Jersey Environmental Protection Commissioner Shawn M. LaTourette. “New Jersey has a long history of industrial pollution, and BIL funds have made it possible for communities across the state to start fresh and make transformational investments that enhance residents’ quality of life and the environment we share.”    

“The cleanup of this Superfund site is a great example of how the community and the EPA work together to alleviate the concerns of our residents by eliminating dangerous chemicals from our Township. There have been approximately 50 thousand tons of hazardous material removed from Fairfield. This has been accomplished through the oversight of the EPA without increasing the local tax one penny,” said Mayor of Fairfield Township William Galese. “On behalf of the grateful residents of Fairfield, I would like to thank the EPA for eliminating this threat from our town.”

The Unimatic Manufacturing Corporation site is one of 115 Superfund sites in New Jersey. The metals molding facility operated machines using lubricating oil that contained polychlorinated biphenyls, also referred to as PCBs. Wastewater from the facility contaminated the on-site building, soil and groundwater, including the soil on three nearby properties. As a result, EPA placed the Unimatic Manufacturing Corporation site on the Superfund Program’s National Priorities List in May 2014.

Prior to EPA’s involvement, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection oversaw the removal of approximately 5,000 tons of PCB-contaminated soil from the Unimatic property, which reduced some risk associated with the site. However, widespread PCB- and pesticide-contaminated soil remained in the subsurface, both underneath and outside the building footprint.

In 2021, EPA announced the cleanup at the site would advance as part of the first wave of sites to benefit from the $3.5 billion in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to help clean up polluted Superfund sites in communities.

EPA initiated the cleanup in 2023, demolishing the former Unimatic building in May and beginning to dig up and remove contaminated soil in October of that year. To date, EPA has removed over 50,000 tons of PCB and pesticide contaminated soil and replaced it with clean soil. In September, this first phase of the cleanup will come to an end and EPA will begin the second phase of cleanup work downstream of the site. EPA will dig up and remove PCB-contaminated sediment in wetlands and streams downstream from the site and monitor groundwater.

In 1980, Congress passed the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, known as Superfund. The law gave EPA the authority and funds to hold polluters accountable for cleaning up the most contaminated sites across the country. When no viable responsible party is found or cannot afford the cleanup, EPA steps in to address risks to human health and the environment using funds appropriated by Congress, like the funding provided by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

Visit the Unimatic Manufacturing Corporation Superfund Site profile page for additional background and site documents.

Follow EPA Region 2 on X and visit our Facebook page. For more information about EPA Region 2, visit our website.

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For further information: Contact: Stephen McBay, (212)-637-3672, mcbay.stephen@epa.gov

 EPA Press Office:

EPA Releases Draft Strategy to Better Protect Endangered Species from Insecticides

WASHINGTON – Today, July 25, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released its draft Insecticide Strategy for public comment, another milestone in the agency’s work to adopt early, practical protections for federally endangered and threatened (listed) species. The draft strategy identifies protections that EPA will consider when it registers a new insecticide or reevaluates an existing one. In developing this draft strategy, EPA identified protections to address potential impacts for more than 850 species listed by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS).

“Ensuring the safe use of insecticides is a critical part of EPA’s mission to protect endangered species and the environment,” said Deputy Assistant Administrator for Pesticide Programs for the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention Jake Li. “This draft strategy is another major step in the Biden-Harris Administration’s efforts to protect endangered species, support farmers and other insecticide users, and provide critical environmental protections for communities across the country.”

Today’s draft is part of EPA’s ongoing efforts to develop a more efficient, effective, and protective multichemical, multispecies approach to meeting its obligations under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). EPA focused the draft strategy on conventional insecticides used in agriculture in the lower 48 states, where approximately 34 million pounds of insecticides are applied each year. The draft identifies protections earlier in the pesticide review process, thus creating a far more efficient approach to evaluate and protect the FWS-listed species that live near these agricultural areas. 

This draft strategy also incorporates lessons learned from EPA’s draft herbicide strategy that the agency released last year to minimize the impacts of agricultural herbicides on listed species. For example, based on feedback on the draft herbicide strategy, EPA designed the mitigations in the draft insecticide strategy to maximize the number of options for farmers and other pesticide users. These mitigation options also consider farmers who are already implementing measures to reduce pesticide runoff and those who are located in areas less prone to pesticide runoff, such as flat lands and regions with less rain to carry pesticides off fields. These measures also include the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Resources Conservation Service practices and state or private stewardship measures that are effective at reducing pesticide runoff.

