(AGENPARL) – mar 23 gennaio 2024 Issued: Jan 23, 2024 (6:08pm EST)
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Biden-Harris Administration announces nearly $11M in grants for wildfire smoke
preparedness in community buildings
PNW communities to receive over $3.4M in funding
SEATTLE (January 23, 2024) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
anticipates awarding $3,472,516 in grant funding to four selected recipients
in the Pacific Northwest to enhance community wildfire smoke preparedness.
“After the wildfires in Maui, the wildfire smoke that blanketed the East
Coast last summer, and the many devastating wildfires in the West, we are all
aware of the very real health impacts of smoke as well as the critical
importance of smoke preparedness,” said EPA Deputy Administrator Janet
McCabe. “EPA is providing more than $10 million in grant funding that will
help provide important public health protections in communities across our
country, especially in those communities who have been overburdened by smoke
pollution for far too long.”
“Every community in the Pacific Northwest is impacted by smoke from
wildfires,” said EPA Region 10 Administrator Casey Sixkiller. “EPA is
committed to supporting innovative solutions and investing in partnerships
with tribes, schools, and other organizations to help these communities
prepare for longer wildfire seasons and learn how best to protect their
families.”
Wildfire smoke is a significant public health problem. Smoke plumes can have
impacts over a large portion of our population, with health impacts ranging
from eye and throat irritation to asthma attacks, cardiovascular events, and
even premature death. Local officials often advise people to stay indoors
during a smoke event. However, some of the smoke from outdoors can enter homes
and buildings and make it unhealthy to breathe indoor air, too. Buildings are
varied and do not all provide the same level of protection against wildfire
smoke.
“As climate chaos intensifies, so do extreme wildfires and hazardous smoke
events — events that endanger public health and impact everyday life for
those under the plumes of dark smoke,” said Senator Jeff Merkley, Chair of
the Interior Appropriations Subcommittee. “I created this program to help
ensure communities in Oregon and across the West have access to the resources
they need to protect themselves from the dangerous smoke and heat that has
unfortunately become expected with our increasingly hot summer months.”
The following entities have been selected for awards, which are contingent on
completion of all legal and administrative requirements relating to the grant:
Nez Perce Tribe, Tribal land within boundaries of ID ($1,337,920) To improve
public health protection against smoke from wildfires by strengthening
preparedness in community buildings. The project will enhance smoke readiness
planning, outreach and training, deploy portable air cleaners, conduct
indoor/outdoor air monitoring, complete weatherization, and upgrade HVAC
systems. Three community centers, nine public libraries, and four youth
centers will be upgraded to provide cleaner air spaces to the public during
wildfire smoke events for effective reduction of occupants’ exposure.
Bellingham School District No.501, WA ($364,400) To focus on smoke readiness
assessment and planning as well as indoor and outdoor air quality monitoring.
Gonzaga University, WA ($1,102,696) For activities that will reduce indoor
exposure to pollutants in wildfire smoke in the City of Spokane and in three
community centers serving disadvantaged communities.
Oregon State University, OR ($667,500) To develop a set of interventions that
includes tailored toolkits and resources that can be used by schools,
preschools, and daycares to reduce wildfire smoke exposures and increase
community resilience across Oregon.
Background
The Wildfire Smoke Preparedness in Community Buildings grant program is a new
federal program to enhance community wildfire smoke preparedness by providing
grants to states, federally recognized Tribes, public preschools, local
educational agencies, and non-profit organizations. Projects are designed to
assess, prevent, control, or abate wildfire smoke hazards in community
buildings that serve the public, and that serve disadvantaged communities or
vulnerable populations. EPA anticipates award of nine grants, ranging from
approximately $350,000 to $2 million – totaling over $10 million.
These grants are provided under Section 103(b)(3) of the Clean Air Act as
supplemented by authority provided in the 2022 Consolidated Appropriations Act
and the 2023 Consolidated Appropriations Act to fund abatement activities.
Learn more about the Wildfire Smoke Preparedness in Community Buildings grant
program.
Learn more about?wildfires and indoor air quality.
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