Project Summaries for Healthy Communities Grant Program in New England

On this page:

2023 Project Summaries

Jump to 2023 Project Summaries for:

Connecticut - 2023

Operation Fuel, Inc.
"Better Homes and Buildings Project"
$40,000

Operation Fuel, Inc. was awarded $40,000 for their project titled, "Better Homes and Buildings Project". Operation Fuel will work with Neighborhood Housing Services of New Haven (NHS) and its I Heart My Home CT program to conduct community outreach and education. Through this program, residents play an active role in determining their goals for increasing the safety and fuel efficiency of their homes. In addition to residents and NHS, the program will involve other stakeholders, including Connecticut's Department of Energy and Environmental Protection's (DEEP) weatherization program and area community action agencies (CAAs), all of whom work with Operation Fuel as fuel bank providers that assist LMI residents to access energy grants to pay for their utility costs. DEEP and the CAAs will participate in Operation Fuel's statewide network of environmental and energy equity advocates to share information on the BHBP program, enrollment methods, and other important updates. The target population is single-family (defined as 1–4-unit buildings) homeowners, people living on fixed incomes, and property owners and their residents, as well as potential home buyers. Each will receive the support and data they need to make informed decisions, access financial resources, and complete their home energy improvement goals, step by step.

Partners: Neighborhood Housing Services of New Haven

Food Rescue US, Inc.
"Food Rescue US - Fairfield County: Helping End Food Waste and Food Insecurity in Bridgeport, CT"
$35,720

Food Rescue US, Inc. was awarded $35,720 for their project titled, "Food Rescue US - Fairfield County: Helping End Food Waste and Food Insecurity in Bridgeport, CT". This project will focus on increasing efforts in Bridgeport, CT, by conducting outreach to local businesses so that Food Rescue US can provide more rescued food to 60 registered social service agencies that are located in the target area. The communities served through the receiving agencies include people who are unsheltered, at-risk youth, LGBTQ+, seniors, impoverished families with children, refugees, those facing substance abuse disorders, recent immigrants, persons with a disability, persons with behavioral disorders, and veterans. Key project activities include collecting feedback from Bridgeport, CT social service agencies, convening focus groups, conducting outreach to food establishments with excess food, and recruiting new food donors in order to increase the pounds of rescued food provided in the target area.

New Haven Ecology Project
"Implemental Youth- Led Initiatives"
$40,000

New Haven Ecology was awarded 40,000 for their project titled "Implemental Youth- Led Initiatives". The purposed project focuses on the City of New Haven, CT, and creates resources for use by other environmental justice communities. This project supports EPS's Clean, Green, Healthy Schools initiative engaging students to increase learning, cultivate environmental leadership, and take direct action around climate change and pollution concerns at CGHS, in the city of New Haven, and throughout our region. This program is designed to engage 225 young people directly and, through their efforts and leadership, engage additional regional community members. One of enduring goals is to ensure that the work starts at the campus and creates a ripple effect throughout the community. Common Ground will continue to manage digital publications, quarterly symposiums, and networking opportunities, in addition to publishing modules and program accomplishments and methodology involving this project.

Partners: Local and regional sustainable designers, architects, and city planners; New Haven Climate Movement; Boston Green Academy; New Roots School; The Greene School

Massachusetts - 2023

Massachusetts Coalition for Occupational Safety and Health (MassCOSH)
"Using a Peer Leadership Model to Ensure Clean, Green and Healthy Schools"
$39,330

MassCOSH was awarded $39,330 for their project titled, "Using a Peer Leadership Model to Ensure Clean, Green and Healthy Schools". This project will focus on achieving measurable improvements in addressing asthma and adverse environmental health triggers (specifically poor indoor air quality and excessive heat), enhancing capacity to address environmental health inequities in schools in high risk communities in Boston, and engaging youth and adult ambassadors in Boston to influence city and school decision-makers about the importance of considering indoor air quality when making decisions around safe cleaning, reductions of mold, dust, and allergens in indoor school spaces, ventilation improvements, and strategies to address excessive heat; to ensure that school buildings are safe for students, teachers and staff with asthma and from infectious diseases. Key project activities include recruiting, training, and supporting MassCOSH youth peer leaders through updated train-the-trainer curriculum and educational materials, training on school-site environmental health, asthma triggers and heat stress, and engaging Boston Public School students and their families through youth advocacy meetings.

Partners: Health Resources in Action, Boston Teachers Union (BTU), Boston Education Justice Alliance

Mystic River Watershed Association
"Wicked Cool Ambassadors"
$40,000

Mystic River Watershed Association was awarded 39,545 for their project titled, "Mystic Wicked Cool Ambassadors". The Mystic Watershed Association is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the improvement of the Mystic watershed for a healthy environment and healthy people. This project will meaningfully engage residents in Chelsea, Everett and Malden – three highly urbanized cities in the Mystic River Watershed- where residents are disproportionately impacted from environmental conditions. This will help build capacity knowledge from area residents about the public health risks, and what you can do to protect your communities in the short-term and in the long-term. The organization uses a network of volunteers and citizen scientists to track environmental conditions, develop actionable data, and work with partners toward clean water, restored habitat, and healthy environment for people.

Partners: Green Roots, Everett Community Growers

New England - 2023

Toxics Use Reduction Institute (TURI), University of Massachusetts Lowell
"Craft Beverage Sector Alternatives Performance Validation for New England"
$39,945

In 2020 TURI completed an evaluation of common cleaning and sanitizing chemicals and potential alternatives and published its findings under the title of "Assessment of Alternatives to Cleaners and Sanitizers for the Brewing Industry. Now, TURI has been awarded $39,945 for their "Craft Beverage Sector Alternatives Performance Validation for New England" project, which looks to expand its assistance to craft beverage providers throughout New England. TURI will build on their previous work with the brewery sector to identify and validate additional safer cleaners and sanitizers for their ability to remove soils generated in the various craft beverage processes, as well as to ensure sanitization of the tanks between uses, as needed. This project will support their Pollution Prevention (P2) partners as they work with environmental justice areas where craft beverage producers are located. This project will address P2 by offering technical source reduction implementation support to New England state P2 programs focused on reducing the use of toxic chemicals in the craft beverage sector, thereby preventing these pollutants from causing exposure to workers or potentially entering waste streams.

Partners: New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services, Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, New England Environmental Finance Center at the University of Southern Maine, Center for Sustainable Enterprise & Regional Competitiveness at the University of Massachusetts Boston

Health Resources in Action
"Expanding the Healthy Air Network Across New England"
$40,000

Health Resources in Action was awarded $40,000 for their project titled, "Expanding the Healthy Air Network Across New England". The Healthy Air Network (HAN) is a project of HRiA's MA Asthma Action Partnership (MAAP), Public Health Institute of Western MA (PHIWM), Yale School of Public Health (Yale) and others – focused in MA. It builds on the collaboration led by PHIWM, Yale, and community partners in Western MA, and is funded by the EPA's Enhanced Air Quality (AQ) Monitoring for Communities Program (hereinafter EPA AQ Program). HAN seeks to foster, support, and/or build capacity of community-based organizations (CBOs), faith-based organizations (FBOs) and municipalities conducting AQ monitoring for PM2.5 and O₃. With current EPA funding, HRiA will provide $30,000/each, sensors, focused technical assistance (TA) and capacity building support to three CBOs and/or FBOs in MA environmental justice (EJ) communities to conduct outdoor AQ monitoring and participate in design of the program.

Partners: Connecticut Department of Public Health (CT-DPH), Public Health Institute of Western Massachusetts, Yale School of Public Health – Department of Environmental Health Services

Rescuing Leftover Cuisine, Inc.
"New England Food Recovery Extension"
$32,120

Health Resources in Action was awarded $32,120 for their project titled, "New England Food Recovery Extension ". The "New England Food Recovery Extension" project aims to significantly improve food security while reducing wasted food in the states of Rhode Island and Connecticut as well as the counties of Bristol, Barnstable and Plymouth in Massachusetts. The proposed program would work closely within local communities that have been disproportionately affected by the environmental impact resulting from wasted food and the growing public health concern of hunger and food insecurity. Key project activities include onboarding new active food donor partners & rescuers and rescuing and redistributing food via over 400 rescue events in the targeted project communities.

Partners: Rhode Island Department of Health, MEANS Database

Upper Valley Lake Sunapee Regional Planning Commission (UVLSRPC)
"School Chemical Safety Project"
$39,997

Upper Valley Lake Sunapee Regional Planning Commission was awarded $39,997 for their project titled, "School Chemical Safety Project". The project aims to provide live virtual trainings for chemical safety and free inventories of unwanted chemicals for disposal to participating schools to improve health and safety in the use of chemicals. All the project partners have experience in pollution prevention, training, and working with schools. The project will also provide 12 live training webinars of one hour each with a chemist consultant. This conveys the urgency of personal protection and wise selection and use of chemicals. The project will also provide training to fire safety authorities and insurance carriers who inspect schools for safety and assist schools in determining safe practices such as appropriate storage containers. Webinar topics will include everything from chemistry/biology lab chemicals of concern, to disposal options and teacher/student safety.

Partners: New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services, Pollution Prevention Section; New Hampshire Department of Education; Maine Labpack, Inc.; and Hazardous Materials Consulting, LLC

Appalachian Mountain Club
"Living Downstream: Community engagement in assessing and understanding legacy mercury pollution in the Northeast"
$40,000

Appalachian Mountain Club was awarded $40,000 for their project titled, "Living Downstream: Community engagement in assessing and understanding legacy mercury pollution in the Northeast". This project builds from two years of prior Merrimack-DMP engagement with partners in the watershed and expands the geographic scope as well as thematic goals. In addition to capacity building through training and educating community stakeholders in methods to characterize Hg risk through field sampling, the project will extend the impact of the earlier HCGP project through a teacher professional development workshop developed and implemented by partner organization the Tsongas Industrial History Center (TIHC, affiliated with Lowell National Historical Park, LNHP) focused on using citizen-science collected data as real-world data sets in their curriculum. The workshop will help teachers incorporate content about the environmental impacts of industrialization across disciplines in science, math, English, social studies, and arts classes.

Partners: Dartmouth College, Department of Biological Sciences; Tsongas Industrial History Center; Lowell National Historical Park; National Park Service, Air Resources Division; Lowell Parks & Conservation Trust; U.S. Geological Survey, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center; Lowell Public Schools

New Hampshire - 2023

Northeast Resource Recovery Association
"North Country C&D Diversion 2.0"
$39,201

Northeast Resource Recovery Association (NRRA) was awarded $39,201 for their project titled "North Country C&D Diversion 2.0". This project will build on the success of NRRA's current EPA grant and expand technical assistance to ten additional communities. The goal of the C&D Diversion project is to enable targeted communities to increase C&D and bulky waste diversion through reuse and recycling instead of landfilling. The C&D Diversion project is designed to provide fair treatment and meaningful involvement for the targeted community participants. Key project activities include providing on-site technical assistance for four municipal soloid waste facilities to increase C&D diversion, introduce communities to deconstruction as a technique to increase recycling and reuse, and research and create two feasibility studies for techniques to increase diversion and reduce costs.

Partners: Town of Lancaster, NH

Rhode Island - 2023

Childhood Lead Action Project
"Central Falls Lead Safety Project Phase II"
$40,000

In the "Central Falls Lead Safety Project Phase II" project, the Childhood Lead Action Project (CLAP) will work to reduce lead poisoning in Central Falls, RI by participating in a multi-stakeholder community outreach, funding, and enforcement strategy that will proactively target a recently generated citywide list of rental properties lacking lead safety certificates. Additional activities to ensure meaningful community input and longer-term benefits will include parent education, landlord/tenant outreach, contractor training, and resident engagement. The proposed project builds upon other projects and represents new steps. First, it will allow them to work with partners to carry out the next phase of a groundbreaking proactive lead education/enforcement/assistance plan. Next, it will allow them to revise and add new elements to this plan - community members will select a new set of 50 high risk properties to target for outreach and we will add more education for landlords, including a new postcard campaign and intentional recruitment for lead-safe work practices trainings. In Phase II, the group will choose a new 50 to focus on, carry out D2D outreach, and evaluate progress towards compliance throughout the course of the project. The Project will engage those directly responsible for maintaining lead-safe homes, apartments, and early childhood education facilities.

Partners: Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (CTDEEP), South Central Regional Council of Governments (SCRCOG), Blue Earth Compost, The Connecticut Food Association, PHOOD Solutions LLC, CT Foodshare, Quantum BioPower

Refugee Development Center
"Healthy Homes, Healthy Lives For Refugees"
$40,000

Refugee Development Center was awarded $40,000 for their project titled, "Healthy Homes, Healthy Lives For Refugees". This work aims to increase refugees' awareness about harmful air pollutants and to ultimately reduce incidences of asthma-related emergencies among child refugees in RI. RDC will work with community organizations and government stakeholders that have the cultural understanding and a shared motivation to increase respiratory safety among child refugees in Rhode Island. Key project activities include conducting public awareness and educational activities to improve indoor air quality and reduce asthma triggers among the region's diverse refugee population, with an emphasis on serving children under the age of
five and the elderly population, as well as administering culturally-specific survey efforts to gain assessments of the extent of asthma triggers in homes of refugees.

Partners: Rhode Island Department of Health, Rhode Island Department of Human Services

Center for EcoTechnology, Inc.
"Fostering Resilient Wasted Food Solutions for Providence County"
$40,000

The Center for EcoTechnology was awarded $40,000 for their project titled, "Fostering Resilient Wasted Food Solutions for Providence County". This work will reduce environmental impacts of landfilling food waste and instead direct nutritious food to the hungry, and nutrients to animals and soil in Providence County, including the municipalities of Cranston, Providence, Seekonk, and Pawtucket. In the near-term, the goal of the project is to establish solutions to wasted food that offer the most financial, environmental, and community benefits. CET's efforts will directly lead to measurable tons out of the waste stream within the project. Key project activities include implementing diversion programs at target generators, increasing County awareness and capacity to prevent food scraps, and building capacity through collaboration and outreach via cold calling and localized door-to-door campaigns.

Partners: Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management; MEANS Database; Rescuing Leftover Cuisine; Rhode Island Hispanic Chamber of Commerce; The Compost Plant

2022 Project Summaries

Jump to 2022 Project Summaries for:

Connecticut - 2022

Center for EcoTechnology, Inc.
"Accelerating Wasted Food Solutions in Connecticut"
$40,000

The Center for EcoTechnology, Inc. was awarded $40,000 for their project titled, "Accelerating Wasted Food Solutions in Connecticut". This project will focus on a food recovery initiative with a focus in Hartford and New Haven Counties. The project builds directly on ongoing achievements and momentum in CT and will yield measurable environmental and public health results. Project partners will work with wasted food generators, including K–12 public and private schools, and commercial generators such as event venues, healthcare facilities, colleges/universities, and hospitality facilities to implement source reduction strategies for wasted food, divert as much edible food to food donation and rescue as possible, and compost what cannot be donated.

Partners: Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (CTDEEP), South Central Regional Council of Governments (SCRCOG), Blue Earth Compost, The Connecticut Food Association, PHOOD Solutions LLC, CT Foodshare, Quantum BioPower

Operation Fuel, Inc.
"Better Homes and Buildings Program"
$30,000

Operational Fuel, Inc. was awarded $30,000 for their titled, "Better Homes and Buildings Program". This project will focus on increasing the number of low- and moderate-income (LMI) single family homeowners and residents of residential units who receive home energy counseling and implement energy efficiency best practices in the New Haven region. Residents will receive outreach materials and one-on-one education on the benefits of health and safety hazard remediation, weatherization, and heat pump conversion. Residents will also be educated on how to utilize existing state resources for health and safety hazard remediation and weatherization. The project is expected to result in an increase in heat pumps, thereby decreasing the energy burden, carbon footprint, and negative health impacts on these households.

