News Releases from Region 08
EPA awards Montana State University grant funding to prevent pollution
BOZEMAN – Today, during Pollution Prevention (P2) Week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that Montana State University (MSU) is a recipient of $498,217 in grant funding to support pollution prevention activities. The grant funding will help MSU provide support to Montana’s small businesses in the food and beverage industry.
“As we celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Pollution Prevention Act, we are proud to award MSU almost $500,000 in P2 funds to protect the environment, increase sustainability, and reduce waste and costs,” said EPA Regional Administrator Greg Sopkin. “Projects like this highlight the important role that small businesses play and the positive impact that they can have in preventing pollution in their communities.”
MSU, working with the Montana Pollution Prevention Center and the Montana Manufacturing Extension Center, will use the grant award to provide Montana’s small businesses in the food and beverage industry with on-site technical assistance and training on P2 practices over the course of 2 years. The project will focus on sharing information on safer chemical use and source reduction techniques, creating and sharing best management practices, and supporting P2 roundtables and community based P2 initiatives. Grant funds will also support the Montana Pollution Prevention Center Food and Beverage P2 Internship Program, a sustainable brewery certification pilot, EcoStar Pollution Prevention Award Program, a P2 support network, and P2 outreach platforms.
EPA emphasizes the importance of documenting and sharing P2 best practices that are identified and developed through these grants, so others can replicate practices and outcomes. MSU is required to develop at least one case study during the grant period on P2 practices that are new or not widely known or adopted, or where detailed information on the P2 practices could benefit other businesses or P2 technical assistance providers. The work done under the grant will focus on food and beverage manufacturing, a P2 priority area, also referred to as a National Emphasis Area.
This year marks 30 years since the passage of the Pollution Prevention Act, which focuses industry, government, and public attention on reducing the amount of pollution through cost-effective changes in production, operation, and raw materials use. This week is also P2 Week, a time to celebrate the diverse and creative ways businesses, academic institutes, local governments, and other organizations are working to prevent pollution. In support of the Pollution Prevention Act and P2 Week, these grant awards encourage businesses and other stakeholders to find ways to prevent pollution from entering any waste stream, furthering EPA’s mission to protect public health and the environment.
Find information on Pollution Prevention Technical Assistance in Region 8.
Read more about P2 and the P2 Grant Program.
###