Issued: Apr 13, 2023 (1:19pm EDT)

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Biden-Harris Administration Selects the Inter-American University of Puerto Rico to Serve as New Technical Assistance Center to Help Communities Across the Caribbean Access Historic Investments to Advance Environmental Justice

EPA's Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Centers include a network of over 160 partners to provide resources to unlock access to President Biden's historic investments in America

Contact: Stephen McBay, (212)-637-3672, mcbay.stephen@epa.gov

NEW YORK – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced Inter-American University of Puerto Rico has been selected to serve as an Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Center (EJ TCTACs) that will receive about $10 million over the next five years to help communities across Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands access funds from President Biden's Investing in America agenda. This includes historic investments to advance environmental justice.

From day one of his administration, President Biden made achieving environmental justice a top priority. Through the Investing in America agenda, the Biden-Harris Administration will continue to support and strengthen communities that for too long were left out and left behind. Administrator Regan announced the technical assistance centers on the Biden-Harris Administration's Investing in America tour.

"We know that so many communities across the nation have the solutions to the environmental challenges they face. Unfortunately, many have lacked access or faced barriers when it comes to the crucial federal resources needed to deliver these solutions," said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. "Today we're taking another step to break down these barriers. Establishing these Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Centers across the nation will ensure all communities can access benefits from the President's historic agenda, which includes groundbreaking investments in clean air, clean water, and our clean energy future."

"For far too long, overburdened, underserved, and rural communities have lacked the resources and technical assistance they need from the federal government to overcome barriers critical to their energy needs and create new, long-lasting economic opportunities," said U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm. "Thanks to President Biden's Investing in America agenda, DOE now has historic levels of new funding to pull from to help revitalize disadvantaged communities across the nation and ensure they're not left behind in our transition to a clean energy future."

"This program is a game changer. It ensures that communities will get the support and assistance needed to apply for funding from different federal programs," said Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia. "This grant funding allows IAUPR to provide essential support and resources to help communities in the Caribbean access federal funding opportunities and address their environmental and public health challenges."

"IAUPR is proud to join with several partners to serve and support communities in EPA's Region 2," said Dr. Yogani Govender, Dean of Science and Technology at Interamerican University. "The IAUPR-EJTCTAC will allow access to essential funds for low income and underserved communities for environmental and energy justice projects that strengthen and increase community adaptation and resilience to climate change. The funding awarded today increases opportunities for organizations to develop capacity in leadership and financial opportunities to build stronger environmental and energy justice partnerships and networks."

"Congratulations to the InterAmerican University in my district on its new role to support community members and stakeholders in Puerto Rico and USVI as part of the federally funded Environmental Justice Thriving Community Technical Assistance Center initiative. With a $10 million investment, this center will benefit those seeking to navigate the federal system as it provides technical assistance and capacity building to access grants and other federal opportunities available. Through the years, many nonprofits and local entities have benefited from federal aid. This new center will ensure more people can access resources in the environmental and related fields," said Congresswoman Jenniffer González Colón.

IAUPR is among 17 Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Centers (EJ TCTACs) the EPA announced to receive a total of more than $177 million to remove barriers and improve accessibility for communities with environmental justice concerns. With this critical investment, these centers will provide training and other assistance to build capacity for navigating federal grant application systems, writing strong grant proposals, and effectively managing grant funding. In addition, these centers will provide guidance on community engagement, meeting facilitation, and translation and interpretation services for limited English-speaking participants, thus removing barriers and improving accessibility for communities with environmental justice concerns. Each of the technical assistance centers will also create and manage communication channels to ensure all communities have direct access to resources and information.

EPA will deliver these resources in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Energy, whose funding allows the EJ TCTACs to provide support for identifying community opportunities for clean energy transition and financing options, including public-private partnerships supporting clean energy demonstration, deployment, workforce development and outreach opportunities that advance energy justice objectives.

The formation of the EJ technical assistance centers is in direct response to feedback from communities and environmental justice leaders who have long called for technical assistance and capacity building support for communities and their partners as they work to access critical federal resources. The 17 centers will provide comprehensive coverage for the entire United States through a network of over 160 partners including community-based organizations, additional academic institutions, and Environmental Finance Centers, so that more communities can access federal funding opportunities like those made available through President Biden's Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

EPA has selected three national EJ TCTACs that will provide additional assistance across the country, with particular capacity to assist Tribes, including:

• International City/County Management Association
• Institute for Sustainable Communities
• National Indian Health Board

Additional award information for each selectee will be announced in Summer 2023.

The EJ TCTAC program is part of the Federal Interagency Thriving Communities Network and delivers on the Biden-Harris Administration's Justice40 Initiative to ensure that 40% of the benefits of certain federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities. The new technical assistance centers will help ensure communities with environmental justice concerns can access President Biden's historic investments in America to address generational disinvestment, legacy pollution, infrastructure challenges, and build a clean energy economy that will lower energy costs, strengthen our energy security, and meet our climate goals. 

Today's announcement builds on the $100 million announced earlier this year under the Environmental Justice Government to Government Program and the Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving Cooperative Agreement Program, with applications due on April 14, 2023. EPA has also announced $550 million through the Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Grantmaking Program, with applications due May 31, 2023.

Learn more about the selectees, their partners, and the EJ TCTAC program.

Learn more about environmental justice at EPA.

The Inter-American University of Puerto Rico (IAUPR) is a private non-profit institution that provides bilingual education to diverse and underserved populations in Puerto Rico and other countries. Founded in 1912, IAUPR has nine campuses and two professional schools that offer academic programs at all levels and disciplines. IAUPR is committed to the socioeconomic development of its communities by fostering the creation of knowledge, the search for solutions to problems, and service to the society through education and alliances. IAUPR has a focus on environmental protection issues and has established the Center of Environmental Education, Conservation, and Interpretation (CECIA) to integrate environmental issues into education.

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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