Project Grant 02J03301

DESCRIPTION: THE PURPOSE OF THIS AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN FUNDED ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE SMALL GRANT, PEOPLE SCIENCE TRAINING AND RISK ASSESSMENT PROJECT, IS TO MITIGATE THE NEGATIVE HEALTH IMPACTS OF AIR AND WATER POLLUTION RESULTING FROM A CATASTROPHIC WILDFIRE THAT DESTROYED THE TOWNS OF PHOENIX AND TALENT IN SEPTEMBER 2020. PROJECT ACTIVITIES INCLUDE COMMUNITY ASSESSMENTS REGARDING PREVALENCE OF ASTHMA AND RESPIRATORY SYMPTOMS; MONITORING TEMPERATURE/WIND DIRECTION, MONITORING LEVELS OF PARTICULATE MATTER (PM2.5/PM10) FOR INDOOR/OUTDOOR AIR QUALITY, COMMUNITY MEETINGS, TRAININGS, AND CREATING ASSESSMENTS AND MAPS OF FIRE-DESTROYED PROPERTIES THAT MAY HAVE TOXIC RESIDUES WHICH COULD BECOME AIRBORNE. THE GOAL AND EXPECTED ENVIRONMENTAL OUTCOMES ARE INFORMED CITIZENS, REDUCED EXPOSURE TO AIR POLLUTION AND LOWER PREVALENCE OF ASTHMA/RESPIRATORY SYMPTOMS. DIRECT BENEFICIARIES ARE LOW- INCOME IR-BIPOC (IMMIGRANT, REFUGEE, BLACK, INDIGENOUS AND PEOPLE OF COLOR) OF THE TALENT/PHOENIX, OREGON AREAS. CONTRACTUAL COMPONENTS MAY INCLUDE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENTS AND PEOPLE SCIENCE TRAINING. THIS RECIPIENT DOES NOT INTEND TO SUB AWARD FUNDS. CAA 103(B)(3): PEOPLE WITH MODERATE-TO-SEVERE OR UNCONTROLLED ASTHMA ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE HOSPITALIZED FROM COVID-19. AIR POLLUTION MAY CONTRIBUTE TO ASTHMA. BY ADDRESSING AIR POLLUTION IN CAA 103(B)(3) PROJECTS, THE CHANCES OF SEVERE ILLNESS FROM COVID-19 ARE REDUCED. SDWA 1442: HANDWASHING IS A WELL-ACCEPTED APPROACH TO COMBATING THE SPREAD OF COVID-19. CLEAN WATER IS NECESSARY FOR THE PROPER WASHING OF HANDS. SDWA 1442 GRANT PROJECTS CONTRIBUTE TO PROVIDING CLEAN WATER FOR HANDWASHING IN COMBATTING THE SPREAD OF COVID-19. ACTIVITIES: THIS PROJECT WILL PROVIDE AN ENVIRONMENTAL RISK ASSESSMENT OF CURRENT HAZARDS BOTH THROUGH QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE ASSESSMENTS AND CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE TRAINING, EDUCATION, AND 'PEOPLE SCIENCE' SKILLS FOR IMMIGRANTS, REFUGEES, AND BIPOC RESIDENTS. ACTIVITIES INCLUDE; SURVEYS REGARDING ASTHMA AND RESPIRATORY SYMPTOMS, TEMPERATURE/WIND DIRECTION, MONITORING LEVELS OF PM 2.5/PM10 FOR INDOOR/OUTDOOR AIR QUALITY, COMMUNITY MEETINGS/TRAININGS, AND CREATING A SURVEY OF FIRE-DESTROYED PROPERTIES THAT MAY HAVE TOXIC RESIDUES THAT COULD BECOME AIRBORNE (ASH, ASBESTOS, ETC.). OUTCOMES: OUTPUTS INCLUDE TWO SURVEY REPORTS, MAPS OF PROPERTIES WITH CHARACTERISTICS OF FIRE RESIDUES, AIR QUALITY DATA AND A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF MONITORING RESULTS, TRAINED COMMUNITY LEADERS, AND MULTILINGUAL PUBLIC HEALTH OUTREACH/EDUCATION, WITH THE GOAL OF PRODUCING INFORMED CITIZENS, REDUCED EXPOSURE TO AIR POLLUTION AND LOWER PREVALENCE OF ASTHMA/RESPIRATORY SYMPTOMS. THE DIRECT BENEFICIARIES FOR THIS PROJECT ARE LOW-INCOME LATINX AND BIPOC COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN THE TALENT AND PHOENIX REGION OF SOUTHERN OREGON. THIS PROJECT WILL INCREASE COMMUNITY RESILIENCE AND PREPAREDNESS FOR FUTURE WILDFIRE SEASONS, AS WELL AS INCREASE RESPIRATORY HEALTH AND GREATER RESILIENCE THROUGH THE PANDEMIC, MOVING TOWARDS A SAFER, HEALTHIER ENVIRONMENT FOR OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN THE PHOENIX AND TALENT AREA. SUBRECIPIENT: NO SUBAWARDS ARE INCLUDED IN THIS ASSISTANCE AGREEMENT.