EPA-R1-HC-2023.pdf

UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

REGION I, NEW ENGLAND

2023 HEALTHY COMMUNITIES GRANT PROGRAM

Announcement Request for Applications Funding Opportunity Number: EPA-R1-HC-2023 Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 66.110 Action Date: Applications due on May 26, 2023

COVID-19 Update: EPA is providing flexibilities to applicants experiencing challenges related to COVID-19. Please see the Flexibilities Available to Organizations Impacted by COVID- 19 clause in Section IV of EPA’s Solicitation Clauses.

Anticipated Announcement and Award Dates April 11, 2023 Healthy Communities Application Guidance is released.

April 11 – May 26, 2023 Eligible grant recipients develop and complete their applications.

April 25, 27 and May 11, 2023 Healthy Communities Grant Program hosts Information

Sessions via webinar. The webinar is open to all to discuss the grant program. See Attachment D to RSVP webinars.

May 26, 2023 Application submissions must be received by 11:59 PM via https://www.grants.gov or via email to R1hcgrants@epa.gov.

May 31 - June 16, 2023 Application package submissions are reviewed and evaluated.

June 2023 Applicants will be contacted via telephone if their application is being considered for funding. Some applicants may be asked to make minor revisions to their proposed project work plans.

Formal letters will be sent to all applicants to notify them of the status of their submissions.

September 2023 EPA New England expects to formally announce 2023 Healthy

Communities Grant Program Recipients.

This application guidance includes the following information:

Section I. Funding Opportunity Description Section II. Award Information Section III. Eligibility Information Section IV. Application and Submission Information Section V. Application Review Information Section VI. Award Administration Information Section VII. Agency Contact https://www.epa.gov/grants/epa-solicitation-clauses https://www.grants.gov/ mailto:R1hcgrants@epa.gov

SECTION I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. Program Description The Healthy Communities Grant Program was launched in 2003 and supports EPA’s mission by integrating many EPA New England programs including Air Quality Outreach, Asthma and Indoor Air, Children’s Environmental Health, Clean, Green and Healthy Schools Initiative, Energy Efficiency Program, Environmental Justice Program, Pollution Prevention, Sustainable Materials Management, Toxics and Pesticides, and Water Infrastructure (Stormwater, Wastewater, and Drinking Water). The goal of the program is to combine available resources and best identify competitive projects that will achieve measurable environmental and public health results in communities across New England. Eligible applicants are invited to apply to EPA New England for funding consideration under this competitive grant program. The Healthy Communities Grant Program anticipates awarding approximately 15 cooperative agreements from these project applications in 2023.

The Healthy Communities Grant Program is a competitive grant program for EPA New England to fund work directly with communities to support EPA’s mission to reduce environmental risks, protect and improve human health and improve the quality of life. The Healthy Communities Grant Program will achieve these goals through identifying and funding projects that:

• Target resources to benefit communities at risk [environmental justice areas of potential concern, and/or sensitive populations (e.g., children, elderly, tribes, urban and rural residents, and others at increased risk)].

• Assess, understand, and reduce environmental and human health risks.

• Increase collaboration through partnerships and community-based projects.

• Build institutional and community capacity to understand and solve environmental and human health problems.

• Achieve measurable environmental and human health benefits.

The mission of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is to protect human health and to safeguard the natural environment (air, water, and land) upon which life depends. EPA's purpose is to ensure that:

• All Americans are protected from significant risks to human health and the environment where they live, learn and work.

• National efforts to reduce environmental risk are based on the best available scientific information.

• Federal laws protecting human health and the environment are enforced fairly and effectively.

• Environmental protection is an integral consideration in U.S. policies concerning natural resources, human health, economic growth, energy, transportation, agriculture, industry, and international trade, and these factors are similarly considered in establishing environmental policy.

• All parts of society (e.g., communities, individuals, businesses, state and local governments, tribal governments) have access to accurate information to effectively participate in managing human health and environmental risks.

• Environmental protection contributes to making our communities and ecosystems diverse, sustainable and economically productive.

• The United States plays a leadership role in working with other nations to protect the global environment.

EPA New England takes these broad goals and applies them directly to service the needs of New England residents in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont, and federally recognized tribes in New England. Within the broad landscape of these states and tribes, EPA New England recognizes that not all communities share the same environmental and public health conditions. For example, in urban, rural, and environmental justice communities throughout New England, residents are exposed to a multitude of environmental and public health hazards, ranging from lead in paint, soil, and drinking water to rats on vacant lots to asthma aggravated by poor indoor and ambient air quality.

