Issued: Dec 22, 2023 (12:55pm EST)

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EPA Reaches Agreement to Advance the Cleanup of the San German Superfund Site in Puerto Rico

NEW YORK (December 22, 2023) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced that the United States District Court in Puerto Rico has approved a settlement between the agency and HP Inc., the Puerto Rico Industrial Development Corporation, Wallace Silversmiths of Puerto Rico, Ltd., and Lifetime Brands, Inc. to design and carry out a cleanup at the San German Groundwater Contamination Site in Puerto Rico. The cost of the cleanup is estimated at $7.7 million.

The San German Groundwater Contamination Superfund Site includes the Retiro Industrial Park and adjacent areas. Over 44 nearby industrial sites were part of the EPA's investigation. After discovering the contamination, the Puerto Rico Department of Health ordered three public supply wells to be closed in 2006. Area residents are connected to safe sources of drinking water from other municipal water supplies in the area.

"Today's announcement demonstrates EPA's progress in ensuring that the communities of San German are protected from the potential risk of exposure to chemical contamination," said Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia. "EPA will continue to hold companies responsible and require them to conduct the work necessary to clean up contaminated sites which in turn helps to protect public health and our environment."

The site is located in the municipality of San German in the southwestern part of Puerto Rico. The EPA placed the site on the Superfund program's National Priorities List in 2008.  The site includes three public water supply wells in the municipality of San German that functioned as an independent, interconnected water supply system. In 2006, the Puerto Rico Department of Health closed the three supply wells after sampling revealed the presence of elevated concentrations of volatile organic compounds, including tetrachloroethylene and trichloroethylene. Investigations indicated that the Retiro Industrial Park, located near the affected supply wells, is the source of the contamination. Several buildings in the park, currently occupied by active businesses, were investigated during a remedial investigation.

In 2015, the EPA decided on a plan to clean up the soil at two lots located within the Retiro Industrial Park where contamination was found, known as the Wallace Lot and the CCL Lot. The cleanup is being addressed in two phases. The first phase, which is the subject of the agreement, focuses on contaminated soils and shallow, highly contaminated groundwater.  The second phase, which is currently ongoing, involves further investigations of larger, less contaminated groundwater plume.

The agreement requires the parties to address conditions related to the first phase by cleaning up the soil and shallow, highly contaminated groundwater through the use of processes called soil vapor extraction and dual-phase extraction and treatment in place. Soil vapor and dual-phase extraction treatment systems are used to reduce the volatile organic compounds in the soil and groundwater. These methods remove harmful chemicals from the soil and groundwater in the form of vapor by applying a vacuum. The parties have agreed to monitor the area long-term to ensure that the cleanup is effective.

For more information about this superfund site, please visit San German Ground Water Contamination Site.

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La EPA llega a un acuerdo para avanzar en la limpieza de Lugar Superfondo en San Germán, Puerto Rico

Contacto: Carlos Vega, 646-988-2996, 212-637-3662, vega.carlos@epa.gov

Lilliana Alemán Román, 787-977-5816, AlemanRoman.Lilliana@epa.gov

NUEVA YORK (De diciembre 22 de 2023) – La Agencia Federal de Protección Ambiental de Estados Unidos (EPA, por sus siglas en inglés) anunció hoy que el Tribunal de Distrito de los Estados Unidos en Puerto Rico aprobó un acuerdo entre la Agencia y HP Inc.; la Corporación de Fomento Industrial de Puerto Rico; Wallace Silversmiths of Puerto Rico, Ltd. y Lifetime Brands, Inc. para diseñar y remediar las aguas subterráneas en el Lugar Superfondo San Germán Groundwater, en Puerto Rico. El costo de la limpieza se estima en $7.7 millones.

El Lugar incluye el Parque Industrial Retiro y áreas adyacentes. Más de 44 áreas industriales aledañas fueron parte de la investigación de la EPA. Después de descubrir la contaminación, el Departamento de Salud de Puerto Rico ordenó el cierre de tres pozos en 2006. Los residentes de la zona están conectados a fuentes seguras de agua potable de otros suministros municipales de agua en el área.