Partners: Neighborhood Housing Services (NHS) of New Haven

City of Middletown, CT
"Fostering Circular Solutions for Takeout Containers"
$40,000

The City of Middletown, CT was awarded $40,000 for their "Better Homes and Buildings Program". This project will foster new and emerging industries that support reusable takeout containers and will directly advance the U.S.'s National Recycling Strategy put forth by the EPA in 2021. Project will support Connecticut in moving towards its goal of a 60% waste diversion rate with a specific focus on single-use trash by showcasing how a reusable container program can be implemented, thereby reducing waste, and increasing sustainable materials management. As a collaborative, community-driven project, Fostering Circular Solutions for Takeout Containers will help build institutional and community capacity and interest in solving the environmental and human health problems of single-use takeout containers.

Partners: Center for EcoTechnology, Inc., Middletown, CT Health Department, Perk on Main, Story and Soil

Maine - 2022

Defend Our Health - Environmental Health Strategy Center
"Healthy Housing with the Rwandan Community in Maine"
$29,999

Environmental Health Strategy Center was awarded $29,999 for their project titled "Healthy Housing with the Rwandan Community in Maine". This project will reduce the prevalence of housing-linked health conditions amongst new Mainers in the Rwandan community across southern Maine by providing them with information and resources to identify and address hazardous conditions. This proposed project includes developing a train-the-trainer program and associated linguistically diverse materials to help provide essential information on health hazards associated with housing and the tools to obtain assistance in getting them addressed and will help spread information deeper into the community; as trained leaders will serve as connectors and organizers, helping to get health hazards addressed by landlords, municipal, and state governments.

Partners: Rwandan Community Association of Maine (RCAM)

Massachusetts - 2022

Groundwork Lawrence
"Groundwork Lawrence's Connecting Residents and Businesses with Resources - an Energy Efficiency Initiative"
$30,000

Groundwork Lawrence was awarded $30,000 for their project titled, "Groundwork Lawrence's Connecting Residents and Businesses with Resources - an Energy Efficiency Initiative". This project will focus on providing education and outreach to residents in small buildings (1-4 units) and small businesses in order to connect them with energy assessments and energy efficiency retrofits for their homes and small businesses in Lawrence, Methuen and Haverhill. This project seeks to reduce energy use and costs, while reducing carbon pollution and making the communities more resilient in the face of climate change. Key activities will include developing bilingual (Spanish and English) outreach materials, increasing the number of residents who utilize no-cost home energy assessments and retrofits, and working with small business owners to access energy assessments and retrofits.

Partners: All in Energy, Energy Source

Loving Spoonfuls, Inc.
"Food Rescue and Hunger Relief in Massachusetts"
$40,000

Lovin' Spoonfuls was awarded $40,000 for their project titled, "Food Rescue and Hunger Relief in Massachusetts". This project seeks to increase access to fresh, healthy food, and reduce the environmental impact that wasted food has on communities across Greater Boston, MetroWest, Hampden County, and Worcester County by rescuing excess food that would otherwise be destined for landfills or composting facilities and delivering it to nonprofit partners, who will provide it to community members experiencing food insecurity. Key activities include rescuing excess food from vendor partners, provide rescued food to Massachusetts communities, and educating nonprofits about food rescue and expectations regarding food delivery.

Partners: Greater Boston Food Bank, Roche Bros. Supermarkets, Volante Farms

Massachusetts Coalition for Occupational and Healthy Safety (MassCOSH)
"Using a Peer Leadership Model to Ensure Clean, Green and Healthy Schools"
$30,000

The Massachusetts Coalition for Occupational and Health Safety (MassCOSH) was awarded $30,000 for their project titled "Using a Peer Leadership Model to Ensure Clean, Green, and Healthy Schools". This project focuses on developing the capacity of high-risk communities to achieve healthy environments at work and in neighborhoods. Consistent with MassCOSH' s approach, the project also engages impacted community members to be leaders in reducing environmental hazards and promoting healthy communities. The project will achieve measurable improvements in addressing asthma and adverse environmental health triggers (specifically poor indoor air quality and excessive heat) and enhance capacity to address environmental health inequities in schools within Boston. Key activities include engaging youth and adult ambassadors in Boston to educate city and school decision-makers about the importance of considering indoor air quality when making decisions about cleaning and disinfecting schools to ensure that school buildings are safe for students, teachers and staff with asthma and from COVID-19.

Partners: Health Resources in Action (HRIA), The Massachusetts Asthma Advocacy Partnership (MAAP), The Boston Teacher's Union (BTU), The Boston Education Justice Alliance

Product Stewardship Institute (PSI)
"Restaurants Building Back Better with Less Packaging and Plastic Waste"
$39,992

The Product Stewardship Institute was awarded $39,992 for their project titled "Restaurants Building Back Better with Less Packaging and Plastic Waste". This project focuses on directing source reduction educational materials, technical support, and funding to small restaurants in low‐income areas where English is a second language. The project will magnify the impact by increasing the number of youth and educators reached and engaged through peer-led presentations and discussions at town halls, workshops and other public forums.

Growing Places Project, Inc. (GP)
"Local Food Works – Closing the Loop"
$39,997

Growing Places Project, Inc. was awarded $39,997 for their project titled "Local Food Works – Closing the Loop". This project focuses on preventing food waste in North Central Massachusetts (NCMA) over two years, targeting Fitchburg and Leominster, NCMA's largest cities with significant environmental justice populations. The project supports the development of a closed loop NCMA food system through food waste prevention efforts focused on primary producers, institutions, and consumers. The project will support food waste reduction through realistic and sustainable food management systems coupled with accessible education and awareness for consumers, farmers, and institutions. This holistic food system approach can serve as a model for regional food waste prevention by placing food waste on an equal par with other food system components to ensure it is considered in long-term planning.

Partners: Fitchburg Public Schools, Local Food Works – North Central Massachusetts (NCMA), The Sizer School, Boys and Girls Club of Fitchburg and Leominster

Centre de Apoyo Familiar
"Healthy Families/ Healthy Communities Asthma Prevention and Indoor Air Quality"
$26,674

Centre de Apoyo Familiar was awarded $26,674 for their project titled, "Healthy Families/ Healthy Communities Asthma Prevention and Indoor Air Quality". This project will result in creating healthier homes by improving the indoor air and providing the communities of Lawrence, Worcester, Fall River, Boston, Springfield, and Methuen with information and resources about environmental and/or public health issues through educational workshops on asthma, lead, mercury, and other environmental/public health issues. This project seeks to deliver environmental health information that is understandable and useful to the target audience by training promotoras to provide education on exposure factors that affect the health of children, elderly, and others at increased health risks and completing home assessments to reduce exposures that affect children's health.

Appalachian Mountain Club
"Living Downstream: Community engagement in assessing and understanding legacy mercury pollution in the Northeast"
$29,592

Appalachian Mountain Club was awarded $29,592 for their project titled, "Living Downstream: Community engagement in assessing and understanding legacy mercury pollution in the Northeast". This project will engage the communities of Lowell and Lawrence in developing indicators of mercury risk throughout the Merrimack River watershed in Massachusetts. This project seeks to engage communities to collect aquatic dragonfly larvae biosentinels linked with fish and human health benchmarks and document legacy pollution in the watershed with historical information. Key activities include engaging youth and volunteer participants in conducting mercury analyses in Dartmouth College's contaminants laboratory and with the US Geological Survey, updating and developing curriculum modules to support formal and informal science education, and supporting and empowering student and youth scientists to develop communication products that inform their communities about mercury risks.

Partners: Dartmouth College, Groundwork Lawrence, National Park Service – Air Resources Division, US Geological Survey, Lowell Parks & Conservation Trust, Innovation Academy Charter School, OARS, Lowell National Historic Park (LNHP)

Center for EcoTechnology (CET), Inc.
"Catalyzing the Induction Stove Market in Massachusetts"
$30,000

Center for EcoTechnology was awarded $30,000 for their project titled, "Catalyzing the Induction Stove Market in Massachusetts". This project aims to raise consumer awareness about the vast and multi-faceted benefits of induction stoves. CET seeks to run an outreach campaign, launch an induction cooktop lending program, and actively distribute information to target populations through partners. This project will increase public understanding of induction stove technology from the perspectives of technology and use, public health benefits, and energy savings compared to gas stoves, will help ensure that they are available at local retailers, and will yield transferable approaches to promulgating awareness and use of induction stoves. Key activities include raising public awareness about induction stoves, developing and disseminating awareness raising materials, and spotlighting local user stories on social media.

Partners: Revitalize Community Development Corporation

New England - 2022

Health Resources in Action (HRiA)
"Building Capacity and Supporting Collaboration to Reduce the Burden of Asthma Across New England"
$30,000

The Asthma Regional Council of New England (ARC) at Health Resources in Action (HRiA) was awarded $30,000 for their project titled "Building Capacity and Supporting Collaboration to Reduce the Burden of Asthma Across New England". This project will build knowledge, identify opportunities, and strengthen cross-state collaborations and regional partnerships to address the environmental causes and triggers for asthma, and work collectively with a focus on reducing asthma health inequities to improve quality of life for everyone living with asthma in New England. Recognizing the many difficult impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, this project will identify and reflect on these challenges and, when possible, act as a group to address them. The project will continue to increase capacity amongst the six New England Asthma programs by convening and supporting ARC's Learning Community; and organizing a New England-wide ARC summit, broadly focused on lessons learned, challenges, and opportunities, and Covid-19.

Partners: Connecticut Department of Public Health Asthma Program; Maine Department of Health and Human Services Asthma Prevention and Control Program; Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection Asthma Prevention and Control Program; New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services Asthma Program; Rhode Island Department of Health Asthma Program; and Vermont Department of Health Asthma Program

Institute for Local Self-Reliance (ILSR)
"Composting for Community Initiative"
$40,000

Institute for Local Self-Reliance was awarded $40,000 for their project titled "Composting for Community Initiative". This project will cultivate community-scale composting across the New England States and Tribes. The project seeks to expand the reach of ILSR's new online Community Composting 101 Certificate Program to New England and will develop and disseminate composting training materials that community sites can use on their own and launch a community composting Peer Learning Community (PLC) to share tips for replication and lessons learned to spur cross fertilization and replication throughout New England and beyond. This project involves training and public education programs to address strategies to beneficially recycle organics into compost within the same communities in which the organics are generated.

Partners: Composting Association of Vermont, Compost Technical Services, Community Composter Coalition

New Hampshire - 2022

Northeast Waste Management Officials' Association, Inc. (NEWMOA)
"Green Cleaning & Disinfecting in Southern New Hampshire EJ Communities"
$40,000

Northeast Waste Management Officials' Association, Inc. was awarded $40,000 for their project titled "Green Cleaning & Disinfecting in Southern New Hampshire EJ Communities". The project will educate janitorial employees and residents in the environmental justice communities of Nashua and Manchester about the benefits of and methods for adopting green cleaning products and practices. The overall Project goals are to build capacity within these minority and low-income communities to improve indoor air quality through P2 in cleaning and disinfecting. Key activities include providing green cleaning technical assistance to business, engaging communities in green cleaning via outreach and education strategies and institutionalizing the lessons from the project into the businesses' operations.

Partners: New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services, New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services, NeighborWorks

Northeast Resource Recovery Association (NRRA)
"Increasing C&D Diversion in Coos County"
$36,530

Northeast Resource Recovery Association (NRRA) was awarded $36,530 for their project titled "Composting for Community Initiative". This project will enable Coos County communities to increase construction and demolition (C&D) diversion through reuse and recycling instead of landfilling. The key activities include convening C&D Summit roundtables for municipal solid waste facility operators, conducting a pilot program in Lancaster, NH to demonstrate techniques to increase C&D diversion and reduce costs, and providing hands-on technical assistance for municipal solid waste facilities to increase C&D diversion.

Partners: Town of Lancaster, NH Transfer Station

Rhode Island - 2022

Center of EcoTechnology, Inc.
"Sustaining Wasted Food Solutions for Providence County"
$30,000

The Center of Eco Technology, Inc. was awarded $30,000 for their project titled, "Sustaining Wasted Food Solutions for Providence County". This project will reduce the quantity of wasted food entering the municipal solid waste (MSW) stream by working with target wasted food generators, including K–12 schools, event venues, healthcare facilities, colleges/universities, hospitality facilities, and food rescue and donation organizations. This project seeks to reduce environmental impacts of landfilling food waste in Providence County, including the municipalities of Cranston, Providence, Seekonk, and Pawtucket. Key activities include implementing diversion programs at target generators, establishing 5-7 new diversion programs in Providence County, producing an assessment of source reduction activities, and disseminating food waste diversion information and resources.

Partners: Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (RIDEM), City of Providence – Office of Sustainability, Bootstrap Compost, We Share Hope, Riverside Church, Rhode Island Hospitality Association

MEANS Database
"Rhode Island & Bristol County Food Recovery Extension"
$30,000

MEANS Database was awarded $30,000 for their project titled "Rhode Island & Bristol County Food Recovery Extension". This project seeks to improve both food sustainability and food equity in the state of Rhode Island and in neighboring Bristol County, Massachusetts. The proposed program will work closely within local communities that have been disproportionately affected by environmental impacts resulting from wasted food and the growing public health concern of hunger and food insecurity. Key activities include providing outreach, hosting webinars to encourage existing food rescue and redistribution, and coordinating pickups and deliveries of surplus food via volunteers.

Partners: Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH), Rescuing Leftover Cuisine Rhode Island (RLC)

Woonasquatucket River Watershed Association
"Frontline Communities First! Residents Build Climate Resilience in the Woonasquatucket River Watershed"
$30,000

Woonasquatucket River Watershed Association was awarded $30,000 for their project titled "Frontline Communities First! Residents Build Climate Resilience in the Woonasquatucket River Watershed". This project builds capacity of resident and student leaders in the impaired and climate vulnerable lower Woonasquatucket River Watershed (WRW) to develop plans and projects that address the environmental and public health challenges these communities already face; climate change related flooding from both excessive stormwater and sea level rise; poor water and habitat quality; urban heat island; and riverbank erosion and scouring. This pilot project will create a group of local resident and students that become trained leaders who understand their environmental and related public health challenges and the solutions, so they are ready to create plans and direct resources where they are needed most.

Partners: United Way of Rhode Island, The Metropolitan Regional Career and Technical Center, City of Providence Department of Public Works (DPW), Rhode Island Department of Transportation – Office of Stormwater (RIDOT)

Environment Council of Rhode Island
"RISRC Get Food Smart, RI; Phase 3"
$30,000

Environment Council of Rhode Island was awarded $30,000 for their project titled "RISRC Get Food Smart, RI; Phase 3". This project will be a catalyst to understand the problems associated with food waste and comply with the new RI school food waste diversion law. The project plans to recruit four additional RI public schools, while continuing to work with and monitor the ongoing results at the four schools from Phase 2 of the program. Working with the four Phase 2 schools is extremely important as it allows to determine the roadblocks that occur when the student population changes annually, and new students enter the schools, while others are promoted to higher grades, along with any faculty, staff, and administrative changes. Key activities include outreach to RI schools on recycling laws, providing orientation and guidance to new schools in the program, meeting with haulers and municipal officials to reduce landfill hauling fees for all participating schools, measuring food waste reduction, and sharing information on the Food Smart Schools Dashboard.

