New England Continues to Experience Poor Air Quality due to Smoke from Canadian Wildfires on Saturday July 1 2023

BOSTON (June 30, 2023) – New England state air quality forecasters are predicting elevated concentrations of fine particle air pollution due to wildfires in Quebec and Northern Ontario. The primary concern is high concentrations of fine particle air pollution that is unhealthy, especially for sensitive groups such as people with respiratory disease, the elderly, or people with compromised health.

Areas that are forecasted to exceed the Federal air quality standard for 24-hour particle pollution level concentrations are:

Connecticut, Massachusetts (except for the Cape and Islands), New Hampshire (along the Vermont border), and Vermont

EPA encourages people to check their Air Quality Index (AQI) throughout the day to be aware of their local air quality at https://www3.epa.gov/region1/airquality/aqi.html. Hazy skies, reduced visibility, and the odor of burning wood is likely as the smoke plumes are transported over the region. During the times that significant smoke is in your area, it is recommended that people with pre-existing medical conditions remain indoors with windows closed while circulating indoor air with a fan or air conditioner. For more tips, see https://www.airnow.gov/wildfires/when-smoke-is-in-the-air/. 

Exposure to elevated fine particle pollution levels can affect both your lungs and heart which may cause breathing problems, and aggravate asthma and other pre-existing lung diseases. When particulate matter levels are elevated, people should refrain from strenuous outdoor activity, especially sensitive populations such as children and adults with respiratory problems.

Everyone can take steps to keep air emissions down during air quality advisory days. Due to impacts from climate change, these kinds of air quality events are predicted to increase in frequency.  Communities already vulnerable and overburdened will also be impacted by these kinds of events.

Stay up to date on current air quality and forecasts near you through the AirNow app, available for free on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. You also can use the app to check the AirNow Fire and Smoke Map. EPA and the U.S. Forest Service developed the map to give the public information on fire locations, smoke plumes, near real-time air quality and actions to take to protect your health -- all in one place. The map is available at https://fire.airnow.gov, or by tapping the Smoke icon in the AirNow app. It includes data from hundreds of air quality monitors provided by state and local air quality agencies, along with crowd-sourced data from air quality sensors.  

More information and Resources:  

Real-time ozone data and air quality forecasts New England Air Quality Index

National real-time air quality data (free iPhone and Android apps) AirNow

Air Quality Alerts  EnviroFlash

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U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Department of Energy Announce Partnership to Provide More than $1 Billion to Reduce Methane Emissions from Oil and Gas Sector

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced their partnership to provide more than $1 billion in funding from President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda to help reduce wasteful methane emissions from the oil and gas sector, one of the primary drivers of the climate crisis.

This collaboration will leverage EPA and DOE’s shared commitment to, and joint expertise in, advancing methane monitoring and reduction technologies for the oil and gas sector. The agreement also includes the DOE National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), which brings expertise in quantifying and reducing methane emissions from leaks and inefficient operations. EPA will develop the regulatory elements of the Methane Emissions Reduction program and work closely with DOE on the financial and technical assistance aspects of the program. This cooperative approach to tap each agency’s strengths will ensure that funds are distributed quickly and effectively, helping increase the efficiency of U.S. oil and gas operations and realize near-term emission reductions and public health benefits.

“We know how harmful methane pollution can be as a potent greenhouse gas,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “Through President Biden’s historic investments in America, this joint EPA-DOE effort provides the United States with an opportunity to significantly reduce releases of methane, pushing back against one of the primary drivers of climate change. This investment from the Inflation Reduction Act will also incentivize critical reduction of air pollution, particularly in overburdened communities, to protect public health and slow the rate of climate change.”

“The EPA-DOE partnership announced today will build upon and complement DOE’s existing efforts to monitor and mitigate methane emissions across the nation’s oil and natural gas producing regions,” said U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm. “An effective clean energy transition requires a whole-of-government approach. This partnership will support innovation while improving the health of frontline communities most at risk to climate change.”

These investments are made possible by President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, which aim to strengthen the nation’s infrastructure, create a manufacturing and innovation boom powered by good-paying jobs, and build a clean-energy economy to combat climate change and make our communities healthier and more resilient.

About the Methane Emissions Reduction Program
The Methane Emissions Reduction Program will improve methane monitoring and accelerate the reduction of methane and other greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the oil and gas sector and will have the co-benefit of reducing non-GHG emissions such as volatile organic compounds and hazardous air pollutants. The program will advance these efforts by providing financial and technical assistance for a number of activities, including: preparing and submitting greenhouse gas reports, monitoring methane emissions, and reducing methane and other greenhouse gas emissions by improving and deploying equipment, supporting innovation, permanently shutting in and plugging wells, mitigating health effects in low-income and disadvantaged communities, improving climate resiliency, supporting environmental restoration, and mitigating legacy air pollution.

Additionally, the financial and technical assistance program will support President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative which set the goal that 40% of the overall benefits of certain Federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities.

More information on the Methane Emissions Reduction Program

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EPA announces nearly $4 million for water systems in underserved communities across PNW and Alaska

SEATTLE (June 30, 2023) – This week the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced nearly $4 million in grant funds to disadvantaged communities in Alaska, Idaho, Oregon and Washington to support access to clean and safe drinking water. 

“We’re proud to partner with state and local governments to bring drinking water to underserved communities across the Pacific Northwest and Alaska,” said EPA Region 10 Administrator Casey Sixkiller. “By working together we are expanding access and ensuring that the water coming out of the faucet is safe for you and your family.” 

Funds will support projects and activities in underserved, small, and disadvantaged communities. These projects will promote access to safe drinking water, invest in water infrastructure and improve compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act.   

The grant is part of an overall $50.4 million in annual funding that EPA is providing to states and territories nationwide.  

EPA will allocate funds to applicable state agencies in the following amounts:  

Alaska - $1,157,000 

Idaho - $642,000 

Oregon - $826,000 

Washington - $1,165,000 

The funding is provided by the Small, Underserved, and Disadvantaged Community grant program, established under the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act.  

States and territories may apply for and receive grants on a non-competitive basis. EPA awards funding to states that are eligible based on factors that include populations below the poverty level, small water systems, and underserved communities. 

States that apply for the grant will be able to use funds to help communities address drinking water concerns. Activities may include testing household water quality, monitoring for unregulated drinking water contaminants, and infrastructure improvement projects. Other efforts may help build technical, financial, and managerial abilities of water system operations and staff. Communities interested in this grant may contact staff with their state’s Drinking Water State Revolving Fund program. 

For more information, visit the WIIN SUDC Grant website.  

EPA Region 10 (Pacific Northwest) - Serving Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Washington and 271 Tribal Nations. Visit us online, follow us on Twitter and Facebook, and subscribe to our RSS feed.    

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New England Continues to Experience Poor Air Quality due to Smoke from Canadian Wildfires on Friday June 30 2023

BOSTON (June 29, 2023) – New England state air quality forecasters are predicting elevated concentrations of fine particle air pollution due to wildfires in Quebec and Northern Ontario. The primary concern is high concentrations of fine particle air pollution that is unhealthy, especially for sensitive groups such as people with respiratory disease, the elderly, or people with compromised health.

Areas that are forecasted to exceed the Federal air quality standard for 24-hour particle pollution level concentrations are:  

Connecticut, Central and Western Massachusetts, and Vermont

EPA encourages people to check their Air Quality Index (AQI) throughout the day to be aware of their local air quality.  Hazy skies, reduced visibility, and the odor of burning wood is likely as the smoke plumes are transported over the region.  During the times that significant smoke is in your area, it is recommended that people with pre-existing medical conditions remain indoors with windows closed while circulating indoor air with a fan or air conditioner. For more tips, see https://www.airnow.gov/wildfires/when-smoke-is-in-the-air/. 

Exposure to elevated fine particle pollution levels can affect both your lungs and heart which may cause breathing problems, aggravate asthma, and other pre-existing lung diseases.  When particulate matter levels are elevated, people should refrain from strenuous outdoor activity, especially sensitive populations such as children and adults with respiratory problems.

Everyone can take steps to keep air emissions down during air quality advisory days.  Due to impacts from climate change, these kinds of air quality events are predicted to increase in frequency.  Communities already vulnerable and overburdened will also be impacted by these kinds of events.

