On July 13th, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that applications where open for a $10 million grant opportunity to support environmental justice. The EPA is looking for applicants that can provide technical assistance for organizations and communities in the states of Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming, as well as 28 Tribes.
"This grant opportunity will create a technical assistance center to help communities tackle environmental justice concerns in the Rocky Mountains and Great Plains states," EPA Regional Administrator KC Becker said in an EPA news release.
The EPA's Region 8 Office is offering up to $10 million in funding through a grant competition for an "Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Center" (EJ TCTAC), the release said. This opportunity aims to help communities and environmental justice stakeholders in the Rocky Mountains and Great Plains states access federal assistance and resources to address environmental and energy justice concerns.
EPA Region 8 includes Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, Wyoming and 28 Tribes. The EPA will collaborate with the U.S. Department of Energy to select a qualified applicant to provide much-needed assistance to these communities, according to the EPA release.
The EPA announced $177 million in investments for the creation of EJ TCTACs nationwide to aid underserved and overburdened communities in accessing funds from President Biden's Investing in America agenda, the release reported. The EPA Region 8 EJ TCTAC will become part of a network of other EJ TCTACs offering technical assistance on a comprehensive nationwide basis.
These centers will provide training and other support to navigate grant application systems, write strong grant proposals and effectively manage grant funding. Additionally, they will offer guidance on engagement in governmental processes, community outreach, meeting facilitation and translation and interpretation services for limited English-speaking participants the EPA announced in its release.
Eligible applicants include public and private universities, colleges, nonprofits and intertribal consortia. Applications will be evaluated until Sept. 11, and the award of approximately $10 million for a five-year project period is expected by the end of the calendar year, the release said. The creation of the EJ TCTACs responds to the needs expressed by communities and environmental justice leaders, providing vital technical assistance and capacity building support to access federal resources.
These centers are part of the Federal Interagency Thriving Communities Network, aligning with the Biden-Harris administration's Justice40 Initiative to ensure disadvantaged communities receive 40% of certain federal investments' benefits, according to the release.
