EPA Press Office:

Biden-Harris Administration Announces $2 Billion to Fund Environmental and Climate Justice Community Change Grants as Part of Investing in America Agenda

EPA’s Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights announces the largest single investment in environmental justice in history, funded by President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act

Contact: EPA Press Office (press@epa.gov)

WASHINGTON (Nov. 21, 2023) — Today, the Biden-Harris administration announced approximately $2 billion in funding available to support community-driven projects that deploy clean energy, strengthen climate resilience, and build capacity for communities to tackle environmental and climate justice challenges. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) Community Change Grants are the single largest investment in environmental justice going directly to communities in history, and will advance collaborative efforts to achieve a healthier, safer, and more prosperous future for all. These funds, part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, are made possible by the President’s Inflation Reduction Act—the biggest-ever investment in clean energy and climate action.

“Throughout my Journey to Justice tour, I’ve heard from residents and advocates calling for resources to support local solutions in communities that have long been overlooked and forgotten,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “Today, thanks to President Biden’s commitment to investing in communities that have long struggled to access federal funding, we are delivering on these calls to action. This historic, unprecedented funding has the promise to turn disadvantaged and overburdened areas into healthy, resilient, and thriving communities for current and future generations.”

“For far too long, communities that have borne the brunt of power plant and industrial pollution have been left out and left behind,” said John Podesta, Senior Advisor to the President for Clean Energy Innovation and Implementation. “The Inflation Reduction Act and President Biden’s Justice40 initiative change that by bringing new investment, clean energy, and good-paying jobs to disadvantaged communities.”

“President Biden is leading a whole-of-government effort to confront longstanding environmental injustices and inequities,” said White House Council on Environmental Quality Chair Brenda Mallory. “Thanks to this historic funding covered under the President’s Justice40 Initiative, we are investing in locally-driven solutions to make a positive difference for communities that have suffered from pollution, underinvestment, and decades of disproportionate environmental impacts. Investments like these show how we are delivering on the President’s ambitious environmental justice agenda and his commitment to build more equitable and resilient communities for generations to come.”

The Community Change Grants deliver on President Biden's historic commitment to advance equity and justice, including his Justice40 Initiative. The Community Change Grants will deliver 100 percent of the benefits of this program to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution. This program also dedicates $200 million of Inflation Reduction Act funding to provide technical assistance to applicants and grant recipients, which will enhance the ability of disadvantaged communities to access resources for environmental and climate justice activities.

The activities to be performed under the grants are expected to fall under the following categories:

• Climate resiliency and adaptation.
• Mitigating climate and health risks from urban heat islands, extreme heat, wood heater emissions, and wildfire events.
• Community-led air and other (including water and waste) pollution monitoring, prevention, and remediation.
• Investments in low- and zero-emission and resilient technologies and related infrastructure.
• Workforce development that supports the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and other air pollutants.
• Reducing indoor toxics and indoor air pollution.
• Facilitating the engagement of disadvantaged communities in state and federal advisory groups, workshops, rulemakings, and other public processes.

The Community Change Grants Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), administered through the Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights (OEJECR), has several unique characteristics to advance environmental and climate justice, many of which are responsive to feedback and input the agency has heard from communities. These include: 

• Rolling Applications: The NOFO will be open for a year, closing on November 21, 2024, and EPA will review applications on a rolling basis. This allows applicants to utilize technical assistance and possibly resubmit a new application if not initially selected. EPA encourages applicants to apply as early as possible.
• Two-track Submission Processes: Applications can be submitted under two separate tracks depending on the project scope and funding requested.
  • Track I, Community-Driven Investments for Change, is expected to award approximately $1.96 billion for 150 projects for $10-20 million each.
  • Track II, Meaningful Engagement for Equitable Governance, is expected to award approximately $40 million for 20 projects for $1-3 million each.
• Oral Presentations: Track I applicants may also be invited to participate in an oral presentation. These oral presentations will enable EPA reviewers to hear directly from the applicants and their partners to learn more about community priorities, desired outcomes, and plans for long-term sustainability. This new format is responsive to community requests to engage with EPA in more accessible ways.
• Target Investment Areas: Out of the $2 billion in funding, EPA has identified five Target Investment Areas (TIA) to help ensure that communities with unique circumstances, geography, and needs can equitably compete for funding. These are:
  • Tribes in Alaska: $150 million for projects benefitting Indian Tribes in Alaska including funds for cleanup of contaminated lands.
  • Tribes: $300 million for projects benefitting Tribal communities in the other states. 
  • Territories: $50 million for projects benefitting disadvantaged communities in the United States’ territories of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands.
  • Disadvantaged Unincorporated Communities: $50 million for projects benefitting small and rural areas that lack fixed, legally determined geographic boundaries, such as Colonias.
  • U.S.-Southern Border Communities: Consistent with EPA’s longstanding commitment to addressing transborder pollution challenges, $100 million for projects benefitting non-Tribal disadvantaged communities within 100 kilometers north of the U.S.-Mexico border.
• Technical Assistance: The $200 million for technical assistance is available in direct response to feedback from communities and environmental justice leaders who have long called for capacity building support for communities and their partners as they work to access critical federal resources. With this funding, there are two TA programs dedicated for the Community Change Grants. Applicants can learn more about, and express interest in, the technical assistance on EPA’s Community Change Grants Technical Assistance webpage.

