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EPA Awards $2 Million for Local Environmental Protection Projects

Release Date: 11/03/2005
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(Washington, D.C.-Nov. 3, 2005) Twelve communities across the United States received a share of $2 million in EPA grants to reduce the risk of exposure to toxic chemicals and enhance community education. The grants, awarded under EPA's new Community Action for a Renewed Environment (CARE) program, will help communities develop collaborative strategies to achieve local environmental protection goals.

"CARE is an example of EPA adapting to a new era of environmental protection," said EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson. "Collaborative approaches maximize results for the environment and public health."

Award recipients will address a wide variety of environmental health issues in both rural and urban areas. Examples of projects include a watershed management and air toxics plan in New Haven, Conn., an air toxics reduction program in the Grace Hill community of St. Louis, Mo., and an outreach program to protect against contamination in lakes and drinking water in Muskegon County, Mich.

CARE grants are broken into two Levels. Level I grants deliver approximately $85,000 and will help communities organize and create collaborative partnerships dedicated to reducing toxics in their local environments. Level II grants are approximately $300,000 and are for communities that have already established broad-based partnerships and have identified the priority toxic risks in the community. These communities are further along in the CARE process and are prepared to measure results, implement the risk reduction activities, and become self-sustaining.

The recipients are listed below.

Level I Communities:

1. Resources for Communities and People (RCAP) Solutions, Claremont, N.H.
2. Oneida County Health Department, Utica, N.Y.
3. The Philadelphia Clean Air Council, Philadelphia, Pa.
4. DeKalb County Health Department, Decatur, Ga.
5. The Northwest New Mexico Council of Governments, Gallup, N.M.
6. Pacoima Beautiful, Pacoima, Calif.
7. International District Housing Alliance, Seattle, Wash.

Level II Communities:

1. The New Haven City Government, New Haven, Conn.
2. Center for Environmental Information, Rochester, N.Y.
3. Muskegon County Environmental Coordinating Council, Muskegon, Mich.
4. The Grace Hill Settlement House, St. Louis, Mo.
5. Groundwork Denver, Inc., Denver, Colo.

More information about CARE and the 12 cooperative agreements is available at: https://www.epa.gov/care