"El anuncio de hoy demuestra el progreso de la EPA para asegurar que las comunidades de San Germán estén protegidas del riesgo potencial de exposición a contaminación química", señaló la administradora regional Lisa F. García. "La EPA continuará responsabilizando a las empresas y exigiéndoles que realicen el trabajo necesario para limpiar los lugares contaminados, lo que a su vez ayuda a proteger la salud pública y nuestro medioambiente".

El Lugar está ubicado en el municipio de San Germán en el suroeste de Puerto Rico. La EPA colocó al Lugar en la Lista Nacional de Prioridades (NPL, por sus siglas en inglés) del programa Superfondo en 2008.  Este incluye tres pozos públicos de suministro de agua en el municipio de San Germán, que funcionaban como un sistema de suministro de agua independiente e interconectado. En 2006, el Departamento de Salud de Puerto Rico cerró los tres pozos de abastecimiento, después de que el muestreo revelara la presencia de concentraciones elevadas de compuestos orgánicos volátiles (VOC, por sus siglas en inglés), incluyendo tetracloroetileno (PCE) y tricloroetileno (TCE). Las investigaciones indicaron que el Parque Industrial Retiro, ubicado cerca de los pozos de suministro afectados, es la fuente de la contaminación. Varios edificios del parque, actualmente ocupados por negocios activos, fueron incluidos en una investigación de remedio.

En 2015, la EPA seleccionó un plan para remediar el suelo en dos lotes ubicados dentro del Parque Industrial Retiro conocidos como el Lote Wallace y el Lote CCL, en los cuales se encontró contaminación. La limpieza se lleva a cabo en dos fases. La primera fase, que es objeto del acuerdo, se centra en los suelos contaminados y en las aguas subterráneas poco profundas y altamente contaminadas.  La segunda fase, que está en curso, implica nuevas investigaciones de columnas de agua subterránea más grandes y menos contaminadas.

El acuerdo requiere que las partes atiendan las condiciones relacionadas con la primera fase remediando el suelo y las aguas subterráneas poco profundas y altamente contaminadas mediante el uso de procesos de extracción de vapor del suelo y extracción y tratamiento de doble fase en el Lugar. Esto, con el propósito de reducir los VOCs en el suelo y las aguas subterráneas. Estos métodos eliminan los productos químicos nocivos del suelo y de las aguas subterráneas en forma de vapor, mediante la aplicación de una aspiradora. Las partes acordaron monitorear el área a largo plazo para garantizar la efectividad del remedio.

Para obtener más información sobre este Lugar Superfondo, visite Sitio de Contaminación de Aguas Subterráneas de San Germán.

Siga a la Región 2 de la EPA en X y visite nuestra página en Facebook. Para obtener más información sobre la Región 2 de la EPA, visite nuestro sitio web.

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For further information: Contact: Carlos Vega, 646-988-2996, 212-637-3662, vega.carlos@epa.gov Lilliana Alemán Román, 787-977-5816, AlemanRoman.Lilliana@epa.gov

 

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EPA Issues Draft Risk Evaluation for Flame Retardant TCEP

TCEP is a chemical historically used in paints and coatings, aerospace applications, fabrics and textiles, foam seating and construction mat