Read the Community Change Grants NOFO.

OEJECR will also host multiple informational webinars while the NOFO is open, with the first being held on December 7, 2023. These webinars will address questions, and some may facilitate the formation of partnerships and information sharing. More information on upcoming webinars can be found on EPA’s Inflation Reduction Act Community Change Grants Program webpage.

Learn more about environmental justice at EPA

Learn more about Inflation Reduction funding at EPA

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 OEJECR on X (formerly Twitter): @EPAEnvJustice.

Background

The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) created the Environmental and Climate Justice Program, the largest investment in environmental and climate justice in U.S. history when it was signed into law by President Biden on August 16, 2022. Under this program, EPA was provided $3 billion to award grants and fund related technical assistance to benefit disadvantaged communities. 

Earlier in 2023, EPA issued a Request for Information, held a dedicated consultation with EPA’s National Environmental Justice Advisory Council, and hosted multiple webinars to gain public input on innovative strategies and approaches for competition design, community engagement, equitable distribution of financial resources, grantee eligibility for funding, capacity-building and outreach, and more. This feedback was crucial in designing key elements of the Community Change Grants and this NOFO, including the Target Investment Areas, incorporating oral presentations, the rolling application period, and more. EPA thanks everyone for their incredibly valuable time and input, which ensured the creation of a more inclusive and accessible grant program.

 EPA Press Office:

Biden-Harris Administration Announces $2B to Fund Environmental and Climate Justice Community Change Grants as Part of Investing in America Agenda

EPA’s Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights announces the largest single investment in environmental justice in history, funded by President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act

Contact Information: EPA Press Office (press@epa.gov)

WASHINGTON — Today, the Biden-Harris administration announced approximately $2 billion in funding available to support community-driven projects that deploy clean energy, strengthen climate resilience, and build capacity for communities to tackle environmental and climate justice challenges. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) Community Change Grants are the single largest investment in environmental justice going directly to communities in history, and will advance collaborative efforts to achieve a healthier, safer, and more prosperous future for all. These funds, part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, are made possible by the President’s Inflation Reduction Act—the biggest-ever investment in clean energy and climate action.

“Throughout my Journey to Justice tour, I’ve heard from residents and advocates calling for resources to support local solutions in communities that have long been overlooked and forgotten,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “Today, thanks to President Biden’s commitment to investing in communities that have long struggled to access federal funding, we are delivering on these calls to action. This historic, unprecedented funding has the promise to turn disadvantaged and overburdened areas into healthy, resilient, and thriving communities for current and future generations.”

“For far too long, communities that have borne the brunt of power plant and industrial pollution have been left out and left behind,” said John Podesta, Senior Advisor to the President for Clean Energy Innovation and Implementation. “The Inflation Reduction Act and President Biden’s Justice40 initiative change that by bringing new investment, clean energy, and good-paying jobs to disadvantaged communities.”

“President Biden is leading a whole-of-government effort to confront longstanding environmental injustices and inequities,” said White House Council on Environmental Quality Chair Brenda Mallory. “Thanks to this historic funding covered under the President’s Justice40 Initiative, we are investing in locally-driven solutions to make a positive difference for communities that have suffered from pollution, underinvestment, and decades of disproportionate environmental impacts. Investments like these show how we are delivering on the President’s ambitious environmental justice agenda and his commitment to build more equitable and resilient communities for generations to come.”

