Issued: Mar 8, 2023 (3:04pm EST)
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EPA Announces $16 Million in Pollution Prevention Grant Opportunities Funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law
Grants place emphasis on projects that advance environmental justice by preventing pollution in historically disadvantaged communities
NEW YORK - Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing two new grant funding opportunities for states and Tribes to provide technical assistance to help businesses develop and adopt pollution prevention (P2) practices which can address environmental justice concerns in disadvantaged communities across the country. These two-year grants are funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and are a critical component of the Biden-Harris Administration's Justice40 initiative which aims to deliver 40 percent of the overall benefits of climate, clean energy and other investments to disadvantaged communities. Selected grantees will not be required to provide matching funds for these grants.
"These new grants will bring the benefits of pollution prevention practices to disadvantaged communities that have for too long suffered unjustly from the effects of pollution," said EPA Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention Deputy Assistant Administrator for Pollution Prevention Jennie Romer. "This additional $16 million builds on the nearly $14 million in P2 grants funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that were awarded last year and will help American businesses save money, reduce the use of hazardous materials, and cut climate pollution."
The United States produces billions of pounds of pollution each year and spends billions of dollars per year controlling this pollution. Preventing pollution at the source, also known as P2 or source reduction, rather than managing waste after it is produced, is an important part of advancing a sustainable economic and environmental infrastructure. P2 can reduce exposure to toxic chemicals, conserve natural resources, and reduce cleanup and financial costs for businesses, particularly for waste management and environmental liability. Practicing P2 is essential for protecting health, improving environmental conditions in and around disadvantaged communities.
The two grant opportunities being announced today will provide up to $16 million for state and Tribal programs to help businesses adopt pollution prevention practices to advance environmental justice. The grants will be fully funded at the time the grants are awarded (rather than receiving funding in installments). Individual grant awards may range from $100,000 to $800,000 for the funding period, or up to $1.2 million for multi-state or multi-Tribal projects. The two grants are:
- Pollution Prevention Grant: Environmental Justice in Communities is a new P2 grant opportunity to support technical assistance for businesses to specifically target and improve human health and the environment in disadvantaged communities. Applications for this grant are due by June 6, 2023. Additional information is available at: grants.gov under Funding Opportunity Announcement EPA-I-OCSPP-OPPT-FY2023-001.
- Pollution Prevention Grant: Environmental Justice Through Safer and More Sustainable Products to support P2 technical assistance to businesses to increase the supply, demand and/or use of safer and more sustainable products, such as those that are certified by EPA's Safer Choice program, or those that conform to EPA's Recommendations for Specifications, Standards and Ecolabels for Federal Purchasing. Applications for this grant are due by June 20, 2023. Additional information is available at: grants.gov under Funding Opportunity Announcement EPA-I-OCSPP-OPPT-FY2023-002.
Eligibility and Applications
For both grant funding opportunities, EPA requests that applicants target their projects to help communities overburdened by a legacy of pollution using geographic, demographic, environmental or other appropriate indicators. Disadvantaged communities can be identified through several publicly available mapping tools including:
- The Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool, a geospatial mapping tool developed by the Council on Environmental Quality
- EPA's EJScreen which combines environmental and socioeconomic indicators in maps and reports
- The P2 EJ Facility Mapping Tool which allows users to identify industrial businesses located in or adjacent to disadvantaged communities
Eligible applicants include states, state entities such as universities, U.S. territories and possessions, and federally recognized Tribes and intertribal consortia. Applicants are strongly encouraged to consider partnering with others in the P2 stakeholders and with community organizations to strengthen their ability to jointly develop and provide P2 technical assistance to businesses and facilitate the development, adoption and dissemination of P2 solutions. Community groups, labeling organizations, and trade associations are not directly eligible to apply, but EPA encourages these groups to partner with eligible applicants.
Informational Webinars
EPA's national P2 Program will host four informational webinars to provide information on both grant opportunities, the P2 grant programs and the application process. Time will be provided during the webinars for questions from participants.
- March 21, 2023, 2 – 3:30 p.m. EST
- March 23, 2023, 2 – 3:30 p.m. EST (for Tribal entities)
- March 28, 2023, 2 – 3:30 p.m. EST
- March 30, 2023, 2 – 3:30 p.m. EST
Tools and resources for prospective grantees, including webinars, writing guidance, networking tools, and helpful templates can be found on EPA's P2 grants webpage.
Background P2 Program Results
EPA's P2 program has issued nearly 500 grants between 2011-2021, totaling more than $50 million, which have helped businesses identify, develop and adopt P2 approaches. These approaches have resulted in eliminating 19.8 million metric tons of greenhouse gases, saving 49 billion gallons of water, reducing 917 million pounds of hazardous materials and pollutants, and saving of more than $2.2 billion for business.
Read more about P2 and the P2 grant program.
Email p2hub@epa.gov with questions about P2 grants or for help applying for a P2 grant.
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