Biden-Harris Administration announces University of Massachusetts campuses to receive nearly $1.5 million in grants to help businesses prevent pollution as part of Investing in America agenda
BOSTON (Oct. 31, 2024) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the University of Massachusetts Amherst, the University of Massachusetts Boston, and the University of Massachusetts Lowell have been selected to collectively receive nearly $1.5 million in grants to provide technical assistance to businesses to develop and adopt pollution prevention (P2) practices in local communities.
P2 Grants Funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law:
- The University of Massachusetts Amherst has been selected to receive $349,363. The University of Massachusetts Amherst will provide technical assistance to the beverage manufacturing industry in the southern New England states of Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island to reduce energy, water, and toxic chemical use, and waste generation. Assistance will include site visits to production facilities to provide specific P2 recommendations, followed by ongoing implementation support.
- The University of Massachusetts Boston has been selected to receive $350,000. The University of Massachusetts Boston will provide technical assistance to craft beverage manufacturers, including those in communities with environmental justice concerns. The project will focus on reducing toxic cleaners and sanitizers, energy and water usage, and single-use packaging. The project will also train business students to use sustainability benchmarking tools that identify source reduction opportunities and help businesses achieve environmental and business benefits.
- The University of Massachusetts Lowell has been selected to receive $349,899. New developments in vapor degreasing technology have made safer alternatives to trichloroethylene (TCE) possible. The Toxics Use Reduction Institute (TURI) at the University of Massachusetts Lowell will establish a Vacuum Vapor Degreasing Hub to identify, optimize, and validate safer alternatives, and to train potential users. In addition to evaluation of vacuum vapor degreasing, TURI will conduct research into safer solvent alternatives for TCE.
P2 Grant funded by the traditional P2 Grants Program:
- The University of Massachusetts Lowell has been selected to receive $409,551. The Toxics Use Reduction Institute at the University of Massachusetts Lowell will work with existing industry partners needing assistance to eliminate their use of trichloroethylene or other halogenated solvents in metal working and finishing sectors. The project will demonstrate the performance of new technologies to replace toxic solvents used in vapor degreasing and provide incentive grants for the adoption of safer alternatives. Replacing these toxic solvents will also help to improve human health and the environment of disadvantaged communities. The demonstration program will allow for a more effective and efficient assessment process, eliminating duplicative efforts to identify potential alternatives, contact vendors and validate methods.
"Every community deserves clean air, safe water, and a healthy environment—and pollution prevention grants help achieve that by reducing waste at the source. By adopting smarter and innovative practices that limit the use of toxic materials and conserve resources, these investments are helping our partners to support New England businesses to cut costs, grow sustainably, and protect the environment," said EPA Regional Administrator David W. Cash. "Thanks to the Biden-Harris Administration, together we're creating lasting benefits for local economies and ensuring that environmental progress and economic growth go hand in hand and reach all communities, including those that need it most. That's Investing in America."
"With these grants, UMass Lowell, Boston, and Amherst will be able to lead innovative projects to reduce different types of pollution at their sources. It's a win-win: the federal government is investing in our future leaders and working to address one of the greatest challenges we face today," said U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren.
"The Environmental Protection Agency's Pollution Prevention program represents a significant commitment to enhancing environmental quality across various industries, and I'm proud to have worked and voted to secure funding for this program through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law," said U.S. Senator Edward J. Markey. "By receiving funding for projects that will help our beverage manufacturers cut toxic chemicals and reduce energy usage, our University of Massachusetts campuses will help us brew up a more sustainable economy. And as someone who has fought for decades in support of the recently proposed ban on trichloroethylene, I'm inspired to see these Massachusetts institutions leading the way in getting this toxic substance out of our supply chains once and for all. Thanks to more than $1.5 million in Pollution Prevention grants, our daily lives will be enriched and our thirst will be quenched by cleaner, safer products."