View as a webpage / Share EPA Issues Draft Risk Evaluation for Flame Retardant TCEP Today the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released its draft risk evaluation for the flame retardant Tris(2-chloroethyl) phosphate (TCEP) (CASRN 115-96-8) under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) for public comment. EPA has used the best available science to preliminarily determine that this chemical poses unreasonable risk to human health and the environment. This is the first draft risk evaluation EPA has released for the 20 High-Priority Substances prioritized in 2019. EPA has incorporated improvements to the risk evaluation process announced in 2021 into this risk evaluation including an assessment of exposure to potentially exposed and susceptible subpopulations like workers, children, and subsistence fishers. TCEP is a chemical historically used in paints and coatings, aerospace applications, fabrics and textiles, foam seating and construction materials, and is also found in a range of goods that are imported into the U.S. TCEP has been linked to kidney cancer, as well as reproductive, neurological, developmental and kidney effects. Although U.S. production of TCEP has decreased by about 99 percent since 2014, it is still used in the U.S. to make some paints and coatings, and also is used as a flame retardant and plasticizer for specific aerospace applications. Because TCEP is mixed into but not chemically bonded to materials, it can leach out of products and into the environment. TCEP that is released into the environment from manufacturing processes or leaching from products primarily ends up in water, sediment, soil, or dust. TCEP may leach out of materials dumped in landfills and get into ground water or surface water. It can also be released into the air. For workers, EPA assessed both inhalation and dermal exposures and found unreasonable risk from these exposures. EPA did not assume that workers always and appropriately wear PPE, even though some facilities might be using PPE as one means to reduce workers' exposure. EPA will consider information on use of PPE, engineering controls and other ways industry protects its workers as potential ways to address unreasonable risk during the risk management process. EPA assessed inhalation, dermal, and ingestion exposure to consumers, and found unreasonable risk from breathing or ingesting TCEP that comes out of textiles or other products and gets into indoor air. EPA also found infants and children may be at risk if they frequently mouth products containing foam, textiles or wood that contain TCEP for long periods of time, which may prove to be conservative assumptions that do not reflect real-world exposures. A single instance of exposure, such as a child mouthing a TCEP-containing product once, does not mean an individual will definitely suffer adverse health effects. TCEP can also accumulate in fish if they live in a stream or other waterbody with high concentrations of TCEP. EPA found unreasonable risk for people eating fish taken from TCEP-contaminated water. These concerns are particularly notable for groups that eat higher quantities of fish, such as subsistence fishers and Tribes. Tribal populations for whom fish is important dietarily and culturally have even higher risk than the general population and subsistence fishers. Another subpopulation EPA included in its evaluation was infants exposed through human milk (e.g. breastfeeding). EPA estimated exposure and found that infants were at less risk than their mothers. EPA also proposes to find that TCEP presents unreasonable risk to the environment, specifically to aquatic organisms chronically exposed to TCEP through surface water and sediment. Next Steps Upon publication of the Federal Register notice, EPA will accept public comments on the draft risk evaluation and associated supporting documents for 60 days via docket EPA-HQ-OPPT-2023-0265 at www.regulations.gov. EPA also invites submission of more specific exposure information to help the Agency refine its risk estimates for the final risk evaluation. The draft risk evaluation will also undergo a letter peer review by independent scientific and technical experts. Following a public call for nominations in September 2023, the biographical sketches of the candidates under consideration as prospective reviewers are available in the docket for public comment. The public comment period was originally scheduled to close on December 22, 2023 and EPA is extending the comment period until January 5, 2024. Prospective candidates will be required to submit confidential financial information to fully disclose, among other financial interests, the candidate's employment, stocks and bonds, and where applicable, sources of research support. EPA will evaluate the candidates' financial disclosure forms to assess whether there are financial conflicts of interest, appearance of a loss of impartiality, or any prior involvement with the development of the documents under consideration (including previous scientific peer review) before the candidates are considered further. EPA will hold a virtual preparatory meeting on March 5, 2024, to review the scope and clarity of the draft charge questions. Registration information for that meeting will be published in the coming months. The letter peer review is expected to begin on March 13, 2024. EPA will use feedback received from the letter peer review and public comments to inform the final risk evaluation. If EPA concludes in the final risk evaluation that this chemical presents unreasonable risk, the Agency will move swiftly to develop risk mitigation options to protect people and the environment. Read the draft risk evaluation. Learn more about Children's Health and Healthy School Environments.

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Issued: Dec 20, 2023 (11:25am EST)

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Biden-Harris Administration Selects Fordham University to Receive $50 Million to Fund Environmental Justice Projects Across EPA Region 2 as Part of Investing in America Agenda

As an environmental justice Grantmaker, Fordham University will help reduce barriers to federal funds and issue thousands of environmental justice grants over the next three years

