The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) this week announced the awarding of $3.9 million in grants to fund climate change research at the University of Alaska, University of Washington and Iowa State University to study the impact of the climate on underserved communities.

According to an EPA news release, the grants are part of $21.4 million that was awarded to 16 colleges and universities across the country.

“We’re proud to work together with our university researchers, state and tribal partners, and the local communities to understand how to reduce the burden of these impacts in Alaska, Washington, and beyond,” Casey Sixkiller, EPA Region 10 regional administrator, said in the news release.

The EPA noted in its release that the University of Washington will work with underserved communities in the Duwamish Valley in the Seattle area to monitor contaminants during flooding and storm surges to find areas that are at an increased risk. The university will provide information to help the communities mitigate the contaminants.

In Alaska, the EPA noted that researchers will create methods to assess the impact of converging climate hazards, from social disparities among at-risk communities to exposure to wildfire smoke. 

Work in Iowa will focus on the impact of climate change on water systems and determine its effects on health among indigenous communities in Alaska.

Sixkiller pointed out in the release the grants will provide scientific evidence to develop plans to protect at-risk communities.

Moreover, in the release Micah Hahn, lead investigator at the University of Alaska, pointed out that as wildfires increase, smoke can have a greater impact on rural communities across Alaska.

In the release, Cristina Poleacovschi, principal investigator at Iowa State University, said the study will focus on the impact of climate change on water infrastructure and the residual impact on the health of indigenous Alaskan populations.