Cooperative Agreement 00E03650

DESCRIPTION:IN RESPONSE TO ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE CONCERNS, KAPPA HOUSE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH SOUTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY EDWARDSVILLE AND U.S. EPA REGION 5 IS UNDERTAKING EFFORTS TO SUPPORT COMMUNITY CAPACITY AND BUILD LOCAL LEADERS IN THE FORM OF THE METRO EAST ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ACADEMY, THE FIRST ACADEMY IN ILLINOIS AND SECOND IN REGION 5. THE EJ ACADEMY IS A ROUGHLY 10-MONTH LONG PROGRAM WHERE PARTICIPANTS WILL CULTIVATE SKILLS TO IDENTIFY ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES AND ACCOMPLISH ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENT GOALS IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. THE ACADEMY ENCOURAGES COLLABORATIVE PROBLEM-SOLVING WITH LOCAL GOVERNMENT, SMALL BUSINESSES, ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS, AND INDUSTRY TO CREATE A SHARED VISION AMONG DIFFERENT STAKEHOLDERS SO THAT ALL PARTS OF A COMMUNITY HAVE A VOICE IN ADDRESSING LOCAL ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS.THE ACADEMY SEEKS TO COVER SUBJECT MATTER SUCH AS HOW TO APPLY FOR GRANTS, THE LEGAL PROCESS TO PASS A LOCAL ORDINANCE, TRAINING AROUND INDUSTRIAL PERMITTING PROCESSES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR COMMUNITY INPUT. MORE THAN ANYTHING IT'S A SPACE TO COLLABORATE, NETWORK, AND CREATE TANGIBLE CHANGE. WHILE EPA PROVIDES THE LEARNING OBJECTIVES FOR THE CURRICULUM AND HELPS PLAN AND FACILITATE, THE PROGRAMMING IS TAILORED TO MEET THE UNIQUE NEEDS OF THE AREA. SPONSORS INVITED COMMUNITY LEADERS TO PARTICIPATE IN AN ADVISORY COUNCIL TO INFORM THE PLANNING PROCESS FOR THE ACADEMY. ADDITIONALLY, LOCAL SPEAKERS WERE IDENTIFIED TO TAILOR THE ACADEMY TO BRING IN LOCAL LEADERS AND EXPERTS. THE EJ ACADEMY WILL RESULT IN BUILDING THE CAPACITY OF EXISTING COMMUNITY LEADERS AND INSPIRING NEW LEADERS TO ACT. ACTIVITIES:GUIDED INSTRUCTION AND ACTIVITIES THROUGH A SERIES OF NINE MODULES. FIELD TRIPS FOR PERSPECTIVE AND KNOWLEDGE OF LOCAL AREAS OF CONCERN OR RESOURCES. EDUCATION ON COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT IN FEDERAL PROCESSES. CONSTRUCTIVE DIALOGUE OF AREAS OF IMPROVEMENT IN COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT IN FEDERAL. OPPORTUNITIES FOR MEANINGFUL ENGAGEMENT WITH VARIOUS COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS AND NETWORKING. THE ACADEMY SEEKS TO COVER SUBJECT MATTER SUCH AS HOW TO APPLY FOR GRANTS, THE LEGAL PROCESS TO PASS A LOCAL ORDINANCE, TRAINING AROUND INDUSTRIAL PERMITTING PROCESSES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR COMMUNITY INPUT. THE ACADEMY WILL BRING IN SPEAKERS FROM FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, LARGELY TO INCLUDE EPA, AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO MEANINGFUL INVOLVEMENT IN THEIR RESPECTIVE PROGRAMS. THIS MAY LOOK LIKE EDUCATION ON THE FEDERAL PERMIT PROCESS AND HOW TO WRITE EFFECTIVE COMMENTS ON FEDERAL PERMITS. IT WOULD ALSO SERVE AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE TRAINING ON FEDERAL SYSTEMS THAT ARE PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE, SUCH AS ECHO AND EJSCREEN. PROVIDING RESOURCES AND EDUCATION CAN ALSO GIVE THE PUBLIC A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THEIR ROLE IN EPA'S MISSION. IN REGION 5 ONE OTHER ACADEMY HAS BEEN CONDUCTED IN DAYTON, OHIO. THIS ACADEMY HAS GENERALLY BEEN CONSIDERED A SUCCESS WITH THE FELLOWS MOVING ON TO ACCOMPLISH CONCRETE CHANGE IN THEIR COMMUNITIES, LIKE ADDING STOP SIGNS IN HIGH TRAFFIC NEIGHBORHOODS, SUCCESSFULLY RECEIVING FEDERAL GRANTS, AND ONE FELLOW BEING AWARDED OHIO ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVIST OF THE YEAR. WHILE EPA PROVIDES THE LEARNING OBJECTIVES FOR THE CURRICULUM AND HELPS PLAN AND FACILITATE, THE PROGRAMMING IS TAILORED TO MEET THE UNIQUE NEEDS OF THE AREA. SPONSORS INVITE COMMUNITY LEADERS TO PARTICIPATE IN AN ADVISORY COUNCIL TO INFORM THE PLANNING PROCESS FOR THE ACADEMY. ADVISORY COUNCIL MEMBERS INCLUDE LEADERS FROM LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS; PUBLIC SCHOOLS, EAST SIDE ALIGNED, JACKIE JOYNER KERSEE FOUNDATION FOOD AND NUTRITION CENTER, EMPIRE 13, UNITED CONGREGATIONS OF METRO EAST, AND SEVERAL OTHERS. LOCAL INTEREST CENTERS AROUND FLOODING AND WATER INFRASTRUCTURE, FOOD ACCESS AND EQUITY, AND WHAT PART RESIDENTS CAN HAVE IN THE INDUSTRIAL PERMITTING PROCESS. THE EJ ACADEMY WILL RESULT IN BUILDING THE CAPACITY OF EXISTING COMMUNITY LEADERS AND INSPIRING NEW LEADERS TO ACT FOR TANGIBLE CHANGE. OUR OUTREACH EFFORTS HAVE INCLUDED HOSTING INFORMATION SESSION