EPA Awards $800,000 in EJ Grants in 28 States

EPA is awarding approximately$800,000 in grants to organizations working with communities facing environmental justice challenges throughout the country. Forty grants, up to $20,000 each, are going to community-based organizations and local and tribal governments in 28 states for community projects aimed at addressing environmental and public health issues.

The projects will address a variety of issues including:

· educating youth about the harmful effects of toxicsubstances such as asbestos and lead paint in Chicago;

· educating Albuquerque, N.M. residents and businesses onways to properly dispose of hazardous waste;

· conducting residential energy efficiency workshops andtraining in Kansas City, Mo. for Spanish- speaking communities;

· identifying air pollutants from truck emissions and othersources at Port Newark in New Brunswick, N.J.;

· ensuring that citizens of Barrow, Alaska have a voice inthe decision making on local oil and gas development projects;

Financial assistance under the environmental justice small grants program is available to all non-profit organizations designated by the IRS or recognized by the state, territory, commonwealth or tribe in which it is located; city, township, county government and their entities; or federally recognized Native American tribal governments. In the 15 years since initiating the environmental justice small grants program, EPA has awarded more than $20 million in funding to assist 1,130 community-based organizations and local and tribal governments. For more information on the grants program