Similar to the herbicide strategy, the draft insecticide strategy uses the most updated information and processes to determine whether an insecticide will impact a listed species and identify protections to address any impacts. To determine impacts, the draft strategy considers where a species lives, what it needs to reproduce (e.g., food or pollinators), where the pesticide will end up in the environment, and what kind of impacts the pesticide might have if it reaches the species. These refinements greatly reduce the need for pesticide restrictions in situations that do not benefit species.

Once final, the insecticide strategy will expedite future ESA consultations with FWS. In the draft strategy, EPA identified mitigations to address the potential impacts of insecticides on listed species even before EPA completes the ESA consultation process—which in many cases, can take five years or more. Further, once EPA finalizes the Insecticide Strategy, the agency and FWS expect to formalize their understanding of how this strategy can inform and streamline future ESA consultations for insecticides. Through a separate initiative, EPA is addressing potential impacts of insecticides to listed species and critical habitats protected by the National Marine Fisheries Service.

EPA’s decades-long approach of trying to meet these obligations chemical-by-chemical and species-by-species is slow and costly, resulting in litigation against the agency and uncertainty for farmers and other pesticide users about the continued availability of many pesticides. At the beginning of 2021, EPA faced nearly 20 lawsuits covering thousands of pesticide products due to its longstanding failure to meet ESA obligations for pesticides. Now, all of those lawsuits have been resolved as a result of the Biden-Harris Administration’s new approaches for protecting endangered species, which include this draft strategy.

The draft Insecticide Strategy Framework and accompanying support documents are available in docket EPA-HQ-OPP-2024-0299 for public comment for 60 days.

Visit EPA’s website to learn more about how EPA’s pesticide program is protecting endangered species.

For further information: EPA Press Office (press@epa.gov)

 EPA Press Office:

Biden-Harris Administration Announces $20 Million Environmental and Climate Justice Community Change Grant to District of Columbia Organizations

PHILADELPHIA — (July 25, 2024) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced $20 million in funding for District of Columbia organizations to help disadvantaged communities tackle environmental and climate justice challenges through projects that reduce pollution, increase community climate resilience, and build community capacity.

Made possible by President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, the Community Change Grants Program is the single largest investment in environmental and climate justice in history. The funding announcement today is the first tranche of nearly $2 billion from the program that was designed based on community input to award grants on a rolling basis.

The National Housing Trust and D.C. Children’s Law Center will retrofit 785 homes in multifamily buildings in Washington D.C.—with a focus in the neighborhoods of Anacostia and Mt. Vernon Square—to improve indoor air quality, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and lower energy costs for residents. They also will invest in local workforce development to expand the number of contractors with skills and experience in multifamily housing retrofits.

“Our ability to deliver tangible results for communities depends on listening to them and developing innovative solutions through inclusive stakeholder engagement,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “Today, thanks to President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, EPA has selected the first cohort of community partnerships to solve emerging and longstanding environmental and climate justice challenges.”

“This funding will help improve the quality of life for District residents by improving air quality and reducing energy costs,” said EPA Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator Adam Ortiz. “It further demonstrates the Biden-Harris administration’s commitment to addressing the global challenge of climate change at the local community level.”   

These selections are among the first to come under the Community Change Grants Program’s rolling application process which is informed by robust stakeholder engagement and community feedback. The innovative rolling application process will ensure that applicants have ample time to prepare and take advantage of this historic resource.

The Community Change Grants Program Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), administered through EPA’s Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights, is still accepting applications through November 21, 2024. EPA will continue to review applications and announce selections on a rolling basis. 

The Inflation Reduction Act provides $2 billion to EPA to award grants that help disadvantaged communities and offer technical assistance. With these grants, EPA is delivering on this mission.

The Community Change Grants also deliver on President Biden’s commitment to advance equity and justice throughout the United States through his Justice40 Initiative to ensure that 40 percent of the overall benefits of certain federal investments go to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution.

The Community Change Grants Program is still accepting applications through November 21, 2024, so EPA encourages applicants to submit applications as soon as they completely meet the NOFO requirements.  EPA will be making additional selections on a rolling basis for the remainder of 2024. EPA also encourages interested applicants to apply for technical assistance as soon as possible, as the last day to request new technical assistance is August 16, 2024.