Contact: Iris M. Crawford, (212) 637-4360

NEW YORK (Dec. 20, 2023) – Today, as part of President Biden's Investing in America agenda, the Biden-Harris Administration announced the selection of Fordham University to serve as a Regional Grantmaker that will receive $50 Million under EPA's Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Grantmaking program (EJ TCGM). This new grant program, while making it easier for small community-based organizations to access federal environmental justice funding, responds to community feedback on the need to reduce barriers to federal funds and improve the efficiency of the awards process to ensure communities that have long faced underinvestment can access the benefits of the largest climate investment in history. Communities will be able to apply to Fordham University for a subgrant to fund a range of different environmental project activities, including (but not limited to) small local clean ups, local emergency preparedness and disaster resiliency programs, environmental workforce development programs for local jobs reducing greenhouse gas emissions, air quality and asthma related projects, healthy homes programs, and projects addressing illegal dumping. EPA Region 2 covers New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and eight federally recognized Indian Nations.

"For years, community advocates have been calling for federal support and resources to help address our country's most pressing environmental justice concerns," said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. "Thanks to President Biden and Vice President Harris' leadership, we're responding to these calls by removing barriers that have traditionally held communities and applicants back from accessing these historic investments in America. Together, in partnership with these Grantmakers, we are taking a giant step toward a future where every person in America has equal opportunity to breathe clean air, drink clean water, and live a healthy, productive life."

"As a Grantmaker, Fordham University will help the EPA advance our joint commitment to undo the past harms of environmental injustice," said EPA Region 2 Administrator Lisa F. Garcia. "This will be the start of a fruitful relationship that will build upon both EPA's priority to addressing climate justice and Fordham's promise of equity and environmental stewardship.

Fordham University will work with partners such as the New York Immigration Coalition, New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice, ConPRmetidos, Community Foundation Virgin Islands and Business Initiative Corporation of New York, to implement an intersectional approach to place frontline environmental justice communities in positions of power through participatory community-led governance. As the regional Grantmaker, Fordham University will provide grants to community-based organizations, groups, and other institutions and groups who historically have not had the capacity to apply for and receive federal funding for climate projects.

"Fordham believes in the power of community-driven solutions to climate change to capture the insights and ingenuity of the people on the front lines of global warming. Fordham works to find the answers to the most urgent and complicated of problems, and it does so by centering human impact and environmental justice. Fordham is proud to launch the Flourishing in Community Grantmaker Initiative, building on 182 years of deep engagement with the Bronx and expanding our regional and global reach through New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands," said Fordham University President Tania Tetlow.

"We're incredibly honored and energized for the work ahead with our statutory partners. It's a collaborative effort and it's a tremendous opportunity for us to employ Fordham's infrastructure, award these sub-grants, and do this on-the-ground environmental work," said Julie Gafney, Assistant Vice President for Strategic Mission Initiatives at Fordham University.

"Today's announcement from EPA regarding grant money for grassroots environmental justice groups showcases exactly why I fought so hard for the Inflation Reduction Act," said U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer. "This $600 million for 11 regional grantmakers, including $50 million for our own Fordham University, that is distributed to community-based non-profits fighting on the frontlines of climate change, is the kind of program that can help our disadvantaged communities truly flourish. I am proud of Fordham University and I'm so excited to see how the vibrant network of New York and Puerto Rican grassroots environmental justice organizations leverage this federal funding. I remain laser-focused on implementation of the IRA so that we can ensure it lives up to its transformative potential to clean our air and combat climate change."

"EPA's Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Grantmaking program is a vital new program that will advance environmental justice and help communities disproportionately impacted by climate change, pollution, and other environmental stressors," said Senator Kirsten Gillibrand. "I am thrilled to see that Fordham University has been selected as the Grantmaker for EPA Region 2, which will allow organizations in New York, other communities within the Region and Puerto Rico to apply for funds to support a range of different environmental project activities that will help the communities most in need. I am proud to have worked with and supported Fordham University to help secure its selection as a Grantmaker and look forward to seeing communities that have long faced underinvestment gain access to federal environmental justice funding."

"As we face the monumental challenges of environmental justice, which disproportionately affect underserved communities like ours in the Bronx and our brothers and sisters in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, it is critical that the federal government take big steps and invest the proper resources to prepare us for the future. Today's announcement from the EPA that Fordham will receive millions of dollars in federal funds demonstrates the historic nature of the Inflation Reduction Act and the importance of never stopping our work fighting for the Bronx. Without a clean and healthy environment to grow up in, our children will never be able to achieve the true promise of this great nation," said U.S. Representative Ritchie Torres (NY-15). 