Partners: Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, The Center for EcoTechnology, Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation, Bootstrap Compost, Prosperity for Rhode Island

Childhood Lead Action Project (CLAP)
"Central Falls Lead Safety Project"
$30,000

Childhood Lead Action Project was awarded $30,000 for their project titled "Central Falls Lead Safety Project". This project will work to reduce lead poisoning in Central Falls, RI by participating in a multi-stakeholder community outreach, funding, and enforcement strategy that will proactively target rental properties lacking lead safety certificates. The project seeks to ensure meaningful community input and longer-term benefits will include parent education, contractor training, and resident engagement. The project will engage families at high risk for lead poisoning in lead safety workshops and support a steering committee to guide the project and provide enforcement recommendations to officials; conduct lead safety workshops for parents; conduct lead-safe work practices trainings for contractors, who will do their part in keeping children safe from lead during renovations; and engage lead remediation funders, enforcement officials, community partners, and state officials in coordinating resources.

2021 Project Summaries

Jump to 2021 Project Summaries for:

Connecticut - 2021

Center for EcoTechnology, Inc.
"Wasted Food Solutions New Haven County Phase III"
$30,000

The Center for EcoTechnology was awarded $30,000 for their titled, "Wasted Food Solutions New Haven County Phase III". This project will focus on working with wasted food generators, including K-12 public and private schools and commercial generators to implement source reduction strategies for wasted food, diversion to food donation, and rescue as possible, and compost what cannot be donated in New Haven County. This initiative seeks to help businesses and institutions implement strategies across EPA’s Food Recovery Hierarchy. Key activities include the implementation of reduction and diversion programs, developing and disseminating resources This project support economic growth in the region by replicating practices used in MA.

Partners: Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (CTDEEP), South Central Regional Council of Governments (SCRCOG), Blue Earth Compost

Maine - 2021

Cumberland County Soil and Water
"Soil Lead Testing & Outreach to Gardiners in Greater Portland, Maine"
$29,977

Cumberland County Soil and Water District was awarded $29,977 for a project titled "Soil Lead Testing & Outreach to Gardiners in Greater Portland, Maine". This project will increase awareness and understanding of the presence of soil lead contamination to home gardeners and the potential pathway of lead exposure to urban chicken keepers throughout the entire City of Portland, the neighboring City of Westbrook, and adjacent municipalities as time and budget will allow. This proposed project includes updating outreach materials developed for the 2019 Portland Soil Lead Awareness Project, including additional translations to reach immigrant families and other sensitive populations. Another objective of this proposal includes informing residents what lead levels mean in terms of home gardening and human health and developing action plans with recommendations tailored to site contamination levels and type of food produced.

Partners: University of Maine Analytical Laboratory & Maine Soil Testing Service, Maine Organic Farmers & Gardiners Association (MOFGA), City of Portland Public Health Division, City of Westbrook

Maine Indoor Air Quality Council
"Moisture-Managed Rental Properties"
$30,000

Summary: The Maine Indoor Air Quality Council was awarded $30,000 for a project titled "Moisture-Managed Rental Properties". This project expands upon prior work by shifting to a more comprehensive, "moisture-managed property" approach to rental units in Maine through education, resource development, communication, and exploration of the existing policy landscape. This project will provide education and outreach utilizing the existing Mold & Moisture in Rental Properties guidance; adapt three of the existing guidance documents for landlord audiences and others interested in moisture-managed rental units; create a model policy for moisture-managed rental units that landlords and property managers can adapt and adopt; create and pilot trainings for this work; seek input from project participants on how to more widely disseminate this information; and explore statutes in the state of Maine and around the country on addressing moisture issues.

Partners: Maine Apartment Owners & Managers Association (MAOMA), Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention: Asthma Program, Maine Health Center for Tobacco Independence, Pine Tree Legal Assistance

Massachusetts - 2021

UMass Lowell
"Pollution Prevention Interns in the Food and Beverage Sector for Healthy Communities"
$29,956

The University of Massachusetts, Lowell was awarded $29,956 for their project titled,"Pollution Prevention Interns in the Food and Beverage Sector for Healthy Communities". This project will focus on helping UMass Lowell students gain an understanding of environmental issues and create a healthier work environment for the sensitive population of food and beverage sector workers. This project has been designed to teach students about the benefits of pollution prevention principles, tools, and implementation while also providing in-house assistance to facilities in identifying and implementing better ways to do business and create healthier and safer work environments and communities. UMass Lowell students will be placed for internships during the summer of 2022 to conduct Pollution Prevention (P2) focused projects at three different New England food and beverage processing or manufacturing facilities. They will assist the facilities implementation of recommendations, which will provide opportunities for reducing the generation of food waste, hazardous waste, and use of natural resources.

Partners: Massachusetts Coalition for Occupational Safety and Health (MassCOSH), Massachusetts Food Association (MFA), National Pollution Prevention Roundtable (NPPR), Minnesota Technical Assistance Program (MnTAP), Oregon P2 interns

Third Sector New England
"Farm to Institution New England (FINE)"
$30,000

The Third Sector New England was awarded $30,000 for their project titled,"Farm to Institution New England (FINE)". This project seeks to address the impacts of college "Grab n' Go" Dining. FINE aim to reduce the risk of perfluorocarbons (PFAS) in college dining containers due to COVID-19 responses. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, many food providers switched from in-person dining served on reusable kitchenware, to grab-n-go service in disposable packaging. (FINE) will partner with Smith College to identify the actual and potential point sources for PFAS at Smith, build understanding on the issues with PFAS and how Smith can help reduce the risks from PFAS in their dining operations, eliminate or reduce the actual occurrence of PFAS in the college's dining operations, and develop a "roadmap" to scale impact to the nearly 200 colleges and universities in New England with dining operations and other institutions in the region.

Partners: Farm to Institution New England (FINE), Smith College

Northeast Waste Management Official Association (NEWMOA)
"End Food Waste Initiative in East Boston"
$30,000

Northeast Waste Management Official Association (NEWMOA) was awarded $30,000 for their project titled, "End Food Waste Initiative in East Boston". NEWMOA will partner with the East Boston Maverick Landing Community Services (MLCS) to mobilize a food delivery system to help the neediest in East Boston’s diverse community. This project focuses on food zero waste reduction and diversion. The project’s vision is for the Maverick Landing community to achieve zero wasted food status, including a community that sources its food from local farms and achieves an 80% reduction in the generation of wasted food community-wide by rescuing food and redirecting it from disposal. Key activities include creating a steering committee, developing and implement end food waste strategies and involve the local community for education, training and assistance.

Partners: Boston Maverick Landing Community Services (MLCS), Wellness Garden

Groundwork Lawrence
"Merrimack Valley Saves Energy / Ahorra Energia"
$30,000

Groundwork Lawrence was awarded $30,000 for their project titled,"Merrimack Valley Saves Energy/ Ahorra Energia". This project will focus on education and outreach to residents in small buildings (1-4 units) and small businesses in the Merrimack Valley (Lawrence, Methuen and Haverhill) to connect them with energy assessments and energy efficiency retrofits for their homes and small businesses. This project seeks to reduce energy use and costs, while cutting carbon pollution and making the communities more resilient in the face of climate change. Key activities will include developing bilingual (Spanish and English) outreach materials, sign residents up for no-cost home energy assessments and retrofits, and sign -up small business owners for assessments and retrofits.

Partners: All in Energy, Energy Source

Berkshire Regional Planning Commission
"Healthy and Efficient Homes Pilot Project"
$28,021

Berkshire Regional Planning Commission was awarded $28,021 for their project titled,"Healthy and Efficient Homes Pilot Project". This project seeks to address indoor environmental hazards and energy efficiency issues in homes in the neighborhoods of Morningside and Westside in the City of Pittsfield, Massachusetts. This project aims to improve the overall health and safety of housing units in response to the health inequities experienced by residents and increase awareness of household hazards linked to poor health outcomes. Key activities include community outreach through surveys and listening sessions, developing educational materials outreach strategy for residents on environmental hazards.

Partners: Habitat for Humanity, Berkshire Environmental Action Team, Pittsfield Public Health Department

Massachusetts Coalition for Occupational and Healthy Safety (MassCOSH)
"Using a Peer Leadership to Ensure Clean, Green and Healthy Schools"
$30,000

The Massachusetts Coalition for Occupational and Health Safety (MassCOSH) awarded $30,000 for their project titled “Using a Peer Leadership to Ensure Clean, Green, and Healthy Schools”. This project focuses on Boston school student and staff health and their school buildings which are currently impacted by aged buildings and environmental health hazards. Building off the organization’s past project experience, a Peer Leadership Model will be utilized to engage youth and adult ambassadors to influence Boston school decision-makers about the importance of considering indoor air quality when making decisions about cleaning and disinfecting schools when protecting students and staff from exposure to Covid-19. The project will magnify the impact by increasing the number of youth and educators reached and engaged through peer-led presentations and discussions at town halls, workshops and other public forums. Utilizing a Massachusetts Asthma Advocacy Partnership (MAAP) on-line tool kit as a guide, the organization will provide education and coalition building with MAAP partners on model wellness policies for a best practices approach to asthma management and healthy school environments.

Partners: Health Resources in Action (HRIA), The Massachusetts Asthma Advocacy Partnership (MAAP), The Boston Teacher’s Union (BTU), The Boston Public Schools (BPS) Summer Enrichment Program

Rhode Island - 2021

Center of EcoTechnology, Inc.
"Wasted Food Solutions Providence County Phase III (WFS PIII)"
$30,000

The Center of Eco Technology, Inc. was awarded $30,000 for their project titled, "Wasted Food Solutions Providence County Phase III (WFS PIII)". This project will focus on reducing the quantity of wasted food entering the municipal solid waste (MSW) stream by working with target wasted food generators, including k-12 schools, event venues, healthcare facilities, colleges/universities, hospitality facilities, and food rescue and donation organizations in Providence County, including the municipalities of Cranston, Providence, Seekonk, and Pawtucket. This project seeks to extend the lifetime of Rhode Island's only landfill, , and reduce opportunities for contamination from vermin and vermin-borne illnesses associated with wasted food in MSW stream. WFS PIII strives to serve as a model for implementing cost-effective solutions to inspire surrounding counties to take action that reduce the environmental and public health issues surrounding food insecurity and wasted food. Key activities will include implementing diversion programs at target generators, providing technical assistance and education to Providence County generators on how to reduce, donate and divert wasted food and increase the county's awareness and capacity to reuse and divert food.

Partners: Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (RIDEM), The Rhode Island Food Policy Council, The Compost Plant and Groundwork/Harvest Cycle, RI Community Food Bank and Rescuing Leftover Cuisine

MEANS Database
"Rhode Island Food Recovery Extension"
$30,000

MEANS Database was awarded $30,000 for their project titled "Rhode Island Food Recovery Extension". This project will focus on expanding current food recovery efforts throughout the state to create a stronger, more resilient and increasingly inclusive food ecosystem. By providing transportation and building upon its existing network of food donors and emergency food providers through the state of RI, excess consumable food will be prevented from going to waste and, instead will reach more students and their families in need of food assistance- thus securing a more equitable food system with immediate and lasting impact. In order to create the least amount of waste possible, this project will furnish reusable and biodegradable packaging for food donated. This food recovery model will branch out to Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) meal recovery and will focus on environmental justice areas within the state where food insecurity is a problem.

Partners: Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH), Rescuing Leftover Cuisine Rhode Island (RLC)

New England - 2021

The Asthma Regional Council of New England at Health Resources in Action (HRiA)
"Asthma and COVID-19 – Lessons, Challenges, and Opportunities"
$30,000

The Asthma Regional Council of New England at Health Resources in Action (HRiA) was awarded $30,000 for their project titled "Asthma and COVID-19 – Lessons, Challenges, and Opportunities". This project will identify and reflect on new asthma-related challenges brought on and/or exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Through this program, ARC will facilitate cross-state collaboration and capacity building to share the lessons, address challenges, and strategize about opportunities to address environmental conditions that contribute to asthma, with a focus on promoting racial and health equity in asthma outcomes, and considering COVID-19 stressors. The project builds upon ARC's past work, providing broad capacity building and technical assistance across New England. The project will continue to increase capacity amongst the six New England Asthma programs by convening and supporting ARC's Learning Community; organizing a New England wide ARC summit, broadly focused on lessons, challenges, and opportunities, particularly focused on Covid-19, and how it shed light on existing racial and health equity problems; and continue to contribute to the national dialogue, sharing experiences from New England in conversations and best practices around the country focused on asthma.

Partners: Connecticut Department of Public Health Asthma Program; Maine Department of Health and Human Services Asthma Prevention and Control Program; Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection Asthma Prevention and Control Program; New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services Asthma Program; Rhode Island Department of Health Asthma Program; and Vermont Department of Health Asthma Program

Ecology Action
"Grocery Challenge"
$29,832

Ecology Action was awarded $29,832 for their project titled "Grocery Challenge". This project will provide educational audits and consultations in 20 grocery stores across New England to educate grocery store managers and their staff about opportunities to adopt more sustainable operational practices, resulting in measurable reductions in energy use and toxic cleaning chemicals use. EA will develop a mobile assessment tool to deliver site-specific pollution prevention assessments using a mobile app. The goal of this project is to protect communities, especially front-line workers and communities (particularly children), from direct emissions by on-site diesel generators (used to shed load during peak demand) and from unintentional exposure to toxics through both onsite chemical use and household chemical use. EA will conduct several challenges at the grocery stores focusing on energy consumption and toxics to help the store reduce the need to rely on direct exhaust diesel generators during peak energy usage, resulting in reduced air emissions. The Grocery Challenge is designed to be replicable and easily transferable to other communities.

Partners: Hannaford, Massachusetts Food Association (MFA), Rhode Island Food Dealers Association (RIFDA), Wakefern, Retail Learning Institute (RLI)

2020 Project Summaries

Jump to 2020 Project Summaries for:

Connecticut - 2020

Connecticut Children's Medical Center
Easy Breathing in Schools Project

The Center will be building off prior experience to increase adoption of an effective program using the new concept of providing a bilingual asthma provider. During the 2015-2016 and 2016-2017 school years the Easy Breathing for Schools (EBfS) program was implemented. The program was a nurse-led asthma program which worked to improve absentee rates and asthma control among children at-risk of future exacerbations. The EBfS program was only adopted in 29% of nurses from 15 schools but despite the low adoption rate, analyses showed that the participants enrolled in EBfS experienced a 26% reduction in absenteeism compared to those not participating in the program. This project builds upon the relationship with Hartford Public Schools in improving asthma outcomes among Hartford schoolchildren by implementing a designated bilingual asthma educator to guide school nurses in adopting the EBfS program.

Partners: Hartford Public Schools Health Services and Collaborative for Asthma Equity.

Center for EcoTechnology
Wasted Food Solutions New Haven County Phase II Project

This project is a food recovery initiative designed to work with wasted food generators, including K–12 public and private schools, and commercial generators such as event venues, healthcare facilities, colleges/universities, and hospitality facilities to implement source reduction strategies for wasted food, divert as much edible food to food donation and rescue as possible, and compost/anaerobically digest what cannot be donated. This project will implement wasted food reduction and diversion programs by using outreach and delivering technical assistance to 5-10 New Haven County schools and businesses. This project will also increase the county’s capacity to feed the food insecure and divert food scraps, while also developing a resource highlighting local success stories. Through technical assistance, outreach, and education, this initiative will help businesses and institutions identify and implement strategies across the EPA’s Food Recovery Hierarchy.