Read the Community Change Grants NOFO here: https://www.epa.gov/inflation-reduction-act/inflation-reduction-act-community-change-grants-program.

To learn more about the Community Change Grants and Technical Assistance: https://www.epa.gov/inflation-reduction-act/inflation-reduction-act-community-change-grants-program.

To learn more about environmental justice at EPA, visit: https://www.epa.gov/environmentaljustice.

For up-to-date information about the NOFO, including information on the webinars, 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 us on X (formerly Twitter): @EPAEnvJustice.

For further information: R3press@epa.gov

 EPA Press Release:

City of Springfield, Mass., selected to receive a nearly $20 million Environmental and Climate Justice Community Change Grant

EPA announces initial selections from $2 billion Inflation Reduction Act program—the largest single environmental justice investment in history—delivered by President Biden’s Investing in America agenda

Contact Information: Ellen Frank-Lajqi, Frank.Ellen@epa.gov, (617) 918-1031; EPA Region 1 Press Office (R1_Press@epa.gov)  

BOSTON (JULY 25, 2024)— Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced that the City of Springfield, and its partner Public Health Institute of Western Massachusetts, were selected to receive nearly $20 million in funding to help disadvantaged communities tackle environmental and climate justice challenges through projects that reduce pollution, increase community climate resilience, and build community capacity. Made possible by President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, the Community Change Grants Program is the single largest investment in environmental and climate justice in history. The funding announcement today is the first tranche of nearly $2 billion from the program that was designed based on community input to award grants on a rolling basis.

These selected applications are the first to come under the Community Change Grants Program’s rolling application process. Informed by robust stakeholder engagement and community feedback, the innovative rolling application process will ensure that applicants have ample time to prepare and take advantage of this historic resource. The Community Change Grants Program Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), administered through EPA’s Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights, is still accepting applications through November 21, 2024. EPA will continue to review applications and announce selections on a rolling basis. 

 “Our ability to deliver tangible results for communities depends on listening to them and developing innovative solutions through inclusive stakeholder engagement,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “Today, thanks to President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, EPA has selected the first cohort of community partnerships to solve emerging and longstanding environmental and climate justice challenges.”

“The City of Springfield and its residents have shared their vision for change—retrofitting homes and removing lead hazards, converting city buildings to clean energy and expanding the tree canopy, and investing in community solar and workforce training programs. Today we are helping to turn that vision into a reality by providing the community with the necessary resources to make that happen,” said EPA Regional Administrator David W. Cash. “This funding from the Inflation Reduction Act is a pivotal step in meeting our commitment to environmental and climate justice across New England. By listening to and collaborating with communities, we are ensuring that the benefits of this historic investment reach those who need it most.”

“With this nearly $20 million grant, Springfield will be able invest in safer and more resilient homes, restart its electric bikeshare program, plant hundreds of new trees, and so much more. All thanks to the Biden-Harris Administration’s Inflation Reduction Act and my 15% minimum tax on big corporations,” said U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren.

“Residents and advocates in Springfield are taking action to undo generations of pollution, and bringing to life a vision for the future that includes clean air to breathe, safe housing to live in, and green, renewable energy to power it all,” said U.S. Senator Edward J. Markey. “Their coalition of community organizations, local government agencies, and those most affected by environmental injustice embodies the mission of the Community Change Grant Program, coming together to get the job done. I thank the EPA for awarding nearly $20 million from the Inflation Reduction Act, which I fought hard for in Congress, to directly enable community-led action in Western Massachusetts.”

“My administration is proud of our collaborative efforts, led by our Development Services Division, along with other city departments and dedicated partner agencies, to receive this significant grant award. On behalf of our Springfield, thank you to the EPA for selecting us for this nearly $20 million grant. This funding, which was made possible thanks to President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, the largest climate investment in our nation’s history, will provide tangible benefits to our community including improved indoor and outdoor air quality and reduced Greenhouse Gas Emissions,” said City of Springfield Mayor Domenic J. Sarno. “I am also grateful to Congressman Neal for his continued leadership and advocacy on behalf of our Springfield and his support of our application for an EPA Community Change Grant. This is a critical time for cities like our Springfield to continue our efforts to reduce pollution and enhance our climate resilience, and also address environmental and climate justice challenges.  Springfield has a long history of being a regional leader in successful and effective climate action and we are looking forward to continuing to build upon our resilience.”