The Community Change Grants deliver on President Biden's historic commitment to advance equity and justice, including his Justice40 Initiative. The Community Change Grants will deliver 100 percent of the benefits of this program to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution. This program also dedicates $200 million of Inflation Reduction Act funding to provide technical assistance to applicants and grant recipients, which will enhance the ability of disadvantaged communities to access resources for environmental and climate justice activities.

The activities to be performed under the grants are expected to fall under the following categories:

• Climate resiliency and adaptation.
• Mitigating climate and health risks from urban heat islands, extreme heat, wood heater emissions, and wildfire events.
• Community-led air and other (including water and waste) pollution monitoring, prevention, and remediation.
• Investments in low- and zero-emission and resilient technologies and related infrastructure.
• Workforce development that supports the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and other air pollutants.
• Reducing indoor toxics and indoor air pollution.
• Facilitating the engagement of disadvantaged communities in state and federal advisory groups, workshops, rulemakings, and other public processes.

The Community Change Grants Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), administered through the Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights (OEJECR), has several unique characteristics to advance environmental and climate justice, many of which are responsive to feedback and input the agency has heard from communities. These include: 

• Rolling Applications: The NOFO will be open for a year, closing on November 21, 2024, and EPA will review applications on a rolling basis. This allows applicants to utilize technical assistance and possibly resubmit a new application if not initially selected. EPA encourages applicants to apply as early as possible.
• Two-track Submission Processes: Applications can be submitted under two separate tracks depending on the project scope and funding requested.
  • Track I, Community-Driven Investments for Change, is expected to award approximately $1.96 billion for 150 projects for $10-20 million each.
  • Track II, Meaningful Engagement for Equitable Governance, is expected to award approximately $40 million for 20 projects for $1-3 million each.
• Oral Presentations: Track I applicants may also be invited to participate in an oral presentation. These oral presentations will enable EPA reviewers to hear directly from the applicants and their partners to learn more about community priorities, desired outcomes, and plans for long-term sustainability. This new format is responsive to community requests to engage with EPA in more accessible ways.
• Target Investment Areas: Out of the $2 billion in funding, EPA has identified five Target Investment Areas (TIA) to help ensure that communities with unique circumstances, geography, and needs can equitably compete for funding. These are:
  • Tribes in Alaska: $150 million for projects benefitting Indian Tribes in Alaska including funds for cleanup of contaminated lands.
  • Tribes: $300 million for projects benefitting Tribal communities in the other states. 
  • Territories: $50 million for projects benefitting disadvantaged communities in the United States’ territories of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands.
  • Disadvantaged Unincorporated Communities: $50 million for projects benefitting small and rural areas that lack fixed, legally determined geographic boundaries, such as Colonias.
  • U.S.-Southern Border Communities: Consistent with EPA’s longstanding commitment to addressing transborder pollution challenges, $100 million for projects benefitting non-Tribal disadvantaged communities within 100 kilometers north of the U.S.-Mexico border.
• Technical Assistance: The $200 million for technical assistance is available in direct response to feedback from communities and environmental justice leaders who have long called for capacity building support for communities and their partners as they work to access critical federal resources. With this funding, there are two TA programs dedicated for the Community Change Grants. Applicants can learn more about, and express interest in, the technical assistance on EPA’s Community Change Grants Technical Assistance webpage.

Read the Community Change Grants NOFO.

OEJECR will also host multiple informational webinars while the NOFO is open, with the first being held on December 7, 2023. These webinars will address questions, and some may facilitate the formation of partnerships and information sharing. More information on upcoming webinars can be found on EPA’s Inflation Reduction Act Community Change Grants Program webpage.

Learn more about environmental justice at EPA.

Learn more about Inflation Reduction funding at EPA.

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 OEJECR on X (formerly Twitter): @EPAEnvJustice .

Background

The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) created the Environmental and Climate Justice Program, the largest investment in environmental and climate justice in U.S. history when it was signed into law by President Biden on August 16, 2022. Under this program, EPA was provided $3 billion to award grants and fund related technical assistance to benefit disadvantaged communities. 

Earlier in 2023, EPA issued a Request for Information, held a dedicated consultation with EPA’s National Environmental Justice Advisory Council, and hosted multiple webinars to gain public input on innovative strategies and approaches for competition design, community engagement, equitable distribution of financial resources, grantee eligibility for funding, capacity-building and outreach, and more. This feedback was crucial in designing key elements of the Community Change Grants and this NOFO, including the Target Investment Areas, incorporating oral presentations, the rolling application period, and more. EPA thanks everyone for their incredibly valuable time and input, which ensured the creation of a more inclusive and accessible grant program.