Another concern in New England is the ability to successfully manage large-scale water quality problems on a watershed basis when governance institutions are based on home rule and local control. All communities need to plan for and address community resiliency to prepare and adapt to extreme weather events (e.g., flooding, drought, hot and cold temperature extremes) and climate change. Cumulative environmental impacts are difficult to assess and address because of limited data, independent planning across state and municipal jurisdictions, and limited capacity to implement integrated projects. Measures that would positively affect water quality considerations are challenged by the lack of common goals and an effective platform to measure program effectiveness and track improvements. Cumulatively, the effects of these hazards on urban residents and other sensitive populations such as children, the elderly and tribal populations are compounded by issues including environmental injustice, limited economic development opportunities, and social ills. Some suburban and rural communities also face significant risks from industrial, commercial, agricultural or transportation activities in or near their communities. These types of conditions result in disproportionate health risks to residents and stress on the quality of the air, water, and land.

To maximize effectiveness and resources, many EPA New England programs are working in partnership to improve environmental conditions for residents across New England. EPA New England’s Air Quality Outreach, Asthma and Indoor Air, Children’s Environmental Health and Clean, Green and Healthy Schools Initiative, Energy Efficiency, Environmental Justice, Pollution Prevention, Sustainable Materials Management, Toxics and Pesticides, Tribal, and Water Infrastructure Programs (Stormwater, Wastewater, and Drinking Water) are working together to competitively identify projects that will achieve measurable environmental and public health results in Target Investment Areas and Target Program Areas across New England (see Section I, B, Target Investment Areas & Target Program Areas, for more details). These participating programs share a focus on preventing and reducing environmental and human health risks and/or advancing ecosystem resilience. Staff and leadership from each of these programs will jointly review and select projects for funding using the criteria listed in Section V of this announcement.

Please read the descriptions below to learn more about each participating program. More information on each participating program’s activities, projects, and accomplishments is available at www.epa.gov/region01.

• Air Quality Outreach: The Air Quality Outreach program aims to increase public awareness of air quality issues so that people can take steps to protect their health and reduce their contribution to air pollution. For example, EPA works with state air agencies to provide real-time air pollution levels, as well as forecasts, to warn residents of poor air quality in their area. EPA also works with states to mitigate wood smoke pollution by promoting measures that individuals can take to reduce emissions from residential wood burning. These measures include encouraging the change-out of old wood burning appliances for newer, more efficient models and tips for better burning practices that result in more efficient use of wood, lower emissions, and safer burning.

• Asthma and Indoor Air: The Asthma Program supports asthma and healthy environmental interventions that promote the management of asthma and the reduction of asthma triggers and other indoor air pollutants, assists with the training of asthmatics, their families, and healthcare professionals on asthma trigger management and the effectiveness of comprehensive asthma management programs. In addition, the Asthma Program promotes healthy homes training opportunities; encourages the support and development of sustainable home intervention programs; promotes sustainable financing for home https://www.epa.gov/region01 intervention programs; and promotes awareness of primary prevention for asthma.

Collaboration among stakeholders is encouraged if it provides a means to reduce the burden of asthma on a regional level.

• Children’s Environmental Health Program: The Children’s Environmental Health

Program has the fundamental goal to ensure that all EPA actions and programs address the unique vulnerabilities of children and to support projects and activities that have a durable impact to protect children’s environmental health across many stakeholders, including the intersection of children’s health and climate change and environmental justice.

• Clean, Green and Healthy Schools Initiative: Under the Energy Independence and

Security Act of 2007, Title IV, Subtitle E, Healthy High-Performance Schools, the Clean, Green and Healthy Schools Initiative is integrated across all EPA programs to address children’s environmental health at K-12 schools and to improve school environmental health through EPA resources, including the EPA School Siting Guidelines and EPA State School Environmental Health Guidelines, such as Tools for Schools.

• Energy Efficiency Program: Energy Star is a joint program of the EPA and the

Department of Energy (DOE) that has worked with residents and businesses to reduce air pollution through energy efficiency since 1992. This partnership program delivered $24 billion in savings in 2012 alone.

• Environmental Justice Program: The Environmental Justice Program is focused on the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income, with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies. This goal will be achieved when everyone enjoys the same degree of protection from environmental and health hazards, and equal access to the decision-making process to have a healthy environment in which to live, learn, and work. Region 1’s program focuses on providing tools, resources and assistance to overburdened and underserved communities in our six New England States – Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut.

• Pollution Prevention: The Pollution Prevention Program is designed to provide technical assistance to businesses and their facilities to help them develop and adopt source reduction practices. Pollution Prevention includes any practice that reduces the amount of any hazardous substance, pollutant or contaminant from entering any waste stream or otherwise being released into the environment prior to recycling, treatment or disposal.

