(AGENPARL) – gio 25 luglio 2024 Issued: Jul 25, 2024 (11:14am EDT)
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City of Springfield, Mass., selected to receive a nearly $20 million
Environmental and Climate Justice Community Change Grant
EPA announces initial selections from $2 billion Inflation Reduction Act
program—the largest single environmental justice investment in
history—delivered by President Biden’s Investing in America agenda
BOSTON (JULY 25, 2024)— Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
announced that the City of Springfield, and its partner Public Health
Institute of Western Massachusetts, were selected to receive nearly $20
million in funding 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
President Biden’s 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.
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. 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.”
“The City of Springfield and its residents have shared their vision for
change—retrofitting homes and removing lead hazards, converting city
buildings to clean energy and expanding the tree canopy, and investing in
community solar and workforce training programs. Today we are helping to turn
that vision into a reality by providing the community with the necessary
resources to make that happen,” said EPA Regional Administrator David W.
Cash. “This funding from the Inflation Reduction Act is a pivotal step in
meeting our commitment to environmental and climate justice across New
England. By listening to and collaborating with communities, we are ensuring
that the benefits of this historic investment reach those who need it most.”
“With this nearly $20 million grant, Springfield will be able invest in
safer and more resilient homes, restart its electric bikeshare program, plant
hundreds of new trees, and so much more. All thanks to the Biden-Harris
Administration’s Inflation Reduction Act and my 15% minimum tax on big
corporations,” said U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren.
“Residents and advocates in Springfield are taking action to undo
generations of pollution, and bringing to life a vision for the future that
includes clean air to breathe, safe housing to live in, and green, renewable
energy to power it all,” said U.S. Senator Edward J. Markey. “Their
coalition of community organizations, local government agencies, and those
most affected by environmental injustice embodies the mission of the Community
Change Grant Program, coming together to get the job done. I thank the EPA for
awarding nearly $20 million from the Inflation Reduction Act, which I fought
hard for in Congress, to directly enable community-led action in Western
Massachusetts.”
“My administration is proud of our collaborative efforts, led by our
Development Services Division, along with other city departments and dedicated
partner agencies, to receive this significant grant award. On behalf of our
Springfield, thank you to the EPA for selecting us for this nearly $20 million
grant. This funding, which was made possible thanks to President Biden’s
Inflation Reduction Act, the largest climate investment in our nation’s
history, will provide tangible benefits to our community including improved
indoor and outdoor air quality and reduced Greenhouse Gas Emissions,” said
City of Springfield Mayor Domenic J. Sarno. “I am also grateful to
Congressman Neal for his continued leadership and advocacy on behalf of our
Springfield and his support of our application for an EPA Community Change
Grant. This is a critical time for cities like our Springfield to continue our
efforts to reduce pollution and enhance our climate resilience, and also
address environmental and climate justice challenges.  Springfield has a long
history of being a regional leader in successful and effective climate action
and we are looking forward to continuing to build upon our resilience.”
“We are building on our decades of collaboration with the City of
Springfield on various community health issues and at this pivotal point
addressing climate change. Together we will deepen strategies that are already
in place and determined critical by community members as well as innovate new
opportunities that will advance Springfield’s commitment to climate
justice,” said Public Health Institute of Western Massachusetts Executive
Director Jessica Collins. “We are excited and honored to be funded to
partner with the Live Well Springfield coalition members, the City of
Springfield and so many Springfield organizations in this project. We feel
sure that our collaborative efforts will inform national action.”
Track I of the program, Community-Driven Investments for Change, is expected
to award approximately $1.96 billion for 150 projects of $10-20 million each.
Track I applicants will implement community-scale projects to address
environmental and climate justice challenges. The City of Springfield’s
application has been selected under Track I, and is the only selectee from New
England in this initial selection cohort:
Nearly $20 million to the City of Springfield and to the Public Health
Institute of Western Massachusetts for “Green and Resilient Springfield.”
The selectees will support the transformation of a post-industrial city toward
resilience with this multi-faceted project. They will invest in a community
solar project; retrofit 30 one- to four-unit homes to reduce energy use and
improve indoor air quality; and complete home rehabilitation projects to
remove lead and other pollution hazards. They will convert two city-owned
buildings to non-grid clean energy sources and expand their use as community
resilience hubs and emergency shelter locations. They also will expand tree
canopy by planting 1,500 trees; restart a city e-bikeshare program; support a
workforce development program for HVAC-R technicians; and complete other
activities.