Stay up to date on current air quality and forecasts near you through the AirNow app, available for free on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. You also can use the app to check the AirNow Fire and Smoke Map. EPA and the U.S. Forest Service developed the map to give the public information on fire locations, smoke plumes, near real-time air quality and actions to take to protect your health -- all in one place. The map is available at https://fire.airnow.gov, or by tapping the Smoke icon in the AirNow app. It includes data from hundreds of air quality monitors provided by state and local air quality agencies, along with crowd-sourced data from air quality sensors.  

More information and Resources:  

Real-time ozone data and air quality forecasts New England Air Quality Index

National real-time air quality data (free iPhone and Android apps) AirNow

Air Quality Alerts  EnviroFlash

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EPA Las Vegas Reach Agreement to Improve Wastewater Treatment Protect Las Vegas Wash

LAS VEGAS – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced a settlement with the City of Las Vegas to address deficiencies and non-compliance with its Clean Water Act (CWA) pretreatment program. The City of Las Vegas operates the Las Vegas Water Pollution Control Facility (WPCF) and the Durango Hills Water Resource Center (WRC), which discharge treated wastewater into the Las Vegas Wash, which feeds into Lake Mead.

During an October 2022 pretreatment compliance inspection, EPA found that the City of Las Vegas’ pretreatment program was not as stringent as the federal regulations of the Clean Water Act. The City has agreed to rectify non-compliance with federal regulations, including submitting a new Local Limits study and a revised sewer use ordinance to EPA for review by December 31, 2023.

“EPA is partnering with the City of Las Vegas to ensure wastewater discharges meet the highest standards,” said EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Martha Guzman. “Through this order, EPA is working with the local community to protect Lake Mead and the Las Vegas Wash.”

In an administrative order on consent (AOC) issued June 9, 2023, EPA states that this facility did not rectify legal authority violations of CWA pretreatment regulations, that were first identified in a 2017 pretreatment compliance audit. Further, the City is required to revise its local limits and industrial user wastewater discharge permits.

For more information visit EPA’s Clean Water Act Section 309: Federal Enforcement Authority webpage.

For more information, visit EPA’s Toxic and Priority Pollutants Under the Clean Water Act webpage.

For more information, visit EPA’s Clean Water Act (CWA) and Federal Facilities webpage.

Learn more about EPA’s Pacific Southwest Region. Connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.

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EPA and Congresswoman Velázquez Announce $7 Billion Solar for All Grant Competition at Community Workshop in Brooklyn New York

NEW YORK - Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) joined Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez and New York State leaders at a community workshop in Brooklyn, New York, to discuss the $7 billion grant competition through President Biden’s Investing in America agenda to support millions of low-income households across the country in accessing affordable, resilient, and clean solar energy, and advance environmental justice.

“This is a game-changing moment for environmental justice and solar energy in America,” said Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia. “EPA is unleashing a massive wave of solar investments that will give millions of low-income households access to clean and resilient energy, save money on their bills, and creating jobs in their communities, providing everyone a fair share of the clean energy economy.”

“The Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund grants coming out of the Inflation Reduction Act are giving our country an opportunity to ensure environmental justice and clean energy can become a reality,” said Congresswoman Velázquez. “With this $7 billion Solar for All competitive grant funding, we will not only make significant progress towards providing clean solar energy to millions of working families, but we will also help create jobs and new economic opportunities in our communities.”

The Solar for All competition, which was created by the Inflation Reduction Act’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF), will expand the number of low-income and disadvantaged communities primed for residential solar investment by awarding up to 60 grants to states, territories, Tribal governments, municipalities, and nonprofits to create and expand low-income solar programs that provide financing and market-building technical assistance, such as workforce development, to enable residential solar deployment in underserved communities. 

The new program will fund projects to expand existing low-income solar programs and develop and implement new Solar for All programs nationwide. Solar for All programs ensure low-income households have equitable access to residential rooftop and residential community solar power, often by providing financial support and incentives to communities that were previously locked out of investments. In addition, these programs guarantee low-income households receive the benefits of distributed solar including household savings, community ownership, energy resiliency, and other benefits. 

Residential solar generation cuts home energy bills and provides families with resilient and secure power. By investing in residential solar, the program will reduce the pollution produced from powering our homes to improve air quality and public health outcomes, all while creating good-paying jobs in the clean energy economy.

The Solar for All program advances President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative, which aims to ensure that 40% of the overall benefits of certain Federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized, underserved, and overburdened by pollution. The program will also help meet the President’s goal of achieving a carbon pollution-free power sector by 2035 and net zero emissions economy by no later than 2050.

This investment was made possible by President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, which is growing the American economy from the bottom up and middle-out – from rebuilding our nation’s infrastructure, to driving over $470 billion in private sector manufacturing and clean energy investments in the United States, to creating good paying jobs and building a clean-energy economy that will combat climate change and make our communities more resilient.

Solar for All Eligibility and Application Information

The deadline to apply to this competitive grant competition is September 26, 2023. Eligible applicants to Solar for All include states, territories, Tribal governments, municipalities, and eligible nonprofit recipients. Coalitions, led by an eligible lead applicant, are also eligible to apply to this competition. Additional detail on eligibility can be found in Section III of the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO).

EPA intends to make up to 60 awards under this competition with three award options for applicants. These award options will include:

1. State and Territory Programs: Awards for programs that serve a specific state or territory geography
2. American Indian and Alaska Native Programs: Awards for programs that serve American Indian and Alaska Native communities
3. Multi-state Programs: Awards for programs that serve similar communities that face similar barriers to residential distributed solar deployment in multiple states

EPA anticipates issuing awards of varying amounts, calibrated to the number of households the applicant intends the program to serve. Applicants for all three award options can apply for a small-sized program ($25 - $100 million), a medium-sized program ($100 - $250 million), or a large-sized program ($250 - $400 million). Applicants to Solar for All can submit separate applications to one or multiple of the three options. The final quantity of awards will be determined by the number and quality of the applications as well as the optimal combination of awards across the three award options to achieve maximum geographic coverage and benefits of the Solar for All competition.

EPA has published the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for this competitive grant competition on grants.gov.

To compete in this competition, all applicants are required to submit a Notice of Intent (NOI) to apply to this competition. The deadline for the NOI differs by applicant type and are:

• July 31, 2023, for states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico;
• August 14, 2023, for territories (specifically, The Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands), municipalities, and eligible nonprofit recipients; or
• August 28, 2023, for Tribal governments and Intertribal Consortia.

Public Briefing

EPA’s Solar for All competition will host a public briefing on the NOFO release tomorrow, June 29^th, 2023, 3:00pm – 3:15pm ET (Register Here). The post-release briefing will be recorded and posted on EPA’s GGRF webpage.

Informational Webinar

EPA’s Solar for All competition will host at least one informational webinar to provide information on the Solar for All grant competition and the application process on July 12^th, 2023, 1:00pm – 3:00pm ET (Register Here). The webinar will be recorded and posted on EPA’s GGRF webpage.

Tools and resources for prospective grantees, including webinar links and helpful templates, can be found on EPA’s GGRF webpage.

Additional Background:

The President’s Inflation Reduction Act authorized the EPA to create and implement the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, a historic $27 billion investment to combat the climate crisis by mobilizing financing and private capital for greenhouse gas- and air pollution-reducing projects in communities across the country. In addition to the $7 billion Solar for All competition, EPA will also launch a $14 billion National Clean Investment Fund (NCIF) grant competition to expand deployment of clean technologies at a national scale and a $6 billion Clean Communities Investment Accelerator (CCIA) grant competition to build local clean financing capacity through community lenders. EPA plans to release the NOFOs for these two competitions in the coming weeks.

Together, the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund’s National Clean Investment Fund, the Clean Communities Investment Accelerator, and Solar for All competitions will spur the deployment of residential solar energy to lower energy bills for millions of Americans, provide resilient and clean power to communities, and catalyze transformation in markets serving low-income and disadvantaged communities. Each of these competitions advances President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative while expanding good-paying job opportunities in domestic industries.

Follow EPA Region 2 on Twitter and visit our Facebook page. For more information about EPA Region 2, visit our website.