 EPA Press Office:

Coffeyville Resources Refining & Marketing LLC Will Pay More Than $23 Million to Address Clean Air Act Violations and Offset Environmental Harm Related to its Kansas Refinery

WASHINGTON (Nov. 20, 2023) – The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Justice today announced a settlement with Coffeyville Resources Refining & Marketing LLC and its affiliated companies (CRRM) for violations of the Clean Air Act and a previous consent decree related to operation of its petroleum refinery in Coffeyville, Kansas. These violations resulted in illegal emissions of various pollutants including an EPA estimate of over 2,300 excess tons of sulfur dioxide (SO2), a pollutant that can make breathing more difficult, from the refinery’s flares from 2015 to 2017.

 

The United States and the State of Kansas allege that CRRM violated numerous provisions of a 2012 consent decree and the Clean Air Act. Under the settlement, CRRM will spend at least $1 million on a project to benefit the public and environment of Kansas and implement measures costing up to $9 million to prevent future violations and redress the environmental harm caused by their unlawful conduct. The company will also pay more than $13 million in penalties to the United States and Kansas.

 

“The settlement with Coffeyville delivers on the promise of EPA’s new climate enforcement strategy by reducing greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to the annual emissions of 10,000 cars,” said Assistant Administrator David M. Uhlmann for EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “In addition, the actions we are taking alongside our state partners in Kansas will reduce harmful air pollution that makes breathing more difficult and causes smog, acid rain, and tree and plant damage.”  

 

“This settlement demonstrates that the United States will take decisive action to address Clean Air Act violations, to enforce the terms of consent decrees and to promote environmental justice,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “The emissions reductions achieved under this settlement will result in healthier air for a community disproportionately affected by air pollution, including for residents of the nearby Cherokee Nation.”

 

“We are committed to protecting people and families in the communities where they live,” said EPA Region 7 Administrator Meg McCollister. “In addition to the emission controls provided in the settlement, this order requires CRRM to invest $1 million in an environmental project to be approved by the state of Kansas, which will directly benefit the citizens of the state.”

 

Since the United States and Kansas began investigating CRRM’s alleged non-compliance in 2016, CRRM’s efforts to come into compliance with Clean Air Act requirements have already eliminated more than 39,000 tons per year of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from excessive flaring of waste gas, equivalent to using nearly 4 million fewer gallons of gasoline per year. In addition, EPA estimates that the flare gas recovery system required by the consent decree lodged today will further reduce yearly emissions of greenhouse gases by 12,888 tons, equivalent to using 1.3 million fewer gallons of gasoline annually and will also reduce yearly emissions of SO2 by 1.7 tons and nitrogen oxide (NOx) by 9.57 tons.  NOx is a primary contributor to the formation of smog.

 

In 2020, the United States and Kansas sought more than $6.8 million in stipulated penalties from CRRM because of the company’s alleged violations of the 2012 consent decree – primarily regarding its failure to properly monitor SO2 emissions from flaring. Various refinery processes lead to flaring or burning of waste gases which emit various pollutants into the atmosphere, including carbon dioxide, methane, and SO2. The U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas held CRRM liable for the stipulated penalties and the company appealed the decision.  

 

Also in 2020, the United States and Kansas alleged additional Clean Air Act violations at the refinery, resulting in excess emissions of SO2 in a community already disproportionately impacted by air pollution. Exposure to SO2 can harm breathing and particularly affects those with asthma, children, and older adults. High concentrations of SO2 can lead to formation of other sulfur oxides and ultimately small particles, which can contribute to particulate matter pollution, acid rain and tree and plant damage.

 

The consent decree, which the United States filed today, resolves the stipulated penalties demand and violations identified in the complaint. CRRM must:

 

• Pay more than $6.8 million in stipulated penalties awarded by the court and $183,000 in stipulated penalties for additional violations of the 2012 consent decree; 

• Pay more than $6.2 million in additional penalties for Clean Air Act violations alleged in the complaint; 

• Spend at least $1 million on an environmentally beneficial project to be approved by the State of Kansas; 

• Undertake various measures to facilitate future compliance with the Clean Air Act;

• Reduce NOx emissions from refinery heaters; and 

• Build an approximately $9 million flare gas recovery system to reduce the refinery’s flaring. 

