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U.S. EPA Awards Five Calif. Groups Nearly $125,000 in Environmental Justice Grants

Release Date: 12/06/2012
Contact Information: David Yogi, [email protected], (415) 972-3350

$1.2 Million Awarded Nationally to Address EJ Issues

SAN FRANCISCO – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today awards $124,810 in grants to five organizations throughout California to conduct a variety of projects to address environmental justice issues. The projects will provide training, enable communities to better participate in decision-making for environmental health issues, and collect data on community human health issues, among other items.

“EPA is committed to ensuring that all Californians receive the same level of protection from environmental and human health threats,” said Jared Blumenfeld, Regional Administrator for the Pacific Southwest. “These grants will support community-led work to reduce these threats and engage communities throughout the process.”

Outside California, more than $1 million in grants were awarded to 45 non-profit and tribal organizations in 2012 to address environmental justice issues.

This year’s California grant winners include:

• Center on Race, Poverty and the Environment, “Leadership Development Institute: Growing Leaders for a Healthy San Joaquin Valley” (Allensworth and Wasco, Calif.): Grant aims to enable community members to access and participate in decision-making on community health issues. Project will provide training on environmental laws, the regulatory process, and environmental San Joaquin Valley environmental health policy. The project will also assist in increasing access to healthy food by establishing sustainable, organic community farms. The grant is for $25,000.
• Fresno Metropolitan Ministry, “Building Community Capacity to Address Environmental Health Hazards in Fresno County” (Fresno, Calif.): Project aids community members in understanding their disproportionate exposure to environmental harms through workshops and presentations. The grantee will establish the Fresno Environmental Reporting Network (FERN) website that allows residents to report environmental hazards. The grant is for $24,860.
• East Bay Asian Local Development Corp (EBALDC), “Empowering Community Members to address Air Pollution in their Community” (Oakland, Calif.): EBALDC will engage community members in collecting air quality data to illustrate the potential impacts planned development will have on the community. A Chinatown Community Platform will be developed to convey community health priorities regarding air pollution and establish criteria for future city development. The grant is for $25,000.
• The Sierra Fund, “Gold County Circuit Rider,” (Nevada City, Calif.): The Fund will work with health care providers and community leaders to prevent and mitigate exposure to legacy mining toxins (such as mercury, arsenic, lead and asbestos) in California’s Sierra Nevada through workshops and training. Information will be shared with four local suburban and rural communities. The grant is for $24,950.
• Boat People SOS, Inc., “Community Awareness Campaign on Occupational Safety” (Westminster, Calif.): Using a multi-pronged approach to address environmental and public health threats posed by hazardous work practices in Vietnamese nail salons, Boat People SOS will educate community members about safe practices and health impacts associated with exposure to chemicals in salon products, and examine ways to reduce exposure overall. The grant is for $25,000.