The agreement provides funding under the inflation reduction act to the department of infrastructure city of jersey city

This Cooperative Agreement, awarded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the Environmental Justice Government-to-Government (EJG2G) Program (CFDA 66.312), provides $1,000,000 in funding to the City of Jersey City, New Jersey. The project aims to address environmental and health disparities experienced by youth living in historically disadvantaged neighborhoods across Jersey City. Through workshops, hands-on activities, and community engagement, the City of Jersey City and its project partners will empower youth to be involved in decision-making processes and provide educational and career opportunities. Additionally, the project will involve the design and implementation of neighborhood greenways to increase the city's tree canopy, plant native species, and encourage zero-emission transportation. These efforts are intended to improve climate resiliency, air quality, and the overall health and well-being of youth and residents in the most vulnerable communities. The award is effective from December 1, 2024 to March 28, 2025.

This project is to address the environmental and health disparities experience by youth living in historically disadvantage neighborhoods across jersey city. The recipient and its project partners will engage youth living in historically disadvantaged neighborhoods in jersey city impacted by environmental and health disparities due to air quality and urban heat effects. Through workshops and hands-on activities within their immediate communities, the recipient aims to empower the youth by encouraging their direct involvement in key decision-making processes and providing educational and career opportunities. Greenways will be designed with community input to increase the city's tree canopy, plant native species along the public right of way, and encourage zero-emission methods of transportation by making neighborhood streets safer and more comfortable. These efforts aim to increase climate resiliency and air quality in these neighborhoods, resulting in improved health and well-being of the youth and general public in areas most vulnerable to the devastating effects of climate change. Activities:the activities to be performed include significant programming directed at engaging vulnerable youth, as well as small-scale construction projects to plant native species and create neighborhood greenways the city of jersey city will CO-lead land acknowledgement workshops to honor the indigenous people who were the original stewards of jersey city's environment. The city of jersey city will also engage with youth and community volunteers to identify priority locations for neighborhood greenways and implement native species plantings. Subrecipient: city of jersey city will issue subawards under this cooperative agreement. Subaward activities will include education for students, presentations of student learnings, data collection, planning for native species plantings, and community engagement. Outcomes:the anticipated deliverables include increased public green space for the jersey city community and educational and career opportunities for jersey city youth. The expected outcomes include availability of education, base knowledge and public messaging about our local ecosystems, how they work together, strong sense of environmental leadership through youth lead projects, valuable training to identify insects, birds and other urban wildlife and training in best management practices for native habitat installation, monitoring and maintenance. Community based messaging and educational signage will enhance walkability along greenways. Extended benefits include increased time spent outdoors, and physical health dividends, increased sense of belonging, pride and worth, community beautification and uplift and a true bond with nature and the planet through visceral experiences. The intended beneficiaries include the people of jersey city.