Monday, January 27, 2014

Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem Solving Cooperative Agreements

Applications Must be Submitted by February 18, 2014

EPA's Office of Environmental Justice is reminding prospective applicants of its Request for Applications (RFA) for the 2014 Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving (EJCPS) Cooperative Agreement Program. The (EJCPS) Cooperative Agreement Program provides funding for eligible applicants for projects that address local environmental and/or public health issues within an affected community.

The EJCPS Program is designed to help eligible non-profit and Native American communities understand and address exposure to multiple environmental harms and risks at the local level.

The total estimated available funding for awards under this competitive opportunity is $1,200,000. Awards will be made in amounts of up to $120,000 per award for a two year project period.

Applications must be submitted by February 18, 2014.

Interested applicants are invited to participate in conference calls with EPA to address questions about the EJCPS Program and this solicitation. Participants may access the pre-application assistance calls by dialing 1-866-299-3188 and entering the code 202-564-1771 when prompted. The following are the conference call dates and times:

DateTime (Eastern Standard)
 
Saturday, January 25, 20141:00 - 2:30 p.m.
Wednesday, February 5, 2014 5:00 - 6:30 p.m.
 
More information regarding the EJCPS Program or contact Sheritta Woodruff Taylor at (202) 564-1771 

Friday, January 17, 2014

NEJAC Public Meeting

National Environmental Justice Advisory Council (NEJAC)
Public Meeting
February 11 – 12, 2014
Denver, Colorado


REGISTRATION NOW OPEN


(*Advance Registration closes February 5th*)

 
The next face-to-face meeting of the National Environmental Justice Advisory Council (NEJAC) will be held at the US EPA, Region 8 Conference Center, located at 1595 Wynkoop Street, Denver, CO 80202, on February 11 and 12, 2014. The meeting will include a public comment period.

Meeting Registration: Registration is required for everyone (including U.S. Environmental Protection Agency [EPA] and other federal employees). Pre-registration closes at Noon, Mountain Time, on Wednesday, February 5, 2014.

Because this NEJAC meeting will be held in a government space, they strongly encourage you to register early. Meeting materials will be prepared based on the number of participants who have pre-registered by that date. On-site registration will begin at 8:00 a.m. on February 11.

There are four easy ways to register:

  • Online: Click here https://nejac-denver2014.eventbrite.com to register online.
  • By E-mail: Send an e-mail to muriel.jasmin@epa.gov with “Register for the NEJAC February Meeting” in the subject line. Please provide your name, organization, mailing address (including city, state, and zip code), e-mail address, and telephone number for future follow-up as necessary.
  • By Fax: Print the Web page containing the registration form and fax to 202-564-1624.
  • By Phone: Leave a message at 202-564-4287. Please provide your name, job title, organization, mailing address, e-mail address, and telephone number for future follow-up as necessary.

  • Non-English speaking attendees wishing to arrange for a foreign language interpreter also may make appropriate arrangements by calling the number above or by sending an e-mail to the e-mail address above.

    Hotel Reservations. A limited number of rooms have been reserved at the prevailing government rate ($156) at the Westin Denver Downtown Hotel located at 1672 Lawrence Street, in Denver, Colorado. To make a room reservation, please contact the hotel at 888-627-8435 or 800 WESTIN1, and ask for the EPA Rooms Only Denver 2014 block. Reservations must be made by Wednesday, January 20th at 5:00 pm Mountain (7:00 p.m. Eastern), to receive the discounted rate.

    Public Comment Sign-Up: Members of the public who wish to speak during the Public Comment period should pre-register by Noon, Mountain Time, on Wednesday, February 5, 2014. To accommodate the large number of people who want to address the NEJAC, only one representative of a community, organization, or group will be allowed to speak.

    If time permits, multiple representatives from the same organization can provide comment at the end of the session. In addition, those who did not sign up in advance to give public comment can sign up on site; however, those who sign-up in advance will be called to speak first.

    Written comments also can be submitted for the record. The required format for individuals providing written public comments is as follows:

  • Name of speaker
  • Name of organization/community
  • City and state
  • E-mail address
  • A brief description of the concern, and what you want the NEJAC to advise EPA to do

  • Written comments received by Noon, Mountain Time, on Wednesday, February 5, 2014, will be included in the materials distributed to the members of the NEJAC. Written comments received after that time will be provided to the NEJAC as time allows. All written comments should be sent to Muriel.Jasmin@EPA.gov.


    Chemical Sensitivity: As you may be aware, some individuals who attend NEJAC meetings suffer from chemical sensitivity due to multiple exposures in their communities. As a result, they may have adverse health reactions to products commonly used everyday, such as scented air fresheners, scented toiletry items, perfumes, colognes, etc. In addition, other individuals may suffer from asthma triggered by exposure to these same products. Please be sensitive to the needs of these NEJAC meeting participants by refraining from using perfumed or scented items at the meeting. We ask that you also share this request with others in your office who may be planning to attend. Thank you for your careful consideration and attention to this matter.

    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT: Questions or correspondence concerning the teleconference meeting should be directed to Jasmin Muriel, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, by mail at 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW (MC2201A), Washington, DC 20460; by telephone at 202-564-4287; via email at Muriel.Jasmin@epa.gov ; or by fax at 202-564-1624. Additional information about the NEJAC is available at: www.epa.gov/environmentaljustice/nejac.

    Monday, January 13, 2014

    Mississippi DEQ Seeks Input On Upcoming Environmental Conference Topics

    Trudy Fisher
    The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality is planning a conference this year, and wants the help of all interested parties to plan it.

    It will focus on environmental justice and mark the 20th anniversary of an executive order mandating that federal programs provide environmental protections equally and regardless of race or income.

    Anyone from residents to nonprofits to businesses can suggest topics and speakers, as well as provide input on the conference's location and date.

    The department participated in a similar conference last year in Biloxi, which was organized by the Environmental Protection Agency. Among the topics were public access, health, transportation and community sustainability.

    According to DEQ Executive Director Trudy Fisher:
    "We work to make sure that all communities, regardless of your ethnicity or your socioeconomic status, that you are able to participate with the programs of the Department of Environmental Quality. It's just an opportunity for communities to come together with businesses and industry and other leaders to talk about how to better our communities.  Our mission at DEQ is to protect human health and the environment." 
    She said the conference will be a way for organizations and people to learn from each other.

    Send comments to Melissa Collier, director of Office of Community Engagement, at melissa_collier@deq.state.ms.us  or P.O. Box 2261, Jackson MS 39225.  (Sun Herald, 1/11/2014)

    Read more here: http://www.sunherald.com/2014/01/11/5251475/deq-wants-input-on-upcoming-environmental.html#storylink=cpy