Partners:Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, South Central Regional Council of Governments, New Haven Food System Policy Division, Blue Earth, Curbside Compost, Action Container Service, and Quantum BioPower

Massachusetts - 2020

Centro de Apoyo Familiar
Healthy Families Healthy Homes Project

Cento de Apoyo Familiar was awarded $35,000 for their "Healthy Families Healthy Homes" project. This project will conduct outreach and educational activities that will result in better outcomes, improved health, reduce the use of toxic chemicals in homes and reduce childhood exposure to harmful chemicals, asthma triggers, lead, and mercury poisoning. Key activities are to include will provide training to 7 faith-based institutions from cities in the states of Massachusetts and Rhode Island serving the Latino population to provide educational workshops in neighborhood churches on factors in the home that affect children's health. Participants will learn about household chemicals, lead poisoning, and asthma using low literacy Spanish language materials and a home assessment to assess factors in their homes that affect health including actions they can take themselves to address unhealthy conditions in their homes. The project anticipates great outcomes by first preparing church promotoras for a lifetime of environmental leadership, and second develop community capacity to address environmental issues in their homes and city.

Partners: Centro de Apoyo Familiar

University of Massachusetts Lowell
Lean Manufacturing and Pollution Prevention Project

University of Massachusetts Lowell was awarded $33,226 for their "Lean Manufacturing and Pollution Prevention in the Food and Beverage Sector for Healthy Communities" project. This project seeks to help food and beverage processors and manufacturers identify, adopt and measure the results of P2 changes in processes, equipment and behavior by learning and applying Lean manufacturing principles and tools. Key activities include recruiting representatives from at least ten food and beverage facilities in two economically struggling regions of Massachusetts and train those representatives in Pollution Prevention (P2) and Lean manufacturing principles.

Partners: Mount Wachusett Community College, the Massachusetts Food Association, and GBMP Inc.

Revitalize Community Development Corporation
Holyoke Healthy Homes Pilot Project

This project will support the implementation of its Holyoke Healthy Homes Pilot (HHHP) project. This pilot will combine Revitalize Community Development Corporation's (RCDC) home assessment and remediation program with Holyoke Medical Center's existing asthma home visit intervention program, while adding data management and technical support. The goal of the HHHP project is to serve low-income adults and families with school-age children to assess and remediate in-home asthma triggers and provide asthma treatment education to improve the health and well-being of these families. The project will conduct home visits and create individualized remediation plans for each home. The health of adults and children in Holyoke, MA will be improved by creating greater understanding of the importance of specific behavioral strategies at home to influence exposure to environmental triggers and make home repairs that will reduce asthma exacerbations.

Partners: Holyoke Medical Center, Revitalize Community Development Corporation, Public Health Institute of Western Massachusetts, Pioneer Valley Asthma Coalition, and the National Green & Healthy Homes Initiative Network

Codman Square Community Neighborhood Development
Energy Retrofit Program

Codman Square Community Neighborhood Development Corporation's (CSNDC) Energy Retrofit Program will include residential and small business outreach, education, assessments, and retrofits to improve energy use in the neighborhood of South Dorchester. CSNDC will build upon long-standing relationships with residents and small business owners in the area to ensure successful program outcomes. CSNDC will design multi-lingual informational materials and host bi-lingual training events while improving outreach to residents and small business owners and refer participants who express interest in formal retrofit assessment to agency partners and licensed contractors. By educating residents and small business owners about the value of an energy retrofit audit this project will help community constituents save money on their energy bills that could be dedicated to other key needs and will improve the overall understanding of participants on their impact on the environment.

Partners: All In Energy and Lime Energy

Clean Water Fund
Get Lead Out of Drinking Water in Massachusetts Project

Clean Water Fund (CWF) project will advance the goal of Healthy Indoor Environments by working in Malden and Chelsea, Massachusetts to address the problem of lead in drinking water. This project will collaborate with local communities, water departments, and municipal governments to conduct outreach and education, identify lead service lines (LSLs), and develop municipal action plans for removing them. Outputs will include community meetings, door to door outreach, fact sheets, and other printed materials highlighting lead exposure reduction tips and instructions for how to assess whether or not you have a LSL. This project will also conduct analysis to identify other municipalities in Target Investment Areas that are in most need of support for LSL replacement and select one to begin the early phases of outreach. As a result, residents of Malden and Chelsea will be more aware about the impacts of lead exposure and knowledgeable about how to reduce exposure in situations where removing the source is not immediately possible. In those communities the removal of LSLs and the creation of accurate inventories will eventually lead to communities where not a single house is connected to a LSL--something that will serve not only the current population of residents, but anyone who moves to rent or own these homes for generations to come

Partners: GreenRoots, Cambridge Health Alliance, Mystic River Watershed Association, and local universities.

New Hampshire - 2020

Keene State College
Wood Smoke Pollution Management in Keene, NH Project

Keene State College was awarded $25,000 for their project titled "Wood Smoke Pollution Management in Keene NH". This project seeks to improve community capacity to understand and solve environmental problems, improve communication of predicted local air inversion, and improve air quality during winter air inversions. They also seek to expand upon existing collaborative partnerships to better understand and communicate the complex factors contributing to poor wintertime air quality in Keene, NH, and incentivize public action to reduce wood burning during localized air inversions, thereby improving ambient air quality and public health. Project activities include increase public access to information on woodsmoke health impacts, BurnWise principles, and real-time PM2.5 concentrations.

Partners: SWRPC

Lakes Region Planning Commission
The WoTu Sustainability Cooperative; Community Food Systems Project

Lakes Region Planning Commission was awarded $34,658.80 for their "The WoTu Sustainability Cooperative; Community Food Systems" project. This project will provide training and assistance to help a group of New Hampshire summer camps further develop their camper-directed sustainable food systems program and expand its program into the community, specifically in Wolfeboro and Tuftonboro, NH (WoTu). This project will benefit not only the disadvantaged and minority youth that attend the summer camps but will also help local community members who are facing food security challenges. Key activities will include providing the tools and resources to cultivate the campers and staff's knowledge about growing and eating healthy will result in developing their understanding of our food system and the importance of closed-loop systems. This program will also provide technical assistance to support EPA's Food Recovery Hierarchy by reducing, diverting, and minimizing wasted food and other recyclable commodities generated on-site at camp, as a way of aiding pollution prevention and climate change impacts contributed by our food system.

Partners: North Woods/Pleasant Valley YMCA CampS, Camp Sentinel and Camp Merrowvista, Solar Saints Initiative/Food Pantry at All Saints Episcopal Church, Tuftonboro Agricultural

Rhode Island - 2020

Center for EcoTechnology
Wasted Food Solutions Providence County Phase II Project

This project will reduce the quantity of wasted food entering the municipal solid waste (MSW) stream by working with target wasted food generators, including K-12 schools, event venues, healthcare facilities, colleges/universities, hospitality facilities, and food rescue and donation organizations. CET and partners will develop new opportunities through strategic outreach to target food waste generators through mailings, presentations, and e-newsletter communications. CET will work to establish 5-10 new diversion programs in Providence County. They will work to create a resource showcasing local best management practices across the hierarchy by producing a document highlighting local success stories. Lastly, CET will increase the County's capacity to rescue and divert food scraps by convening an information sharing meeting for service providers and disseminating food waste diversion information and resources.

Partners: Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (RIDEM), The Rhode Island Food Policy Council, The Compost Plan and Rhodeside Revival, GroundWorkRI, and the Providence Office of Sustainability

Childhood Lead Action Project
Blackstone Valley Compliance Project

Childhood Lead Action Project was awarded $35,000 for their "Blackstone Valley Compliance" project. This project seeks to reduce the incidence of lead poisoning through community education, resident leadership development, policy development, lead poisoning prevention activity coordination with state and local enforcement officials and lead abatement funders; and the creation of a new policy to keep previously abated rental properties in compliance with lead laws long-term in Pawtucket and Central Falls, RI. Key project activities include developing community-level environmental leadership and capacity by facilitating community lead compliance project steering committee; increase local families' ability to reduce lead hazards in the home by providing lead poisoning prevention trainings to parents and their childcare providers.

Partners: Blackstone Valley Community Action Program, City of Central Falls, City of Pawtucket, Rhode Island Department of Health, Rhode Island Housing

Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management
Rhode Island Schools Recycling Club - Get Food Smart Rhode Island Project

The Department has identified K-12 schools that will not meet the criteria of the Rhode Island Food Waste Ban identified in pending legislation. The RI Schools Recycling Club will work to increase food diversion in the schools, building off a proven track record. The RISRC plans to recruit schools, and engage students, teachers, parents, and other stakeholders who want to join its cause to develop and implement sustainable solutions to reduce the amount of wasted food in schools, thereby diverting food waste from the State's central landfill. The project will work to offer technical assistance to 5-10 RI schools from urban, rural, and suburban districts to participate in EPA's Food Recovery Challenge (FRC) to develop quantifiable metrics for their programs and to report those to the FRC. RISRC will develop a Food Waste Reduction Toolkit for RI schools in which students, teachers, and other stakeholders can find best practices, case studies, and links to leading organizations and experts in the domains of source reduction, food recovery, donation and food waste diversion.

Partners: RI Schools Recycling Club, foodSCAPE, Earth Care Farm, My Blue Heaven Pig Farm, Center for EcoTechnology, RI Resource Recovery Corporation, American Organics, and Environmental Council of RI Education Fund

2019 Project Summaries

Jump to 2019 Project Summaries for:

Connecticut - 2019

Hartford Food System, "Decreasing Food Waste at Senior Centers in Hartford, CT"

The Decreasing Food Waste at Senior Centers in Hartford, CT project will help initiate, conduct and implement a food waste and source reduction review process to provide technical assistance to four Hartford day service Senior Centers that are managed by the City of Hartford’s Department of Health and Human Services which serve 25,000 meals annually to 700 low-and-moderate income diverse populations in Hartford, CT. Hunger and food insecurity are especially of concern for elderly populations in the area. This project will quantify the current state of food waste for the sector, and design and deliver training and technical assistance to increase food diversion from landfill to support EPA’s Food Recovery Hierarchy and support implementation of pollution prevention approaches in day service centers to reduce waste generation, save energy, and achieve cost savings.

Partners: City of Hartford Department of Health and Human Services, Phood, Blue Earth Compost, and City of Harford Advisory Commission on Food Policy Food Waste Working Group.

Fairgate Farm – "Heaps for Heath Community Composting Initiative"

This initiative will build upon Fairgate Farm's community composting program to increase organic material recovery rates, improve educational awareness of food waste diversion to the health of the community and the environment, and showcase the farm as a living example of environmental responsibility and sustainability. The initiative directly addresses the Healthy Outdoor Environments Target Area by diverting organic waste from municipal solid waste disposal in Stamford's West Side neighborhood, which is an environmental justice area of concern. The initiative aims to enhance community and environmental health by educating low income residents about food sustainability and security. The project also produces fertilizer that supports the growth of organic, local food that is distributed to low-income volunteers free of cost. The initiative aims to: upgrade the existing composting system to an aerated static composting system; increase the number of organizations participating in compost drop-off; build new partnerships and approaches to increase awareness about composting as a form of pollution prevention, resource, renewal and food system resilience; and ensure replicability and scalability of the Heaps for Health approach. The initiative also aims to build upon its current level of community engagement.

Partners: The City of Stamford; Charter Oak Communities (will provide $1,250 in matching funds); non-profits including: Family Centers, New Covenant Center, Scofield Manor, and Pacific House; food policy organizations: United Way of Western Connecticut (leads Stamford Food Collaborative), UConn Extension; private businesses: Starbucks and Shop Rite.

Center for EcoTechnology, "Wasted Food Solutions for New Haven County"

The Wasted Food Solutions for New Haven County project will combine local partners to ensure that the three major parts of the market – waste generators, haulers, and recovery organizations/processors – work together to implement the most cost-effective and sustainable solutions to address wasted food in New Haven County. Project partners will work with wasted food generators, including K-12 public and private schools and commercial generators such as event venues, healthcare facilities and hospitality facilities to provide technical assistance and training implement source reduction strategies to divert wasted food to rescue, food donation and compost/anaerobic digestion for whatever cannot be donated.

Partners: Connecticut Department of Energy and Environment Protection, South Central Regional Council of Governments, New Haven Food System Policy Division, Blue Earth, Curbside Compost, and Quantum BioPower.

Maine - 2019

Cumberland County Soil & Water Conservation District – "Soil Lead Testing an Outreach to Home Gardeners in Portland, Maine"

This project aims to increase the awareness of the presence of soil lead contamination through home gardeners in four targeted neighborhoods in Portland (East Bayside, Bayside, Parkside and the West End); Develop specific outreach materials to identify historic sources of lead contamination; and inform residents what lead levels mean in terms of home gardening and human health and develop action plans with recommendations tailored to site contamination levels and type of food produce, and evaluating the efficacy of the action plans through plant tissue sampling. They plan to provide this outreach through neighborhood-scale direct canvassing and soil testing. Staff will perform soil sampling by following a Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) based on one developed by USEPA Region 1. The four targeted neighborhoods are home to many new immigrants who live at or below the poverty level. The project is focused on mitigating exposure to lead contamination in soil by populations during outdoor activities. The information provided will not only be useful for home gardeners but also for raising awareness about the general level of lead contamination in Portland's urban environment.

Partners: University of Maine Analytical Laboratory & Maine Soil Testing Service; Parkside Community Builder; University of Maine Cooperative Extension, Cumberland County; City of Portland Housing & Community Development Division; City of Portland Neighborhood Associations; Cultivating Community

Maine Indoor Air Quality Council, "Creating a Response System for Addressing Mold & Moisture Problems in Rental Properties"

This project addresses indoor air quality concerns and aims to reduce exposure to mold and moisture problems in rental properties by providing assistance and education tools to tenants. Mold and moisture problems are common for tenants in their rental property, and many of them suffer from health-related issues as a result of this kind of exposure. The Environmental Justice Areas of Potential Concern and Sensitive Populations are affected by the disproportionate health disparities, and this project seeks to break down barriers by addressing the problems these target populations face. Through training and communication activities used to increase understanding and provide guidance, landlords, tenants, public health officials, municipal officials, and legal advocates will have the tools to engage and collaborate with each other to identify steps for future work in home improvement. The expected improvement is to repair moisture problems that occur in rental properties before mold develops. By increasing engagement in practice strategies to address moisture problems, rental units will be more informed and updated with the information needed for home improvement and lowering the risk of exposure to health hazards.

Partners: Landlords: Maine Apartment Owners & Managers Association (MAOMA), Tenants: Healthy Androscoggin, Public Health: Main Center for Disease Control & Prevention, Legal Advocates: Pine Tree Legal Assistance, Municipal Officials: Maine Building Officials & Inspectors Association

New England Environmental Finance Center (EFC), "Maine's Craft Beverage Industry: Switching to Less Hazardous Cleaning and Sanitizing Chemicals"

The proposed project will work with small businesses to reduce the use of hazardous and toxic cleaning chemicals and instead introduce alternative cleaning materials that align with the EFC's mission to help clients find ways to pay for the implementation of new environmental measures. The EFC will oversee the education small Maine brewers on the costs and health benefits associated with alternative cleaning materials. Once the EFC has assessed the acceptance rate, the EFC will work with them to provide information on costs and collect data on the current units using standard chemicals versus reduced units using standard chemicals, the cost of using standard chemicals versus the cost of using alternative chemicals, and project the amount of total savings from the new transition. The use of hazardous chemicals poses health risks to employees since they are exposed to chemicals such as silicates, phosphates and surfactants, causing irritations for the skin and eyes. Processing beer relies heavily on the use of water, which then becomes discharge that flows directly down the drain, creating wastewater and environmental risks. This project aims to reduce those risks through the introduction of alternative cleaning materials that are effective and safer for both brewery workers and the environment.

