Project Grant 84073201

DESCRIPTION:THIS INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT AND JOBS ACT (IIJA) ASSISTANCE AGREEMENT WILL PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE (E.G., INFORMATION, TRAINING, EXPERT ADVICE) USING P2 PRACTICES TO ADDRESS ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE CONCERNS AND IMPROVE HUMAN HEALTH AND THE ENVIRONMENT IN DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES. SPECIFICALLY, IDEM INTENDS TO LAUNCH A NEW, FOUR-TIERED, COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAM FOR SUPPORTING INDIANA SMALL- AND MEDIUM-SIZED BUSINESSES, ESPECIALLY THOSE LOCATED WITHIN OR IMPACTING DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES. THE PROGRAM WILL EDUCATE BUSINESSES ON IMPLEMENTATION OF VARIOUS POLLUTION PREVENTION PROJECTS THAT CAN ALLOW EVEN THE SMALLEST ENTITY TO PARTICIPATE WHILE MOVING TOWARDS MORE COMPLEX P2 EFFORTS AS THEY ARE ABLE AND INTERESTED. THE GOAL OF THE PROGRAM WILL BE TO BUILD UPON SMALLER, MINIMALLY IMPACTFUL PROJECTS THROUGH MULTIMEDIA TOOLKITS TOWARDS MORE SIGNIFICANT, POSITIVELY-IMPACTFUL PROJECTS SUCH AS TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FACILITY WALK-THROUGHS BY IDEM TECHNICAL STAFF, P2 PEER MENTORING AND ONE-ON-ONE ASSISTANCE IN DEVELOPING ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS. IDEM INTENDS TO UTILIZE THE SUCCESS OF IMPLEMENTING SMALL P2 ACTIONS AS A SPRINGBOARD FOR INCREASED P2 IMPROVEMENTS IN EJ COMMUNITIES. ACTIVITIES:THE PRIORITIES AND GOALS OF THE P2 GRANT ARE: INDIANA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT'S PROPOSED PROJECT WILL PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO SMALL- AND MEDIUM-SIZED BUSINESSES IN INDIANA, ESPECIALLY THOSE LOCATED WITHIN OR IMPACTING DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES, TO IMPLEMENT SMALL-SCALE EFFORTS SUCH AS IDENTIFYING AND REPAIRING COMPRESSOR LEAKS, PROPER CLEANOUT OF BARRELS, RAG AND GLOVE MANAGEMENT, AND OTHER P2 TECHNIQUES. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE WILL INCLUDE DEVELOPING AND IMPLEMENTING A DIVERSE MENU OF P2-FOCUSED TRAINING (INCLUDING TRAINING VIDEOS), PEER MENTORING, FIVE OR MORE TOOLKIT TOPICS, AND ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS PLANNING. THE PROPOSED PROJECT WILL IMPROVE HUMAN HEALTH AND THE ENVIRONMENT IN DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES BY IDENTIFYING AND REDUCING THE USE OF HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS, WATER, AND ENERGY IN COMMUNITIES IDENTIFIED USING EPA'S TARGET FACILITIES MAPPING TOOL AND IDEM'S ANALYSIS OF COMMUNITIES THAT MEET THEIR ENVIRONMENTAL STAKEHOLDER INCLUSION PROGRAM. SUBRECIPIENT:NO SUBAWARDS ARE INCLUDED IN THIS ASSISTANCE AGREEMENT.OUTCOMES:THE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE ANTICIPATED UNDER THE GRANT IS EXPECTED TO PROVIDE THE FOLLOWING P2 DELIVERABLES, AND ANTICIPATED OUTPUTS AND OUTCOMES TO SUPPORT TARGETED DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES. THROUGH THIS PROPOSAL, THE INDIANA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT (IDEM) AND ITS PARTNERS WILL WORK COLLABORATIVELY TO DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT A DIVERSE MENU OF P2-FOCUSED TRAINING, EDUCATION, PEER MENTORING, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS PLANNING. THE PROPOSAL WILL EDUCATE UP TO 50 SMALL- TO MEDIUM-SIZE BUSINESSES AND WILL PROVIDE ONE-ON-ONE ASSISTANCE TO AT LEAST TEN (10) INDIANA MANUFACTURERS TO IDENTIFY AND REDUCE THE USE OF HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS, WATER, AND ENERGY. IDEM HAS IDENTIFIED A GAP AND OPPORTUNITY IN P2 TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR SOME OF THE STATE'S MANY SMALLER BUSINESSES. THE PROPOSED FOUR-TIERED PROGRAM WILL NOT ONLY REACH AND POSITIVELY IMPACT P2 PROGRAMS AT THE SMALLEST ORGANIZATIONS, IT WILL ALSO ALLOW COMPANIES TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF A WHOLE HOST OF RESOURCES AND ASSISTANCE THAT WILL HELP THEM EVOLVE FROM LITTLE TO GREATER, MORE SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACTFUL KNOWLEDGE IN THE P2 SPHERE. THE GRANT WILL ENABLE IDEM TO DEVELOP A SERIES OF SHORT 'LUNCH AND LEARN' STYLE, SINGLE-ISSUE TRAINING VIDEOS THAT WILL PROVIDE STEP-BY-STEP DEMONSTRATIONS OF HOW TO ADDRESS EVERYDAY ISSUES THROUGH A P2 LENS.