Michael S. Regan 16th Administrator, United States Environmental Protection Agency | Official Website
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced today the allocation of $5,597,824 to the Alliance for the Great Lakes to fund environmental justice projects in underserved and overburdened communities in the Chicago River region of Chicago and Calumet regions of northwest Indiana. This funding is part of EPA’s newly created Great Lakes Environmental Justice Grant Program, enabled by President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda.
“These new grant programs will ease administrative barriers and help underserved communities in Illinois and Indiana more effectively access federal funding for local projects,” said EPA Region 5 Administrator Debra Shore. “Thanks to an all-of-government approach and the unprecedented federal funding from the Biden Administration’s Investing in America agenda, we are one step closer to creating a cleaner Lake Michigan for all.”
Joel Brammeier, President and CEO of Alliance for the Great Lakes, remarked on the significance of this investment: “An investment of this magnitude with a new focus on environmental justice is not just humbling -- but empowering. Over $5.5 million in Great Lakes restoration funding will reduce pollution and restore lands and waters for historically disinvested communities in the Southern Lake Michigan basin. Community-based organizations and agencies will have more resources they need to expand their critical work.”
Using funds from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Alliance for the Great Lakes will collaborate with four regional advocacy organizations: Calumet Collaborative, Friends of the Chicago River, Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission, and Faith in Place. Together, they will establish an environmental justice grant program within the southern Lake Michigan watershed. The program aims to identify needs through outreach to environmental justice organizations while providing technical support throughout the granting process.
The Alliance for the Great Lakes joins four other applicants who have previously received over $35 million to fund similar projects across the Great Lakes region. EPA plans to finalize all awards once legal and administrative requirements are met, with funding opportunities expected within a year.
Many communities within the Great Lakes Basin face challenges in applying for federal grants due to limited resources. Cities, states, Tribes, and nonprofit organizations representing these underserved communities can apply directly to selected grant programs for various environmental protection and restoration projects under this initiative.
EPA’s Great Lakes Environmental Justice Grant Program was established under President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law which allocates $1 billion towards accelerating restoration efforts under the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI). This initiative aligns with the Biden-Harris Administration’s Justice40 Initiative which ensures that 40% of overall benefits from certain federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities affected by underinvestment and pollution.
Since its inception in 2010, GLRI has funded over 8,000 restoration projects totaling more than $4 billion.
For further information about GLRI or updates on related funding opportunities and projects, interested parties can sign up for EPA's Great Lakes News email list.