Partners: Manomet, University of Massachusetts (UMass) at Lowell, Toxic Use Reduction Institute (TURI), Small Private Businesses

Massachusetts - 2019

Center for EcoTechnology, "Berkshire Healthy Homes Initiative – Phase 3"

The Berkshire Healthy Homes Initiative – Phase 3 will work to implement improvements in patients' homes by performing home assessments, raising awareness among patients and providers, reducing cost and knowledge barriers by providing participants with up-to-date information, and providing a final report with key findings. Target populations include low-income residents and sensitive residents whose homes have ongoing health issues as identified by the BHS, EPA and/or reside in Environmental Justice Areas of Potential Concern. Through repairs in indoor air quality and energy efficiency, residents will benefit from improved health and environmental measures. Direct outreach from CET and partner organizations will educate participants and inform them of these improvement opportunities and program benefits. CET and project partners will also work to educate health care providers, providing them with updated information and sharing lessons learned from Phases 1 and 2 and other resources. Through data collected from home assessments, a final report will be prepared for analysis and tracking progress, which will then be made public on CET's website and shared with other organizations across the country that are interested in similar environmental and health related initiatives. This project will build on previous Phase 1 and Phase 2 projects and will use EPA funds to maximize the number of homes that are improved, providing participants with a more safe and healthy environment to live in.

Partners: Berkshire Health Systems (BHS), Berkshire Community Action Council (BCAC), National Grid (Ngrid)

The Asthma Regional Council of New England at Health Resources in Action, "Narrowing the Gap: Promoting Racial and Health Equity in Asthma Across New England"

The Asthma Regional Council of New England at Health Resources in Action aims to foster knowledge about strategies and opportunities for collaboration to optimize asthma outcomes and promote racial/health equity in the public health and other sectors in all of New England. They intend to do this by inciting learning, capacity building, leadership, commitment and collaboration for future action among public health, healthcare, education, social services, and nongovernmental organizations to address systemic racism that impacts asthma outcomes, and to promote racial and health equity in asthma. They also plan to examine and promote the use of EXHALE (Education on asthma self-management; X-tinguishing smoking and secondhand smoke; Home visits for trigger reduction and asthma self-management education; Achievement of guidelines based medical management; Linkages and coordination of care across settings; and Environmental policies or best practices to reduce asthma triggers from indoor, outdoor, and occupational sources) and CCARE (Controlling Childhood Asthma Reducing Emergencies).

Partners: NE Asthma programs (CT, MA, RI, VT, ME). NE Regional Health Equity Council, NE Community Health Worker Coalition and others to serve on planning committee.

Mass. Coalition for Occupational Safety and Health (MassCOSH), "Using a Peer Leadership Model to Ensure Clean, Green and Healthy Schools"

This project aims to address health inequities in schools from two high risk communities: Boston and Lynn. The main target populations include low income, people of color, and immigrants who work or go to school in low income communities as identified by the Environmental Justice Areas of Potential Concern. Environmental health hazards such as mold problems, lead in drinking water, and poor maintenance trigger asthma and other health-related issues, common in school buildings, so this project seeks to alleviate those problems by promoting better practices with different communities and stakeholders to inform them of more sustainable approaches in community development. Through a variety of different workshops and town hall/public forums, a large number of youth and educators will be educated and engaged in promoting environmental health and safety throughout their communities. The project will also help to promote wellness policies and the most effective practices for building asthma-friendly, sustainable schools throughout the state of Massachusetts. By utilizing education tools and practices, youth, parents, school boards and staff members, and MAAP partners (health groups and health centers) will have a better foundation in understanding environmental health and safety.

Partners: Boston Healthy Schools Taskforce (BHST), Health Resources in Action (HRIA), Boston Public Schools (BPS) Health and Wellness and Facilities Departments, Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC), Youth on Board, Girls, Inc. of Lynn, MAAP

Centro de Apoyo Familiar/Center of Assistance to Families (CAF), "Healthy Families: Healthy Homes (Familias Sanas: Casas Sanas)"

The Healthy Families: Healthy Homes Project will work with populations identified by the Environmental Justice Areas of Potential Concern and Sensitive Populations in Lawrence, MA. Environmental contamination left behind by disposal of solid waste from incinerators has affected every neighborhood in the city. New immigrants, residents, and families with small children move into poor home environments, leaving them vulnerable to health issues such as asthma and other illnesses. A low-income city with a predominant population of Latinos, this project aims to address environmental health hazards that expose residents and families with children under 18 years old to asthma triggers and health-related issues. The goal is to reduce exposure of toxic chemicals and environmental health hazards in homes that are affected by the disproportionate health disparities. Using outreach and educational activities with partner organizations, residents and families will learn about the effects of toxic household chemicals, asthma, and lead poisoning and how to keep their households safe by taking better measures in addressing unhealthy conditions in their homes. Home assessments will assist this effort of outreach and education by assessing health factors in homes, keeping families updated and informed. Through collaboration with five Lawrence community churches, this project will build the capacity for Latinos to keep their homes safe and communicate environmental health messages.

Partners: Five (5) Local Faith Based Institutions (Churches) part of the CAF Connectors Program

New Hampshire - 2019

The Way Home, "Healthy Home Peer Education with Tenants and Landlords"

The Healthy Home Peer Education with Tenants and Landlords project will build community capacity by addressing the quality of the indoor and outdoor environment in rental housing in Manchester, NH. Manchester is an urban area with high levels of childhood lead poisoning and asthma rates including a large percentage of housing that was built before 1950. The project partners will design and implement a peer education curriculum for tenants and landlords including a process for identifying and delivering in-home assessments to service low-income, diverse populations in Manchester.

Partners: Conservation Law Foundation, Manchester Health Department, Manchester Planning and Community Development, and local landlords and community partners.

Rhode Island - 2019

Center for EcoTechnology (CET), "Wasted Food Solutions Providence County"

The Wasted Food Solutions Providence County project will identify and assist wasted food generators in Providence County, RI reduce, donate, and compose as much wasted food as possible which will produce environmental, public health and cost saving benefits. Wasted food diversion and rescue is important in Rhode Island where USDA has estimated that over 51,000 households are food insecure. Implementation of this initiative will help Providence County increase food donation and food waste diversion through a combination of technical assistance, resource support and building and maintaining effective partnerships. Activities will include working with target wasted food generators including K-12 public and private schools, event venues, healthcare facilities, colleges/universities, hospitality facilities and food rescue and food donation organizations to reduce, rescue and divert wasted food to support EPA's Food Recovery Hierarchy. The project will also help create a case study or other resources to help document success and share lessons learned for replication and convene a networking or learning event to exchange information and expand reach and results for Cranston, Providence, Seekonk, and Pawtucket municipalities.

Partners: Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, the Rhode Island Food Policy Council, Bootstrap Compost, American Organics, Groundwork Rhode Island, Zero Waste Providence, and the Providence Office of Sustainability.

The Childhood Lead Action Project, "Providence Lead Compliance Project"

The Childhood Lead Action Project will generate an expanded supply of lead-safe rental housing, a reduction in the rate of lead poisoning among children, a greater level of compliance with lead-safe work practices requirements, and a more thorough awareness of safe housing options, resources and legal rights in Providence, Rhode Island. They plan on accomplishing this by providing lead-poisoning education, training and encouraging community-building efforts. The Childhood Lead Action Project's objectives are to: develop community-level environmental leadership and capacity by facilitating a Providence Lead Compliance Project steering committee, increase local families abilities to reduce lead hazards in the home by providing lead poisoning prevention training to parents and their child care provider, conduct lead-safe work practices training and worker safety, and strengthen institutional relationships and increase supply of lead-safe housing by working with state and local officials to identify unsafe rental housing and coordinate lead prevention enforcement and related efforts.

Partners: Children's Friend, Rhode Island Department of Health (DOH)

Vermont - 2019

University of Vermont, "Lead Water and Soil Education and Assessment by Vermont Middle and High School Students"

The Lead Water and Soil Education and Assessment by Vermont Middle and High School Students project will assess and reduce environmental and human health risks and build local, community capacity to understand and solve environmental and public health problems related to lead in water and soil in Burlington and Winooski, VT. Both cities have a high percentage of homes built before 1978, past industrial history as port and mill towns, and high numbers of children with elevated blood lead levels. This project will create a new partnership between University of Vermont, middle school and high school teachers, students, and community partners to pilot a team-based approach to education, hazard reduction, and educational materials development. This partnership will educate and engage 7th-12th grade students on lead and engage them in sampling soil and water in the local geographic target areas to learn more about the extent of lead and find ways to minimize exposure and prevent lead poisoning for local children and families.

Partners: City of Burlington Lead Program, Burlington High School, George F. Edmunds Middle School, Lyman C. Hunt Middle School, and the Winooski School District.

2018 Project Summaries

Jump to 2018 Project Summaries for:

Connecticut - 2018

Community Solutions International, Inc., "North Hartford Asthma and Housing Improvement Initiative"

To develop smart, effective strategies for stabilizing housing conditions in North Hartford that could be scalable to other communities, Community Solutions has completed more than a year of preparatory work. This includes mapping neighborhood and conditions block by block, home by home throughout the entire North Hartford Promise Zone using an online, interactive mapping system. The prototyping phase of our housing stabilization initiative will focus on the 15 blocks surrounding the Swift factory site, and the 879 housing units in those blocks. The initiative will lead outreach work to the families and landlords and will coordinate assessment and remediation of threatening housing conditions, including mold and other asthma triggers, lead paint, code violations, and eviction risks that exacerbate asthma or otherwise undermine the health of children with asthma, and will align existing resources to make them more accessible and effective for NHPZ households. Asthma cases will be identified through the Easy Breathing program that is operated by Connecticut Children's Medical Center throughout Hartford's public schools as well as at local hospitals, clinics and primary care practices.

Partners: Connecticut Children's Medical Center

Center for Eco-Technology (CET), "Help Hartford County's Hungry"

The "Help Hartford County's Hungry" project will identify and assist wasted food generators, haulers and processors to reduce, donate, and compost as much wasted food as possible, resulting in environmental and public health improvements and cost savings. The project will conduct targeted outreach and provide technical assistance to Kindergarten-12th grade (K-12) public and private schools, local event venues, colleges, universities, healthcare facilities, and hospitality facilities to learn about effective waste diversion techniques and approaches. CET and its diverse set of local partners will work with local sectors to divert as much edible food to food donation and rescue as possible, and compost or anaerobically digest what cannot be donated to reduce the amount of food waste sent to landfill disposal.

Partners: Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, City of Hartford, Hartford Food System, Harvest New England, Quantum BioPower, and Phood.

Town of Stratford, Connecticut Health Department, "AirNow Program in Stratford and Bridgeport, CT"

The Greater Bridgeport Area AirNow Flag project will increase awareness of poor outdoor air quality days and protective behavior modifications among target communities identified as disproportionately affected with respiratory health issues. To accomplish this the SHD will leverage local partnerships and institutional knowledge cultivated through both the in-home asthma self-management program known as Putting on AIRS and the AirNow Flag Pilot project to: 1) educate children, parents, providers and educators about poor air quality, associated health consequences, and protective behavior modifications; and 2) implement the AirNow Flag system in targeted and highly visible locations in Bridgeport and Stratford, as well as market the mobile app.

Partners: Connecticut American Lung Association, Bridgeport Department of Health, Bridgeport Hospital, Optimus Health Care, Southwest Community Health Center, St. Vincent's Medical Center, Connecticut Department of Public Health, and Stratford School Readiness and Child Care Advisory Council

The New Haven Ecology Project (NHEP), "Green Jobs Corps"
The New Haven Ecology Project (NHEP) is the home of Common Ground High School, Urban Farm, and Environmental Education Center. NHEP's grant project will connect 45 New Haven young people with paid environmental job opportunities that improve urban schoolyards, parks, and habitats in New Haven, CT. The trainees will all come from the Common Ground High School and assume environmental leadership roles at one of several placement sites, including a 20-acre urban farm, which is leased from the City of New Haven. At the farm, the students will grow pesticide free food and distribute it to low income senior housing facilities and the Common Ground High School lunch program. The grant funds also support projects that plant trees in urban areas, restore rivers, and develop forestry skills. The students work in a team of five students led by a graduate student intern from the Yale School of Forestry.

Partners: Yale's Urban Resources Initiative (URI); New Haven Public Schools; the Southern CT Regional Water Authority (RWA); the West River Stewards; Connecticut Fund for the Environment (CFE); the National Fish and Wildlife Service; and Audubon Connecticut.

Manomet, "Manomet's Grocery Slam"

Manomet's "Grocery Slam" Project establishes a competition between grocery stores in New England to incentivize operational efficiency and environmental performance, including energy efficiency, waste diversion from landfills (such as food waste reduction and recycling), and toxic use reduction. Stores will compete based on points earned by their operational changes, environmental results, and staff training efforts. The project provides webinars and online education modules to train store staff on best management practices and other strategies that reduce facility costs and minimize environmental impacts. The project will help 100 employees at 20 grocery stores increase food waste diversion by 600 tons, improve energy efficiency by 1.5 million kilowatt-hours of electricity use, and avoid 12,500 pounds of hazardous cleaning products.

Partners: Connecticut Food Association, New Hampshire Grocery Association, Maine Grocers and Food Producers Association, Massachusetts Food Association, Rhode Island Food Dealers Association, Vermont Retail & Grocers Association, Retail Learning Institute, Hannaford's Markets, Associated Grocers of New England.

The New Haven Ecology Project (NHEP), "Green Jobs Corps"

The New Haven Ecology Project (NHEP) is the home of Common Ground High School, Urban Farm, and Environmental Education Center. NHEP's grant project will connect 45 New Haven young people with paid environmental job opportunities that improve urban schoolyards, parks, and habitats in New Haven, CT. The trainees will all come from the Common Ground High School and assume environmental leadership roles at one of several placement sites, including a 20-acre urban farm, which is leased from the City of New Haven. At the farm, the students will grow pesticide free food and distribute it to low income senior housing facilities and the Common Ground High School lunch program. The grant funds also support projects that plant trees in urban areas, restore rivers, and develop forestry skills. The students work in a team of five students led by a graduate student intern from the Yale School of Forestry.

Partners: Yale's Urban Resources Initiative (URI); New Haven Public Schools; the Southern CT Regional Water Authority (RWA); the West River Stewards; Connecticut Fund for the Environment (CFE); the National Fish and Wildlife Service; and Audubon Connecticut.

Maine - 2018

Environmental Health Strategy Center (EHSC), "Children's Health and Clean Water in Rural Maine"

EHSC is the only statewide organization in Maine entirely focused on the link between human health and toxic chemicals in the environment. Although there is little public data on the prevalence of lead in local Maine well water, minor modifications to existing efforts to address arsenic can be expanded to include lead contamination. The grant project will develop a roadmap for expanding ongoing arsenic detection and prevention efforts in well water to include lead and raise awareness of other lead exposure pathways. Specifically, the grant project will convene a coalition of public health professionals, community-based organizations, water safety business leaders, health-affected individuals. This group and other key stakeholders will consider how to address lead contamination of drinking water and other sources in rural Maine. The resulting "roadmap" will include long and short-term objectives and strategies, targeted benchmarks, and required resources. Comparative research will summarize potential solutions from case studies in other states and ascertain the potential for overlap in treatment options to address co-occurrence of lead and arsenic and raise public awareness of lead poisoning prevention strategies.

Partners: Town halls, libraries, health centers, food pantries, and service providers.

