(AGENPARL) – gio 11 gennaio 2024 Issued: Jan 11, 2024 (3:43pm EST)
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Biden-Harris administration announces availability of $32M in grant funding to
tackle air pollution at schools and deliver cleaner air for America’s
children
WASHINGTON (Jan. 11, 2024) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on
Thursday announced the availability of up to $32 million to address indoor air
pollution in schools as part of President Biden’s Investing in America
agenda. The funding opportunity, which is made possible by President Biden’s
Inflation Reduction Act and available through EPA’s Grant Funding to Address
Indoor Air Pollution at Schools Program, will protect children’s health by
providing resources to organizations that help K-12 schools in low-income,
disadvantaged, and Tribal communities develop and adopt comprehensive indoor
air quality management plans to reduce indoor air pollution and greenhouse gas
emissions in schools.
“Every student should be able to learn and thrive in a healthy school
environment,” said EPA Deputy Administrator Janet McCabe. “Through
President Biden’s historic investment in America, EPA is working with our
partners to equip schools in overburdened communities with resources to
develop and implement plans that improve air quality and energy efficiency,
ensuring that students and staff are breathing cleaner and healthier air in
school every day.”
“Thanks to this critical EPA funding, made possible by Democrats’ Inflation
Reduction Act, schools across the country will now be able to improve air
quality for our students,” said House Minority Whip Katherine Clark.
“Currently, too many kids do not have access to clean air, and this funding
will enhance their overall health and academic performance. This is what
Democrats’ agenda is all about – giving communities the resources they
need to ensure every child has a great future.”
“At a time when their lungs are still developing, children exposed to unsafe
air can develop lifelong health problems, including serious respiratory
illnesses,” said Congressman Paul Tonko (NY-20), Ranking Member of the House
Energy and Commerce Environment, Manufacturing, and Critical Materials
Subcommittee. “That is why we prioritized funding to address air pollution
in our schools in the Inflation Reduction Act. I’m thrilled that EPA is
taking vital steps through this announcement that will build upon their
decades of work to help schools across the country develop strategies to
ensure that as children attend school, learn, and grow, they are breathing
clean, healthy air.”
Air pollution has been linked to asthma and other conditions that harm
students’ health and can cause them to miss school or reduce normal
activities. Children face risks from indoor air pollutants like radon,
asbestos, mold, methane, and pollution, such as particulate matter from
vehicle exhaust, that gets into classrooms from the outdoors. There are also
serious risks to children from greenhouse gas pollution, like more frequent
exposure to heat waves and wildfire smoke. Helping schools to develop
comprehensive plans to tackle air pollution will help prevent respiratory
illnesses in children and staff working in schools, while improving student
attendance, performance, and comfort, particularly for vulnerable students
with asthma.
This program advances President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative, which aims to
deliver 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal investments to
disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and
overburdened by pollution.
The Grant Funding to Address Indoor Air Pollution at Schools Program
EPA anticipates awarding four to six grants of $5 million to $8 million to
support five years of school indoor air quality and energy efficiency
activities. Eligible projects to benefit schools include indoor air quality
and greenhouse gas reduction capacity building, training and education
campaigns, and research and demonstration projects. 
Nonprofit organizations, state governments, and other eligible entities with
experience administering national, regional, or multi-state indoor air quality
programs that have achieved positive impacts in communities (especially with
schools and Tribal entities) are encouraged to apply. The deadline to apply
for the competitive grants is March 19, 2024. EPA estimates that the grants
will be awarded by fall 2024.
For more information on this funding opportunity, including details on
informational webinars, visit the Grant Funding to Address Indoor Air
Pollution at Schools webpage.
Background
EPA studies of human exposure to air pollutants indicate that indoor levels of
pollutants may be two to five times — and occasionally more than 100 times
— higher than outdoor levels. Often, indoor air quality is poor because
indoor sources of air pollution, like asbestos, radon, mold, methane, and
particulates, are not controlled and the pollutant levels can become
concentrated without adequate ventilation of fresh outdoor air. These levels
of indoor air pollutants are of concern because most people spend about 90
percent of their time indoors. Indoor pollution in schools is a particular
concern because children’s developing bodies breathe more air in proportion
to their body weight than adults.
Indoor air problems can increase long- and short-term health effects for
students and staff, increase absenteeism, reduce academic performance, and
shorten the lifespan and effectiveness of facility systems and equipment.
Examples of the health effects of indoor air pollution include coughing,
respiratory diseases, allergic reactions, cancer and aggravated asthma.
In addition to indoor air problems that children face at schools, EPA and the
broader scientific community have also identified significant risks to
children’s health and the environment from climate change. These risks
include exposure to extreme heat, worsened air quality, wildfire smoke, and
other climate impacts, in school, the playground, and beyond. Implementing
energy efficiency measures while simultaneously improving indoor air quality
in schools can help mitigate climate and reduce pollution while providing
long-term savings for schools through lower energy consumption.
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