EPA Grantmakers will work in collaboration with EPA's Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights to issue subgrants to community-based nonprofit organizations and other eligible organizations representing disadvantaged communities. As a Grantmaker, Fordham University will design comprehensive application and submission processes, award environmental justice subgrants, implement tracking and reporting systems, and provide resources and support to communities. The subgrants are expected to become available by summer of 2024.

In addition, EPA has selected, the Institute for Sustainable Communities to receive $50 million as a National Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Grantmaker to provide additional support, coordination, and oversight to the subgrantees, applicants, and the Regional Grantmakers across the eastern part of the country. Institute for Sustainable Communities will provide equity-centered coordination services to regional Grantmakers. They will develop a Grantmaker website and host a visualization hub with public-facing grantmaking information, data tracking and other evaluation tools for regional Grantmakers.

Grantmakers are expected to begin opening competitions and awarding subgrants by summer 2024. Community-based nonprofit organizations and other eligible organizations seeking subgrant funding will be able to apply for subgrants through three concurrent tiers offered by the Grantmakers. Tier One will consist of grants for $150,000 for assessment, Tier Two will consist of grants for $250,000 for planning, and Tier Three will consist of grants for $350,000 for project development. In addition, $75,000 will be available for capacity-constrained community-based organizations through a noncompetitive process under Tier One. Each Grantmaker will design and implement a distribution program best suited for their region and communities.

The Grantmakers program is part of the Federal Interagency Thriving Communities Network and delivers on the Biden-Harris Administration's Justice40 Initiative which set the goal that 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution. Grantmakers will work in collaboration with the Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Centers (EJ TCTACs) to create a robust support network to assist eligible entities when applying.

Learn more about the Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Grantmakers.

Background

From day one of their administration, President Biden and Vice President Harris have made achieving environmental justice a top priority. In August 2022, President Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act into law, creating the largest investment in environmental and climate justice in U.S. history. EPA received $3 billion in total to award grants and fund related technical assistance to benefit disadvantaged communities. 

EPA has since launched and expanded innovative programs such as using $177 million for the creation of 16 EJ TCTACs in partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy to remove barriers to federal resources and help communities pursue funding opportunities like those made available through President Biden's Investing in America Agenda.

EPA announced nearly $128 million to fund 186 projects across the country that advance environmental justice as part of President Biden's Investing in America agenda. The organizations, which EPA has selected through its Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem Solving Cooperative Agreement and Environmental Justice Government-to-Government programs, will use the funds to ensure disadvantaged communities that have historically suffered from underinvestment have access to clean air and water and climate resilience solutions in alignment with the Biden-Harris Administration's Justice40 Initiative.

EPA also announced Community Change Grants which is approximately $2 billion in funding available to support community-driven projects that deploy clean energy, strengthen climate resilience, and build capacity for communities to tackle environmental and climate justice challenges last month.

Learn more about environmental justice at EPA.

For up-to-date information on when subgrants will be available, subscribe to the Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights' listserv by sending a blank email to: join-epa-ej@lists.epa.gov. Follow OEJECR on X (formerly Twitter): @EPAEnvJustice. Follow EPA Region 2 on X (formerly Twitter) and visit our Facebook page. For more information about EPA Region 2, visit our website.

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Issued: Dec 20, 2023 (5:08am EST)

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Biden-Harris Administration Announces $600M to 11 Grantmakers to Fund Thousands of Environmental Justice Projects Across the Nation as Part of Investing in America Agenda

Grantmakers selected to reduce barriers to federal funds and issue thousands of environmental justice grants over the next three years

WASHINGTON (Dec. 20, 2023) – As part of President Biden's Investing in America agenda, the Biden-Harris Administration announced on Wednesday $600 million for 11 selected Grantmakers under EPA's Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Grantmaking program, created by President Biden's Inflation Reduction Act, the largest investment in climate action in history. This new grant program, which will make it easier for small community-based organizations to access federal environmental justice funding, responds to community feedback about the need to reduce barriers to federal funds and improve the efficiency of the awards process to ensure communities that have long faced underinvestment can access the benefits of the largest climate investment in history. Communities will be able to apply to a Grantmaker for a subgrant to fund a range of different environmental project activities, including (but not limited to) small local clean ups, local emergency preparedness and disaster resiliency programs, environmental workforce development programs for local jobs reducing greenhouse gas emissions, fenceline air quality and asthma related projects, healthy homes programs, and projects addressing illegal dumping.