Pollution prevention techniques aim to reduce the amount and/or toxicity of pollutants or contaminants entering the environment, to reduce the use of water, energy and other raw materials and to lower business costs. These practices reduce hazardous substances, pollutants and contaminants.

• Sustainable Materials Management: Sustainable materials management (SMM) is a systemic approach to using and reusing materials more productively over their entire life cycle to find new opportunities to reduce environmental impacts, conserve resources and reduce cost. In 2023, the New England SMM program has three priority areas: the built environment, sustainable food management, and sustainable packaging. The built environment focus is to conserve materials and develop community resiliency to climate change through construction, maintenance, and end-of-life management of roads, buildings, and infrastructure. The sustainable management of food seeks to reduce wasted food and its associated impacts over the entire life cycle, starting with the use of natural resources, manufacturing, sales, consumption and ending with decisions on recovery or final disposal.

Sustainable packing looks to increase the quantity and quality of materials recovered from municipal solid waste and develop critically important collection and processing infrastructure. EPA’s 2021 National Recycling Strategy is a critical effort in work to build a circular economy for all. Learn more about it here: https://www.epa.gov/recyclingstrategy.

• Toxics and Pesticides: The Toxics Program regulates and provides oversight over a variety of different toxic chemicals (e.g., lead, asbestos, mercury, PCBs, etc.) regulated under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). The Pesticides Program regulates and provides oversight over registration and use of pesticides under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA).

• Water Infrastructure Program (Stormwater, Wastewater, and Drinking Water): The Water

Program works with regulated entities including municipalities, wastewater systems, and drinking water systems to protect the environment and public health. Through regulations, technical assistance, outreach, funding, and training, EPA’s Water Program works with federal, state and local partners to sustain the adequacy and integrity of water infrastructure in communities throughout New England. The Water Program has placed an emphasis on working with communities to assess vulnerabilities and adapt stormwater, wastewater, and drinking water infrastructure to ensure these critical services will be maintained, even in extreme weather events. An additional focus is working locally in partnerships with water utilities to identify private lead pipes and other contaminant threats and build capacity to apply for and manage state and federal funds for mitigation.

Statutory Authority The Healthy Communities Grant Program consists of activities authorized under one or more of the following EPA grant authorities listed under Clean Air Act, Section 103(b)(3); Clean Water Act, Section 104(b)(3); Safe Drinking Water Act, Sections 1442(a) and (c); Federal Insecticide Fungicide and Rodenticide Act, Section 20; Solid Waste Disposal Act, Section 8001; Toxic Substances Control Act, Section 10; Marine Protection, Research, & Sanctuaries Act, Section 203; Indian Environmental General Assistance Program Act; and Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, Sections 311(b) & (c).

The statutory authorities for this program restrict the use of assistance agreements to (1) conduct research, investigations, experiments, demonstrations, surveys, and studies related to the causes, effects (including health and welfare effects), extent, prevention, and control of air and/or water pollution; (2) develop, expand, or carry out a program (that may combine training, education, and employment) for occupations relating to the public health aspects of providing safe drinking water;

(3) conduct research, development, monitoring, public education, training, demonstrations, and studies on toxic substances; (4) conduct and promote the coordination of research, investigations, experiments, training, demonstrations, surveys, public education programs, and studies relating to solid waste (e.g., health and welfare effects of exposure to materials present in solid waste and methods to eliminate such effects); (5) conduct research, development, monitoring, public education, training, demonstrations, and studies on pesticides; (6) conduct research, investigations, experiments, training, demonstrations, surveys, and studies relating to the minimizing or ending of ocean dumping of hazardous materials and the development of alternatives to ocean dumping; (7) conduct research with respect to the detection, assessment, and evaluation of the effects on and risks to human health due to hazardous substances and detection of hazardous substances in the environment; and (8) conduct research, evaluation, testing, development, and demonstration of alternative or innovative treatment technologies which may be utilized in hazardous waste response actions.

Demonstrations must involve new or experimental technologies, methods, or approaches, and it is encouraged that the results of these projects will be disseminated so that others can benefit from the knowledge gained. A project that is accomplished through the performance of routine, traditional, or established practices, or a project that is simply intended to carry out a task rather than transfer information or advance the state of knowledge, however worthwhile the project might be, is not considered a demonstration project.

https://www.epa.gov/recyclingstrategy

To learn more about additional requirements for authorized activities, applicants are encouraged to attend a Healthy Communities Grant Program information session. Please see Section IV. E, Information Sessions for further details.

B. Target Investment Areas, Target Program Areas, EPA Strategic Plan Linkage, &

Anticipated Outcomes/Outputs

To qualify as eligible projects under the Healthy Communities Grant Program, proposed projects must meet the following criteria: (1) Be located in and/or directly benefit one or more of the Target Investment Areas described below; and (2) Identify how the proposed project will achieve measurable environmental and/or public health results in one or more of the Target Program Areas described below.