"Once again, Massachusetts institutions will lead the way in our efforts to combat pollution and create safer communities," said Congresswoman Lori Trahan. "I'm particularly proud to see UMass Lowell's Toxics Use Reduction Institute continue to be recognized for their cutting-edge work to reduce pollution in the manufacturing, metal working, and finishing sectors."
"We are excited to continue our work with EPA's Pollution Prevention Program," said Lauren Mattison, Director of Technical Services and Applied Research in the Energy Transition Institute at UMass Amherst. "The in-depth technical assistance we provide through this grant will help beverage producers reduce waste and emissions, save money, and receive recognition for their environmental leadership. We will also engage with industry partners, including those focused on increasing diversity in the brewing industry, to promote sustainability more broadly to both businesses and consumers."
"We're thrilled to receive this grant to help local craft beverage makers reduce their environmental footprint," said Dean and Distinguished Professor Venky Venkatachalam, PhD., College of Management, UMass Boston. "This project supports sustainable practices and gives our students hands-on experience. I commend Dr. Vesela Veleva, a faculty member in the College of Management, for her hard work in securing this grant. Her expertise in business and sustainability will significantly benefit the environment and promote economic growth, and her leadership is vital to the success of this initiative."
"TURI is very grateful to receive these two grants from EPA that will allow us to advance our work with industry partners to help them eliminate their use of TCE and other toxic solvents," said Jason Marshall, TURI Laboratory Director. "By deepening our collaboration with companies to highlight best practices and find innovative solutions, we look forward to empowering more businesses to adopt safer alternatives and contribute to a healthier environment for all."
In total, EPA announced 48 selectees across the country that will collectively receive nearly $19 million in grants to support states, Tribal Nations, and U.S. territories in providing technical assistance to businesses to develop and adopt pollution prevention (P2) practices in local communities. Thanks to President Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, nearly half of the funds awarded this year were made available with no cost share/match requirement.
Pollution prevention, also known as P2 or source reduction, is any practice that reduces, eliminates, or prevents pollution at its source prior to recycling, treatment, or disposal. Preventing pollution at the source rather than managing waste afterwards is an important way to support American business' efforts to reduce costs, while protecting communities from exposure to toxic chemicals and conserving natural resources. These practices are essential for protecting health, improving environmental conditions–including in and around disadvantaged communities–and preserving natural resources like wetlands, groundwater sources, and other critical ecosystems.
Between 2011-2022, EPA's Pollution Prevention program issued over 500 grants totaling more than $54 million, which have helped businesses identify, develop, and adopt P2 approaches. These approaches have resulted in 31.9 billion kWh in energy savings, eliminated 20.8 million metric tons of greenhouse gases, saved 52 billion gallons of water, reduced 1 billion pounds of hazardous materials, and saved businesses more than $2.3 billion.
The agency expects to award funds once all legal and administrative requirements are satisfied. Once awarded, selected grantees will document and share P2 best practices that they identify and develop through these grants, so that others can replicate these practices and outcomes. Each selected grantee will also develop at least one case study during the grant period on P2 practices that are new or not widely known or adopted, or where detailed information on the P2 practices could benefit other businesses or P2 technical assistance providers.
The grants funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will be fully funded upon being awarded, with individual grant awards as high as $350,000. Grants that are a part of the traditional P2 grants program will be funded over a two-year funding cycle and require a cost share/match of fifty percent. EPA's Pollution Prevention Grant Program advances President Biden's Justice40 Initiative which set a goal to deliver 40% of the overall benefits from certain federal investments to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution. The full list of selections can be found below, and the selected project summaries can be found on EPA's Pollution Prevention website.
Background
President Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law made a historic $100 million investment in EPA's P2 Program, more than doubling the funding for P2 grants. The first round of 39 awards funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law was announced in September 2022 and the second round of 24 awards was announced October 2023.
The list of selections can be found below, and the selected project summaries can be found on EPA's Pollution Prevention website.
Read more about P2 and EPA's P2 Grant Program.