Track II, Meaningful Engagement for Equitable Governance, is expected to award
approximately $40 million for 20 projects for $1-3 million each. Track II
applicants will facilitate individual and community participation in
governmental decision-making processes.
See the full listing of the initial 21 organizations receiving a CCGP grant
and learn more about CCGP.
The Inflation Reduction Act provides $3 billion to EPA to award grants that
help disadvantaged communities and offer technical assistance. With these
grants, EPA is delivering on this mission.
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.
The Community Change Grants Program is still accepting applications through
November 21, 2024, so EPA encourages applicants to submit applications as
soon as they completely meet the NOFO requirements.  EPA will be making
additional selections on a rolling basis for the remainder of 2024.
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.
Read the Community Change Grants NOFO here:
http://url6130.epa.mediaroom.com/ls/click?upn=u001.iqz6hAvLdUl-2FaSixKUG3i9ykx-2BvibxdkhwbB5k4Xp0EN-2B-2BCI4Xtmy3IOIj-2BznBQ-2BTERmiW4wM-2BBEYs1XoI-2B0xhIsYGuEkjbI6Ln-2F939iZWHTf3m-2FdBx606Sgxv75JiYQMgTihQqM5I2jfHHwCOcdbw-3D-3DfZgv_-2B0Ok6Af7hyz7Kqg6CR74pYblAA1WjrUjKSJUAiv3NOub0DC4O7JPWGxIlQ7kBB-2FS9tqCpbbWFk3T4HAypxdzc2BVOInt5domxUY148SloFwJ3t7EVJsKKH3rU5OtXjxStJ9pw-2FNcR2Vf4-2BdD4Jv7-2Bu8TD0-2FLIQauXrrQ2FFMBSc9KCoHy3TIHXoyDCiHuilwjrjieIJmjkuIUt4pfmObtEgInvLGyG46rDZTdQreYQLU7YfKAZzvul3Wvgr5L4l6
To learn more about the Community Change Grants and Technical Assistance:
http://url6130.epa.mediaroom.com/ls/click?upn=u001.iqz6hAvLdUl-2FaSixKUG3i9ykx-2BvibxdkhwbB5k4Xp0EN-2B-2BCI4Xtmy3IOIj-2BznBQ-2BTERmiW4wM-2BBEYs1XoI-2B0xhIsYGuEkjbI6Ln-2F939iZWHTf3m-2FdBx606Sgxv75JiYQNRu8jB53-2BqZQ62xjr5ipYQ-3D-3DGTL6_-2B0Ok6Af7hyz7Kqg6CR74pYblAA1WjrUjKSJUAiv3NOub0DC4O7JPWGxIlQ7kBB-2FS9tqCpbbWFk3T4HAypxdzc2BVOInt5domxUY148SloFy32YNFwQj6T29AwEG11TqK8L-2BEoZ7AheHD-2Fwm6zXVpX3-2BmV-2BNYEjhx1XxsQjqD4BHewjm3d5HSjZR3cK3qkr1S2a5qrf1lN6B1M0rxu-2BlHIgaktdVWVeGTXK437PA613N3Ky6RY-2BFFZLlaDkzby0Bm
To learn more about environmental justice at EPA, visit:
http://url6130.epa.mediaroom.com/ls/click?upn=u001.iqz6hAvLdUl-2FaSixKUG3izFhfch6MU87d1RgLZzak4uFI5XFH9ASg2vVQ2MCH3ulY-2FC2IBCXou9gFb55Te9KIQ-3D-3D3xIx_-2B0Ok6Af7hyz7Kqg6CR74pYblAA1WjrUjKSJUAiv3NOub0DC4O7JPWGxIlQ7kBB-2FS9tqCpbbWFk3T4HAypxdzc2BVOInt5domxUY148SloFzilOgRes3Y0fLN7oBV0Dns-2FIogoMvhyyNLyM0sulmkud-2Fin2wNA60r5d57ulFHf7a-2Fj-2FDk2SMw7Uq8tvfF2prBCCegMFurB1PvEp45CB-2FXal6765bBFhmDjV6ziYkWYiw6vzmUdeCjT12XDB9ahZJZ
For up-to-date information about the NOFO, including information on the
webinars, subscribe to the Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil