(AGENPARL) - Roma, 16 Novembre 2023 - (AGENPARL) – gio 16 novembre 2023 EPA Announces Over $800,000 in Funding Prioritizing Environmental Justice in Oklahoma
DALLAS, TEXAS (November 16, 2023) —The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced $881,709 to fund two projects across Oklahoma that advance environmental justice as part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda. The organizations receiving this funding is the organization Open Design Collective, Inc. and the Chickasaw Nation (CN). These entities were selected through EPA’s Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem Solving Cooperative Agreement and Environmental Justice Government-to-Government programs.
“No President has invested more in environmental justice than President Biden, and under his leadership we’re removing longstanding barriers and meaningfully collaborating with communities to build a healthier future for all,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “Together, these community-driven projects will improve the health, equity, and resilience of communities while setting a blueprint for local solutions that can be applied across the nation.”
“These grants are unprecedented in several ways—for the historic amount of funding provided through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act, and because money is going directly to communities that are ready to implement solutions to environmental issues,” said Regional Administrator Dr. Earthea Nance. “This means $881,709 for projects in Oklahoma that might otherwise remain overlooked and unfunded. These recipients are deeply knowledgeable about the issues facing their communities, and are ready to invest these grants in projects that will bring meaningful results.
Environmental Justice Government-to-Government (EJG2G)
EPA’s EJG2G provides funding at the state, local, territorial, and Tribal level to support government activities in partnership with community-based organizations that lead to measurable environmental or public health impacts in communities disproportionately burdened by environmental harms.
EPA EJG2G grant selections in Oklahoma include the following:
· Open Design Collective, Inc. will receive $500,000 to engage, support, and strengthen community-led efforts in addressing air quality in the geographic area of the historically Black John F. Kennedy neighborhood (JFK) through environmental placemaking and restoring a public space in the community.
· The Chickasaw Nation will receive $381,709 to enact a long-term Citizen Science Watershed-Based Stream Monitoring Program within the CN treaty territory with the goal of establishing water quality baselines and an early warning system for quality impacts.
Additional Background:  
From day one of his administration, President Biden has made achieving environmental justice a top priority. And in August 2022, Congress passed, and President Biden signed, the Inflation Reduction Act into law, creating the largest investment in environmental and climate justice in U.S. history. EPA received $3 billion in appropriations to provide grants and technical assistance for activities advancing environmental and climate justice.
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Environmental Protection Agency, 1201 Elm Street, Suite 500, Dallas, TX 75270 United States