Adams Celebrates $1.5 Million for Environmental Justice Projects in Communities Across North Carolina

MECKLENBURG COUNTY, N.C. (October 26, 2023) — Today, Congresswoman Alma S. Adams, Ph.D. (NC-12), celebrated the announcement by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of $1.5 million to fund two projects across North Carolina that advance environmental justice as part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda.

North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services and CleanAIRE North Carolina, which EPA selected through its Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem Solving Cooperative Agreement and Environmental Justice Government-to-Government programs, will use the funds to ensure disadvantaged communities that have historically suffered from underinvestment have access to clean air and water and climate resilience solutions in alignment with the Biden-Harris administration’s Justice40 Initiative. 

Thanks to President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) – the largest climate investment in U.S. history – this funding is part of the largest investment ever announced under these two longstanding EPA programs. This is the first in a series of environmental justice grant announcements EPA will announce before the end of the year. Congresswoman Adams voted for the IRA in the House of Representatives.

“Black and brown communities in North Carolina bear the brunt of the harms from poor air quality, water quality, and the effects of climate change – and it’s these communities who know best how to address the problems they face,” said Congresswoman Adams. “This funding recognizes these severe disparities, and affirms the ingenuity of communities, organizations, and public sector partners who are collaboratively tackling these issues head-on. The air monitoring and water treatment projects funded will result in meaningful outcomes for the health and wellness of the 12th District and North Carolina.”

“No President has invested more in environmental justice than President Biden, and under his leadership we’re removing longstanding barriers and meaningfully collaborating with communities to build a healthier future for all,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “Together, these community-driven projects will improve the health, equity, and resilience of communities while setting a blueprint for local solutions that can be applied across the nation.”

“Building collaborative partnerships with our stakeholders is vital to addressing local environmental and public health issues,” said Acting EPA Region 4 Administrator Jeaneane Gettle. “Environmental justice communities that have historically suffered from underinvestment will benefit greatly from these projects that promote clean air, water and climate resilience solutions, leading to healthy communities.”

The grants announced yesterday deliver on President Biden’s commitment to advance equity and justice throughout the United States. The two grant programs directly advance the President’s transformational Justice40 initiative to deliver 40 percent of the overall benefits of certain federal investments to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution.

EPA’s Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem Solving (EJCPS) program provides financial assistance to eligible organizations working to address local environmental or public health issues in their communities. The program builds upon President Biden’s Executive Orders 13985 and 14008, creating a designation of funds exclusively for small nonprofit organizations, which are defined as having 5 or fewer full-time employees, thus ensuring that grant resources reach organizations of lower capacity that historically struggle to receive federal funding. Eleven of the organizations selected for EJCPS this year are small nonprofit organizations, receiving over $1.6 million in total. EPA EJCPS grant selections in North Carolina include CleanAIRE North Carolina for $500,000 for the North Mecklenburg Air Monitoring Network. This project will establish an Air Monitoring Cluster Network in four impacted communities across North Mecklenburg to address health impacts associated with air pollution.

EPA’s Environmental Justice Government-to-Government (EJG2G) provides funding at the state, local, territorial, and Tribal level to support government activities in partnership with community-based organizations that lead to measurable environmental or public health impacts in communities disproportionately burdened by environmental harms. EPA EJG2G grant selections in North Carolina include the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services for $1,000,000 for a partnership to address private well contamination in Sampson County, NC. This project will address private well contamination in Sampson County to provide water treatment for at least 175 private wells per year while helping residents understand what pollutants may be in their water and the importance of clean water for health.

Congresswoman Alma S. Adams, Ph.D. represents North Carolina’s 12th Congressional District (Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, Cabarrus County) and serves as a Senior Member of the House Committee on Agriculture. Additionally, she serves on the House Committee on Education & the Workforce, where she serves as Ranking Member of the Workforce Protections Subcommittee.

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