The Healthy Communities Grant Program seeks to fund projects that are in and/or directly benefit one or more of the Target Investment Areas: Areas near Ports that are being Redeveloped to Support Offshore Wind and Related Industries, Geographic Priority Areas or Sectors in Northern & Southern New England, Environmental Justice Areas of Potential Concern, and/or Sensitive Populations in one or more of the EPA New England States of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont and/or tribal lands. Every application must clearly identify and explain how the project will link to one or more of the Target Investment Areas listed and described below.

Target Investment Areas: Areas near Ports that are being Redeveloped to Support

Offshore Wind and Related Industries, Environmental Justice Areas of Potential Concern, Geographic Priority Areas or Sectors in Northern & Southern New England and Sensitive Populations

a. Areas near Ports that are being Redeveloped to Support Offshore Wind and Related

Industries: For the purposes of this grant program, “Areas near Ports that are being Redeveloped to Support Offshore Wind and Related Industries” include any communities in New England within a 2 mile radius of the town(s) that the port is physically located and there are known, active or planned redevelopment opportunities including, but not limited to, offshore wind or other industrial development. To qualify under this Target Investment Area, applicants must demonstrate that their project will directly involve and/or clearly benefit a community meeting the conditions described above, and demonstrate at least one or more census blocks of the community where the project is located are overburdened and underserved using data from sources including EJScreen (e.g., 1 or more EJScreen Environmental Justice Indexes at the 80th percentile or higher) and/or one or more census tracts are highlighted as being disadvantaged by the Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool (CEJST).

b. Environmental Justice Areas of Potential Concern: For the purposes of this grant program, “Environmental Justice Areas of Potential Concern” refers to communities, neighborhoods, geographic areas or tribes in New England that potentially have been disproportionately affected by environmental and/or public health burdens in a defined geographic area. EPA New England is committed to promoting and supporting Environmental Justice which is the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies. Fair treatment means that no group of people, including any racial, ethnic, or socioeconomic group, should bear a disproportionate share of the negative environmental consequences resulting from industrial, municipal, and commercial operations or policies. Meaningful involvement means people have an opportunity to participate in decisions about activities that may affect their environment and/or health;

https://www.epa.gov/ejscreen https://screeningtool.geoplatform.gov/en/#3/33.47/-97.5 the public's contribution can influence the regulatory agency's decision; community concerns will be considered in the decision-making process; and decision makers will seek out and facilitate the involvement of those potentially affected. To qualify under this Target Investment Area, applicants must provide a description of the characteristics of the population and challenges facing the community, neighborhood, or tribe benefitting from the proposed activity, an identification of the potential environmental and health burdens experienced, and an explanation of how the proposed project will address the identified burdens to demonstrate that their project will provide fair treatment and meaningful involvement to members of communities, neighborhoods, or tribes in New England that potentially have been disproportionately affected by environmental and health burdens.

c. Geographic Priority Areas or Sectors in Northern & Southern New England: For the purposes of this grant program, “Geographic Priority Areas & Sectors in Northern & Southern New England refers to areas and populations that are overburdened and underserved including areas with mobile homes and/or manufactured housing in Northern New England states where drinking water quality and/or indoor or outdoor air quality may be an issue. It also includes areas in Southern New England that are overburdened and underserved with cumulative environmental and/or public health impacts including, but not limited to Chelsea, MA; New Bedford, MA; Central Falls, RI; Providence, RI; Pawtucket, RI;

New Haven, CT; Bridgeport, CT; and Hartford, CT. To qualify under this Target Investment Area, applicants must use data and information from sources including, but not limited to, EJ Screen, the Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool (CEJST), and/or other sources to explain how the proposed project will address and directly benefit one or more of the priority geographic areas and/or sectors described above.

d. Sensitive Populations: For the purposes of this grant program, “Sensitive Populations” refers to populations including infants, children and/or others at increased risk that are more susceptible to the effects of pollution and/or places where sensitive populations are located or spend significant time (e.g., homes, schools, day cares, etc.). This also includes schools and daycare facilities in areas with environmental justice concerns and programs that serve residents who are hungry or residents who may not have stable housing. EPA’s mission is to protect human health and the environment. However, health-based environmental standards are generally based on risks to healthy adult males, not sensitive populations.

Infants and children are more susceptible to the effects of pollution because pound-for-pound, they eat, drink and breathe more than adults and their brains and nervous systems are still growing and developing. Tribal members may be more susceptible to risks because of traditional cultural practices and traditions including, but not limited to fishing and hunting practices and potential exposure to many sources of environmental pollution on tribal lands.