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EPA Announces New Framework to Prevent Unsafe New PFAS from Entering the Market

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced its framework for addressing new and new uses of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The framework outlines EPA’s planned approach when reviewing new PFAS and new uses of PFAS to ensure that, before these chemicals are allowed to enter into commerce, EPA will undertake an extensive evaluation to ensure they pose no harm to human health and the environment. The framework supports the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to address the impacts of these forever chemicals and advances EPA’s PFAS Strategic Roadmap to confront the human health and environmental risks of PFAS pollution.

“For decades, PFAS have been released into the environment without the necessary measures in place to protect people’s health – but with this framework, EPA is working to reduce the risk posed by these persistent contaminants,” said Assistant Administrator for the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention Michal Freedhoff. “EPA’s new framework will ensure that before any new PFAS enter the market, these chemicals are extensively evaluated and pose no risk to people’s health or the environment.” 

Under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) section 5, EPA is required to review new chemicals, including new PFAS and new uses of PFAS, within 90 days, assess the potential risks to human health and the environment of the chemical, and make one of five possible risk determinations. When potential risks are identified, EPA must take action to mitigate those risks before the chemical can enter commerce.

New PFAS present a challenge for EPA to evaluate because there is often insufficient information to quantify the risk they may pose and consequently to make effective decisions about how to regulate them. Many PFAS are known to persist and bioaccumulate (i.e., build up) in the environment and people and pose potential risks not only to those who directly manufacture, process, distribute, use, and dispose of the chemical substance but also to the public, including communities who may be exposed to PFAS pollution or waste and already overburdened communities. This framework will be used to qualitatively assess PFAS that are likely persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic (PBT) chemicals.

The New Framework

Under the framework, EPA expects that some PBT PFAS will not result in worker, general population or consumer exposure and are not expected to result in releases to the environment, such as when PFAS are used in a closed system with occupational protections as is generally the practice in the manufacture of some semiconductors and other electronic components. In such a negligible exposure and environmental release scenario, if EPA can ensure that such PBT PFAS can be disposed of properly and no consumer exposure is expected, EPA generally expects to allow the PFAS or the new use of a PFAS to enter commerce after receiving basic information, such as physical-chemical property data, about the substance.  If the initial data cause concern, then EPA will require additional testing and risk mitigation before moving forward.

For PBT PFAS that are expected to have a low - but greater than negligible - potential for release and environmental exposure, EPA generally expects to require test data in addition to physical chemical properties, such as toxicokinetic data, before allowing manufacturing to commence. If initial test results cause concern, then EPA will require additional testing and risk mitigation before moving forward.

For PBT PFAS that are expected to lead to exposure and environmental releases, and absent a critical use or military need for the substance that necessitates limited and restricted manufacture while testing is ongoing, EPA generally expects that the substance would not be allowed to enter commerce before extensive testing is conducted on physical/chemical properties, toxicity and fate. For example, use of PFAS in spray-applied stain guards inherently involves releases to the environment.   If the test results cause concern, then EPA could require additional testing and risk mitigation before moving forward, or could prevent the substance from being manufactured at all.

By distinguishing uses that could result in environmental releases and those with expected worker, community, or consumer exposure, from those that won’t, as well as requiring upfront testing for many PFAS, the application of the Framework will help ensure that any new PFAS won’t harm human health and the environment. At the same time, it also will allow certain PFAS to be used when exposures and releases can be mitigated, and where such use is critical for important sectors like semiconductors. These policy changes are aligned with the EPA PFAS Strategic Roadmap and help prevent any unsafe new PFAS from entering the environment or harming human health.

The data EPA will obtain on physical/chemical properties for any new PBT PFAS under this Framework and more extensive toxicity and fate data for PFAS with potential exposures or releases will also support EPA’s efforts under the National PFAS Testing Strategy and advance the Agency’s understanding of PFAS more broadly.

The Framework will apply to new PFAS or new use notices that are currently under EPA review, as well as any that EPA may receive in the future. This summer, EPA will offer a public webinar about the Framework. The date, time, and registration information will be announced soon.

Learn more about the Framework.

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Long-Polluted Site in Trenton New Jersey Project Slated to Get Nearly $2 Million for Cleanup

NEW YORK – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that Trenton, New Jersey will get nearly $2 million from President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda to clean up a former industrial site in Trenton, New Jersey while advancing environmental justice. This award is part of the largest ever funding awarded in the history of the EPA’s Brownfields MARC Grant programs, thanks to the historic boost from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

The City of Trenton will use the $1.99 million to clean up the former New Method Cleaners site. In its over a century history, the site has been used for many industrial and commercial purposes. Most recently, a dry-cleaning business occupied the site. In 2013, EPA, in close partnership with the city and state, removed drums containing hazardous materials and conducted an investigation at the site under the Superfund removal program. While that removal work helped address some of the immediate risks posed by the site, there are still volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the soil and groundwater, which have prevented its use. Since 2015, the site has been vacant. The money announced today will allow Trenton to clean up the site in a process that will also include input from the community.

Standing with partners in front of the site, EPA Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia said, “What we see here today as a long-time vacant abandoned building will soon be a transformative community space—that’s environmental justice in action. This will make a real difference for people in Trenton.” 

"With this nearly $2 million grant, we’re increasing by a whopping 50 percent the total amount of brownfields funding Trenton has ever received,” she continued. “The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has dramatically increased our ability to advance brownfields cleanups with big impacts in Trenton and other communities in the region.”

“I applaud this announcement that the City of Trenton will receive $2 million from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to clean up the New Method Cleaners site, and I am proud to have helped secure the support and funding necessary to ensure this brownfield site is reclaimed and restored for Trenton’s residents,” said Senator Menendez. “Historic investments like these are critical to delivering environmental justice for underserved communities and communities of color, and they help address the economic, social, and environmental challenges they face every day.” 

“Communities across New Jersey, especially those with Black, Brown, and low-income populations, are harmed by contaminants, breathe in dirty air, and lack access to clean water,” said Senator Cory Booker. “Thanks to President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which I was proud to vote for, communities are finally receiving the federal resources needed to rectify these environmental injustices. This federal funding will clean up this long-contaminated site and promote environmental and public health for Trenton residents.”

"As New Jersey's sole member of the Appropriations Committee, I'm glad I could help bring home the necessary resources to help restore environmental health to our Capital city. I'm grateful for President Biden's leadership through the Investing in America Agenda and its key provision of environmental justice. Rebuilding American infrastructure must include efforts like this to renew environmental health. Every American deserves to live in a safe and healthy community and partnerships between the EPA, the NJDEP, and local leaders like Mayor Gusciora will help deliver an environmentally healthy future," said Representative Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12)

“Made possible by the historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, this enhanced funding to rehabilitate the New Method Cleaners site is an investment in the future of Trenton,” New Jersey Environmental Protection Commissioner Shawn M. LaTourette said. “For too long, financial barriers have prevented cities such as Trenton, which have been historically overburdened by pollution and contamination, from transforming brownfields into sites of economic revitalization and, ultimately, commerce. I commend the Biden Administration, U.S. Rep. Watson Coleman, EPA Regional Administrator Garcia, Mayor Gusciora, and Urban Promise Trenton for their dedication in making the cleanup of this property a priority, ensuring that environmental justice is served in New Jersey.”

“This month, we received approval from the Trenton City Council to demolish this brownfields site. We are so thankful to Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the Biden Administration for grant funding that will be utilized for the environmental remediation of this site,” said Mayor Reed Gusciora. “I am proud that we now have federal support that will breathe new life into this neighborhood, and, on behalf of the Capital City, we are so thankful for the EPA’s leadership and collaboration.”

This investment is part of President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda to grow the American economy from the bottom up and middle-out – from rebuilding our nation’s infrastructure, to driving over $470 billion in private sector manufacturing and clean energy investments in the United States, to creating a manufacturing and innovation boom powered by good paying jobs that don’t require a four-year degree, to building a clean-energy economy that will combat climate change and make our communities more resilient.
Many communities that are under economic stress, particularly those located in areas that have experienced long periods of disinvestment, lack the resources needed to initiate brownfield cleanup and redevelopment projects. As brownfield sites are transformed into community assets, they attract jobs, promote economic revitalization, and transform communities into sustainable and environmentally just places.