 

EPA Region 7, EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance, and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment investigated the case. The Department of Justice’s ENRD Environmental Enforcement Section and the State of Kansas prosecuted the case.

 

The consent decree, lodged in the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas, is subject to a 30-day public comment period and final court approval. The consent decree will be available for viewing at the 2023 Coffeyville Resources Refining & Marketing, LLC Clean Air Act Settlement Information Sheet.

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 EPA Press Office:

EPA Proposes Stronger Rules to Protect People from Persistent, Bioaccumulative, and Toxic Chemical Exposures

WASHINGTON (Nov. 20, 2023) – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a proposed rule to further protect people from exposure to two chemicals that are toxic, remain in the environment for long periods of time, and accumulate in the body. Both decabromodiphenyl ether (decaBDE) and phenol, isopropylated phosphate (3:1) (PIP (3:1)) are persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic (PBT) chemicals that were subject to risk management rules under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). 

EPA’s proposed rule would impose workplace safety protections and restrict water releases. It would also address broader implementation issues affecting the supply chains of various industry sectors including the nuclear energy sector, transportation, construction, agriculture, forestry, mining, life sciences, and semiconductor production.

“Persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic chemicals can remain in the environment and our bodies for long periods of time, which makes it particularly important that EPA ensures protections are in place for these chemicals,” said Assistant Administrator for the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention Michal Freedhoff. “Today’s proposed rule will better protect workers and communities from dangerous chemical exposures, while also ensuring that critical uses of these chemicals can continue safely.” 

TSCA directed EPA to take expedited action on five PBT chemicals to reduce exposure and protect human health and the environment, and EPA finalized risk management rules in early January 2021. In February 2021, EPA announced that it would review actions taken under the previous Administration to ensure the Agency followed the science and the law. EPA also noted at that time that after the rules were finalized, manufacturers of a wide range of key consumer and commercial goods informed EPA that they were unable to meet compliance deadlines in the rules and warned of widespread economic disruption if changes were not made. 

In March 2021, in light of Executive Orders and other guidance provided by the Biden-Harris Administration, EPA opened a public comment period to collect additional comments on whether the rules sufficiently reduced exposures to the PBT chemicals, on implementation issues associated with the PBT final rules, and on whether to consider additional or alternative measures. This rule proposes to amend two of those five rules. EPA is not proposing to revise the existing regulations for the other three PBT chemicals (2,4,6-tris(tert-butyl)phenol (2,4,6-TTBP), hexachlorobutadiene (HCBD) and pentachlorothiophenol (PCTP)) at this time.

DecaBDE
DecaBDE is a flame retardant used in wire and cables for nuclear power generation facilities and multiple applications for aerospace and automotive vehicles including replacement parts. EPA has previously worked to reduce exposures from the larger class of flame retardants that include decaBDE, known as polybrominated diphenyl ethers. EPA has identified adverse human health effects associated with exposure to decaBDE, including damage to the development of the central nervous system and reproductive problems. Accordingly, EPA prohibited manufacturing, processing, and distribution in commerce of decaBDE and decaBDE-containing products or articles in its 2021 final rule, with a few exceptions.

This new proposed rule would require that workers use personal protective equipment (PPE) for some activities involving decaBDE not subject to the 2021 prohibitions, prohibit releases to water during manufacturing, processing, and distribution in commerce of decaBDE and decaBDE-containing products, and require entities intending to export decaBDE-containing wire and cable for nuclear power generation facilities to notify EPA. 

The rule would also extend the compliance date for processing and distribution in commerce of decaBDE-containing wire and cable insulation for use in nuclear power generation facilities until after the service life of the wire and cable. This extended compliance date allows for the nuclear power generation industry to move to alternatives to decaBDE-containing wire and cable that play a vital role in the operation of numerous safety systems required by Federal regulations for both safe operation and safe shutdown of nuclear facilities. Nuclear facilities need qualified wire and cable to operate safely, and new types of wire and cable can take years to be certified consistent with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission regulations. 