To qualify under this Target Investment Area, applicants must clearly describe how the proposed project will clearly benefit and help protect sensitive populations and areas where they live, learn, and play and reduce and/or minimize exposure to environment and/or public health risks.

Every application must also clearly identify how the proposed project will achieve measurable environmental and/or public health results in one or more of the Target Program Areas described below.

Target Program Areas: Capacity Building on Environmental and/or Public Health Issues;

Clean, Green, and Healthy Schools; Energy Efficiency; Healthy Indoor Environments; Healthy Outdoor Environments; Pollution Prevention; and Sustainable Materials Management

Outputs & Outcomes: Outputs refer to measurable quantitative or qualitative activities, efforts, deliverables, or work products that the applicant proposes to undertake during the project period.

https://www.epa.gov/ejscreen https://www.epa.gov/ejscreen

The anticipated outputs for Healthy Communities Grant Program cooperative agreements will vary from applicant to applicant but will be identified as "Project Deliverables" in the application narrative and work plan. All applicants will be expected to clearly identify their outputs depending on the Target Program Area(s) selected by the applicant and achieve them during the proposed project period. Grant recipients will be required to submit quarterly status reports about their progress towards achieving outputs once the project is implemented.

The anticipated outputs for Healthy Communities projects will vary depending on the scope of the project and linkage to one or more Target Program Area(s). Anticipated outputs for potential projects are organized by Target Program Area below.

Outcomes refer to the result, effect, or consequence that will occur from carrying out the activities or outputs of the project. Outcomes may be environmental, behavioral, health-related or programmatic, should be quantitative, and may not necessarily be achievable during the project period. Short-term outcomes include, but are not limited to, increased learning, knowledge, skills, attitudes, and motivation, and must occur during the proposed project period. The awards made under this announcement are expected to result in the general short-term outcomes identified below.

The anticipated short-term outcomes listed below are expected to result in reducing environmental risks to protect and improve human health and the quality of life, to create healthy communities and ecosystems related to many of the goals in EPA’s Strategic Plan. Anticipated short-term outcomes include, but are not limited to:

• Measurable improvements to environmental and/or ecosystem conditions and management including, but not limited to: pounds of toxic or hazardous materials reduced, pounds of solid or hazardous waste reduced, gallons of water reduced, number of pounds or metric tons of greenhouse gas eliminated; expanded state and nonprofit organization monitoring capacity and collection and communication of watershed wide data, adoption of riparian and headwaters protection strategies; reduction in kilowatt hours of energy used; adoption of strategies to address nutrients such as adoption of fertilizer use ordinances or laws;

increase in gallons of water conserved, increase in the number of pollution prevention assessments, lifecycle analyses, and/or lean manufacturing assessments conducted at businesses, institutions or local government facilities; adoption of pollution prevention activities at businesses and/or communities; increased strategies and resources for watershed-scale protection and/or restoration of key habitats and physical systems).

• Increased resources to benefit communities at risk.

• Increased access to information and tools that increase understanding and reduction of environmental and human health risks.

• Increased public understanding of chemicals at risk in their community.

• Improved institutional and community capacity to understand and solve environmental and human health problems.

• Measurable improvements in public health conditions including, but not limited to:

improvement in quality of life for asthmatics, including increased number of symptom-free days; reduction in use of rescue medications; reduction in number of missed school/work days; reduction in number of emergency room visits, and/or hospital readmissions related to asthma; or other quantifiable measures including reductions in the number of lead poisoned children; decreased use of pesticides; increase in pounds of crops grown using integrated pest management.

In addition, the projects may result in additional outcomes which will vary depending on the Target Program Area(s) identified by the applicant. Both the expected short-term outcomes identified above, and any other expected outcomes should be defined in the Application Narrative and the Work Plan.

EPA also requires that grant applicants adequately describe environmental outputs and outcomes to be achieved under assistance agreements (see EPA Order 5700.7A1 - Environmental Results under Assistance Agreements). Applicants must include specific statements describing the environmental results of the proposed project in terms of well-defined and quantified expected or projected outputs and, to the maximum extent practicable, well-defined outcomes that will demonstrate how the project will contribute to the priorities described below.

a. Capacity Building on Environmental and/or Public Health Issues: Projects that organize and convene community capacity building events focused on increasing involvement in understanding or addressing the causes, effects, extent, reduction, prevention and/or elimination of at least one of the following environmental and public health issues: indoor/ambient air quality, asthma, climate resiliency, clean school buses, energy efficiency and/or safe drinking water; train and educate groups of community stakeholders on methods to identify, reduce, prevent or eliminate exposures to pollution in air or drinking water; increase regional, state, tribal, community, and neighborhood access to environmental information, dialogue, collection and use of data (e.g. GIS mapping, risk evaluation, risk mitigation, collecting emissions data, etc.), and/or improve methods of risk characterization; increase collaboration among residents, businesses, and municipal governments to address community environmental issues previously mentioned, and/or build new or strengthen existing coalitions to address schools, states, or regional programs and at least one or more of the environmental and public health issue(s) previously mentioned.