Massachusetts - 2018

Revitalize Community Development Corporation, "Revitalize Healthy Homes Project"

The Revitalize Healthy Homes Project will assess and implement improvements to 10-15 homes in Springfield, MA where children have been identified as needing asthma management and improved indoor environmental conditions. The assessments will include complete indoor environmental assessments, environmental triggers modifications to the home, educating adults and families with children about sources of exposure that are specific to their home environment through health assessments conducted by a Healthy Homes Assessor and education on asthma triggers management and education by a Community Health Worker (CHW). Information and materials will be available in English and Spanish to serve the needs of low-income, diverse community populations. The healthy home assessments will improve and promote the family and children's health by addressing indoor toxins including, but not limited to mold, combustion by-products, lead, asbestos and pesticides. This project will measure the adult and/or children's pollutant exposures at home and be able to track reductions in toxic chemical and/or pesticide use and improved indoor environmental and public health conditions for participating families.

Partners: Public Health Institute of Western Massachusetts (PHIWM), Pioneer Valley Asthma Coalition, Baystate Health Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program, and Springfield Partners for Community Action.

Northeast Waste Management Officials' Association (NEWMOA), "Increasing and Improving Recycling and Waste Reduction in Wakefield, MA

The Northeast Waste Management Officials' Association will conduct an education and outreach campaign to divert solid waste from landfills by increasing recycling rates and waste reduction in the Wakefield Public Schools in Massachusetts. NEWMOA will work with the school system to educate students and staff on recycling and waste reduction opportunities and to improve recycling by establishing more collection points while expanding the types of materials collected. The project will also include an assessment of current green cleaning practices in the School District. Resulting recommendations will help prevent asthma and asthma triggers in the District's Early Childhood Education Center and throughout the school buildings.

Partners: Wakefield School Department, Town of Wakefield, Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection's Green Schools Program.

MassCOSH, "Using Peer Leadership Model to Ensure Clean, Green, and Healthy Schools"

MassCOSH will work with project partners to achieve measurable improvements in addressing asthma and adverse environmental health triggers at schools in Boston and Brockton, MA. Brockton and Boston student and school staff and student health are impacted by multiple environmental health hazards in schools including mold and moisture, poor ventilation and filtration, and aged school buildings including many over 100 years old and a high percentage of the student body with pediatric asthma that are well above the state average. The project supports building clean, green and healthy schools by building the knowledge and capacity of students and school stakeholders of public health as a factor in design, construction, operation and maintenance of public schools. The project will train and engage youth and adult champions to strengthen local collaborations and promote environmentally healthy school conditions and reduce asthma triggers and exposure to toxic substances in the school environment.

Partners: Boston Healthy Schools Taskforce, Health Resources in Action, Boston Public Schools Health and Wellness and Facilities Departments, Boston Public Health Commission, Youth on Board, and Brockton High School Science Club.

Island Grown Initiative, "Food Waste Reduction, Recovery and Redirection on Martha's Vineyard"

The Island Grown Initiative will bring a diverse set of partners together to support implementation of EPA's food recovery hierarchy to reduce waste at the source, feed people, feed animals, and compost thereby diverting waste into landfills. This project will address source reduction through a broad reaching educational campaign servicing the Island's English and Portuguese-speaking populations including resource guides, training workshops, and implementing a curriculum in local schools. The project will also develop a plan to redirect edible wasted food to people and animals, compost inedible food to benefit agricultural integrity of soils, and engage community residents on composting solutions. The combined outreach and educational approaches will reach thousands of local residents and significant increase waste diversion from the local landfill.

Partners: Martha's Vineyard Vision Fellowship, Martha's Vineyard Refuse Disposal and Resource Recovery District, Vineyard Conservation Society, and Cronig's Market.

Measurable Results:

  • Divert 20 tons of food waste from Island schools to reuse and/or composting.
  • Divert 75 tons of food waste from local restaurants to reuse and/or composting.
  • Divert over 20 tons of food waste from local hospitals, residents and other priority locations to reuse and/or composting.

Mystic River Watersheds Association, "Fishing Safely in the Mystic"

The project will develop a multilingual, multicultural outreach and education campaign to ensure that users are fishing safely, while also building support in the communities of Chelsea, East Boston, and Somerville, Mass to begin to address some of the greatest threats to public health in the saltwater section of the Mystic River and Chelsea Creek. This project builds on a scientific health risk assessment of fish consumption completed in 2013-15 in the Lower Mystic River. The study filled a major gap in existing knowledge about the safety of fish consumption in the Lower Mystic and found evidence of a range of contaminants in fish tissue, concluding that much stricter recommendations should be issued for the consumption of a variety of endemic species than those currently in effect. This proposed project would build on this background scientific and demographic work to make the science most effective in protecting the health of residents by launching a coordinated public information campaign to protect human health.

Partners: GreenRoots

Center for EcoTechnology, Inc., "Berkshire Healthy Homes Initiative – Phase 2"

The Berkshire Healthy Homes Initiative Phase 2 will apply lessons learned in Phase I to educate and help implement home improvements that reduce energy consumption and indoor air pollutants such as moisture, mold, particulates and combustion by-products, all of which are potential triggers for asthma, COPD and other respiratory illnesses. The project plans on 1. Conducting education and outreach to increase awareness among health care providers and patients about the links between health and the home environment, 2. Providing information and referrals to no-cost energy efficiency assessments, 3. Conducting healthy homes assessments, and 4. Identifying funding for recommended energy and healthy home improvements that improve indoor environments by reducing respiratory illness triggers in the home. As a result of this project, CET and its project partners will help improve the indoor air quality of low income and sensitive residents across the county reducing disproportionate health burdens faced by these populations. This project will continue to build upon success of the initial demonstration project and increase the number of residents able to gain the benefits of participating in the program.

Partners: Berkshire Health Systems, Berkshire Community Action Council, E4TheFuture, and National Grid

New Hampshire - 2018

Nashua Regional Planning Commission, "Toxic Free Is Easy as 1-2-3"

The "Toxic Free Is Easy as 1-2-3" will educate parents and caregivers about the risk that household hazardous products pose to children and ways to reduce the chances of exposures and poisonings. The project will provide education, outreach, training and assistance in English and Spanish to parents, families and caregivers in the New Hampshire municipalities of Amherst, Brookline, Hollis, Hudson, Litchfield, Merrimack, Milford, Mont Vernon, Nashua, Pelham, and Windham on approaches to reduce toxics in the indoor environment. Key activities include educating parents and caregivers about the risks of household hazardous products, teach consumers about safer alternatives, and support safe disposal of household hazardous waste. The multilingual public outreach campaign will be designed with local, community input and be used throughout the target geographic are through a range of techniques including trainings, posters, flyers, and other approaches.

Partners: City of Nashua Public Health & Community Services Department, Healthy Homes Program.

Keene State College, "Toward a self-regulating, data-driven, and citizen-led system for wood smoke pollution management in Keene, NH using citizen science and social media

The wood smoke pollution management project in Keene, New Hampshire, will focus on supporting the Southwest Region Planning Commission to conduct community workshops in the 2018/2019 heating season to increase citizen awareness of the ongoing fine particulate matter problem, EPA's Burnwise Principles, and Facebook group Keene Clean Air and voluntary compliance program. The project will expand the Keene State College's existing PM2.5 real time monitoring network using Purple Air PA-II SD laser particle counters in at least 10 locations in Keene; support KSC faculty and students to engage citizens through creation of a Keene-specific PM2.5 map interface; develop better predictors of localized shallow air investors to aid in decision-making; combine these elements into the existing open, transparent Keene Clean Air platform towards a self-regulating voluntary compliance system; and test the effectiveness of air purifiers as interventions. All information shared and gathered will help develop an interactive citizen science platform that engages residents and students that will ultimately be self-regulating and reduce air pollution during air inversions.

Partners: Southwest Region Planning Commission

Rhode Island - 2018

Childhood Lead Action Project, “Lead-Safe Neighborhoods Program”

The Lead-Safe Neighborhoods Program will directly engage residents at high risk for lead poisoning in tenant rights/lead safety workshops, create a steering committee focused on evaluating tenant lead safety and providing recommendations to local housing code officials regarding community needs, and conducting trainings for landlords and workers on lead-safe work practices. Outreach to Spanish-speaking first-time home buyers and landlords will go hand-in-hand with tenant education, making sure that owners have the information they need to follow lead safety laws and keep their families and tenants safe. Through additional lead-safe work practices trainings, we will help local, Spanish-speaking contractors keep children safe from lead during renovations. This project will also increase community members' ability to safely address lead hazards themselves, and increase the capacity for among multiple stakeholders. As a result of this comprehensive approach, at least 40 homes will be made lead safe and will be issued lead-safety certificates.

Partners: RI Department of Health, Healthy Homes and Environment Team; ONE Neighborhood Builders (local community development corporation); and the Refugee Dream Center (post-resettlement).

Vermont - 2018

Central Vermont Solid Waste Management District, "Food Waste Reduction for Greener Schools in Central Vermont"

The "Food Waste Reduction for Greener Schools in Central Vermont," project will involve students, food service and operations staff, teachers, and administrators in K-12 public schools to reduce wasted food in classrooms and cafeterias and reduce the amount of food waste that is landfilled. The project will organize plate waste audits in participating schools in central Vermont and provide training, education and assistance to address wasted food at the source of the school and promote food waste diversion in alignment with EPA's Food Recovery Hierarchy. Information gathered through the audits will determine opportunities to divert edible surplus food, determine the amount of inedible food waste, and support implementation of purchasing and menu changes and other options to maximize landfill alternatives for food waste including composting.

Partners: Abbey Group, Bradford Elementary School, Barre Town Middle/Elementary School, Williamstown Elementary School, Williamstown Middle/High School, Union Elementary School, Main Street Middle School, Montpelier High School, and East Montpelier Elementary School.

2017 Project Summaries

Jump to 2017 Project Summaries for:

Connecticut - 2017

Town of Stratford
"Improving Home Air Quality for Asthmatic Children in Stratford and Bridgeport, CT"
$25,000

Summary: Town of Stratford, CT was awarded $25,000 for their project titled "Improving Home Air Quality for Asthmatic Children in Stratford and Bridgeport, CT". This project seeks to improve respiratory health outcomes of children with a history of uncontrolled asthma by intensifying asthma reduction interventions to identify and mitigate indoor air triggers in their homes as well as by improving indoor home environments through more intensive family and community efforts. Key project activities include conducting home visits, working closely with property owners of homes in targeted communities to implement mitigation efforts for environmental triggers, and assisting in implementation of trigger mitigation plans by providing supplies. Project partners include Bridgeport Department of Health and Social Services, Connecticut Hospital Association, Housatonic Community College, Optimus HealthCare, Inc., Southwest Community Health Center, Inc., Southwestern Area Health Education Center (AHEC) and the Connecticut Department of Public Health.

Western Connecticut State University
"Spray Safe, Play Safe: Promoting Integrated Tick Management"
$25,000

Western Connecticut State University was awarded $25,000for their project titled "Spray Safe, Play Safe: Promoting Integrated Tick Management". The project seeks to reduce exposure to pesticides in the outdoor environment. Key activities includes providing an education and outreach campaign targeted to residents across Ridgefield, CT and its surrounding communities which will provide accurate and easy-to-understand information about integrated tick management. Western Connecticut State University will be partnering with the Ridge wood (CT) Health Department for this project.

Maine - 2017

Central Maine Community Health Corporation
"Expanding Innovative Healthy Homes Education"
$25,000

Central Maine Community Health Corporation was awarded $25,000 for their project titled "Expanding Innovative Healthy Homes Education". The project seeks to expand class offerings to include education on environmental health hazards in the home as well as create curricula that are culturally appropriate for their diversified immigrant and refugee populations. Key project activities includes creating a new curriculum on air quality and asthma triggers in indoor environments and providing the education to target populations. Project partners include Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Maine Indoor Air Council, Maine Medical Center, St. Mary's Regional Medical Center and Bates College Harward Center for Community Partnerships.

Massachusetts - 2017

Massachusetts Coalition of Occupational Safety and Health
"APPLES"
$25,000

Massachusetts Coalition of Occupational Health and Safety was award $25,000 for their project titled "APPLES". This project seeks to enhance the capacity of schools and community partners to address environmental health inequities in Boston and Brockton schools. Key project activities include engaging the youth through peer led environmental health workshops and promoting model wellness policies and best practices for asthma friendly schools statewide through the new Massachusetts Asthma Advocacy Partnership on-line resource tool. Project partners include Boston Public Schools (BPS) Health and Wellness, Boston Teachers Union (BTU)Boston Public Health Commission, Health Resources in Action (HRIA), Youth on Board, Brockton High School Science Club, Old Colony Y-Youth Branch and Boston Healthy School Taskforce (BHST).

Center for Eco Technology
"North Berkshire Healthy Homes Initiative"
$25,000

Center for EcoTechnology was awarded $25,000 for their project titled "North Berkshire Healthy Homes Initiative". This project seeks to reduce residents' exposure to health risks by empowering them to identify and address healthy home issues. Key project activities include providing education and outreach through Berkshire Health Systems to vulnerable individuals and then a subset will receive in-home assessments and support services to ultimately reduce respiratory illness triggers. Project partners include Berkshire Health Systems, Berkshire Community Action Council and E4TheFuture.

Health Resources in Action
"Building New England Knowledge and Capacity for Action"
$25,000

Health Resources in Action was awarded for their project titled "Building New England Knowledge and Capacity for Action". This project seeks to build the capacity in individual states to address the impact of extreme weather events on vulnerable populations. Key activities include showcasing innovative tools, practices and/or projects from both within New England and other parts of the country. A regional capacity-building summit will also be convened to focus on asthma and impacts from extreme weather events. Project partners include the Lowell Center for Sustainable Production, Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, State of Connecticut Department of Public Health, Vermont Energy and Investment Corporation, Vermont Department of Health, State of New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services, Massachusetts Department of Public Health, and Rhode Island Department of Public Health.

Consensus Building Institute
"Engaging Your Community in Stormwater Funding"
$22,919

Consensus Building Institute was awarded $22,919 for their project titled "Engaging Your Community in Stormwater Funding". This project seeks to address the environmental and public health problems that arise from insufficient stormwater management due to aging infrastructure systems resulting in frequent failures that lead to flooding, pollution, and high-cost emergency repairs. Key project activities include engaging the community to design and implement a public engagement strategy to promote the program and provide trainings to the community and stakeholders. The Consensus Building Institute will be partnered with EPA for this project.

Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe
"Preserving Our Homelands"
$25,000

Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe was awarded $25,000 for their project titled "Preserving Our Homelands". This project seeks to address environmental problems impacting the tribal community such as poor water quality in local surface waters and estuaries, lead exposure, hazardous algal blooms, sea-level rise- coastal erosion and the loss of culturally significant plants. Key project activities will include hosting an Environmental Science camp for tribal youth that will address local, regional, and global environmental challenges. There will be a special emphasis on a curriculum that will focus on 1) the dangers of lead, 2) where lead can be found in and around homes, 3) practices in and around homes to keep safe from lead, and 4) healthy foods that can be consumed to decrease lead absorption by the body. Project partners include EPA, National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), US Geological Survey (USGS), US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), Waquoit Bay National Estuary Research Reserve (WBNERR), Mass Department of Fish and Game (MDFG), Mass Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), Tribal elders and Culture Keepers.

