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U.S. EPA awards $223,675 to the West Oakland Environmental Indicators Project for reducing the impacts of diesel pollution in West Oakland; $2.7 million awarded nationwide in Community Action for a Renewed Environment grants

Release Date: 03/26/2007
Contact Information: Mark Merchant, (415) 947-4297

(03/26/07 -- SAN FRANCSICO) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today awarded $223,675 to the West Oakland Environmental Indicators Project to continue its effort to reduce community exposure to diesel pollution in West Oakland through collaborative efforts.

This award is part of the EPA’s Community Action for a Renewed Environment program, which recently awarded $2.7 million nationwide to help community-based partnerships reduce toxic risks through voluntary risk reduction activities.

“Through our Community Action for a Renewed Environment grant, the EPA is helping the West Oakland community to address its local environmental challenges,” said Deborah Jordan, director of the Air Division in the EPA’s Pacific Southwest regional office. “We applaud the community's leadership and their efforts to reduce toxics in West Oakland.”

“The Community Action for a Renewed Environment grant allows us to continue our work in reducing the impacts from diesel pollution in West Oakland through the West Oakland Toxics Reduction Collaborative,” said Brian Beveridge, co-chair of the collaborative and the West Oakland Environmental Indicators Project.

The West Oakland Toxics Reduction Collaborative was first formed in 2005 as a collaborative effort among the community, environmental agencies, and other stakeholders to address the impacts of diesel pollution in West Oakland. The primary area of focus is on diesel trucks associated with the Port of Oakland. The CARE grant will help continue this important collaborative effort toward reducing the impacts of diesel pollution.

Established in 2005, the EPA’s Community Action for a Renewed Environment program helps build broad-based local partnerships for reducing risks from toxic pollutants that come from numerous sources.

The EPA recently announced a new round of competitive funding for the Community Action for a Renewed Environment program. Community groups may apply for funding, including county and local governments, tribes, non-profit organizations and universities. The EPA will conduct three conference calls, Feb. 20 and 26 and March 1, for prospective applicants to ask questions about the application process. Applications are due April 9, 2007.

For more information on the EPA’s Community Action for a Renewed Environment program, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/care/