All News Releases By Date

PA EPA LAUNCHES SUSTAINABLE DEV. CHALLENGE GRANTS PROGRAM

Release Date: 07/04/96
Contact Information:

PA EPA LAUNCHES SUSTAINABLE DEV. CHALLENGE GRANTS PROGRAM

FOR RELEASE: WEDNESDAY, JULY 3, 1996

EPA LAUNCHES SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
CHALLENGE GRANTS PROGRAM

The Sustainable Development Challenge Grant (SDCG) program is a new competitive grant program launched by EPA. The initiative is one of the 25 major environmental reforms announced by President Clinton in March 1995, as part of the National Performance Review's Reinventing Environmental Regulation initiative. The SDCG program will challenge communities to plan and invest in local initiatives that will promote environmental protection and foster economic prosperity while providing equitable opportunities for health, safety and well-being. Through this program, EPA also intends to further the vision and goals of the President's Council on Sustainable Development. This grant program is designed to encourage community-based projects that promote sustainable development, leverage private and public investments to enhance environmental quality and build partnerships to increase a community's long-term capacity to protect the environment. The SDCG program will be targeted to the local level and eligible applicants include community groups, non-profit organizations, local governments, tribes and states. EPA expects to fund a limited number of proposals for a total of approximately $500,000 for a pilot program for fiscal year 1996. EPA will evaluate this pilot phase to improve program design and procedures for implementation of

R-96 ###