Product Stewardship Institute
"SaferStore Campaign: Reducing Toxics Exposure in Retail Grocery Stores"
$25,000

Product Stewardship Institute has been awarded $25,000 for their project titled "SaferStore Campaign: Reducing Toxics Exposure in Retail Grocery Stores". This project seeks to reduce the amount of hazardous waste inadvertently sent to landfills or waste-to-energy facilities, and mitigate the risk of hazardous materials being released into the environment during a flood. This project seeks to address environmental justice concerns in the communities of Haverhill, Lawrence, Lowell and New Bedford by reducing toxics use and exposure in participating retail grocery stores through outreach and education, training, and toxic source reduction initiatives. Key project activities include conducting outreach and education initiatives, paired with targeted training and pilot programs which will help New England grocery stores effectively manage and reduce hazardous and toxic materials, and enhance compliance, reduce costs, protect worker health and safety, and minimize environmental impacts. Key Partners include UL information and Insights Inc., WERCSmart, The Center for Retail Compliance (CRC) and the Massachusetts Food Association (MFA)

New Hampshire - 2017

City of Nashua
"Hazard Identification, Infrastructure, Resilience and Planning Project"
$23,750

Summary: The City of Nahua was awarded $23,000 for their project titled "Hazard Identification, Infrastructure, Resilience and Planning Project". This project seeks to improve municipal assistance during the recovery from floods that has impact vulnerable populations. Key project activities include conducting vulnerability assessments, creating and developing a resiliency plan, coordinating and conducting workshops, and launching a public educational campaign. Project partners include the State of New Hampshire Department of Safety, State of New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services, Nashua Environmental and Energy Committee, City of Manchester Fire Department, Pennichuck Water Works.

Rhode Island - 2017

Childhood Lead Action Project, Inc.
"Lead-Safe Housing Initiative"
$25,000

Summary: Childhood Lead Action Project, Inc. was awarded $25,000 for their project titled "Lead-Safe Housing Initiative". This project seeks to reduce the incidence of childhood lead poisoning in Providence, RI by expanding access to lead-safe rental housing, broadening awareness of the legal protections and resources for parents, and promoting lead-safe work practices for those providing home renovation and repair services. Key project activities include developing and coordinating an Immigrant and Refugee Lead Safety Stakeholder Committee, providing tenant rights education, and training contractors on lead-safe work practices. Project partners include Rhode Island College School of Nursing (RIC SON), Rhode Island Department of Health (DOH) and the Refugee Dream Center.

Center for ECOTechnology
"Providence County Food Recovery"
$25,000

Summary: The Center for ECOTechnology was awarded $25,000 for their project titled "Providence County Food Recovery". The project seeks to reduce the quantity of food waste entering the municipal solid waste stream by working with target wasted food generators including K-12 public and private schools, event venues, healthcare facilities, colleges/universities, hospitality facilities, and food rescue and donation organizations in Providence County. Key project activities include conducting diversion programs with target generators with the goal of ncreasing the quantity of donated food available and distributed to those in need. Project partners include Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (RIDEM), Rhode Island Community Food Bank (RICFB), Rhode Island Food Policy Council and The Compost Plant.

Vermont - 2017

Central Vermont Solid Waste Management District
"Reducing Toxics Use Among Sensitive Populations"
$25,000

Summary: The Central Vermont Solid Waste Management District was awarded $25,000 for their project titled "Reducing Toxics Use Among Sensitive Populations". This project seeks to educate staff of institutions through trainings about the safe use and disposal of toxic commercial cleaning products and art supplies with the additional goal of replacing them with non-toxic products. Key project activities include creating a non-toxic guide book with focusing on recipes for non-toxic cleaners, management protocols, and commercial non-toxic alternatives. Workshops will be hosted at senior, family and childcare centers and technical assistance will also be provided to the centers. Project partners include The Central Vermont Council on Aging (CVCOA), The Toxics Action Center (TAC), Bunny Steps Daycare, Turtle Island Daycare, Barre Area Senior Center, Montpelier Senior Activity Center, Twin Valley Senior Center, Hardwick Senior Center, Lamoille Family Center, and Orange County Parent Child Center.

2016 Project Summaries

Jump to 2016 Project Summaries for:

Connecticut - 2016

Center for EcoTechnology
Don't Waste Bridgeport
$25,000

The Center of Eco Technology was awarded $25,000 for their "Don't Waste Bridgeport" project. Approximately 20,951 tons of wasted food entered the Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) stream in 2013, and Bridgeport has one of the highest rates of wasted food in the state. This project will reduce the quantity of wasted food by working with target wasted food generators in Bridgeport including K-12 public/private schools, venues, grocers, healthcare facilities, colleges/universities, hospitality facilities, and food rescue/donation organizations to reduce, donate, and compost as much wasted food as possible with the ultimate goal of reducing environmental impacts and getting needed food to residents in need.

Partners: Council of Churches of Greater Bridgeport (CCGB); Betsy & Jessie Fink Foundation; Community Plates; Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (CT DEEP)

Charter Oaks Communities
Fairgate Farm Community Composting Initiative
$25,000

Summary: Charter Oaks Communities was awarded $25,000 for their "Fairgate Farm Community Composting Initiative" project. The project will expand the recently launched Fairgate Farm Community Composting Initiative to educate Stamford's West Side residents and businesses about composting by providing one-on-one outreach, hands-on composting demonstrations, and provision of educational resources about the benefits of composting, educating over 1,000 residents community partners, and volunteers. Additionally, the project team will distribute 5 and 50 gallon containers for compost collection and manage weekly compost drop-offs from seven local organizations, diverting 15,000 lbs. of waste from Stamford's waste stream in 2016.

Partners: City of Stamford, the Food Bank of Lower Fairfield County, Connecticut Food Bank, Franklin Street Works, New Covenant Center, Schofield Manor, Shop Rite, and Starbucks

Maine - 2016

Wabanaki Health Wellness
WaYS to Healthy Communities
$25,000

Summary: Wabanaki Health Wellness was awarded $25,000 for their "WaYS to Healthy Communities" project. The Wabanaki Youth in Science (WaYS) program is multi-pronged model educational program that connects Wabanaki Youth to their environment and their culture in a unique and innovative manner. WaYS establishes a long-term program to engage Wabanaki students in grades 6-12 through cultural heritage and environmental legacy to promote increased learning and engage Native American students. This initiative will meld science and traditional ecological knowledge into an interactive curriculum to develop awareness among tribal youth regarding environmental stewardship as it relates to healthy community ecosystems, land and water. Three key projects will focus on a seasonal "mini-earth" camp for high school students, hosting a week-long camp for high school students and providing mentor/mentee internships at the greenhouses on tribal lands throughout Maine.

Partners: Aroostook Band of Micmacs, Houlton Band of Maliseet, Passamaquoddy Tribe at Pleasant Point and Indian Township and the Penobscot Nation.

Massachusetts - 2016

Neighborhood of Affordable Housing
ClimateCARE East Boston
$15,000

Summary: Neighborhood of Affordable Housing was awarded $15,000 for their "ClimateCARE East Boston" project. East Boston was originally five islands in the Boston Harbor, and is now a peninsula joined by landfill, which makes it especially vulnerable to storm-surge related flooding and released toxic contaminants. ClimateCARE will create a multilingual education and outreach campaign for vulnerable urban coastal residents on preventing exposure to toxics in flood waters by addressing the causes, effects, extent, and reduction of such exposure. Activities include designing and distributing a bilingual (Spanish & English) education materials on climate change environmental impacts to 1,000 homes, conducting a basement toxics clean-out program in 20 homes/businesses, and convening a Adaptive Planning Work Group with 20+ members to address climate change impacts in East Boston.

Partners: BSA Foundation; UMass Boston School for the Environment

North Brookfield Public Schools
NB CARES (Conservation and Reduction Equals Success) About the Environment
$25,000

North Brookfield Public Schools was awarded $25,000 for their "NB CARES (Conservation and Reduction Equals Success)" project. The North Brookfield Public School District is comprised of 560 students PreK-12, and is the third smallest independent school district in the state, located in rural north central Massachusetts. NB cares will build upon recent district improvements by expanding a newly created high school Engineering Program from Project Lead the Way to include students in grades 7-12. The district will focus on Environmental Engineering as it implements all new programs, and intends to create a comprehensive educational approach. This project will enable the district to address portions of both the District Improvement Plan and the town's Capital Improvement Plan as it increases environmental education opportunities for students, replaces 124 inefficient faucets, and purchases an environmentally friendly/chemical free floor finisher for the facilities department. The project will reduce the district's facilities expenses which will increase funding available for student services.

Partners: Bay Path Regional Vocational High School

Boston Public Health Commission
Black Hair Salon Project
$25,000

The Boston Public Health Commission was awarded $25,000 for their "Black Hair Salon Project". This project will help to improve the quality of the indoor environment in Boston hair salons serving Black women by promoting the use of alternative products and practices to decrease the amount of hazardous chemicals being used. This will result in less indoor/outdoor air pollution from organic solvents and other volatile chemicals due to replacement with alternatives; decreased risk for health impacts for workers due to reduced exposure to chemicals, dust, and injury risks at work; reduction in solid waste and soil/water contamination; and a measurable contribution to improving Boston's environment by reducing adverse health effects (asthma, heart disease, respiratory illness, cancer, etc.) associated with exposure to environmental hazards.

Partners: The Safe Shop; University of Massachusetts (TURI); Massachusetts Healthy Cosmology Committee (HCC); Black Women for Wellness; Epiphany Hair Care Studio; Brandies University; Clean Water Action; Massachusetts Office of Technical Assistance (OTA)

Health Resources in Action
Promoting New England Asthma Innovation Collaborative Results: Sustainability and Spread for Asthma Home Visiting in New England
$25,000

Health Resources in Action's Asthma Regional Council (ARC) was awarded $25,000 for their "Promoting New England Asthma Innovation Collaborative Results: Sustainability and Spread for Asthma Home Visiting in New England" project. This project will reduce exposure to environmental triggers by promoting broad replication and sustainable financing for asthma home vising services. This project will conduct seven trainings with Accountable Care Organizations across New England to increase regional collaboration and capacity and focus on advancing sustainable financing for asthma home visits. ARC will reach at least 300 people through web based learning and access to evidence-based policies and best practices, research and training. ARC's project will increase capacity so that any New England child with poorly controlled asthma may benefit from asthma home visits, resulting in reduced exposure to environmental asthma triggers and cost-effective asthma control.

Partners: MA: Center for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC) VT, ME, MA, RI, NH, and CT; Boston Children's Hospital; Boston Medical Center; Pioneer Valley Asthma Coalition; Baystate Medical Center, Springfield, MA RI: St. Joseph's Health Center; Hasbro Children's Hospital; Thundermist Health Center; CT: Middlesex Hospital; Children's Medical Group; VT: Rutland Regional Medical Center

Massachusetts Coalition for Occupational Safety and Health
Asthma Prevention through Peer Leadership and Engagement in Schools (APPLES) Phase 2
$25,000

Summary: The Massachusetts Coalition for Occupational Safety and Health (MassCOSH) was awarded $25,000 for their "Asthma Prevention through Peer Leadership and Engagement in Schools (APPLES) Phase 2" project. This project benefits children by identifying and eliminating environmental hazards and asthma triggers in schools by integrating environmental health into comprehensive asthma management systems as a new component of the federally-mandated school "Wellness policy". The project focuses on benefitting 13-15 schools in Boston, Brockton, and Lynn with high incidence of pediatric asthma. The project deploys a peer leadership model, training 22-26 youth as peer leaders to achieve measurable reduction of adverse environmental health triggers, improve asthma management, and enhance the school's capacity to address environmental health.

Partners: Healthy Resources in Action (HRiA); Girls Inc. of Lynn, MA; Inspiring Souls Inc.; Massachusetts Asthma AP; Boston Public Schools; Boston Public Health Commission; Brockton Envirothon Team

New Hampshire - 2016

The Way Home, Inc.
Healthy Home Peer Education
$25,000

Summary: The Way Home, Inc. was awarded $25,000 for their "Healthy Home Peer Education" project. Residents in Manchester, NH will benefit from new self-help tools to understand indoor environment and public health risks and ensure landlords complete needed repairs to reduce risks to children and families. This project will provide 50 high risk households with In-home assessments, education, and support services. At least 25 assessments will be completed by the property owners to remediate hazards and/or the relocate families to safer housing. This project will benefit the health and wellness of families and neighborhoods in Manchester. This initiative will help reduce residents' exposure to hazards, empower low-income renters with skills to identify/address healthy home issues, and build alliances for motivating landlords to improve housing conditions.

Partners: Conservation Law Foundation; Granite State Organizing Project; K Kirkwood Consulting; Division of Public Health Services; One Touch; Manchester Health Department (MHD); City of Manchester Lead Hazard Reduction Program; New Hampshire Housing (NHHFA); NH Property Owners Association

Rhode Island - 2016

Woonasquatucket River Watershed Council
Promoting Healthy Urban Land and Water Resources through Education
$25,000

Summary: The Woonasquatucket River Watershed Council was awarded $25,000 for their "Promoting Healthy Urban Land and Water Resources through Education" project. This initiative aims to connect the urban community with their natural surroundings through environmental education and instilling stewardship through a variety of programming. Efforts targeted to urban youth include: educating 10 teachers on methods of using public city parks and rivers as outdoor classrooms; providing summer nature camps to 150 urban youth aged 6 to 14; hosting a River Adventurers program for 15 urban middle-school students; a Fish in the Classroom programs in two elementary schools for 50 students; and an Environmental Leaders Program to engage 15 high school students. Efforts targeted to educating the general population include: hosting greenway services days to educate 1,000 people on safe use of Woonasquatucket resources and their role in improving them; and conducts the Parks Academy for 20 adults to build and strengthen the capacity of volunteer groups and educators within the city to make parks safer and cleaner.

Partners: Partnership for Providence Parks; Roger Williams Park Zoo; Audubon Society of Rhode Island; Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management; Paul Cuffee Elementary School; Providence After School Alliance; Metropolitan School

Childhood Lead Action Project
Lead-Safe Providence Initiative
$19,786

Summary: The Childhood Lead Action Project was awarded $XX for their "Lead-Safe Providence Initiative" project. The initiative builds off previous work with the City of Providence who is leading the way as one of the first municipalities in the nation to require RRP compliance. Although the City's new policies are working, there are still gaps in knowledge and practice that must be closed which this project looks to target. Six workshops will be hosted for local tenants to educate them on their right to safe housing and the availability of city policies and available resources. A Lead-Safe Providence committee will be formed with tenants and other stakeholders with 5 committee meetings held and quarterly meetings with city personnel. Two RRFP trainings will be held for Latino renovation and repair specialists to train them on the RRP Rule and lead-safe work practices. Through these efforts, the project seeks to increase the safety of rental properties in Providence's high risk neighborhoods; improve tenant awareness of legal protections and resources available to keep their children safe from lead exposure; increase the lead safety knowledge and expertise of Latino renovation and repair specialists with the ultimate goal of reducing the incidence of childhood lead poisoning in Providence.

Partners: City of Providence; RI Medical-Legal Partnership

Project Officer: Sandy Brownell

Vermont - 2016

Northwest Regional Planning Commission
Addressing Watershed Resiliency & Improving Water Quality through Rural Stormwater Education in Northwestern VT
$25,000

Summary: The Northwest Regional Planning Commission was awarded $25,000 for their "Addressing Watershed Resiliency & Improving Water Quality through Rural Stormwater Education in Northwestern VT" project. The region includes 23 communities in Franklin and Grand isle Counties and covers 1,200 square miles of land area with all watersheds draining into Lake Champlain, a phosphorus impaired waterbody. This initiative will design and conduct an education and outreach campaign geared to address water quality and climate resilience concerns in rural areas resulting from stormwater, erosion, flow redirection and pollutants. Workshop tools will be created and two workshops will be hosted for landowners on Stormwater Best Management Practices. Train the trainer sessions will then be hosted for each of the 10 Vermont Regional Planning Commissions to share workshop tools with regional and statewide partners. The project is expected to increase public awareness of the inter-relationship between water quality and water quantity and build a greater appreciation and support for stream restoration and protection as well as land management best practices.

