LENEXA, KAN. (DEC. 16, 2021) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), announced $14.1 million in funding for environmental justice (EJ), grants for 133 grants through the program. Environmental Justice Small Grants (EJSG). Collaborative Problem Solving Cooperative Agreement programs.
Eight organizations are located in Missouri and Nebraska.EreThese grants will be awarded to those who are selected.
After the award process was completed successfully, 99 EJ Small Grant recipients were selected and each received up to $75,000, while 34 EJCPS grant recipients were awarded up to $200,000 each. The majority of these EJ grants received funds through the American Rescue Plan (ARP)..
Funded projectsCover a wide range of environmental justice issues, including: the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on air quality; indoor/outdoor air Quality; food access; community planning; EJ Tool development; water treatment Training; community agriculture; green jobs; infrastructure; emergency preparedness; toxic exposures; water Quality; Land reuse Support forHealthy homes.
Michael S., EPA Administrator, stated, “President Biden has made clear that delivering environmental justice is a priority for this administration, especially those communities most gravely impacted and the health outcome disparities due to pollution.” Regan.”Thanks for the president and Congress, today’s environmental Justice grants funded in large part through the American Rescue Plan will provide critical assistance to our most vulnerable and overburdened community.
We are happy that eight Region 7 organizations have been selected to receive funding that will enable our underserved communities address their environmental and health concerns, stated EPA Region 7 Administrator. Meghan A. McCollister. These community-driven projects aim to improve air quality, climate resilience, promote and support food security, and educate neighbors about issues ranging from energy efficiency and pandemic recovery.
Six Region 7 EJSG projectEach recipient was awarded a grant of $75,000 For full project descriptions, see Website of the EPAs(Click the Region 7 link at Page 1). Projects:
- City Sprouts (Omaha Nebraska): City Sprouts Victory Gardens Health Initiative
- Metropolitan Energy Center (Kansas City, Missouri): Kansas City Urban Heat Community Workshops
- Missouri Energy Care (St. Louis),: St. Louis needs inclusive sustainability
- PedNet Coalition (Columbia Missouri): Air Quality & Transportation Equity : Building community capacity for improving local environments and public safety
- Spark (Omaha, Nebraska): North Omaha Trail
- Springfield Community Gardens (Springfield Missouri). Springfield Community Gardens Environmental Justice Small Grants Project
Two EJCPS Region 7 projectsEach recipient was awarded a grant of $200,000 For full project descriptions, see Website of the EPAs (Page 16). Projects include:
- BikeWalkKC (Kansas City, Missouri): Getting Around KC – An evaluation of KC’s Zero Fare Bus Transit
- Mid-America Regional Council Community Services Corporation (Kansas City Missouri): Resilient People and Resilient Places: Creating a Community-Based Model for Climate Resilience in Metro Kansas City
Selections from EJ Small Grants
The 2021 EJ Small Grants Selections will benefit communities from 37 states as well as Washington DC, Puerto Rico, and Puerto Rico. These 99 projects, many of which were funded through the ARP cover a wide range environmental justice issues.
Also, in support President Bidens Executive orders 13985 14008EPA has created a new designation for small nonprofit organizations. This designation is for those with 10 or fewer full time employees. This effort reflects President’s Justice40 initiative, which was defined in EO 14008. It ensures that grant resources reach organizations with lower capacities that have historically struggled to receive federal funding. Eighty-three percent of the EJ Small Grant recipients this year are small non-profit organizations.
7 EJ Small Grants will also be available to support EPAs Ports Initiativebyaddressing air quality issuesatcoastalports,inland ports,andrail yards. These projects enable community stakeholders to engage effectively with operators and other stakeholders at nearby ports or rail facilities to influence decisions that could impact diesel engine emissions and related airquality.
Visit EPAs website to see a complete list of 99 organizations that have received an EJSG.
EJ Collaborative Problem Solving Selections
The 2021 EJ Collaborative problem-solving selections will be of benefit to communities in 24 states as well as Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico. These 34 projects address a wide range of environmental justice issues.
You can view the complete list of 34 EJCPS projects or learn more about EJCPS on the EPAs website.
Background on the American Rescue Plan Appropriation of the EPA
Earlier this year, EPA announced spending plans for the $100,000,000 in ARP funding appropriated to Congress in response to COVID-19 pandemic. $50 million was designated to improve ambient quality monitoring and $50 million was specifically designated for environmental justice. This is to address disproportionate environmental and public health harms in underserved areas through a variety of local initiatives.
$4.1 million was allocated to 21 EJ projects, out of $50 million in ARP appropriation. State/Tribal/Local EJ Cooperative Agreements (SEJCA).Awards program. The additional EJSG/EJCPS selections announced yesterday will represent approximately $9.55M of ARP funds. Additional funding is provided through regular annual appropriations by EPA. After the EJSG awards and EJCPS awards are made, EJ grants funded by ARP will be announced.
Learn more about EJ from EPA
On March 11, 2021 the American Rescue Plan Act of 2020 was approved by Congress. Visit: to learn more about ARP funding by EPAwww.epa.gov/arp.
Subscribe to EPA’s Environmental Justice listserv to get the latest information about events, funding opportunities, and webinars in environmental justice. [email protected]. Follow us on Twitter: @EPAEnvJustice.
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