Project Grant 02D45623

DESCRIPTION:THIS ACTION APPROVES AND AWARD IN THE AMOUNT OF $475,912, TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMUNITY ACTION INC. TO CONDUCT AMBIENT AIR MONITORING OF POLLUTANTS OF GREATEST CONCERN IN COMMUNITIES WITH ENVIRONMENTAL AND HEALTH OUTCOME DISPARITIES STEMMING FROM POLLUTION AND THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.ACTIVITIES:THE ACTIVITIES WILL BE USED TO SUPPORT COMMUNITY AND LOCAL EFFORTS TO MONITOR THEIR OWN AIR QUALITY AND TO PROMOTE AIR QUALITY MONITORING PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN COMMUNITIES AND TRIBAL, STATE, AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS THAT: LEVERAGE EXISTING AIR QUALITY EXPERTISE, EXPAND USE OF COMMUNITY MONITORING GROUPS AND OTHER APPROACHES THAT GIVE THE COMMUNITY A VOICE IN THE MONITORING OF THE AIR QUALITY, AND BUILD A FOUNDATION OF TRUSTING RELATIONSHIPS AND ENHANCED UNDERSTANDING FROM WHICH SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS TO COMMUNITY AIR POLLUTION PROBLEMS CAN BE FOUND. SUBRECIPIENT:THE SUBAWARD GRANTEES OF EMORY UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE (ENVS) STAFF AND INTERNS WILL LEAD THE AIR MONITORING EFFORTS AND WILL SUPPORT DATA SHARING ACTIVITIES. ACTIVITIES WILL INCLUDE OVERSEEING THE INSTALLATION AND VISUALIZATION OF THE DATA, WORKING WITH AIR MONITORING CO-LEAD AND THE STUDENT INTERN AND WILL PROVIDE TRAINING TO AFFECT COMMUNITIES ON TOPICS RELATED TO AIR POLLUTION AND HEALTH. PARTNERS WILL ALSO PURCHASE PM 10 AIR MONITORS THAT WILL BE WILL BE USED TO INSTALLED 4 PM 2.5 INLETS.OUTCOMES:THE ANTICIPATED DELIVERABLES INCLUDE DEPLOYING 7 AIR QUALITY MONITORS (THREE OF WHICH WILL BE PURCHASED USING EPA FUNDS) IN FIVE UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES TO COLLECT DATA OVER A ONE-YEAR PERIOD, MAKING NEAR REAL-TIME AIR QUALITY DATA AVAILABILITY FOR FIVE COMMUNITIES AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS, CREATING COMMUNITY-SPECIFIC AIR POLLUTION DATA SUMMARIES AND MAKING THEM AVAILABLE TO FIVE COMMUNITIES, PROVIDING 8-10 TRAINING SESSIONS TO 5 GROUPS EACH OF 15 PEOPLE AND DEVELOPING FIVE SPECIFIC STRATEGIES TO REDUCE THE IMPACTS OF AIR POLLUTANT ON THEIR HEALTH. THE EXPECTED OUTCOMES INCLUDE PROVIDING ADDITIONAL DATA THAT HELP COMMUNITY MEMBERS IDENTIFY THE TYPE AND EXTENT OF THE PROBLEMS THEY ARE CONFRONTING, INCREASING COMMUNITY UNDERSTANDING OF AIR POLLUTION HAZARDS IN METRO-ATLANTA LOCATIONS THAT ARE CURRENTLY UNMONITORED, INCREASING COMMUNITY AWARENESS OF THE RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH AIR POLLUTANTS IN THEIR COMMUNITIES, INCREASING ACCESS TO INFORMATION AND TOOLS THAT WILL HELP COMMUNITY MEMBERS DECREASE THE RISKS OF THESE POLLUTANTS ON THE ENVIRONMENT AND ON THEIR HEALTH.THE INTENDED BENEFICIARIES INCLUDE COMMUNITY RESIDENTS WHO LIVE IN UNMONITORED AREAS OF ATLANTA, GA WHO ARE DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED BY AIR POLLUTION AND LOW INCOME. THESE COMMUNITIES INCLUDE BRUCE STREET IN LITHONIA, CHAPEL HILL IN DECATUR, PEOPLESTOWN IN ATLANTA, PITTSBURGH IN ATLANTA AND CITY OF SOUTH FULTON IN FULTON.