Thanks to the historic $1.5 billion boost from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, EPA’s Brownfields Program is helping more communities than ever before begin to address the economic, social, and environmental challenges caused by brownfields and stimulate economic opportunity, and environmental revitalization in historically overburdened communities.

EPA’s Brownfields Program also advances President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative to direct 40 percent of the overall benefits of certain Federal investments to disadvantaged communities. The Brownfields Program strives to meet this commitment and advance environmental justice and equity considerations into all aspects of its work. Approximately 84 percent of the MARC program applications selected to receive funding proposed to work in areas that include historically underserved communities.

You can read more about this year’s MARC selectees.

Brownfields Technical Assistance Providers and Research Grants

EPA also recently announced funding selection for two Brownfields technical assistance opportunities. The Technical Assistance to Brownfields (TAB) selectees provide specialized technical knowledge, research, and training to help stakeholders understand brownfields-related subject matter, and guide them through the brownfield assessment, cleanup, and revitalization process. This assistance is a key part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to advance economic opportunities and address environmental justice issues in underserved communities. This technical assistance is available to all stakeholders and comes at no cost to communities.

EPA selected New Jersey Institute of Technology to receive $5 million to provide training and technical assistance to communities across the state under the Technical Assistance to Brownfields (TAB) Communities Program. This funding comes entirely from the historic $1.5 billion investment from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

EPA is also expanding the scope of its technical assistance offerings under the Brownfields and Land Revitalization Program to include three new subject-specific grants totaling $2 million in three areas, including providing technical assistance to nonprofits seeking to reuse brownfields; provide research, outreach, and guidance on minimizing displacement resulting from brownfields redevelopment; and providing outreach and guidance on land banking tactics for brownfields revitalization.

For more information about Brownfields Technical Assistance and Research.

Success of the Brownfields Program and National Conference:

EPA has selected these organizations to receive funding to address and support the reuse of brownfield sites. EPA anticipates making all the awards announced today once all legal and administrative requirements are satisfied.

EPA’s Brownfields Program began in 1995 and has provided nearly $2.37 billion in Brownfield Grants to assess and clean up contaminated properties and return blighted properties to productive reuse. EPA’s investments in addressing brownfield sites have leveraged more than $36 billion in cleanup and redevelopment. Over the years, the relatively small investment of federal funding has leveraged, from both public and private sources, nearly 260,000 jobs. Communities that previously received Brownfields Grants used these resources to fund assessments and cleanups of brownfields, and successfully leverage an average of 10.6 jobs per $100,000 of EPA Brownfield Grant funds spent and $19.78 for every dollar.

The next National Brownfields Training Conference will be held on August 8-11, 2023, in Detroit, Michigan. Offered every two years, this conference is the largest gathering of stakeholders focused on cleaning up and reusing former commercial and industrial properties. EPA co-sponsors this event with the International City/County Management Association (ICMA).

For more on Brownfields Grants. 

For more on EPA’s Brownfields Program. 
 

Follow EPA Region 2 on Twitter and visit our Facebook page. For more information about EPA Region 2, visit our website.

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EPA Invests Over $50 Million to Protect San Francisco Bay and Its Watersheds Build Resilience to Climate Change

SAN FRANCISCO – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced 24 projects receiving nearly $52 million in grant funding at an event in Oakland, Calif., along with U.S. Representative Barbara Lee and project grantees. The selected projects will help protect and restore wetlands and water quality, build climate change resilience, and increase environmental benefits with a focus on underserved communities in the nine Bay Area counties (Alameda, Santa Clara, San Mateo, Marin, Napa, Sonoma, Solano, Contra Costa, and San Francisco).

"The San Francisco Bay is one of our nation’s most iconic natural treasures and vital ecosystems, and its shores are home to numerous and diverse Californian communities,” said EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Martha Guzman. "Thanks to the Biden-Harris Administration's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Justice40 Initiative, EPA is proudly awarding a record level of funding to protect and restore the Bay's watersheds and wetlands, and benefit surrounding underserved communities."

“Time and time again, the Biden-Harris Administration has shown their commitment to environmental justice and addressing the climate crisis,” said Congresswoman Lee. “Critical projects throughout my district will now receive meaningful investment to help improve water quality, protect and restore wetlands, combat climate change, and more. I’d like to thank the EPA, Regional Administrator Guzman, President Biden, and all of our grant awardees for playing their part in building a cleaner, safer climate for all Californians.”

“The East Bay Regional Park District’s parklands protect vital habitat for wildlife, including many rare and endangered species, and help preserve the natural beauty that makes the Bay Area such a desirable place to live,” said Park District General Manager Sabrina B. Landreth. “The Park District thanks President Biden, the EPA, and Congresswoman Lee and her colleagues in Congress for supporting the grant program.”

Funding for these projects comes from EPA’s San Francisco Bay Water Quality Improvement Fund, a competitive grant program focused on restoring impaired watersheds, reducing polluted runoff, and building climate change resilience around San Francisco Bay. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law expanded the Fund’s mandate to increase equity and access to federal funding and climate resilience support for underserved communities. Since its inception, the Fund has invested over $120 million through more than 80 on-the-ground projects in the nine Bay Area counties.

Organizations receiving federal funding under today’s announcement:

San Francisco Estuary Institute (three grants totaling $7,625,000) – One grant will address high-priority pollution data gaps via information collection and modeling to improve PCB and nutrient management for San Francisco Bay. A second grant will fund pilot sediment reuse projects to help restore several acres of tidal marsh, transition zone, and riparian habitat in the Petaluma River, Rheem Creek, Lower Adobe Creek, and Stevens Creek watersheds. A third grant will be used to build green stormwater infrastructure for communities in Richmond and East Oakland, with project partners Urban Tilth and the Oakland Unified School District providing stormwater green job trainings and community tours.

California State Coastal Conservancy (two grants totaling $5,500,000) – One grant will support the restoration of 2,100 acres of former salt ponds to 1,300 acres of tidal marsh and 800 acres of enhanced managed ponds and improve four miles of existing levees. The project will also add transition slopes for sea level rise adaptation and four miles of trail to increase shoreline access. A second grant will support planning to collaboratively design 10 new living shoreline climate adaptation projects along the central San Francisco Bay, and also develop regional guidance for living shoreline and multi-benefit shoreline adaptation efforts.

San Francisco Estuary Partnership ($4,329,459) – Funds will be used to promote a suite of nature-based solutions, from planning and design to implementation and monitoring, for communities across the San Francisco Bay area. The project will also restore eight acres of transitional habitat at the Palo Alto Wastewater Treatment Plant and construct the first shoreline horizontal levee on the Bay to demonstrate the feasibility of multi-benefit nature-based solutions.

Marin County ($4,073,070) – Funds will support the county’s trash reduction activities, including designs for up to 17 stormwater treatment facilities, construction of a dewatering pad, and countywide public outreach and engagement. These activities are expected to capture over 8,000 gallons of trash annually. 

Santa Clara Valley Water District ($3,800,000) – Funds will support the design and permitting of the re-connection of San Tomas Aquino and Calabazas creeks to the former salt ponds. This effort will restore approximately 1,800 acres of tidal marsh and enhance 50 acres of fresh/brackish marsh.

San Francisco Department of Recreation & Parks ($3,768,558) – Funds will be used to create bioretention basins to maximize the capture of stormwater and trash, thereby enhancing intertidal areas. The project will buffer against future sea level rise and allow for the continued existence of the intertidal habitats at a 6.2-acre park in an underserved community.

City-County Association of Governments San Mateo ($3,366,000) – Funds will support continued efforts to reduce trash entering San Francisco Bay. The project will include a regional workgroup to develop standard methods to evaluate the effectiveness of trash reduction measures in waters connecting to San Francisco Bay.

Santa Clara Valley Water District ($3,000,000) – Funds will support cleanups of encampment-generated trash, debris, and hazardous pollutants in nine heavily impacted Santa Clara County creeks, resulting in 2,000 tons of trash removal and 4,000 square feet of bank rehabilitation.   

Sausalito Marin City School District ($3,000,000) – Funds will support the restoration of up to 600 feet of Willow Creek, providing an outdoor learning environment for the Nevada Campus students of the Sausalito Marin City School District. Additional green stormwater features will also be constructed on campus.