PIP (3:1)
PIP (3:1) is a plasticizer, a flame retardant, an anti-wear additive, or an anti-compressibility additive that has been used in hydraulic fluid, lubricating oils, lubricants and greases, various industrial coatings, adhesives, sealants, and plastic articles. It is also used in key consumer and commercial goods such as cellular telephones, laptop computers, and other electronic and electrical devices and industrial and commercial equipment used in various sectors including transportation, construction, agriculture, forestry, mining, life sciences, and semiconductor production. PIP (3:1) is toxic to aquatic plants, aquatic invertebrates, sediment invertebrates, and fish. EPA has identified adverse human health effects associated with exposure to PIP (3:1), including reproductive problems, neurological effects and damage to the liver, ovaries, heart and lungs.

Previously, EPA extended the compliance dates for articles containing PIP (3:1) to address the challenges that were inadvertently created by the original compliance dates in the January 2021 final rule to October 2024. Except for the exclusions and phase-outs for specific uses mentioned below, EPA is not proposing to further extend the October 2024 compliance date. 

In this rule, EPA proposes to further extend the compliance dates for some articles used in manufacturing equipment and the semiconductor industry. The proposed rule also includes new worker protections, including a requirement that workers use PPE during manufacturing and processing of PIP (3:1).

EPA has also proposed phasing out some uses of PIP (3:1) that were excluded from the prohibitions in the February 2021 rule. For example, some uses of PIP (3:1) in lubricants and greases that were excluded from the prohibitions in the previous rule would be subject to a 5-year phaseout under this proposed rule. EPA is also proposing to exclude the processing and distribution of PIP (3:1) for use in wire harnessing and electric circuit boards from prohibition.  

In the coming weeks, EPA will host a public webinar for anyone looking for an overview of the proposed regulatory action. The date, time and registration information will be announced soon. EPA will accept public comments on the proposed rule for 45 days following publication in the Federal Register via docket EPA-HQ-OPPT-2023-0376 at www.regulations.gov.

Learn more about today’s proposal.

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

 EPA Press Office:

EPA Selects Camden, NJ and New York City Projects to Receive Recycling Education and Outreach Grants as Part of America Recycles Day

On America Recycles Day and Anniversary of President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, EPA announces grants funded in part by the largest recycling investment in 30 years

NEW YORK (November 16, 2023) - Today, in conjunction with American Recycles Day, the Environmental Protection Agency selected a Camden, NJ schools project and an education campaign from the New York City Department of Sanitation (DSNY) to receive a total of $3.2 million in Recycling Education and Outreach (REO) grants in the region. Through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) and under President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, these grants focus on improving the effectiveness of residential and community recycling and composting programs through public education and outreach. 

“Today, on America Recycles Day, we are putting historic recycling investments into communities, made possible by President Biden’s Investing in America agenda,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “Two years ago today, the President signed the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and with it, unleashed unprecedented funding to enable Tribes and communities to update recycling and composting infrastructure, while also advancing education programs to increase recycling rates and reduce waste.”

“The Recycling Education and Outreach grant program is an opportunity for robust outreach and the expansion of important public services,” said EPA Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia. “We’re pleased that both organizations will focus on community-based programs that will instill the importance of everyone’s collective effort in keeping our cities clean and green.”  

Recycling Education and Outreach Grants

The Recycling Education and Outreach grant projects will help inform the public about local recycling and composting programs and focus on increasing collection rates and decreasing contamination of recycling streams across the nation.

The New York City Department of Sanitation (DSNY) has been selected to receive will receive $2 million. DSNY will implement an education outreach campaign and the citywide expansion of a curbside composting program, with a focus on historically underserved communities.

The Go Green Initiative Association, an environmental justice organization working in Camden, New Jersey, has been selected to receive close to $1.2million to advance single stream recycling and composting programs in public schools. These programs engage and positively influence the recycling behavior in lower-income communities.

These grants reflect the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to tackling environmental justice and the climate crisis. Many communities with environmental justice concerns carry a disproportionate environmental and human health burden from waste management. As part of President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative, 74% of the funding allocated in the REO grants will benefit environmentally overburdened communities. Proper recycling reduces the need to extract resources such as timber, water, and minerals for new products.

To learn more about the Recycling Education and Outreach funding, please visit: EPA’s Recipients and Selectees webpage.

America Recycles Day

Today marks both the 29th America Recycles Day, the second anniversary of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and the second anniversary of EPA’s National Recycling Strategy. The National Recycling Strategy was the first in a series of EPA strategies devoted to building a circular economy – one that reduces material use, redesigns materials, products, and services to be less resource intensive, and recaptures “waste” as a resource to manufacture new materials and products.

