EPA Region 7 Selects Environmental Justice Grant Projects in Missouri and Nebraska to Address Local Community Health and Environmental Issues

November 5, 2019

Contact Information

LaTonya Sanders (sanders.latonya@epa.gov)

913-551-7555

Environmental News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Lenexa, Kan., Nov. 5, 2019) - EPA Region 7 has selected four special grant projects, totaling $120,000, that are designed to educate, empower and enable the communities of Kansas City, Missouri; St. Louis; and Lyons, Nebraska, to better understand and address local health and environmental issues.

The Environmental Justice Small Grants (EJSG) Program is designed to help communities understand and address their exposure to multiple environmental harms and risks. Understanding the impacts of multiple environmental risks can help communities develop more effective solutions to their environmental and health concerns. The long-term goals of the EJSG Program are to help build the capacity of the affected community and create self-sustaining, community-based partnerships that will continue to improve local environments in the future.

Environmental Justice is the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income in the development, implementation and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations and policies.

The following grant projects were selected:

Missouri

Kansas City Rescue Mission, Kansas City; $30,000; Project title: “Food Waste: Community Engagement and Communication” – This project aims to train homeless individuals, many of whom are veterans, for green employment jobs; provide Kansas City with a systematic food waste collection service that also employs training program graduates; increase public awareness about food waste; and encourage responsible action.

Justine Petersen Housing & Reinvestment Corporation, St. Louis; $30,000; Project title: “Greencubator: Education and Training Program” – This project seeks to increase the number of residents that know about food scarcity, composting/organic waste, and the use of safe pesticides; increase the number of residents and businesses that grow healthy foods, while utilizing methods around composting and safe pesticides; and increase the number of retail businesses that sell healthy foods in the focus neighborhood.

Trailnet Inc., St. Louis; $30,000; Project title: “Calm Streets Project” – This project aims to develop a green bicycle-and-pedestrian infrastructure plan to improve watershed management; reduce stormwater runoff; reduce auto emissions; decrease the incidence of asthma attacks; and increase physical activity among residents in an underserved neighborhood.

Nebraska

Center for Rural Affairs, Lyons; $30,000; Project title: “Water and Garden Soil Testing for Rural Latino Families, Farmers and Ranchers” – This project seeks to improve participants’ understanding of water and soil contamination; provide training in testing techniques; develop wellhead protection plans; and increase participants’ awareness of Spanish-language resources for testing and prevention practices in three rural communities in Nebraska.