The SPHERE Institute ($3,000,000) – Funds will support design, permitting, and initial implementation costs for creating new tidal marsh and transition zone habitats to support shoreline resilience at a park along the Burlingame shoreline.

Contra Costa County Flood Control and Water Conservation District (two grants totaling $2,800,000) – One grant will support green stormwater infrastructure planning in old industrial areas throughout the underserved communities of Contra Costa County. A second grant will help improve watershed and water quality in Wildcat Creek by constructing a 400-foot-long “fish-friendly” reach and improving the existing sedimentation basin.

Richardson Bay Regional Agency ($2,782,586) – Funds will be used to restore at least 15 acres of eelgrass in Richardson Bay, continue implementation of the Richardson Bay eelgrass protection and management plan, develop a restoration and adaptive management plan, and remove marine debris.

City of Alameda ($1,472,500) – Funds will support creating over 6,000 square feet of green stormwater infrastructure bioretention areas at three intersections to manage stormwater runoff. This effort will be part of the City of Alameda Central Avenue Safety Improvement Project.

East Bay Regional Parks District ($1,200,000) – Funds will support the removal of over 1,000 toxic creosote-treated timber piles and 16,500 square feet of creosote-treated structures at Ferry Point Pier in Richmond.

All Positives Possible ($949,343) – Funds will be used for shoreline education, fish testing, garbage abatement, and shoreline preservation efforts, with a focus on training and increasing participation of community members and leaders from underserved neighborhoods along the shores of South Vallejo, the Carquinez Strait, and the Napa River.

City of San Jose ($419,002) – Funds will help teach San Jose high schoolers about watershed protection and support preparedness for climate change-related natural disasters, instilling resiliency and environmental stewardship in the next generation of young adults.

San Mateo County ($404,400) – Funds will support purchasing, installing, and maintaining a large trash capture device capable of removing about 3,500 gallons of trash per year from the North Fair Oaks community. The project will also develop an education and outreach program with a local youth engagement program.

Rose Foundation ($366,713) – Funds will support high school students from underserved communities and build their capacity as meaningful, active partners in planning a more equitable and sustainable water future at two project sites – Oakland Estuary and the Arroyo Viejo Creek watershed.

Acterra: Action for a Healthy Planet ($358,708) – Funds will be used to build capacity and climate change resilience in two underserved communities of San Mateo County (Belle Haven and North Fair Oaks neighborhoods) through trainings, community-led vulnerability assessments, and a feasibility analysis for nature-based solutions that enhance water quality and climate justice.

University of California Regents, Berkeley ($343,685) – Funds will be used to pilot the EcoBlock program to improve stormwater capture on an urban block in an underserved neighborhood in Oakland bordering Sausal Creek. 

San Francisco Bay is a designated "estuary of national significance" under the Clean Water Act. The Bay and its tributary streams, situated in an urban area with more than seven million people, provide crucial fish and wildlife habitat at the heart of the larger Bay-Delta Estuary. In partnership with numerous non-profit organizations, watershed groups, land trusts, government agencies, and resource conservation districts, the San Francisco Bay Water Quality Improvement Fund has made significant progress in restoring water quality, ‘greening’ development, and building resilience to climate change impacts across San Francisco Bay and its watersheds. 

For more information about EPA’s San Francisco Bay Water Quality Improvement Fund, visit: http://www.epa.gov/sfbay-delta/sf-bay-water-quality-improvement-fund.

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Biden-Harris Administration Announces over $278 Million in Funding to Improve Water Infrastructure for Tribes and Alaska Native Villages

WASHINGTON – Today, at an event with Lummi Nation in Bellingham, Washington, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Assistant Administrator for Water Radhika Fox, announced over $278 million in funding to improve access to safe and reliable drinking water and wastewater services for American Indian Tribes and Alaska Native Villages. Thanks to the boost from President Biden’s historic Investing in America agenda, this year, EPA is providing its largest investment ever of annual water infrastructure funding to Tribes. The funding will help Tribes and Alaska Native Villages make significant investments in water infrastructure improvements to advance public health protections by improving compliance with existing water regulations, identifying and replacing lead service lines, and addressing harmful emerging contaminants in drinking water and wastewater, such as per- and polyfluorinated substances (PFAS).

“For too long, Tribes have struggled without access to basic water services—impacting their health and economic well-being. Today’s funding announcement is a generational investment that moves us closer to achieving a future where all Tribes have access to safe drinking water and wastewater services,” said Assistant EPA Administrator for Water Radhika Fox. “Thanks to President Biden’s commitment to equitable investment in infrastructure through the Investing in America agenda, progress will be made for places that need it most including Tribes that don’t currently have access to safe drinking water and wastewater services.”

The funding will be administered through the following programs:

• $64 million in FY 2023 Clean Water Indian Set-Aside (CWISA) through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and annual appropriation funds;
• $130.3 million in FY 2023 Drinking Water Infrastructure Grants through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and annual appropriation funds;
• $38.6 million in combined FY 2022 and FY 2023 Emerging Contaminants in Small or Disadvantaged Communities (EC-SDC) Tribal Grant Program through Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funds;
• $5.6 million in combined FY 2022 and FY 2023 Small, Underserved, and Disadvantaged Communities (SUDC) Tribal Grant Program through annual appropriation funds, and
• $39.6 million in FY 2023 Alaska Rural and Native Villages (ANV) Grant Program through annual appropriation funds.

"This funding opportunity isn't just a great opportunity for our Nation, but a great opportunity for all Tribal Nations that are looking for assistance with tribal water systems,” said Lummi Vice Chairman Terrence Adams. “Tribal people have an important relationship with the water, and we believe that it is our inherent responsibility to take care of the water as it cares for us.”

“Clean water is a human right that for too long historically underserved communities have lacked access to, including Tribal communities,” said U.S. Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02), Ranking Member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. “Today’s funding, the nation’s single largest commitment to Tribal water infrastructure, will help ensure all people have access to safe and clean water, no matter where they live. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law continues to make investments that will improve lives, level the playing field, and create jobs.”

Additional information on Grant Programs:

Some of the funding for today’s announcement comes from the new Emerging Contaminants in Small or Disadvantaged Communities (EC-SDC) Tribal Grant Program. For the first time, EPA will provide $38.6 million to address emerging contaminants, including PFAS, in drinking water systems serving Tribal populations. This announcement also includes an implementation manual for the new program  that focuses on assisting small tribal public water systems in identifying and/or remediating challenges related to PFAS and other emerging contaminants.

Approximately $5.6 million of today’s funding announcement comes from the Small, Underserved and Disadvantaged Communities Tribal Grant Program. This tribal grant program is designed to help public water systems in underserved and small tribal communities gain access to drinking water services and comply with Safe Drinking Water Act requirements.

Finally, today’s announcement also includes funding for the Alaska Rural and Native Villages (ANV) Grant Program, which is a program that has been in place since 1996. This $39.6 million in funding will support Alaska Native Villages with the construction of high priority drinking water and wastewater facilities in rural Alaska as well as training, technical assistance, and educational programs in support of sustainable water systems.

For more information visit:

1. Tribal Water
2. Tribal Drinking Water
3. Small, Underserved and Disadvantaged Communities Grant
4. Clean Water Indian Set Aside Program

These investments totaling more than $278 million are part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, which is growing the American economy from the bottom up and middle-out – from rebuilding our nation’s infrastructure, to driving over $470 billion in private sector manufacturing and clean energy investments in the United States, to creating a manufacturing and innovation boom powered by good paying jobs that don’t require a four-year degree, to building a clean-energy economy that will combat climate change and make our communities more resilient.

Background
The CWISA program provides funding for wastewater infrastructure to American Indian Tribes and Alaska Native Villages. The CWISA program was established under the 1987 amendments to the Clean Water Act (CWA).  Funds may be used for planning, design, and construction of wastewater collection and treatment systems. The CWISA program is administered by the EPA in cooperation with the Indian Health Service (IHS) Division of Sanitation Facilities Construction program.

The Drinking Water Infrastructure Grants Tribal Set-Aside (DWIG-TSA) is a longstanding program funded from the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund that provides direct EPA support for tribal water infrastructure improvements. The Tribal SUDC program was created under the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation (WIIN) Act and provides support for Tribal drinking water. Infrastructure projects for these programs are primarily implemented in partnership with the Indian Health Service, who are partners with EPA in the Tribal Infrastructure Task Force (ITF). The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law builds on successful programs like the WIIN Act’s Grant Programs and the DWIG-TSA to bring additional public health protections and drinking water improvements to more Tribal communities across the country.