“We are building on our decades of collaboration with the City of Springfield on various community health issues and at this pivotal point addressing climate change. Together we will deepen strategies that are already in place and determined critical by community members as well as innovate new opportunities that will advance Springfield’s commitment to climate justice,” said Public Health Institute of Western Massachusetts Executive Director Jessica Collins. “We are excited and honored to be funded to partner with the Live Well Springfield coalition members, the City of Springfield and so many Springfield organizations in this project. We feel sure that our collaborative efforts will inform national action.”

 

Track I of the program, Community-Driven Investments for Change, is expected to award approximately $1.96 billion for 150 projects of $10-20 million each. Track I applicants will implement community-scale projects to address environmental and climate justice challenges. The City of Springfield’s application has been selected under Track I, and is the only selectee from New England in this initial selection cohort:

• Nearly $20 million to the City of Springfield and to the Public Health Institute of Western Massachusetts for “Green and Resilient Springfield.” The selectees will support the transformation of a post-industrial city toward resilience with this multi-faceted project. They will invest in a community solar project; retrofit 30 one- to four-unit homes to reduce energy use and improve indoor air quality; and complete home rehabilitation projects to remove lead and other pollution hazards. They will convert two city-owned buildings to non-grid clean energy sources and expand their use as community resilience hubs and emergency shelter locations. They also will expand tree canopy by planting 1,500 trees; restart a city e-bikeshare program; support a workforce development program for HVAC-R technicians; and complete other activities.

 

Track II, Meaningful Engagement for Equitable Governance, is expected to award approximately $40 million for 20 projects for $1-3 million each. Track II applicants will facilitate individual and community participation in governmental decision-making processes.

See the full listing of the initial 21 organizations receiving a CCGP grant and learn more about CCGP.

 

The Inflation Reduction Act provides $3 billion to EPA to award grants that help disadvantaged communities and offer technical assistance. With these grants, EPA is delivering on this mission.

The Community Change Grants also deliver on President Biden’s commitment to advance equity and justice throughout the United States through his Justice40 Initiative to ensure that 40 percent of the overall benefits of certain federal investments go to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution.

 

The Community Change Grants Program is still accepting applications through November 21, 2024, so EPA encourages applicants to submit applications as soon as they completely meet the NOFO requirements.  EPA will be making additional selections on a rolling basis for the remainder of 2024.

EPA also encourages interested applicants to apply for technical assistance as soon as possible, as the last day to request new technical assistance is August 16, 2024.

Read the Community Change Grants NOFO here: https://www.epa.gov/inflation-reduction-act/inflation-reduction-act-community-change-grants-program.

To learn more about the Community Change Grants and Technical Assistance: https://www.epa.gov/inflation-reduction-act/inflation-reduction-act-community-change-grants-program

To learn more about environmental justice at EPA, visit: https://www.epa.gov/environmentaljustice

For up-to-date information about the NOFO, including information on the webinars, 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 us on X (formerly Twitter): @EPAEnvJustice.

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 EPA Press Office:

EPA Announces Nearly $1 Million to Support Involving South Bronx Communities in Climate Resiliency Planning

NEW YORK— Today, July 25, 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced close to $1 million in funding for one selected application to help environmentally over-burdened communities tackle environmental and climate justice challenges through projects that reduce pollution, increase community climate resilience, and build community capacity. Made possible by President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, the Community Change Grants Program is the single largest investment in environmental and climate justice in history. The funding announcement today is the first tranche of nearly $2 billion from the program that was designed based on community input to award grants on a rolling basis.  

In this first round, EPA has selected the Bronx River Alliance with Youth Ministries for Peace and Justice as a partner to receive almost $1 million to convene a Bronx Climate Justice Task Force to ensure that communities have a voice in decisions made that will shape the future of climate resiliency in the Bronx. The taskforce will ensure that disadvantaged communities in the Bronx will be able to fully participate in planning and implementation decisions about coastal adaptation, habitat restoration, and related local, state, and federal infrastructure projects.     

 “Our ability to deliver tangible results for communities depends on listening to them and developing innovative solutions through inclusive stakeholder engagement,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “Today, thanks to President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, EPA has selected the first cohort of community partnerships to solve emerging and longstanding environmental and climate justice challenges.”   