Project Examples:

• Build a coalition of organizations to create an environmental justice network in a state, across states, or throughout New England that can share information, support each other as a community of practice and connect communities with education, outreach, and resources to improve local environment and public health conditions.

• Develop tools for citizen science and resident engagement focused on environmental justice. Undertake activities that enable citizen science around air and water quality, lead, PFAS, and other contaminants, including in port areas, schools, and/or areas with mobile or manufactured housing.

• Develop approaches, education, and techniques to help homeowners, students, and/or others at risk receive tools that help test environmental issues at home, such as air quality, lead exposure, and other hazards and take actions to improve environmental and/or public health conditions.

• Build a coalition or engage local residents near a port community to supporting green transition and cleanups at ports. Design and deliver activities, events and training that allow for a wider range of practitioners to learn about and build skills to pursue workforce opportunities in ports related to the offshore wind industry and other development activities.

• Conduct an air monitoring and/or sensor projects on local air quality conditions that combine efforts to convey results to locally impacted community members.

• Conduct toxicity studies of depositional contaminants (mercury, cadmium, etc.) in local food sources (fish, shellfish, game, plants, etc.) that convey results to locally impacted community members who consume those food sources.

• Provide education/outreach to specific community groups on consumer products with elevated VOCs or air toxics concerns and provide information on alternative options, and opportunities for the prevention and/or reduction of use.

• Conduct studies of PM pollution using PurpleAir sensors at targeted public transportation stations (train, bus, airport, etc.) and analyze passenger exposure while waiting at transit stations as well as the health effects of such exposure. Conduct outreach on the health impacts of PM pollution attributable to the combustion of fuel in vehicles, the wear of https://www.epa.gov/grants/epa-order-57007a1-epas-policy-environmental-results-under-epa-assistance-agreements vehicle components (e.g., tires and brakes), the suspension of road dust, cigarette smoke, and industrial emissions.

• Convene stakeholders and conduct a community assessment to evaluate and identify challenges/barriers on the electrification of school bus and/or other vehicle fleets for hard-to-reach communities (e.g., communities in rural, tribal and environmental justice areas).

• Conduct wood smoke sensor/community action and/or training in areas with localized high levels of PM/woodsmoke. Conduct targeted education to mitigate exposure through community scale implementation of EPA BurnWise Program which outlines best practices for reducing woodsmoke.

Example Outputs:

• Creation and implementation of effective education, outreach, demonstration, and/or training tools to reach target population.

• Creation of risk assessment and public consumption advisories for wild game, fish and/or plants based upon toxicity levels measured and analyzed.

• Number of families, individuals or stakeholders reached through education, outreach, demonstrations, training, surveys and/or studies related to the causes, effects, extent, reduction, prevention or elimination of pollution in air and/or drinking water sources.

• Host multiple sessions targeting stakeholders to discuss transitioning the local school district to an electric bus fleet, identify specific barriers to implementation as well as suggestions on how to overcome the barriers, and a list of all necessary project partners that much be engaged to complete an electric bus project.

• Convene stakeholders and conduct a community assessment to evaluate and identify challenges/barriers on the electrification of school bus and/or other vehicle fleets for hard-to-reach communities (e.g., communities in rural, tribal and environmental justice areas).

b. Clean, Green and Healthy Schools: Projects that focus on creating clean, green and healthy school environments by promoting EPA’s State School Environmental Health Guidelines, EPA’s Voluntary Guidelines for Selecting Safe School Location and their design, construction, and renovation, EPA’s 3Ts for Reducing Lead in Drinking Water in Schools, and/or implementing replicable programs across New England that serve the environmental health needs of K-12 schools.

Project Examples:

• Develop approaches to reducing air pollution at public schools, daycare facilities, and/or senior homes.

• Engage students to increase learning and take actions around air pollution concerns at their schools, as well as other activities that can reduce exposures to air pollutants at schools, such as exploring filtration technology, increasing green space and/or analyses to inform actions that can improve student learning, health, and indoor air quality or the quality of life outcomes for seniors.

• Develop, improve upon existing, and/or promote site specific environmental health assessments, which can be used by schools to determine their environmental health baselines, identify issues of concern, and help schools prioritize which environmental health problems to address and promote utilizing EPA developed guidelines to address environmental issues in siting, designing, construction, renovation, and maintaining schools.