EPA will continue to use the existing SUDC Tribal Grant Program Implementation Document, CWISA Program Guidance and  DWIG-TSA Program Guidelines to guide implementation of those programs. In May 2022, EPA released the 2022 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Tribal Funding Memorandum to provide guidance on the implementation of CWISA and DWIG-TSA funding programs provided through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, including the set-asides for emerging contaminants and lead service line replacement projects.

from EPA News Releases https://ift.tt/m0L86ij

La administración Biden-Harris lanza una competencia de subvenciones solares de $7 mil millones para financiar programas solares residenciales que reducen los costos de energía para las familias y promueven la justicia ambiental mediante Invertir en EEUU

WASHINGTON (28 de junio de 2023) – Hoy, la Agencia de Protección Ambiental de Estados Unidos (EPA, por sus siglas en inglés) lanzó una competencia de subvenciones de $7 mil millones a través de la agenda Invertir en EE. UU. del presidente Biden a fin de aumentar el acceso a energía solar asequible, resiliente y limpia para millones de hogares de bajos ingresos. La energía solar distribuida residencial reducirá los costos de energía para las familias, creará empleos de buena calidad en comunidades que se han quedado atrás, promoverá la justicia ambiental y abordará la crisis climática. La competencia Solar for All, que fue creada por el Fondo de Reducción de Gases de Efecto Invernadero (GGRF, por sus siglas en inglés) de la Ley de Reducción de la Inflación, ampliará el número de comunidades de bajos ingresos y desventajadas preparadas para la inversión solar residencial mediante la concesión de hasta 60 subvenciones a estados, territorios, gobiernos tribales, municipios y organizaciones sin fines de lucro elegibles para crear y expandir programas solares de bajos ingresos que brinden financiamiento y asistencia técnica, como el desarrollo de la fuerza laboral, para permitir que las comunidades de bajos ingresos y desventajadas implementen la energía solar residencial y reciban los beneficios de ella. El administrador de la EPA, Michael S. Regan, anunció la competencia de subvenciones para comunidades con el senador estadounidense Bernie Sanders (VT), quien defendió el programa, en Waterbury, Vermont, mientras recorría un proyecto solar residencial. 

“Durante demasiado tiempo, las comunidades sobrecargadas en la primera línea de la crisis climática se han quedado atrás quedando excluidas de las inversiones en energía limpia y las soluciones climáticas”, señaló el administrador de la EPA, Michael S. Regan. “Gracias a la agenda Invertir en EE. UU. del presidente Biden, este impulso histórico en las inversiones solares promoverá millones de proyectos solares residenciales en todo el país, protegerá a las personas y al planeta, brindará justicia ambiental, ahorrará dinero a las familias y creará empleos bien remunerados. Todas las comunidades merecen participar en la creciente economía de energía limpia de Estados Unidos y con esta competencia, atraeremos a más comunidades, trabajando juntas para construir un futuro más saludable y limpio para todos”. 

“En un momento en que las personas luchan por llegar a fin de mes, aparte de lidiar con la amenaza existencial del cambio climático, debemos hacer que la energía solar residencial en el techo sea una realidad para las familias trabajadoras y de bajos ingresos que más lo necesitan”, indicó el senador estadounidense Bernie Sanders (VT). “Este programa solar residencial de $7 mil millones que presenté y que la EPA está administrando es un paso importante en la dirección correcta. Espero trabajar con la EPA en este programa para que sea más asequible para las familias de bajos ingresos y de clase trabajadora instalar energía solar en sus hogares y ahorrar dinero en sus facturas de electricidad, así como ayudar a crear millones de buenos empleos en Vermont y en todo el país”. 

“La competencia Solar for All de la EPA está construyendo un futuro donde la energía limpia, barata y confiable sea para todos”, explicó John Podesta, Asesor Principal del Presidente para la Innovación e Implementación de Energía Limpia. “Felicito al administrador Regan y al senador Sanders por su liderazgo para asegurarse de que todos los estadounidenses, independientemente de su código postal, tengan acceso a la energía solar de bajo costo y los beneficios que ella implica para la salud, el empleo y la justicia”. 

La nueva competencia de subvenciones proporcionará fondos para expandir los programas solares existentes de bajos ingresos, así como para desarrollar e implementar nuevos programas solares para todos en todo el país. Los programas Solar for All garantizan que los hogares de bajos ingresos tengan acceso equitativo a la energía solar residencial en el techo y en las comunidades residenciales, a menudo proporcionando apoyo financiero e incentivos a las comunidades que anteriormente quedaban excluidas de las inversiones. Además, estos programas garantizan que los hogares de bajos ingresos reciban los beneficios de la energía solar distribuida, incluidos los ahorros de los hogares, la propiedad de la comunidad, la resiliencia energética y otros beneficios. 
La energía solar residencial reduce las facturas de energía en el hogar y proporciona a las familias energía resistente y segura, y Solar for All ayudará a las comunidades de bajos ingresos y desventajadas a recibir estos beneficios significativos, como garantizar un mínimo del 20% de ahorro total en la factura de electricidad para los hogares que se ven favorecidos por el programa. Al invertir en energía solar residencial, el programa reducirá la contaminación producida por la alimentación de nuestros hogares para mejorar la calidad del aire y los resultados de salud pública, creando a la vez empleos de energía limpia y bien remunerados. 

“Solar for All acelerará la implementación de energía solar residencial en comunidades que durante demasiado tiempo han carecido de acceso a los beneficios de ahorro de costos de la generación de energía limpia en el hogar”, comentó el asesor principal y director interino del Fondo de Reducción de Gases de Efecto Invernadero, Jahi Wise. El programa Solar for All fortalece los programas solares enfocados en las comunidades de bajos ingresos y desventajadas en todo el país, brindando ahorros de costos y reducción de la contaminación necesarios desde hace mucho tiempo en las comunidades estadounidenses”. 

El programa Solar for All promueve la Iniciativa Justice40 del presidente Biden, que tiene como objetivo garantizar que el 40% de los beneficios generales de ciertas inversiones federales fluyan hacia las comunidades desventajadas que están marginadas, desatendidas y sobrecargadas por la contaminación. El programa también ayudará a cumplir con el objetivo del presidente de lograr un sector eléctrico libre de contaminación de carbono para 2035 y una economía de cero emisiones netas para 2050 a más tardar. 

Esta inversión fue posible gracias a la agenda Invertir en EE. UU. del presidente Biden, que está haciendo crecer la economía estadounidense desde el centro hacia afuera y de abajo hacia arriba, incluyendo desde la reconstrucción de la infraestructura de nuestra nación, hasta impulsar más de $470 mil millones en inversiones en manufactura y energía limpia del sector privado en los Estados Unidos, hasta crear empleos bien remunerados y construir una economía de energía limpia que combatirá el cambio climático y hará que nuestras comunidades sean más resilientes. 

Solar for All desempeñará un papel fundamental en el desarrollo de empleos de calidad en la economía limpia mediante la financiación de programas de desarrollo de la fuerza laboral de alto nivel en todo el país. Estos programas de desarrollo de la fuerza laboral invertirán en capacitar a trabajadores de comunidades de bajos ingresos y desventajadas para implementar energía solar distribuida residencial, creando oportunidades en carreras de alta calidad y a largo plazo en la industria de energía limpia. 

“El Congreso pasado, los demócratas del Senado, trabajando con el presidente Biden, transformaron el enfoque de Estados Unidos sobre el cambio climático y la economía de energía limpia con la Ley de Reducción de la Inflación”, explicó el líder de la mayoría del Senado de los Estados Unidos, Charles E. Schumer (NY). “En menos de un año desde que se promulgó la ley, los estadounidenses ya han sentido sus efectos, en menores costos de energía y en empleos nuevos y bien remunerados. El programa de subvenciones Solar for All es solo el último ejemplo de la manera en que esta legislación transformará las vidas de los más afectados por los efectos desastrosos del cambio climático y promoverá la justicia ambiental”. 