Partners: Friends of Northern Lake Champlain; Missisquoi River Basin Association; State of Vermont Agency of National Resources

2015 Project Summaries

Jump to 2015 Project Summaries for:

Connecticut - 2015

Sustainable America
Implementing the "Food Too Good to Waste" Toolkit
$25,000

Sustainable America was awarded $25,000 for their "Implementing the Food Too Good to Waste" project. This initiative will recruit households from faith-based congregations in the Greater Bridgeport and Stamford areas to implement a Food Too Good to Waste (FTGTW) challenge. The FTGTW Toolkit will be modified for the target audience and Sustainable America will host meetings for leadership from participating congregations, implementing a six week challenge and instructing them how to bring the challenge back to their congregations. The goal of the project is to raise awareness about food waste, reduce household level food waste and ultimately reduce the amount of food waste that is incinerated or landfilled.

Partners: Interfaith Council of Southwest CT; Fairfield County Interfaith Alliance on Climate Change (FCIACC)

EPA Project Officer: Deborah Cohen

Maine - 2015

Greater Portland Council of Governments
Saco River Drinking Water Resiliency Planning
$25,000

Greater Portland Council of Governments was awarded $25,000 for their "Saco River Drinking Water Resiliency Planning" project. The project will analyze the flood vulnerability of hazards to water quality and projections of future drinking water needs for the fifteen municipalities that depend on the Saco River for drinking water. The project goal is to create strategies for mitigating, reducing, and removing water quality hazards such as fuel storage, septic fields, and agriculture sites for local municipalities.

Partners: Saco River Corridor Commission (SRCC); Maine Water Company; Maine Office of Federal Homeland Security; City of Saco.

EPA Project Officer: Chris Ryan

Massachusetts - 2015

Barnstable County
Stormwater Treatment Systems
$66,468

Barnstable County was awarded $66,468 for their "Stormwater Treatment Systems" project. The project will compare the effectiveness of nitrogen removal in rain gardens and conventional stormwater systems on Cape Cod parcels that each contain both systems. Efficiency of the two systems will be compared in terms of cost vs. performance for nitrogen removal. The results from sampling will be compiled into a report and shared with stormwater managers and other coastal resource decision makers in neighboring towns.

Partners: Woods Hole Sea Grant; Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution; Towns of Bourne, Dennis, and Mashpee; Dr. Heidi Clark

EPA Project Officer: Bryan Dore

Buzzards Bay Action Committee
Buzzards Bay Stormwater Collaborative
$200,000

Buzzards Bay Action Committee was awarded $200,000 for their "Buzzards Bay Stormwater Collaborative" project. The project will develop a collaborative framework for municipalities to share resources on universal issues such as stormwater. The partners will use their expertise to identify problem stormwater discharges, test discharges, and map stormwater networks in the local target area. A cross-municipal public education program will be implemented in participating towns.

Partners: Buzzards Bay NEP; Towns of Dartmouth, Fairhaven, Mattapoisett, Wareham, Acushnet; MA CZM; Buzzards Bay Coalition

EPA Project Officer: Ann Rodney

Centro de Apoyo Familiar
Healthy Families: Healthy Homes
$25,000

Centro de Apoyo Familiar was awarded $25,000 for their "Healthy Families: Healthy Homes" project. The project will conduct outreach and education activities that will engage families and residents in Lawrence, MA to reduce the use of toxic chemicals in the home environment and reduce childhood exposure to harmful chemicals, asthma triggers, lead poisoning, and mercury. Centro de Apoyo Familiar will use a train-the-trainer model focusing on organizing and hosting educational workshops for families in Lawrence, MA using multilingual and low-literacy education, outreach and training materials which will increase public understanding of how to improve indoor environmental quality in home environments.

Partners: Manos Que Ayudan (Helping Hands); Iglesia Cristiana Ebenezer; Iglesia De Dios de la Profecia; Centro de adoracion Jesucristo es el Senor; Centro cristiano Camino de la Salvación; Iglesia Asambleas de Dios; Christ United Methodist Church

EPA Project Officer: Rhona Julien

Charles River Watershed Association
Soaking Up the Rain in Franklin, MA
$25,000

Charles River Watershed Association was awarded $25,000 for their "Soaking up the Rain in Franklin, MA" project. The project will extend its residential rain garden installation and tracking program with the town of Franklin, MA to increase the capacity to mitigate flooding and associated local water quality impacts from large storm events. The project will increase the number of rain gardens in Franklin, educating residents on non-point source pollution problems and solutions and maintaining an up-to-date inventory on local stormwater projects. stormwater projects.

Partners: Town of Franklin Department of Public Works

EPA Project Officer: Deborah Cohen

Groundwork Lawrence
Climate Change mitigation & Stormwater Education in Lawrence
$25,000

Summary: Groundwork Lawrence was awarded "25,000" for their "Climate Change Mitigation & Stormwater Education" project. The project will educate residents in Lawrence, MA about climate change, its potential impact on Lawrence neighborhoods, and climate mitigation options including the benefits of urban canopy and permeable surfaces; and the damaging effects of cooking oil disposal on the city's waste water infrastructure and river health. Forty trees will be planted in the 100/500 year flood zone to absorb storm water and help mitigate anticipated increased flooding due to climate change.

Partners: City of Lawrence DPW; Lawrence Community Works (LCW); Merrimack Valley Workforce Investment Board (MVWIB)

EPA Project Officer: Kwabena Kyei-Aboagye

Health Resources in Action
Environmental Health in Early Education: Expanding E-Learning Opportunities
$25,000

Health Resources in Action was awarded $25,000 for their "Environmental Health in Early Education: Expanding E-Learning Opportunities" project. The project will adapt Boston Healthy Homes and Schools Collaborative's Healthy Homes for Family Child Care in-person training into an online module. The on-line educational training will be promoted statewide to alleviate the burden of asthma by increasing the capacity of Family Childcare Educators in targeted areas of Massachusetts (Boston, Lawrence, etc.) to create healthy indoor environments.
Expected Results:

Partners: Department of Early Education and Care; MA Asthma Action Partnership

EPA Project Officer: Eugene Benoit

Health Resources in Action
Moving Asthma Care Upstream Across New England
$25,000

Health Resources in Action was awarded $25,000 for their "Moving Asthma Care Upstream" project. The project will educate accountable care organizations (ACOs) and/or provider groups about the benefits of asthma home based interventions. Activities include coordinating with the six New England state asthma programs; maintaining and promoting asthma website to disseminate tools, information and best practices around asthma home visiting and sustainable financing; and participating on leadership teams of national coalitions working on financing issues to support reimbursement for asthma interventions.
Expected Results:

Partners: Boston Children's Hospital; Boston Medical Center; St. Joseph's Health Center; Hasbro Children's Hospital; Rutland Regional Medical Center; Middlesex Hospital; Children's Medical Group; Pioneer Valley Asthma Coalition; State Asthma Programs of Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island.

EPA Project Officer: Rhona Julien

Martha's Vineyard Shellfish Group
Annual Harvest of the Invasive Reed, Phragmites australis
$135,693

Martha's Vineyard Shellfish Group was awarded $135,693 for their "Annual Harvest of the Invasive Reed, Phragmites australis" project. The project will develop a better understanding of the nitrogen bioremediation potential of Phragmites. Activities include providing an outline of the regulatory process governing harvests; demonstrating the potential uses of harvested reeds that may help to finance the harvests, documenting nitrogen reduction, and educating and involving the local stakeholders and planners on the concept.

Partners: Jamie Vaudrey, PhD. Assistant Research Professor, Dept. of Marine Sciences, University of Connecticut; Mermaid Farm, Chillmark, MA; WorldStove, LLC; Martha's Vineyard Commission; Town of Oak Bluff's Conservation Commission; Sheriff's Meadow Foundation

EPA Project Officer: Karen Simpson

Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe
Popponesset Bay Coastal Resilience & Habitat Restoration Project
$198,174

Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe was awarded $198,174 for their "Popponesset Bay Coastal Resilience & Habitat Restoration" project. The project will create an aquatic oyster reef to benefit water quality in Popponesset Bay with the introduction of large numbers of filter feeders that remove microscopic particles (phytoplankton, etc) from the water, improving turbidity, light penetration, and overall water quality. The creation of this oyster reef covering 4 acres will ensure a sustainable reef system to buffer the shorelines from future storm events, improve water quality through the introduction of large numbers of bivalves and habitat diversity, providing shelter and food sources for people and juvenile marine species.

Partners: Town of Mashpee (Shellfish Constable/Marine Biologist Richard York)

EPA Project Officer: Kwabena Kyei-Aboagye

Massachusetts Coalition for Safety & Health
Asthma Prevention through Peer Leadership & Engagement in Schools
$25,000

Massachusetts Coalition for Safety & Health has been awarded $25,000 for their "Asthma Prevention through Peer Leadership & Engagement in Schools" project. The project will engage champions, student peer leaders and adults to take actions to improve environmental conditions and asthma management in Boston and Lynn schools. Results and lessons will be magnified by promoting implementation of healthy schools policies and practices across MA in 3 at-risk communities with high asthma rates.

Partners: Boston Healthy Homes and Schools Collaborative; Boston Healthy Schools Taskforce; Girls Inc.; Boston Public Schools; Boston Public Health Commission; Boston Teachers' Union; Custodial Union (Local 1952)

EPA Project Officer: Jessica Hing

Southeastern Regional Planning & Economic Development District
Regional Planning & Training on Municipal Tools for a Resilient Taunton Watershed
$170,000

The Southeast Regional Planning & Economic Development District is a regional planning agency charged with preparing studies, making recommendations, and advising jurisdictions in the areas of physical, social, and economic improvements. This project seeks to train municipal officials using newly developed tools and information that will improve their capacity to facilitate broad implementation of green infrastructure and low impact development approaches. This is expected to enhance community resiliency, as well as capitalize on the provision of natural ecosystem services, improve water quality, reduce environmental injustice and reduce local tax burdens from increased development.

Partners: Metropolitan Area Planning Council; Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences; Mass Audubon; The Nature Conservancy

EPA Project Officer: Karen Simpson

The Nature Conservancy
208 Plan Watershed Planning & Technology Transfer
$199,664

Southeastern Regional Planning & Economic Development District has been awarded $170,000 for their "Regional Planning & Training on Municipal Tools for a Resilient Taunton Watershed" project. The project seeks to transfer the technologies and planning approaches developed as part of the Cape 208 Plan. The project will focus on building collaboration and partnerships throughout the region through integrating representatives, nonprofits, and other stakeholders. To do so, the project will create two sample nutrient management plans using the Cape 208 methods in the Taunton River Watershed. To follow, a series of 4 public workshops will be planned and held within the study areas. A technology review panel of local experts will convene to review and propose a plan from the methods learned in the earlier steps. A water quality summit will be organized and held to bring together and discuss the most up-to-date information about technology, pilot projects, and monitoring results. Finally, as a result of the summit, an updated technology matrix will be produced with clear descriptions of various technologies, constraints and opportunities.

Partners: Cape Cod Commission; Horsley Witten Group

EPA Project Officer: Bryan Dore

New Hampshire - 2015

Keene State College
Wood Smoke Community Awareness Initiative
$25,000

Keene State Collage has been awarded $25,000 for their "Wood Smoke Community Awareness Initiative". The project will increase collaboration and capacity building through community based initiatives combining education and community outreach to better understand the linkages between wood stoves, PM2.5 and respiratory health in the town of Keene, NH.

Partners: Keene High School; Southwest Region Planning Commission; and NH Department of Environmental Services.

EPA Project Officer: Gary Rennie

Upper Valley Lake Sunapee Regional Planning Commission
Safe Schools in the Upper Valley Lake Sunapee Region
$25,000

Upper Valley Lake Sunapee Regional Planning Commission was awarded $25,000 for their "Safe Schools in the Upper Valley Lake Sunapee Region" project. The project will improve the health and safety in at least ten local schools in the Upper Valley Lake Sunapee Region in western and central New Hampshire through proper inventory and reduction of toxic chemicals and source reduction. Project activities include coordinating on-site visits at local schools to review science laboratories, art studios and janitorial practices/supplies to reduce the amount of hazardous/toxic chemicals on site and replace with less toxic alternatives.

Partners: NH Department of Environmental Services, Pollution Prevention Section; NH Department of Education; Waddell Environmental.

EPA Project Officer: Jessica Hing

Rhode Island - 2015

Childhood Lead Action Project
Community Lead Poisoning Prevention Initiative
$9,370

Childhood Lead Action Project was awarded $9,370 for their "Community Lead Poisoning Prevention Initiative" project. The project will provide education, outreach, and collaboration within the communities of East Providence and Pawtucket, RI with the goals of reducing the incidences of lead poisoning; increasing public lead safety knowledge and expertise of those performing renovation or repair on residences; increasing the understanding of Rhode Island's lead law at the city level; and building the capacity of low-income, minority, and tribal populations to reduce their exposure to toxins.

Partners: Blackstone Valley Community Action Program; City of East Providence; City of Pawtucket; East Bay Community Action Program (EBCAP); Rhode Island Medical-Legal Partnership (RIMLP)

EPA Project Officer: Sandra Brownell

Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management
Strengthening Regional Partnerships
$200,000

Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management was awarded $200,000 for their "Strengthening Regional Partnerships" project. The project will build the capacity to analyze changing conditions in Narragansett Bay and its watershed associated with climate change and nutrient pollution control. The project will organize project partners to begin the process of understanding the ecological response to such changes and improve local environmental conditions.

Partners: University of Rhode Island Coastal Institute (URI-CI); Narragansett Bay Estuary Program; Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection; Rhode Island Environmental Monitoring Collaborative; Watershed Counts

EPA Project Officer: Karen Simpson

Rhode Island Department of Health
Building Large-Scale Regional Capacity
$200,000

Rhode Island Department of Health was awarded $200,000 for their "Building Large-Scale Regional Capacity for the Rapid Detection of Bacterial Contamination" project. The project will support the Rhode Island Department of Health's BEACH program to compare the results of its traditional water testing method (IDEXX Enterolert) to the EPA's method 1609 (Rapid qPCR), which allows for same-day notifications of bacterial exceedances. This project could potentially lower the number of beach closures per year. Staff will be trained in the method and the RI lab will become the first New England-certified laboratory to use the rapid methods for water testing and notification.

Partners: Clean Ocean Access; Save the Bay; Town of Bristol, RI; City of Newport, RI
EPA Project Officer: Bryan Dore

Third Sector New England
The Food: Too Good to Waste Ambassador Program
$24,788

Third Sector New England was awarded $24,788 for their "The Food: Too Good to Waste Ambassador Program". The project will support to the Rhode Island Food Council in order to expand the Too Good to Waste pilot program to low-income households across Rhode Island. Using a train-the-trainer model, an ambassador program will teach households how to reduce the amount of food that goes to waste in their homes in order reduce the amount of food waste going to landfills (which produces methane, a greenhouse gas) while also saving food insecure households money by preventing edible food from going to waste.

Partners: African Alliance of Rhode Island; Pawtucket Housing Authority; Providence Housing Authority; Newport Housing Authority; Rhode Island Community Food Bank.

EPA Project Officer: Deborah Cohen

Healthy Urban Communities in New England

Contact Us about Healthy Urban Communities in New England
Contact Us to ask a question, provide feedback, or report a problem.
Last updated on May 8, 2024