This $19,989,241 Project Grant award from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the Environmental and Climate Justice Community Change Grants Program (CFDA 66.616) will enable the City of Springfield, Massachusetts to collaborate with nonprofit partners to implement a comprehensive set of strategies to reduce indoor and outdoor air pollution, build climate resiliency, and engage the community. Key activities include:
Reducing indoor air pollutants through a housing energy retrofit program and indoor remediation efforts to address issues like moisture, lead paint, and other hazards
Improving outdoor air quality by implementing a community solar program, planting 1,500 trees, adding bike lanes/sidewalks, launching an e-bike share, and monitoring air quality
Establishing two climate resilience hubs to serve as emergency shelters, offering green workforce training programs, and engaging the community to update the city's climate action plan
The Public Health Institute of Western Massachusetts will serve as a key subrecipient, conducting air quality monitoring, facilitating community engagement, and providing capacity building support to the collaborative team. The grant period runs from January 1, 2025 through December 31, 2027.