Environmental

Outgoing Administration Awards $1.6 Billion in Environmental and Climate Justice Community Change Grants

In sunset actions before leaving office, the Biden administration announced the selection of 105 applications for the Community Change Grants Program, totaling nearly $1.6 billion in awards, to advance local, on-the-ground projects that reduce pollution, increase community climate resilience, and build community capacity.

Funded by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), the Community Change Grants Program is the single largest investment in environmental and climate justice in history, according to the EPA.

President Donald Trump, before resuming office, announced he would claw back any remaining undistributed IRA funding. This announcement created urgency within the outgoing Biden administration to ensure the maximum amount of funding was dispersed before January 20, 2025.

This Community Change Grants Program funding represents the latest round of 84 applications that have been selected on a rolling basis since the program launched in November 2023. The EPA previously announced 21 selectees in July.

Programs eligible for this funding assist disadvantaged communities by:

  • Reducing and preventing air, water, and soil pollution
  • Building resilient infrastructure for extreme weather events
  • Bolstering workforce development

Examples of the applications selected include:

  • Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium & Kawerak, Inc.: To address energy and climate challenges in remote Alaska native lands where there isn’t a unified electrical grid, the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium (ANTHC) will build photovoltaic solar arrays and battery storage systems in the remote Bering Strait communities of Brevig Mission, Elim, Koyuk, Savoonga, and Teller. The ANTHC will also use the grant funding to design and construct community solar and battery systems, as well as distribute net revenue through a subsidy to household water and sewer utility bills. The infrastructure will be owned locally, and Kawerak, Inc., will provide regional support and workforce development to help maintain the systems. This unique arrangement will keep money in communities, lower greenhouse gas emissions and local air pollutants, and support economic development in rural Alaska.
  • City of Evansville, Indiana & Welborn Baptist Foundation, Inc.: Residents of Evansville’s underserved communities suffer from poor air quality because the region’s low river valley hinders the dispersion of pollutants from traffic and power plants, wildfire smoke, and excessive heat that contribute to temperature inversions and air quality action days. In direct response to the challenges of poor air quality, this project will designate 15 “Mobility Hubs” throughout the city; expand the current bike share system with 100 electric bikes; electrify and expand the on-demand micro-transit program, including adopting solar power at the bus transit facilities; invest in publicly accessible electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure; and conduct a local EV public awareness campaign—all with the goal of reducing air pollution and protecting public health.
  • The Working Lands Trust, Inc. & Democracy Green: Low-income, unincorporated communities in Supply, Ash, and Longwood within the Gullah Geechee corridor of Brunswick County, North Carolina, have endured generations of environmental injustices, including the presence of polluting industries, landfills, and recurrent climate disasters. This project will improve water quality, restore ecosystems, and remove contaminants from local watersheds. The project will remove lead pipes from homes and communities in areas that are either not supported by incorporated government structure or not likely to get other assistance for years. Additionally, the project will invest in nature-based solutions for wetland restoration to enhance natural water filtration, reduce flooding impact, and support biodiversity, with the goal of creating a more resilient watershed and environment.

“Of the 105 total selections, 32 are for Target Investment Areas, totaling $600 million,” according to an EPA news release. “Target Investment Area funding is intended to ensure that Community Change Grants Program funding is directed towards disadvantaged communities with unique circumstances, geography, and needs. This includes approximately $150 million for Alaska Native communities and organizations.

“Applications to the Community Change Grants Program, administered through EPA’s Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights, closed on November 21, 2024. The agency received approximately 2,700 applications, totaling over $40 billion in requested funds and over 2,495 requests for technical assistance.”

For more information about the selected projects, see the EPA Community Change Grants Selections webpage.

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