(AGENPARL) - Roma, 12 Dicembre 2024 - (AGENPARL) – gio 12 dicembre 2024 Issued: Dec 12, 2024 (1:00pm EST)
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Biden-Harris Administration Announces Nearly $1.6 Billion in Environmental and
Climate Justice Community Change Grants
105 selected applications funded through the Inflation Reduction Act will
reduce pollution, improve climate resilience, and build community capacity to
address legacy environmental justice issues around the nation
WASHINGTON – Today, December 12, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
announced it has selected 105 applications for the Community Change Grants
Program, totaling nearly $1.6 billion in awards to advance local,
on-the-ground 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 announced today represents the latest round of applications that
have been selected on a rolling basis since the program launched in November
2023. EPA previously announced 21 selectees in July. Today’s announcement
adds 84 new selectees, bringing the total number to 105.
 “On day one of his Administration, President Biden promised to target
investments to communities that for too long have been shut out of federal
funding,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “Today, thanks to
President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, EPA is delivering on that
promise. These selections will create jobs, improve public health, and uplift
community efforts in all corners of this country, regardless of geography or
background.”
 Among the wide range of public health and environmental benefits that the
Community Change grants will support, examples include: 
Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium & Kawerak, Inc.: In the Bering Strait
region, the absence of a unified electrical grid means that each community
typically relies on standalone diesel electric utilities. To address energy
and climate challenges in remote Alaska Native lands, the Alaska Native Tribal
Health Consortium (ANTHC) will build photovoltaic solar arrays and battery
storage systems in the remote Bering Strait communities of Brevig Mission,
Elim, Koyuk, Savoonga, and Teller. ANTHC will design and construct the
community solar and battery systems, as well as distribute net revenue through
a subsidy to household water and sewer utility bills. The infrastructure will
be owned locally. Kawerak, Inc. will provide regional support and workforce
development to help maintain the systems. This unique arrangement will keep
money in communities, lower greenhouse gas emissions and local air pollutants,
and support economic development in rural Alaska. 
City of Evansville, Indiana & Welborn Baptist Foundation, Inc.: Residents of
Evansville’s underserved communities suffer from poor air quality, as the
region’s low river valley hinders the dispersion of pollutants from traffic
and power plants, wildfire smoke, and excessive heat that contribute to
temperature inversions and air quality action days. In direct response to the
challenges of poor air quality, this project will designate 15 “Mobility
Hubs” throughout the city; expand the current bike share system with 100
electric bikes; electrify and expand the on-demand micro transit program
including adopting solar power at the bus transit facilities; invest in
publicly accessible EV charging infrastructure; and conduct a local EV public
awareness campaign—all with the goal of reducing air pollution and
protecting public health. 
The Working Lands Trust, Inc. & Democracy Green: Low-income, unincorporated
communities in Supply, Ash, and Longwood within the Gullah Geechee corridor of
Brunswick County, North Carolina, have endured generations of environmental
injustices, including the presence of polluting industries, landfills, and
recurrent climate disasters. This project will address environmental
injustices by improving water quality, restoring ecosystems, and removing
contaminants from local watersheds. The project will remove lead pipes from
homes and communities in areas that are either not supported by incorporated
government structure or are not likely to get other assistance for years.
Additionally, the project will invest in nature-based solutions for wetland
restoration enhance natural water filtration, reduce flooding impact, and
support biodiversity, creating a more resilient watershed and environment.
See the full listing of the 105 selections receiving a Community Change grant
and learn more about the program.
Of the 105 total selections, 32 are for Target Investment Areas, totaling $600
million. Target Investment Area funding is intended to ensure that Community
Change Grants Program funding is directed towards disadvantaged communities
with unique circumstances, geography, and needs. This includes approximately
$150 million for Alaska Native communities and organizations.
Applications to the Community Change Grants Program, administered
through EPA’s Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights,
closed on November 21, 2024. The agency received approximately 2,700
applications, totaling over $40 billion in requested funds and over 2,495
requests for technical assistance.
The Community Change Grants Program addresses the diverse and unique needs of
disadvantaged communities by:
reducing and preventing air, water, and soil pollution
building resilient infrastructure to extreme weather events
bolstering workforce development
EPA is on track to obligate the majority of selected Community Change grants
by January 2025. 
Given the overwhelming number of applications still under review and the
limited amount of remaining funds available, EPA’s work to evaluate the
remaining applicants will need to continue beyond the end of the Biden-Harris
Administration. To ensure all applications are given fair consideration, EPA
will not make any additional selections until all these applications are
evaluated according to the processes described in the Notice of Funding
Opportunity issued in November 2023.
To learn more about environmental justice at EPA, visit EPA’s Environmental
Justice webpage
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