• Provide training to school officials and/or childcare facility operators to raise awareness of the risks of lead poisoning and the importance of monitoring lead levels in school and/or childcare facility drinking water to identify and respond to any existing problems.

• Conduct a “cleaning for health program” promoting procurement of safer cleaning products and disinfectants and developing cleaning policies and procedures for programs that support the basic tenets of healthy environments at schools.

https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2015-09/documents/toolkit_leadschools_guide_3ts_leadschools.pdf

• Develop cleaning policies and procedures for programs that support the basic tenets of healthy environments at schools.

• Reduce exposure to pesticides and pests by promoting the use of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategies in these settings, e.g., strengthening the training and technical assistance components and advancing IPM techniques using EPA Tools for Schools action kits and Model Pesticide Safety and IPM Guidance Policy for School Districts.

• Provide technical assistance to support reducing, diverting, or minimizing wasted food and other recyclable commodities in the K-12 school sector utilizing EPA’s waste management and food recovery hierarchies.

• Conduct training courses for school staff on the latest EPA guidance on indoor air quality, specifically on asthma triggers and transmissible diseases in a school environment.

Example Outputs:

• Number of schools in urban, rural or suburban communities that received school environmental health information (e.g., lead, asthma, exposure to toxic substances, etc.), participated in capacity-building exercises, and/or took action to become cleaner, greener, and healthier.

• Number of school decision-makers who received school environmental health information and/or participated in capacity-building exercises.

• Number of schools or school districts that have taken action to become cleaner, greener, and healthier.

• Number of activities that improve indoor environments and reduce risk factors for asthma onset and/or exacerbations, including remediating water damage, improving HVAC systems, using materials and equipment that do not contain harmful chemicals.

• Number of activities that encourage training of educators, administrators, and all staff about asthmagens to which they may be exposed in their workplaces (e.g., mold, sanitizers, cleaners, pest control products).

• Pounds of food recovered in school projects aimed at reducing food waste, diverting food from disposal, and encouraging food donations.

• Number of school staff trained on identifying asthma triggers and awareness of ventilation and filtration strategies in a school environment.

c. Energy Efficiency: Projects that promote energy efficiency and/or conservation by providing education, outreach, and technical assistance on energy systems, weatherization and/or energy best management practices and policies.

Project Examples:

• Outreach materials or training tools for effective education, outreach, and demonstration to reach target population.

• Trainings or workshops on opportunities for energy use reduction including energy efficiency retrofits and improved energy management practices.

• Technical assistance to enable residents, business owners and other stakeholders to navigate existing resources and funding opportunities (e.g., provide support to apply for existing utility rebates or audits).

• Design an energy competition for local schools and students on energy savings through behavioral changes.

• Implement a light-bulb change-out program in partnership with a local utility.

• Provide outreach opportunity to disseminate educational material on residential energy efficiency and weatherization.

• Convene roundtables for businesses to share best practices for energy efficiency and energy management.

Output Examples:

• Creation of effective education, outreach, demonstration, and/or training tools to reach target population.

• Number of families, individuals, businesses, industry sectors or stakeholders reached through education, outreach, demonstrations, or trainings on opportunities for energy use reduction.

• Dollars saved by households, businesses, industry sectors or stakeholders through energy efficiency retrofits and improved energy management practices.

• Decreased percentage of household income or business costs spent on energy costs.

• Tons of air pollutants reduced through energy efficiency retrofits and improved energy management practices.

d. Healthy Indoor Environments: Projects that focus on reducing and/or preventing exposures of hazardous substances and environmental contaminants to the general public, focusing particularly on childhood health and other vulnerable populations. Examples of this include childhood lead poisoning through compliance assistance, outreach and education on lead-based paint regulations and/or small drinking water systems, reducing asthma triggers in the home and school environments, promoting integrated pest management, promoting renewable energy, reducing childhood exposure to one or more toxins (lead, PCBs, dioxin, mercury, asbestos, pesticides, etc.), promoting comprehensive healthy homes.

• Conduct outreach to prevent and/or manage asthma and asthma triggers in early education centers, day care centers, schools, and residences through training opportunities, education, and other resources to build capacity of impacted target populations.

• Design and conduct an education and outreach campaign to promote lead safe indoor environments by minimizing risk of lead in the indoor environment, including risk from lead paint, lead dust, and or lead in drinking water.

• Design and conduct an integrated pest management project which reduces pesticide exposures for elderly populations (e.g., nursing homes, community centers, etc.).

• Design and conduct an education and outreach campaign to train businesses, facilities and/or individuals to promote compliance with the federal lead-based paint regulations.

• Design and conduct an education and outreach campaign to identify housing at risk for lead and/or other toxins and provide in-home education to families to improve children’s environmental health, such as a reduction of asthma triggers.

