The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced today the award of a $1 million Environmental Justice Government-to-Government grant to the city of Ann Arbor, Michigan, aimed at developing a climate resiliency plan.
“Having the ability to adapt and adjust to the extreme weather and natural disasters caused by climate change is absolutely crucial to protecting vulnerable communities and creating a sustainable future,” said EPA Regional Administrator Debra Shore. “Ann Arbor is on the forefront of this issue and EPA is proud to support this work.”
Ann Arbor will collaborate with community-based organizations, including the Community Action Network at Green Baxter Court and the Peace Neighborhood Center, to establish a network of facilitated communication channels that will enable vulnerable community segments to better organize as part of the climate resiliency plan. The plan encompasses resource pooling, collective emergency response, mutual aid forms such as a resilience grant program, and four brick-and-mortar resilience hubs for in-person organizing space. By forming a regional network to enhance climate resiliency, the city aims to protect its most vulnerable residents.
“We’ve all seen and felt the impact of increasingly extreme weather events in recent years, including catastrophic flooding, tornadoes, and wildfire smoke, and know we need to invest now in climate resiliency efforts,” said Rep. Debbie Dingell. “This grant will support Ann Arbor’s work preparing to respond to future storms, especially in historically underserved and vulnerable communities.”
“Thanks to the incredible funding support from the U.S. EPA, the City of Ann Arbor is able to take demonstrable steps towards creating a more resilient region by investing in brick-and-mortar resilience hubs, a regional resilience network, a resilience ambassador program, and so much more,” said Missy Stults, Ann Arbor’s sustainability and innovations director.
With this project, Ann Arbor hopes to develop a model for community-designed resilience hubs while continuing efforts to address climate change impacts on overburdened and underserved communities.
For more information about the Environmental Justice Government-to-Government Program or Environmental Justice initiatives, visit EPA’s website.