President Biden is delivering the most ambitious environmental justice agenda in our nation's history. Vice President Kamala Harris and EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan were joined by Dr. Robert Bullard, a Distinguished Professor of Urban Planning and Environmental Policy at Texas Southern University to announce the historic Grantmaker awards.

"Every person has a right to drink clean water, breathe clean air, and live in a community that is healthy and safe," said Vice President Kamala Harris. "For too long, however, low-income communities, immigrant communities, Native communities, and communities of color have endured disproportionate levels of air, water, and soil pollution. That is why President Joe Biden and I have put equity at the center of our nation's largest investment in climate in history. Today's announcement puts that commitment into action by ensuring critical resources to fund environmental justice projects across the country reach the organizations that know their communities best."

"For years, community advocates have been calling for federal support and resources to help address our country's most pressing environmental justice concerns," said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. "Thanks to President Biden and Vice President Harris' leadership, we're responding to these calls by removing barriers that have traditionally held communities and applicants back from accessing these historic investments in America. Together, in partnership with these Grantmakers, we are taking a giant step toward a future where every person in America has equal opportunity to breathe clean air, drink clean water, and live a healthy, productive life."

The Grantmakers will work in collaboration with EPA's Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights to issue subgrants to community-based nonprofit organizations and other eligible organizations representing disadvantaged communities. The 11 Grantmakers will design comprehensive application and submission processes, award environmental justice subgrants, implement tracking and reporting systems, and provide resources and support to communities. The subgrants are expected to become available by summer of 2024.

The 11 Grantmakers consist of regional selectees (i.e., Regional Grantmakers) who will issue subgrants to communities in specific EPA Regions, as well as national selectees (i.e., National Grantmakers) who will provide additional support, coordination, and oversight to the subgrantees, applicants, and the Regional Grantmakers themselves, as well as issue additional subgrants to fill potential gaps in the regions. Ten Grantmakers are receiving $50 million each with one selectee, Research Triangle Institute, receiving $100 million to serve as both a Regional Grantmaker serving communities in EPA Region 4 and as a National Grantmaker in which part of their responsibility is providing subgrants to communities in EPA Region 7. Collectively, the 11 Grantmakers will issue thousands of subgrants to disadvantaged communities over the next three years. 

EPA has selected the following nine organizations to serve as Regional Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Grantmakers:

• Health Resources in Action, Massachusetts (EPA Region 1)
• Fordham University, New York (EPA Region 2)
• Green & Healthy Homes Initiative Inc., Maryland (EPA Region 3)
• Research Triangle Institute, North Carolina (EPA Region 4)
• The Minneapolis Foundation, Minnesota (EPA Region 5)
• Texas Southern University, Texas (EPA Region 6)
• JSI Research and Training Institute, Inc., Colorado (EPA Region 8)
• Social and Environmental Entrepreneurs (SEE), Inc., California (EPA Region 9)
• Philanthropy Northwest, Washington (EPA Region 10)

In addition, EPA has selected three National Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Grantmakers, including:

• Institute For Sustainable Communities, Vermont (EPA Regions 1-3)
• Research Triangle Institute, North Carolina (EPA Regions 4-7)
• Climate Justice Alliance, California (EPA Regions 8-10)

Grantmakers are expected to begin opening competitions and awarding subgrants by summer 2024. Community-based nonprofit organizations and other eligible organizations seeking subgrant funding will be able to apply for subgrants through three concurrent tiers offered by the Grantmakers. Tier One will consist of grants for $150,000 for assessment, Tier Two will consist of grants for $250,000 for planning, and Tier Three will consist of grants for $350,000 for project development. In addition, $75,000 will be available for capacity-constrained community-based organizations through a noncompetitive process under Tier One. Each Grantmaker will design and implement a distribution program best suited for their region and communities.