“We congratulate the Bronx River Alliance and their partner Youth Ministries for Peace and Justice for being selected as a recipient of the Environmental and Climate Justice Community Change Grants to continue advancing and shaping climate justice and resiliency in the Bronx,” said Lisa F. Garcia, EPA Regional Administrator. “This grant of nearly 1 million dollars will create a Bronx Climate Justice Task Force that will help residents fully engage in planning processes and decisions related to adaptation, infrastructure projects, and more.”  

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Interim Commissioner Sean Mahar said, “The Biden-Harris Administration’s Inflation Reduction Act is making a difference in the lives of New Yorkers most affected by pollution and climate change. The investments complement the critical work DEC and our many partners are doing to help ensure equity and justice in the Bronx and across the state. We applaud EPA administrator Regan and Regional Administrator Garcia for this latest $1 million to help support environmental justice organizations on the front lines of creating positive change in their community.”  

“This critical federal grant, made possible by the Inflation Reduction Act I led to passage, will help the Bronx River Alliance, in partnership with Youth Ministries for Peace and Justice, convene a Bronx Climate Justice Task Force that will ensure disadvantaged communities in the Bronx have a voice in climate justice projects that reduce pollution, increase community climate resilience, and build community capacity,” said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. “I’m proud to have fought for the Inflation Reduction Act, the single largest investment in environmental and climate justice in history, and for funding opportunities like this, to give environmentally over-burdened communities a boost in the urgent fight against climate change.” 

“I want to wish a heartfelt congratulations to The Bronx River Alliance and Youth Ministries for Peace and Justice on receiving this crucial federal funding! This recognition of their work underscores the importance of collaborative initiatives in advancing climate resilience within our community. This effort not only addresses immediate climate-related challenges faced by Bronxites; it lays a foundation for future generations by implementing systemic solutions. Today's news is a significant stride towards shaping a sustainable and thriving future for all in the Bronx,” said Representative Ritchie Torres (NY-15).   

"We are incredibly thankful and excited to be a recipient of President Biden’s EPA Community Change awards. With this federal funding, we will be able to uplift longstanding environmental needs of under-resourced and disadvantaged communities in a borough of 1.5 million residents,” said The Bronx River Alliance Executive Director Siddhartha Sánchez. We will prioritize investments that build our community’s resilience to climate change through catalytic ecological restoration projects throughout the Bronx. By convening a Bronx Climate Justice Task Force to spearhead these initiatives, Bronx communities will be given a meaningful voice in government decision-mating processes, addressing historical gaps in equity and mitigating critical environmental and climate injustices."  

The selected application is the first to come under the Community Change Grants Program’s rolling application process to New York City.  The innovative rolling application process will ensure that applicants have ample time to prepare and take advantage of this historic resource. The Community Change Grants Program Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), administered through EPA’s Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights, is still accepting applications through November 21, 2024. EPA will continue to review applications and announce selections on a rolling basis.   

The Community Change Grants also deliver on President Biden’s commitment to advance equity and justice throughout the United States through his Justice40 Initiative to ensure that 40 percent of the overall benefits of certain federal investments go to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution.   

See the full listing of the initial 21 organizations receiving a CCGP grant and learn more about CCGP.  

The Community Change Grants Program is still accepting applications through November 21, 2024, so EPA encourages applicants to submit applications as soon as they completely meet the NOFO requirements.  EPA will be making additional selections on a rolling basis for the remainder of 2024. EPA also encourages interested applicants to apply for technical assistance as soon as possible, as the last day to request new technical assistance is August 16, 2024.  

Read the Community Change Grants NOFO here: https://www.epa.gov/inflation-reduction-act/inflation-reduction-act-community-change-grants-program.   

To learn more about the Community Change Grants and Technical Assistance: https://www.epa.gov/inflation-reduction-act/inflation-reduction-act-community-change-grants-program  

To learn more about environmental justice at EPA, visit: https://www.epa.gov/environmentaljustice  

For up-to-date information about the NOFO, including information on the webinars, 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 us on X (formerly Twitter): @EPAEnvJustice.  

Follow EPA Region 2 on X and visit our Facebook page. For more information about EPA Region 2, visit our website. 

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For further information: Iris M. Crawford (Crawford.iris@epa.gov) (212) 637-4360