Biden-Harris Administration Announces $3 Million for Environmental Justice Projects in Communities Across Minnesota as Part of Investing in America Agenda
Grants to Prairie Island Indian Community, Minnesota Department of Commerce, Ecolibrium3 and Community Power announced as part of largest investments through EPA’s Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem Solving Cooperative Agreement and Environmental
WASHINGTON (Oct. 24, 2023) — Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced $3 million to fund four projects in Minnesota that advance environmental justice as part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda. The Prairie Island Indian Community, Minnesota Department of Commerce, Ecolibrium3 and Community Power, which EPA has selected through its Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem Solving Cooperative Agreement and Environmental Justice Government-to-Government programs, will use the funds to ensure disadvantaged communities that have historically suffered from underinvestment have access to clean air and water and climate resilience solutions in alignment with the Biden-Harris administration’s Justice40 Initiative.
Thanks to President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act—the largest climate investment in U.S. history—this funding is a part the largest investment ever announced under these two longstanding EPA programs. This is the first in a series of environmental justice grant announcements the agency will announce before the end of the year.
“No President has invested more in environmental justice than President Biden, and under his leadership we’re removing longstanding barriers and meaningfully collaborating with communities to build a healthier future for all,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “Together, these community-driven projects will improve the health, equity, and resilience of communities while setting a blueprint for local solutions that can be applied across the nation.”
“Today’s historic announcement is one part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to ensuring all Americans have equal access to clean and safe communities," said EPA Region 5 Administrator Debra Shore. "Thanks to these transformative investments, EPA is empowering overburdened communities to address environmental or public health issues in their communities.”
“As we work to address the climate crisis, make the clean energy transition and protect our environment, we need to make sure everyone benefits,” said Sen. Tina Smith. “It’s so important that the communities most impacted by pollution and climate change have the resources they need to adapt and thrive. These investments will help communities in Minnesota do just that – from building capacity to tackle problems within their communities to making homes more energy efficient.”
“Pleased to see this $1 million EPA Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving Cooperative Agreement Program grant awarded to Minnesota to address environmental issues through partnerships at the community level,” said Rep. Betty McCollum. “I was proud to vote for the Inflation Reduction Act, our nation’s largest-ever investment in climate action, and these federal funds will advance local solutions helping disadvantaged communities throughout our state.”
“I’m on a mission to bring more of our hard-earned tax dollars home to Minnesota,” said Rep. Dean Phillips. “The vital work made possible by $1M in EPA Environmental Justice Government-to-Government program investments in the Justice40 Minnesotans Navigating Climate Action project will ensure maximum impact for communities disproportionately impacted by environmental harms in our state. Improving our collective health and environment takes teamwork, and I celebrate the Biden Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency for leading the way.”
The grants announced today deliver on President Biden’s commitment to advance equity and justice throughout the United States. The two grant programs directly advance the President’s Justice40 initiative to deliver 40 percent of the overall benefits of certain federal investments to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution.
The Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem Solving (EJCPS) Program
EPA’s EJCPS program provides financial assistance to eligible organizations working to address local environmental or public health issues in their communities. The program builds upon President Biden’s Executive Orders 13985 and 14008, creating a designation of funds exclusively for small nonprofit organizations, which are defined as having 5 or fewer full-time employees, thus ensuring that grant resources reach organizations of lower capacity that historically struggle to receive federal funding. Eleven of the organizations selected for EJCPS this year are small nonprofit organizations, receiving over $1.6 million in total.
In Minnesota, Ecolibrium3 has been selected to receive $500,000 for a local food access and EJ leadership capacity building initiative.
Community Power has been selected to receive $500,000 for the Twin Cities Energy Efficiency Cohort and Navigator Project.
Environmental Justice Government-to-Government (EJG2G)
EPA’s EJG2G program provides funding at the state, local, territorial, and Tribal level to support government activities in partnership with community-based organizations that lead to measurable environmental or public health impacts in communities disproportionately burdened by environmental harms.
In Minnesota, the Prairie Island Indian Community has been selected to receive $1 million for the Tribal Home Energy Project, which will upgrade tribal homes with energy-efficient, carbon-reducing technologies
Minnesota Department of Commerce has been selected to receive $1 million to develop a Justice40 Leadership Academy and establish a demonstration Community-based Navigator Program.
Additional Background:
From day one of his administration, President Biden has made achieving environmental justice a top priority. And in August 2022, Congress passed, and President Biden signed, the Inflation Reduction Act into law, creating the largest investment in environmental and climate justice in U.S. history. EPA received $3 billion in appropriations to provide grants and technical assistance for activities advancing environmental and climate justice.
Under the Inflation Reduction Act, EPA has launched and expanded innovative programs to provide more support than ever before to communities that unjustly bear the burdens of environmental harm and pollution. This includes the $177 million for the creation of 16 Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Centers (EJ TCTACs) to remove barriers to federal resources and help communities pursue funding opportunities like those made available through President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda. EPA has also launched and will award funds through the $550 million Thriving Communities Grantmaking Program before the end of 2023.
To learn more about environmental justice at EPA, visit our website.