To build upon the goals of the recycling strategy, EPA released the Draft National Strategy to Prevent Plastic Pollution for public comment in April. The Draft Strategy outlines steps to reduce pollution during production, improve management of plastic materials throughout product lifecycles, and encourage actions to keep plastics out of national waterways and the environment. Future strategies will address food waste and electronics.

EPA also recently announced over $105 million for the selectees of the historic SWIFR grants for states and communities. These improvements will support a circular economy, help lower greenhouse gas emissions, as more efficient waste management systems are key to reducing energy consumption and the need for raw materials, while rebuilding our nation’s infrastructure, powered by well-paying jobs that don’t require four-year degrees.

Visit EPA’s website to learn more ways to reduce, reuse, and recycle. 

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: Iris M. Crawford, Crawford.iris@epa.gov (212 637-4360)

 EPA Press Office:

EPA Selects Two New York Indian Nations to Receive Solid Waste Grants as part of America Recycles Day

On America Recycles Day and Anniversary of President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, EPA announces grants funded in part by the largest recycling investment in 30 years

NEW YORK (November 16, 2023) - Today, the US. Environmental Protection Agency selected the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe and the Seneca Nation of Indians to receive a total of almost $2 million in Solid Waste for Recycling Grants. These grants, which are part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, will expand recycling infrastructure and education for waste management systems across both nations.

“Today, on America Recycles Day, we are putting historic recycling investments into communities, made possible by President Biden’s Investing in America agenda,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “Two years ago today, the President signed the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and with it, unleashed unprecedented funding to enable Tribes and communities to update recycling and composting infrastructure, while also advancing education programs to increase recycling rates and reduce waste.”

“These grants will support the Indian Nations’ efforts to advance environmentally sound waste management and infrastructure,” said EPA Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia. “These grants help meet a critical need for these nations and support pathways in waste reduction and promote recycling.”

Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling Grants for Tribes and Intertribal Consortia

The SWIFR grants for Tribes and Intertribal Consortia will enable Indian Nations to make improvements to their recycling and waste management systems, meeting Congress’ goal to create a stronger, more resilient, and cost-effective U.S. municipal solid waste recycling system. EPA Region 2 has announced the selection of two Nations to receive just over $1.9 million through the program.

They include:

The Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe (SRMT) has been selected to receive $1.5 million. The SRMT will use the funding to further develop its waste management infrastructure such as building a food waste composting facility, replace a diesel generator with an electric grid connection and more. This funding will complement an existing capital investment project and directly benefit communities along the St. Lawrence River.

The Seneca Nation of Indians has been selected to receive $457,888 to establish partnerships with community-based organizations, expand food waste collection and establish waste reuse opportunities. This grant will support the creation of four to five jobs and pay the labor needed for food scrap pick up, equipment and supplies.

These grants reflect the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to tackling environmental justice and the climate crisis. Many communities with environmental justice concerns carry a disproportionate environmental and human health burden from waste managment. As part of President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative, 100% of the funding allocated in EPA’s SWIFR for Tribes grants. Increased recycling and recycling education are a step in the right direction to reduce pollution as natural resource extraction and processing make up half of all global greenhouse gas emissions that drive the climate crisis.

To learn more about the Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling for Tribes and Intertribal Consortia funding, please visit: EPA’s Recipients and Selectees webpage.

America Recycles Day

Today marks both the 29th America Recycles Day, the second anniversary of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and the second anniversary of EPA’s National Recycling Strategy. The National Recycling Strategy was the first in a series of EPA strategies devoted to building a circular economy – one that reduces material use, redesigns materials, products, and services to be less resource intensive, and recaptures “waste” as a resource to manufacture new materials and products.

To build upon the goals of the recycling strategy, EPA released the Draft National Strategy to Prevent Plastic Pollution for public comment in April. The Draft Strategy outlines steps to reduce pollution during production, improve management of plastic materials throughout product lifecycles, and encourage actions to keep plastics out of national waterways and the environment. Future strategies will address food waste and electronics.

EPA also recently announced over $105 million for the selectees of the historic SWIFR grants for states and communities. These improvements will support a circular economy, help lower greenhouse gas emissions, as more efficient waste management systems are key to reducing energy consumption and the need for raw materials, while rebuilding our nation’s infrastructure, powered by well-paying jobs that don’t require four-year degrees.

Visit EPA’s website to learn more ways to reduce, reuse, and recycle. 

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: Iris M. Crawford, Crawford.iris@epa.gov (212 637-4360)