The Grantmakers program is part of the Federal Interagency Thriving Communities Network and delivers on the Biden-Harris Administration's Justice40 Initiative which set the goal that 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution. Grantmakers will work in collaboration with the Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Centers (EJ TCTACs) to create a robust support network to assist eligible entities when applying.

Learn more about the Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Grantmakers.

Background

From day one of their administration, President Biden and Vice President Harris have made achieving environmental justice a top priority. In August 2022, President Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act into law, creating the largest investment in environmental and climate justice in U.S. history. EPA received $3 billion in total to award grants and fund related technical assistance to benefit disadvantaged communities.

EPA has since launched and expanded innovative programs to provide more support than ever before to communities that unjustly bear the burdens of environmental harm and pollution. This includes the $177 million for the creation of 16 EJ TCTACs in partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy to remove barriers to federal resources and help communities pursue funding opportunities like those made available through President Biden's Investing in America Agenda.

EPA announced nearly $128 million to fund 186 projects across the country that advance environmental justice as part of President Biden's Investing in America agenda. The organizations, which EPA has selected through its Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem Solving Cooperative Agreement and Environmental Justice Government-to-Government programs, will use the funds to ensure disadvantaged communities that have historically suffered from underinvestment have access to clean air and water and climate resilience solutions in alignment with the Biden-Harris Administration's Justice40 Initiative.

EPA also announced approximately $2 billion in funding available to support community-driven projects that deploy clean energy, strengthen climate resilience, and build capacity for communities to tackle environmental and climate justice challenges last month. The Community Change Grants are the single largest investment in environmental justice going directly to communities in history, and will advance collaborative efforts to achieve a healthier, safer, and more prosperous future for all.

Learn more about environmental justice at EPA.

For up-to-date information on when Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Grantmaking subgrants will be available, subscribe to the Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights' listserv by sending a blank email to: join-epa-ej@lists.epa.gov. Follow OEJECR on X (formerly Twitter): @EPAEnvJustice.

 

Contact: EPA Press Office (press@epa.gov)

 

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Issued: Dec 8, 2023 (12:19pm EST)

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Biden-Harris Administration Announces Major Grant to Recruit and Utica, New York Workers for Community Revitalization and Cleanup Projects as Part of Investing in America Agenda

Latest funding for EPA's Brownfields Job Training Grants is supported by the President's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and will boost workforce training in underserved and overburdened communities

NEW YORK (December 8, 2023) - Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the selection of Workforce Development Board of Herkimer, Madison and Oneida Counties to receive a total of $500,000 for environmental job training programs as part of President Biden's Investing in America agenda. The grants through EPA's Brownfields Job Training Program will help recruit, train, and place workers for community revitalization and cleanup projects at brownfield sites across Herkimer, Madison and Oneida Counties.

This initiative aims to provide specialized environmental job training for 100 students, with an ambitious goal to place 90 graduates in relevant roles.

The comprehensive training program will include 189 hours of instruction, covering key areas such as 40-Hour HAZWOPER, OSHA Lead in Construction, OSHA Construction Industry Health and Safety Program, OSHA Confined Space, EPA Lead Renovation, Repair, and Repainting, and more. Successful completion of the program will result in students earning up to four state and two federal certifications.

Workforce Development Board of Herkimer, Madison and Oneida is specifically targeting students within the City of Utica, with a focus on underrepresented and historically marginalized populations, providing them with an opportunity to gain valuable skills and improve their employment prospects.

This initiative is supported by key partners including Oneida County Workforce Development, Mohawk Valley Community College, Rochester Specialty Contractors, Ambient Environmental, Indium Corporation, Central New York Labor Council, Oneida County Health Department, Oneida-Herkimer Solid Waste Authority, Midtown Utica Community Center, Mohawk Valley Latino Center, NAACP, and Hope Chapel AME Zion Church.

"President Biden's Investing in America agenda is having a powerful, real-world impact on the ground, creating good-paying jobs and revitalizing communities," said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. "The President's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has supercharged our Brownfields program, enabling EPA to invest in the next generation of environmental workers to take on the much-needed work of cleaning up legacy pollution in communities across America."

