WORLD NEWS | EPA to allocate $100 million for environmental justice program

WASHINGTON, Jan. 10 (AP) — The Environmental Protection Agency said Tuesday it is offering $100 million in competitive grants for projects that advance environmental justice in communities disproportionately affected by industrial pollution and other hazards.

The funding, established under the Climate and Health Act of 2022 signed by President Joe Biden, marks the largest environmental justice grant ever made by the agency. These projects are among the first in a projected $3 billion block grant for underserved communities authorized under the new law.

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The program will be overseen by EPA’s new Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights, which EPA Administrator Michael Regan created last year. The office includes more than 200 staff at EPA headquarters and 10 US regions.

“From day one, President Biden has pledged to prioritize environmental justice and equity for all, and the EPA is at the heart of that mission,” Reagan said.

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The funding announced Tuesday “is a critical step that will help build strong partnerships with communities across the country and bring us closer to a more just and equitable future for all,” Reagan said.

Grant applications are due April 10, and projects are expected to begin as soon as October, the EPA said.

Senator Tammy Duckworth, D-Illinois, co-chair of the Senate Environmental Justice Caucus, said the grants would “help achieve results in long-neglected environmental justice communities,” including Chicago’s South Side and An industrial area in Louisiana is often nicknamed “Cancer Alley.” The area includes dozens of chemical plants, oil refineries, fertilizer plants and other industrial sites that chronically pollute air and water and cause health problems for nearby residents.

Access to clean air and clean water isn’t just an environmental issue, Duckworth said: “It’s an issue of health and safety, systemic racism, and persistent discrimination against low-income communities. Every American should Access to clean air and water — regardless of their zip code, color of skin or salary.”

The EPA said it will provide $30 million in direct grants to community-based nonprofits and partners and set aside $5 million for small community groups with five or fewer full-time employees.

The program will also provide $70 million in funding to states, local governments and federally recognized tribes. (Associated Press)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from a Syndicated News feed, the content body may not have been modified or edited by LatestLY staff)