(AGENPARL) – mer 08 gennaio 2025 2021_EPA_NewsRelease_cision.png (https://www.epa.gov/newsroom)
Biden-Harris Administration Announces $40 Million in Environmental and Climate Justice Community Change Grants for Louisiana Organizations
DALLAS, TEXAS (January 8, 2025) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced it has selected two Louisiana organizations for the Community Change Grants Program, totaling $40,000,000 in awards to advance local, on-the-ground projects that reduce pollution, increase community climate resilience, and build community capacity. The selectees for Louisiana are Urban Restoration Enhancement Corporation and Stay Ready NOLA Inc. This funding is 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 represents the latest round of applications that have been selected on a rolling basis since the program launched in November 2023. EPA previously announced (https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/biden-harris-administration-announces-more-325-million-environmental-and-climate)  21 selectees in July. This 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.”
The Urban Restoration Enhancement Corporation will partner with Power Coalition for Equity and Justice to receive $20 million to develop a project called WE PLUG that will focus on the North Baton Rouge area. This project will train a team of 10 outreach workers with deep knowledge and trust in their neighborhoods to canvass neighborhoods, conduct educational workshops, and host community events about energy efficiency, weatherization, and climate resilience. They will work closely with a team of 15 community navigators to assess eligible households for home upgrades and help connect them to programs that meet their needs. Home upgrades could include mechanical improvements (e.g. HVAC replacement); health and safety improvements (e.g. remediating mold hazards); building shell improvements; installation of energy-efficient appliances; fortified roofing; and installation of solar plus energy storage. WE PLUG also will identify and train 90 project area residents through the Louisiana Housing Corporation weatherization certification program.
Stay Ready NOLA Inc. will partner with Metro Bicycle Coalition of New Orleans, Inc. to receive $20 million to develop a Resilience Hub to provide crucial support for citizens and emergency responders during a storm or other emergency. The Resilience Hub will be connected via the grid to two solar farms, also located in the Upper Ninth Ward, that will produce 3MW of clean solar energy, enough to power 1,000 homes. Construction of the solar farms and Resilience Hub will include permeable surfaces to reduce stormwater runoff and enhance groundwater recharge. The project will offer workforce development programs to equip residents with job skills in solar energy, e-bike repair and maintenance, and more.
See the full listing of the 105 selections receiving a Community Change grant and learn more about the program (https://www.epa.gov/inflation-reduction-act/community-change-grants-selections) .
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 (https://www.epa.gov/aboutepa/about-office-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, and 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 (https://www.epa.gov/environmentaljustice) .