"EPA is thrilled to award this grant to the Workforce Development Board of Herkimer, Madison and Oneida Counties and its partners to help train and prepare the next wave of local workers for opportunities in the Brownfields sector," said EPA Region 2 Administrator Lisa F. Garcia. "Through the cleanup and revitalization of brownfield sites, communities can put underutilized properties back to good use. Reclaiming these sites benefits the community and its residents, our economy, and our environment."

"This is a win-win: investing in getting youth the hands-on skills they need to get good-paying jobs and helping clean up our communities from Utica to NYC," said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. "I am proud to help deliver this federal funding, which will help train hundreds of students in New York for environmental jobs, and I will never stop fighting to address environmental justice issues faced by New York's underserved communities." 

"Environmental research is critical to our future and the sustainability of our communities. I was proud to help secure this funding in Congress and commend the EPA for awarding the Research Foundation of the City College of New York with this significant investment," said Congressman Adriano Espaillat. "Investing today will provide vital training and job opportunities for 84 students in Harlem, empowering them to pursue careers in the environmental field, while helping to bolster their future as well as our planet."

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Basil Seggos said, "President Biden, EPA Administrator Regan, and EPA Region 2 Administrator Garcia recognize the importance of growing New York's environmental workforce to protect public health and help revitalize communities. DEC applauds the Biden-Harris Administration for awarding the Research Foundation of the City College of New York and the Workforce Development Board of Herkimer, Madison, and Oneida Counties to help create brighter futures for New Yorkers, particularly those from underserved communities, and we look forward to continuing to work with local, state, and federal partners to advance workforce development opportunities across the state." 

These grants will provide funding to organizations that are working to create a skilled workforce in communities where assessment, cleanup, and preparation of brownfield sites for reuse activities are taking place. Individuals completing a job training program funded by EPA often overcome a variety of barriers to employment and many are from historically underserved neighborhoods or reside in the areas that are affected by environmental justice issues.

High-quality job training and workforce development are an important part of the Biden-Harris Administration's commitment to advance economic opportunities and address environmental justice issues in underserved communities.  All of the FY24 Brownfields Job Training Program applications selected have proposed to work in areas that include disadvantaged communities as defined by the Climate & Economic Justice Screening Tool, delivering on President Biden's Justice40 Initiative which aims to deliver at least 40% of the benefits of certain government investments to underserved and overburdened communities. 

Under the Brownfields Job Training Program, individuals typically graduate with a variety of certifications that improve their marketability and help ensure that employment opportunities are not just temporary contractual work, but long-term and high-quality environmental careers. This includes certifications in: 

• Lead and asbestos abatement, 
• Hazardous waste operations and emergency response, 
• Mold remediation, 
• Environmental sampling and analysis, and  
• Other environmental health and safety training 

For more information on the selected Brownfields Job Training Grant recipients, including past Grant recipients, please visit EPA's Grant Factsheet Tool.

Background

President Biden's leadership and bipartisan congressional action have delivered the single-largest investment ever made in U.S. Brownfields infrastructure. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law invests more than $1.5 billion through EPA's highly successful Brownfields Program, which is helping more communities than ever before begin to address the economic, social, and environmental challenges caused by the legacy pollution at brownfield sites. Today's funding for Brownfields Job Training grants comes from this historic investment, which is allowing more communities, states, and Tribes to access larger grants to build and enhance the environmental curriculum in job training programs to support job creation and community revitalization at brownfield sites. Ultimately, this investment will help trained individuals access jobs created through Brownfields revitalization activities within their communities.

Since 1998, EPA has announced 414 grants totaling over $100.5 million through Brownfield Job Training Programs. With these grants, more than 21,500 individuals have completed training and over 16,370 individuals have been placed in careers related to land remediation and environmental health and safety. The average starting wage for these individuals is over $15 an hour.  

For more information on this, and other types of Brownfields Grants, please visit EPA's Brownfields webpage.

Follow EPA Region 2 on Twitter and visit our Facebook page. For more information about EPA Region 2, visit our website.

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For further information: Contact: Carlos Vega, (646) 988-2996, vega.carlos@epa.gov

 

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