EPA Environmental Awards Grants to Boost Health Across New England
In a decisive move to promote cleaner, healthier communities, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) awarded over $545,000 in Environmental Justice Small Grants to 14 nonprofit and tribal organizations throughout New England in an EPA Environmental Awards style. These grants most notably aim to tackle longstanding health and environmental challenges in low-income and underserved areas.
Addressing Local Needs With National Support
Each of the selected EPA environmental awards focus on communities that face disproportionate exposure to environmental risks. From inner-city neighborhoods to tribal lands, these groups will use funding to engage residents and address pollution, water quality, waste, and public health issues.
For instance, projects include:
- Improving air quality near schools and homes
- Educating residents on lead hazards and mold in aging buildings
- Restoring wetlands and riverbanks for flood protection
- Reducing toxic exposures from nearby industrial activity
Because many of these communities lack the resources to tackle these issues alone. That’s why EPA support empowers grassroots action that would otherwise be out of reach.
Promoting Environmental Justice
The EPA’s Environmental Justice Small Grants Program helps ensure that every American—regardless of income, race, or ZIP code—has access to a clean and safe environment. Through this funding, organizations can not only raise community awareness, but also promote public participation and build local capacity for lasting change. As a result, communities are better equipped to address environmental challenges from the ground up.
“Environmental justice is about equal protection,” said Curt Spalding, EPA Regional Administrator at the time. “In fact, these grants help communities most in need by giving them the tools and knowledge necessary to solve the problems they face every day.”
EPA Environmental Awards: From Awareness to Action
Moreover, the funded projects go beyond education, for they support real, measurable action. Whether it’s installing air filters in homes or planting trees to combat urban heat, these initiatives deliver direct environmental and health benefits. As a result, New England communities will see improved air and water quality, stronger resilience to climate change, and a higher quality of life.
This round of funding also most definitely reflects the EPA’s broader commitment to equity and sustainability. It also supports President Obama’s vision of healthier, more resilient communities across the nation.
“In fact, environmental justice is about equal protection for all,” said Curt Spalding, EPA Regional Administrator at the time. “That’s why these grants are so important. They help the communities most in need by providing the tools, resources, and also knowledge necessary to tackle the environmental problems they face every single day.”
Sources:
- EPA Environmental Justice Program
- EPA New England Regional Office
- Health Effects Institute: Air Pollution and Public Health
(Boston, Mass.—January 10, 2012)
