EPA Announces $13.9 Million In Environmental, Climate Justice Community Change Grants In PA

On July 25, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced $13.9 million in funding coming to Pennsylvania 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 the federal 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 Pennsylvania, nearly $14 million is being awarded to the LandForce Pittsburgh Conservation Corps and PowerCorpsPHL to work in disadvantaged neighborhoods in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia to expand and create critical infrastructure for upcycling and commercializing materials from urban tree waste. 

The project will offer workforce development and training for area residents to provide career pathways in land stewardship services and wood products.

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. 

Application Period Still Open

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.”

"These organizations recognized a need and took the steps to make their communities stronger now and in the future. This funding is a boost towards a cleaner environment while also building community capacity and addressing environmental justice,” said EPA Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator Adam Ortiz. "We will continue to partner with these groups and look forward to watching the progress that will be made."

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.

Click Here to see the full listing of the initial 21 organizations receiving a CCGP grant.

Related Grant Programs

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.

Visit the Community Change Grants and Technical Assistance webpage to learn more.

Visit EPA’s Environmental Justice webpage for more on this topic.

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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[Posted: July 25, 2024]  PA Environment Digest