“A medida que trabajamos para construir un futuro de energía limpia, debemos hacerlo de una manera que beneficie a todos los estadounidenses, sin importar su código postal ni sus ingresos”, señaló el senador estadounidense Tom Carper (DE), presidente del Comité de Medioambiente y Obras Públicas del Senado. “Al desarrollar el Fondo de Reducción de Gases de Efecto Invernadero, fue nuestra intención que se destinaran $7 mil millones de las inversiones del programa a proyectos solares residenciales y comunitarios en las comunidades con mayor necesidad. Me complace que el programa de subvenciones Solar for All de la administración Biden-Harris ayude a implementar energía limpia en millones de hogares, reduciendo los costos de energía y creando empleos bien remunerados en toda nuestra nación”. 

“Nunca lograremos nuestro futuro de energía limpia sin tomar medidas para apoyar a nuestras comunidades de bajos ingresos y de primera línea y garantizar que reciban las inversiones y los recursos que necesitan para prosperar”, indicó el congresista Paul Tonko (NY-20). “Como ex presidente del Subcomité de Medioambiente y Cambio Climático, me sentí orgulloso de trabajar con la Administración Biden para desarrollar y promulgar programas históricos para la EPA en la Ley de Reducción de la Inflación, incluido el programa de subvenciones Solar for All. Agradezco al presidente Biden y al administrador Regan por su compromiso con la justicia ambiental y espero continuar reforzando los programas que fomentan nuestra transición de energía limpia, abordan la crisis climática, crean empleos bien remunerados y reducen los costos para todas las familias estadounidenses”. 

Información de elegibilidad y solicitudes de Solar for All 

La fecha límite para postular a este concurso competitivo de subvenciones es el 26 de septiembre de 2023. Los solicitantes elegibles para Solar for All incluyen estados, territorios, gobiernos tribales, municipios y beneficiarios elegibles sin fines de lucro. Las coaliciones, dirigidas por un solicitante principal elegible, también son elegibles para postular a esta competencia. Se pueden encontrar detalles adicionales sobre la elegibilidad en la Sección III del Aviso de Oportunidad de Financiamiento (NOFO).  

La EPA tiene la intención de otorgar hasta 60 adjudicaciones en esta competencia con tres opciones para los solicitantes. Estas opciones de adjudicación incluirán:

1. Programas estatales y territoriales: adjudicaciones para programas que sirven a una geografía específica del estado o territorio
2. Programas para indígenas americanos y nativos de Alaska: adjudicaciones para programas que sirven a las comunidades de indígenas americanos y nativos de Alaska
3. Programas multiestatales: adjudicaciones para programas que sirven a comunidades similares que enfrentan barreras similares para la implementación de energía solar distribuida residencial en varios estados. 

La EPA prevé que emitirá adjudicaciones de cantidades variables, calibradas según el número de hogares a los que el solicitante pretende que sirva el programa. Los solicitantes de las tres opciones de adjudicaciones pueden solicitar un programa de tamaño pequeño ($25 - $100 millones), un programa de tamaño mediano ($100 - $250 millones) o un programa de gran tamaño ($250 - $400 millones). Los solicitantes de Solar for All pueden presentar solicitudes separadas para una o varias de las tres opciones. La cantidad final de adjudicaciones estará determinada por el número y la calidad de las solicitudes, así como por la combinación óptima de adjudicaciones en las tres opciones de adjudicaciones para lograr el máximo nivel de cobertura geográfica y beneficios de la competencia Solar for All. 

La EPA ha publicado el Aviso de Oportunidad de Financiamiento (NOFO) para esta competencia competitiva de subvenciones en grants.gov.

Para participar en esta competencia, todos los solicitantes deben presentar un Aviso de Intención (NOI) para postular a esta competencia. La fecha límite para el NOI difiere según el tipo de solicitante y son:

• 31 de julio de 2023 para los estados, el Distrito de Columbia y Puerto Rico;
• 14 de agosto de 2023 para territorios (específicamente, las Islas Vírgenes, Guam, Samoa Americana y la Mancomunidad de las Islas Marianas del Norte), municipios y beneficiarios elegibles sin fines de lucro; o
• 28 de agosto de 2023 para los gobiernos tribales y los consorcios intertribales. 

Reunión informativa pública 

La competencia Solar for All de la EPA organizará una sesión informativa pública sobre el lanzamiento de NOFO mañana, 29 de junio de 2023, de 3:00 p.m. a 3:15 p.m. hora local del Este (Inscríbase aquí). La sesión informativa posterior al lanzamiento se grabará y publicará en la página web de GGRF de la EPA. 

Seminario web informativo 

La competencia Solar for All de la EPA organizará al menos un seminario web informativo para proporcionar información sobre la competencia de subvenciones Solar for All y el proceso de solicitud el 12 de julio de 2023, de 1:00 p.m. a 3:00 p.m. hora local del Este (Inscríbase aquí). El seminario web será grabado y publicado en la página web de GGRF de la EPA. 

Las herramientas y recursos para posibles beneficiarios, incluidos enlaces de seminarios web y plantillas útiles, se pueden encontrar en la página web de GGRF de la EPA. 

Antecedentes adicionales:

La Ley de Reducción de la Inflación del presidente autorizó a la EPA a crear e implementar el Fondo de Reducción de Gases de Efecto Invernadero, una inversión histórica de $27 mil millones para combatir la crisis climática mediante la movilización de financiamiento y capital privado para proyectos de reducción de gases de efecto invernadero y contaminación del aire en comunidades de todo el país. Además de la competencia Solar for All de $7 mil millones, la EPA también lanzará una competencia de subvenciones del Fondo Nacional de Inversión Limpia (NCIF) de $14 mil millones para expandir el despliegue de tecnologías limpias a escala nacional y una competencia de subvenciones del Acelerador de Inversión en Comunidades Limpias (CCIA) de $6 mil millones para desarrollar la capacidad local de financiamiento limpio a través de prestamistas comunitarios. La EPA planea publicar los NOFO para estas dos competencias en las próximas semanas.

Juntos, el Fondo Nacional de Inversión Limpia del Fondo de Reducción de Gases de Efecto Invernadero, el Acelerador de Inversión en Comunidades Limpias y las competencias Solar for All estimularán el despliegue de energía solar residencial a fin de reducir las facturas de energía para millones de estadounidenses, proporcionar energía resiliente y limpia a las comunidades y catalizar la transformación en los mercados que sirven a las comunidades de bajos ingresos y desventajadas. Cada una de estas competencias promueve la Iniciativa Justice40 del presidente Biden ampliando a la vez las oportunidades de empleo bien remunerado en las industrias nacionales.  

from EPA News Releases https://ift.tt/lPfWbJs

EPA Resolves Clean Air Act Violations with Didion Ethanol LLC Facility in Cambria Wisconsin

Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced a settlement with Didion Ethanol LLC for alleged violations of the Clean Air Act in Cambria, Wisconsin.

EPA alleged Didion’s ethanol production facility violated its 2014 and 2018 permits by failing to consistently direct all emissions from the fermentation process to the ethanol recovery system and failing to develop a sufficient malfunction prevention and abatement plan. EPA also alleged that the facility failed to operate its flare with no visible emissions and complete required pump monitoring.

Didion will pay a civil penalty of $170,000 and agreed to:

• Conduct monthly or quarterly monitoring.
• Install equipment to continuously detect and prevent excess emissions from the fermentation process.
• Implement visual emission monitoring at the flare.
• Improve recordkeeping, inspection and corrective action throughout the facility.
• Update and submit a modified malfunction prevention and abatement plan.
• Submit a permit application to the state to make requirements from this settlement last beyond the end of the order.

EPA estimates Didion will be in compliance within a year. 

To learn more about the Clean Air Act, click here

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Biden-Harris Administration Launches $7 Billion Solar for All Grant Competition to Fund Residential Solar Programs that Lower Energy Costs for Families and Advance Environmental Justice Through Investing in America Agenda

WASHINGTON (June 28, 2023) – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) launched a $7 billion grant competition through President Biden’s Investing in America agenda to increase access to affordable, resilient, and clean solar energy for millions of low-income households. Residential distributed solar energy will lower energy costs for families, create good-quality jobs in communities that have been left behind, advance environmental justice, and tackle the climate crisis. The Solar for All competition, which was created by the Inflation Reduction Act’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF), will expand the number of low-income and disadvantaged communities primed for residential solar investment by awarding up to 60 grants to states, territories, Tribal governments, municipalities, and eligible nonprofits to create and expand low-income solar programs that provide financing and technical assistance, such as workforce development, to enable low-income and disadvantaged communities to deploy and benefit from residential solar. EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan announced the grant competition for communities with U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (VT), who championed the program, in Waterbury, Vermont while touring a residential solar project.

