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News Releases from Region 08

Utah Clean Energy Alliance receives EPA Environmental Justice Small Grant

Project to reduce energy use and improve air quality in Salt Lake area

11/05/2019
Contact Information: 
Richard Mylott (mylott.richard@epa.gov)
303-312-6654

DENVER – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that the Utah Clean Energy Alliance, Inc., in Salt Lake City, Utah, will receive $30,000 to address air quality and environmental justice issues in Utah communities. The Utah Clean Energy Alliance is among 50 organizations across the nation receiving $1.5 million through EPA’s Environmental Justice Small Grants program.

“Rural and disadvantaged communities are often disproportionately affected by environmental health risks, and at EPA we are working to reverse this trend,” said EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler. “These grants support the President’s initiatives to invest in and revitalize distressed communities. By supporting often overlooked, local organizations that understand the unique challenges that their communities face, we’re better able to put in place long-term solutions to improve the environment and health of underserved areas of the country.” 

The Utah Clean Energy Alliance will use the EPA grant to help support the “Empower SLC” program, an effort to improve local air quality by empowering underserved communities to reduce energy consumption in homes and businesses. One key programmatic area is outreach through Energy Ambassadors who work within several community organizations to communicate the connection between energy use and air quality. Project activities include engaging residents, small business owners, local schools, sharing information about “cool zones” and collecting data to create best practices.

EPA's Environmental Justice Small Grants program provides critical support to organizations that otherwise lack the funding and resources to address environmental challenges in underserved and overburdened communities. The funding will help organizations in 27 states and Puerto Rico carry out projects that will:

  • Educate residents about environmental issues that may impact their health.
  • Collect data about local environmental conditions.
  • Conduct demonstrations and trainings to shed light on those conditions.
  • Work collaboratively to address environmental justice challenges in their communities.

For descriptions of each of the 2019 Environmental Justice Small Grant awardees’ projects, visit https://19january2021snapshot.epa.gov/environmentaljustice/environmental-justice-small-grants-program-project-descriptions-2019

The grants will enable these organizations to conduct research, provide education and training, and develop community-driven solutions to local health and environmental issues in minority, low-income, tribal, and rural communities. Sixteen of this year’s environmental justice grant projects are in communities that are especially vulnerable to disasters.

Specific grant projects include: reducing exposure to lead and other water pollutants; developing green infrastructure and sustainable agriculture projects; implementing basic energy efficiency measures in low-income households; and increasing overall community resiliency.

Fifty percent of the grants selected will support communities with census tracts designated as federal Opportunity Zones – an economically-distressed community where new investments, under certain conditions, may be eligible for preferential tax treatment. 

For the second year in a row, EPA’s Urban Waters program provided $300,000 in funding toward some of the grant awards. Ten grants were selected for to communities focused on improving water quality.

This year EPA received 208 applications, which is the highest number since 2013. The grant awards provide approximately $30,000 per project for a one-year project period. 

For more information on the Environmental Justice Small Grants Program, including descriptions of previously funded grants: https://19january2021snapshot.epa.gov/environmentaljustice/environmental-justice-small-grants-program