The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency chose 17 Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Centers across the country to receive more than $177 million to remove barriers and improve access to clean air, water and green energy for communities with environmental justice concerns.
Among the selected institutions is the University of Washington, which will receive $12 million to provide technical assistance services to regional program participants, while the Willamette Partnership will receive $10 million to co-manage the Northwestern Environmental and Energy Justice Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Center with a broad diversity of partners, according to an April 17 news release.
“Across our region, communities overburdened by pollution or other environmental challenges have for years been left behind because they lacked access or faced barriers to the federal resources and funding to help put community-led solutions into action,” EPA Region 10 Regional Administrator Casey Sixkiller said in the release.
The center’s activities will focus on underserved communities such as Tribal and indigenous communities, Black, Latinx, immigrant and disabilities communities, the release reported. The 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.
The centers will also offer training and other assistance to develop the capacity of underserved communities to navigate federal grant application systems, write strong grant proposals and manage grant funding effectively, the release said.
Additionally, each of the centers will create and manage communication channels to ensure all communities have direct access to resources and information. Additional award information for each grant selectee will be announced in summer 2023, according to the release.
The initiative aims to redress historic wrongs, support the health and prosperity of people throughout the region and ensure that disadvantaged communities are not left behind in addressing the climate crisis, the release reported.
Representatives from the University of Washington and the Willamette Partnership expressed their enthusiasm for the opportunity to work closely with Tribal and community leaders to provide technical assistance that addresses the specific environmental needs and priorities of their region, according to the release. This opportunity is expected to drive meaningful change and build a more just future for all who live, work, play and pray in the region.
