BOSTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that the University of Connecticut (UCONN) has been selected to serve as an “Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Center” (EJ TCTAC) that will receive at least $10 million to help communities across the New England region and elsewhere access funds from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda. This includes historic investments to advance environmental justice.
From day one of his administration, President Biden made achieving environmental justice a top priority. Through the Investing in America agenda, the Biden-Harris Administration will continue to support and strengthen communities that for too long were left out and left behind. Administrator Regan announced the technical assistance centers on the Biden-Harris Administration’s Investing in America tour.
“We know that so many communities across the nation have the solutions to the environmental challenges they face. Unfortunately, many have lacked access or faced barriers when it comes to the crucial federal resources needed to deliver these solutions,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “Today we’re taking another step to break down these barriers. Establishing these Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Centers across the nation will ensure all communities can access benefits from the President’s historic agenda, which includes groundbreaking investments in clean air, clean water, and our clean energy future.”
“For far too long, overburdened, underserved, and rural communities have lacked the resources and technical assistance they need from the federal government to overcome barriers critical to their energy needs and create new, long-lasting economic opportunities,” said U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm. “Thanks to President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, DOE now has historic levels of new funding to pull from to help revitalize disadvantaged communities across the nation and ensure they’re not left behind in our transition to a clean energy future.”
UCONN is among 17 Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Centers (EJ TCTACs) announced by EPA to receive a total of more than $177 million to remove barriers and improve accessibility for communities with environmental justice concerns. UCONN will work exclusively with organizations addressing environmental justice concerns in the six New England states.
“Ensuring that EPA fully considers the needs of historically underserved and overburdened communities is an integral part of our work to protect people’s health and our environment,” said David W. Cash, Regional Administrator of EPA’s New England regional office. “We are very pleased to have two exceptional New England organizations stepping up to assist communities with environmental justice concerns and assure that they will have access to the once-in-a-generation environment and energy funding.”
With this critical investment, these centers will provide training and other assistance to build capacity for navigating federal grant application systems, writing strong grant proposals, and effectively managing grant funding. In addition, these centers will provide guidance on community engagement, meeting facilitation, and translation and interpretation services for limited English-speaking participants, thus removing barriers and improving accessibility for communities with environmental justice concerns. Each of the technical assistance centers will also create and manage communication channels to ensure all communities have direct access to resources and information.
EPA will deliver these resources in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Energy, whose funding allows the EJ TCTACs to provide support for identifying community opportunities for clean energy transition and financing options, including public-private partnerships supporting clean energy demonstration, deployment, workforce development and outreach opportunities that advance energy justice objectives.
The formation of the EJ technical assistance centers is in direct response to feedback from communities and environmental justice leaders who have long called for technical assistance and capacity building support for communities and their partners as they work to access critical federal resources. The 17 centers will provide comprehensive coverage for the entire United States through a network of over 160 partners including community-based organizations, additional academic institutions, and Environmental Finance Centers, so that more communities can access federal funding opportunities like those made available through President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
In addition to UCONN, which will work only with New England-based organizations, EPA also announced that Montpelier, Vermont-based Institute for Sustainable Communities is one of three national EJ TCTACs that will provide additional assistance across the country, with particular capacity to assist Tribes. The other two organizations selected in this capacity are the International City/County Management Association and the National Indian Health Board.
Additional award information for each selectee will be announced in Summer 2023.
More information:
The EJ TCTAC program is part of the Federal Interagency Thriving Communities Network and delivers on the Biden-Harris Administration’s Justice40 Initiative to ensure that 40% of the benefits of certain federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities. The new technical assistance centers will help ensure communities with environmental justice concerns can access President Biden’s historic investments in America to address generational disinvestment, legacy pollution, infrastructure challenges, and build a clean energy economy that will lower energy costs, strengthen our energy security, and meet our climate goals.
Today’s announcement builds on the $100 million announced earlier this year under the Environmental Justice Government to Government Program and the Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving Cooperative Agreement Program, with applications due on April 14, 2023. EPA has also announced $550 million through the Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Grantmaking Program, with applications due May 31, 2023.
Learn more about the selectees, their partners, and the EJ TCTAC program.
Learn more about environmental justice at EPA.
What They Are Saying:
“The Biden Administration is investing billions of dollars in clean water, energy and air and I am thrilled that UConn has been selected to help connect underserved communities across Connecticut and the greater New England region to this transformative funding. Too many communities in our state are under resourced to tackle these pressing environmental and public health issues and this program will be instrumental in reversing and correcting this unacceptable inequity,” said U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal.
“I am so proud to see the University of Connecticut selected to serve as an Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Center,” said Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro. “This center will be pivotal for our state — helping to ensure that every community now has access to federal grant application assistance, workforce development, the opportunity to explore environmental partnerships, and direct resources and communication. These centers are a response to environmental and municipal leaders, advocates, and families who have long called for more support in how they can access critical federal resources to protect our climate.”
“I am thrilled to see UConn selected by the Environmental Protection Agency to assist communities across New England access and utilize federal funding to advance environmental justice,” said U.S. Rep. John B. Larson. “I was proud to support new federal programs through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act to strengthen public health, unleash the power of American-made clean energy, and ensure our regional infrastructure is resilient to the effects of climate change. UConn is well-prepared to help ensure our towns and cities have access to the resources they need to alleviate existing environmental hazards and thrive in a clean energy future. I look forward to working with the Biden Administration and our partners at UConn to implement the environmental justice initiatives we enacted in Congress right here in Connecticut and across the region.”
“I applaud the Biden-Harris Administration for selecting the University of Connecticut as an Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Center. By taking this step, the Administration is ensuring that families across the state now have the help they need to address the effects of climate change and prepare for a clean energy future,” said Congressman Joe Courtney. “This is particularly important in helping organizations unlock and use funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act. Under President Maric’s highly skilled leadership and her strong background in energy sciences, the mission of the Assistance Center is in good hands.”
“Environmental justice is not a theoretical concept – I see it every day in my district when I look at communities that are located next to power plants and face higher rates of childhood asthma, or those on the coast that see disproportionate harm from climate events like Superstorm Sandy,” said Congressman Jim Himes. “Unlocking funding opportunities from the federal government can be a complicated and laborious process, so it is fantastic news that the University of Connecticut will be receiving this money to assist underserved communities in my district so the people who need it most can benefit from this Administration’s historic investments in environmental justice initiatives.”