• Conduct training courses on indoor air quality for state and local health officials to improve environmental health in public buildings and prepare for emerging public health issues that could affect respiratory health.

• Number of families, caregivers, individuals, stakeholders, or geographic areas serviced through education, outreach, training, or intervention to reduce indoor air pollutants.

• Reduction in childhood asthma severity or other health impacts due to better management of asthma triggers.

• Number of professionals trained to deliver asthma management and care trainings.

• Reduction in exposure to pesticides and/or toxic substances (e.g., lead, mercury, priority chemicals, etc.).

• Number of individuals or stakeholders reached with an education and outreach campaign to promote compliance with the federal lead-based paint regulations and/or reduce lead in drinking water.

• Design and conduct an education and outreach campaign to promote lead safe drinking water.

• Identification of methods or techniques leading to a comprehensive healthy homes project which potentially improves and promotes children’s health by reducing indoor toxins including, but not limited to, mold, combustion by-products, lead, asbestos, pesticides, PCBs, dioxin, and mercury.

• Number of children, families, individuals, stakeholders, or geographic areas serviced or participating in efforts to reduce exposure to indoor pollutants such as mold, combustion by-products, lead, asbestos, pesticides, PCBs, dioxin, and mercury.

• Pounds of material (municipal solid waste) being diverted, reused, recycled, or composted in an indoor environment and the impact on ambient air quality emissions.

• Reduced quantities (e.g., pounds) of pesticides or hazardous cleaning agents no longer used in target geographic area.

• Number of state and local health officials trained on the latest EPA policy and guidance to address indoor air quality issues and emerging environmental health issues that affect people in public spaces.

e. Healthy Outdoor Environments: Projects that focus on reducing and/or preventing exposure to toxics and pollutants in the air, soil and/or water by addressing the causes, effects, extent, reduction, prevention and/or elimination of pollution in rivers and/or other natural resources.

Project Examples:

• Create approaches, tools and techniques to protect residents’ health and reduce flood risks, especially educational activities and other work to help residents who experience pollution in their homes during and after floods in disadvantaged communities with combined sewer systems.

• Conduct activities to protect and/or improve water quality in areas with mobile and/or manufactured housing.

• Conduct monitoring to understand potential risks and address water quality issues in rural areas and take actions to restore, protect or improve well-based water sources in rural areas, including in areas with mobile and/or manufactured housing.

• Develop approaches to help residents learn about water quality issues they may face and offer technical assistance to help residents and owners access resources to address concerns.

• Develop and conduct workshops to educate communities on the health risks of wood smoke exposure and provide outreach materials promoting woodstove changeout programs and best burning practices.

• Develop and implement a sampling plan (in partnership with the EPA regional laboratory) using PM portable sensors to measure PM levels in one or more communities, focusing on areas potentially impacted by wintertime wood smoke.

• Design and conduct an education and outreach campaign to address polluted stormwater runoff and poor water quality. Use and promotion of green infrastructure opportunities to achieve pollution prevention is encouraged.

• Develop and conduct a multilingual education campaign for urban residents on exposure to toxins in urban rivers or other natural resources and ways to prevent or eliminate those exposures.

• Target reduction of combustion by-products, such as environmental tobacco smoke, wood smoke, and smoke from burning of trash and brush through education and awareness campaigns.

• Assess business preparedness and/or provide outreach to businesses (particularly small businesses) that use hazardous substances to raise awareness about preventing release of hazardous substances and hazardous waste.

• Number of families, individuals, municipalities, or stakeholders reached through education, outreach, demonstrations, training, surveys and/or studies related to the causes, effects, extent, reduction, prevention or elimination of pollution in soil, water and/or air.

• Creation of effective education, outreach, demonstration, and/or training tools to reach target population.

• Number of wood smoke education kits distributed to communities.

• Design and conduct a study to assess PM concentrations in communities impacted by wood smoke and distribute report to relevant stakeholders.

• Pounds of pesticides no longer used in target geographic area.

• Reduction in pollutants such as pesticides, animal feeding, operations runoff, and/or oils/grease.

• Measurable reductions in hazards (pounds), water use (gallons), energy consumption

(kWh), and/or air pollutant emissions (metric tons of carbon equivalent).

• Number of communities working to reduce toxic or hazardous materials used, and/or reduce solid or hazardous waste generated, particularly in flood-prone communities.

f. Pollution Prevention: Projects that provide technical assistance to businesses and their facilities to help them develop and adopt source reduction practices. Source reduction means reducing or eliminating pollutants from entering any waste stream or otherwise being released into the environment prior to recycling, treatment, or disposal. In addition to reducing pollutants entering the environment, source reduction also includes reducing the use of water, energy, and other raw materials.