“For too long, overburdened communities on the front lines of the climate crisis have been left behind and locked out of clean energy investments and climate solutions,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “Thanks to President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, this historic boost in solar investments will advance millions of residential solar projects nationwide, protect people and the planet, deliver environmental justice, save families money, and create good-paying jobs. All communities deserve to participate in America’s growing clean energy economy and under this competition, we will bring more communities along, working together to build a healthier and cleaner future for all.”

“At a time when people are struggling to make ends meet, all while dealing with the existential threat of climate change, we must make residential rooftop solar a reality for low-income and working families that need it most,” said U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (VT). “This $7 billion residential solar program that I introduced and the EPA is administering is a major step in the right direction. I look forward to working with the EPA on this program to make it more affordable for low-income and working-class families to install solar on their homes and save money on their electricity bills, as well as help create millions of good jobs in Vermont and across the country.”

“EPA’s Solar for All competition is building a future where clean, cheap, reliable energy is for everyone,” said John Podesta, Senior Advisor to the President for Clean Energy Innovation and Implementation. “I commend Administrator Regan and Senator Sanders for their leadership in making sure all Americans, regardless of zip code, have access to low-cost solar energy and its benefits for health, jobs, and justice.”

The new grant competition will provide funds to expand existing low-income solar programs as well as develop and implement new Solar for All programs nationwide. Solar for All programs ensure low-income households have equitable access to residential rooftop and residential community solar power, often by providing financial support and incentives to communities that were previously locked out of investments. In addition, these programs guarantee low-income households receive the benefits of distributed solar including household savings, community ownership, energy resiliency, and other benefits.

Residential solar cuts home energy bills and provides families with resilient and secure power, and Solar for All will help low-income and disadvantaged communities experience these meaningful benefits, such as guaranteeing a minimum 20% total electricity bill savings for households benefiting from the program. By investing in residential solar, the program will reduce the pollution produced from powering our homes to improve air quality and public health outcomes, all while creating good-paying, clean energy jobs.

“Solar for All will accelerate the deployment of residential solar in communities that for too long have lacked access to the cost-saving benefits of clean energy generation at home,” said Senior Advisor and Acting Director of the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund Jahi Wise. “The Solar for All program strengthens low-income and disadvantaged community-focused solar programs across the country, bringing long-needed cost-savings and pollution reduction to American communities.”

The Solar for All program advances President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative, which aims to ensure that 40% of the overall benefits of certain Federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized, underserved, and overburdened by pollution. The program will also help meet the President’s goal of achieving a carbon pollution-free power sector by 2035 and net zero emissions economy by no later than 2050.

This investment was made possible by President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, which is growing the American economy from the middle out and the bottom up – from rebuilding our nation’s infrastructure, to driving over $470 billion in private sector manufacturing and clean energy investments in the United States, to creating good paying jobs and building a clean-energy economy that will combat climate change and make our communities more resilient.

Solar for All will play a critical role in developing quality clean-economy jobs by funding high-road workforce development programs across the nation. These workforce development programs will invest in training workers from low-income and disadvantaged communities to deploy residential distributed solar, creating opportunities in high-quality, long-term careers in the clean energy industry

“Last Congress, Senate Democrats, working with President Biden, transformed America’s approach to climate change and the clean energy economy with the Inflation Reduction Act,” said U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer (NY). “In less than a year since it was signed into law, Americans have already felt its effects – in lower energy costs and in new, high-paying jobs. The Solar for All grant program is just the latest example of how this legislation will transform the lives of those most affected by the disastrous effects of climate change and promote environmental justice.”

“As we work to build a clean energy future, we must do so in a way that benefits all Americans—no matter their zip code or income,” said U.S. Senator Tom Carper (DE), Chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. “When developing the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, we intended for $7 billion of the program’s investments to target residential and community solar projects in communities with the greatest need. I’m pleased that the Biden-Harris administration’s Solar for All grant program is going to help deploy clean energy to millions of households, lowering energy costs and creating good-paying jobs across our nation.”

“We will never achieve our clean energy future without taking steps to support our low-income, frontline communities and ensure they have the investments and resources they need to thrive,” said Congressman Paul Tonko (NY-20). “As the former Chair of the Environment and Climate Change Subcommittee, I was proud to work with the Biden Administration to develop and enact historic programs for the EPA in the Inflation Reduction Act, including the Solar for All grant program. I thank President Biden and Administrator Regan for their commitment to environmental justice and look forward to continuing to bolster programs that foster our clean energy transition, tackle the climate crisis, create good-paying jobs, and cut costs for all American families.”

Solar for All Eligibility and Application Information

The deadline to apply to this competitive grant competition is September 26, 2023. Eligible applicants to Solar for All include states, territories, Tribal governments, municipalities, and eligible nonprofit recipients. Coalitions, led by an eligible lead applicant, are also eligible to apply to this competition. Additional detail on eligibility can be found in Section III of the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). 

EPA intends to make up to 60 awards under this competition with three award options for applicants. These award options will include:

1. State and Territory Programs: Awards for programs that serve a specific state or territory geography
2. American Indian and Alaska Native Programs: Awards for programs that serve American Indian and Alaska Native communities
3. Multi-state Programs: Awards for programs that serve similar communities that face similar barriers to residential distributed solar deployment in multiple states

EPA anticipates issuing awards of varying amounts, calibrated to the number of households the applicant intends the program to serve. Applicants for all three award options can apply for a small-sized program ($25 - $100 million), a medium-sized program ($100 - $250 million), or a large-sized program ($250 - $400 million). Applicants to Solar for All can submit separate applications to one or multiple of the three options. The final quantity of awards will be determined by the number and quality of the applications as well as the optimal combination of awards across the three award options to achieve maximum geographic coverage and benefits of the Solar for All competition.

EPA has published the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for this competitive grant competition on grants.gov.

To compete in this competition, all applicants are required to submit a Notice of Intent (NOI) to apply to this competition. The deadline for the NOI differs by applicant type and are:

• July 31, 2023 for states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico;
• August 14, 2023 for territories (specifically, The Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands), municipalities, and eligible nonprofit recipients; or
• August 28, 2023 for Tribal governments and Intertribal Consortia.

Public Briefing

EPA’s Solar for All competition will host a public briefing on the NOFO release tomorrow, June 29, 2023, 3:00pm – 3:15pm ET (Register Here). The post-release briefing will be recorded and posted on EPA’s GGRF webpage.

Informational Webinar

EPA’s Solar for All competition will host at least one informational webinar to provide information on the Solar for All grant competition and the application process on July 12, 2023, 1:00pm – 3:00pm ET (Register Here). The webinar will be recorded and posted on EPA’s GGRF webpage.

Tools and resources for prospective grantees, including webinar links and helpful templates, can be found on EPA’s GGRF webpage.

Additional Background:

The President’s Inflation Reduction Act authorized the EPA to create and implement the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, a historic $27 billion investment to combat the climate crisis by mobilizing financing and private capital for greenhouse gas- and air pollution-reducing projects in communities across the country. In addition to the $7 billion Solar for All competition, EPA will also launch a $14 billion National Clean Investment Fund (NCIF) grant competition to expand deployment of clean technologies at a national scale and a $6 billion Clean Communities Investment Accelerator (CCIA) grant competition to build local clean financing capacity through community lenders. EPA plans to release the NOFOs for these two competitions in the coming weeks.

Together, the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund’s National Clean Investment Fund, the Clean Communities Investment Accelerator, and Solar for All competitions will spur the deployment of residential solar energy to lower energy bills for millions of Americans, provide resilient and clean power to communities, and catalyze transformation in markets serving low-income and disadvantaged communities. Each of these competitions advances President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative while expanding good-paying job opportunities in domestic industries.

from EPA News Releases https://ift.tt/iKfYlRW