$3.5 million in state funding for environmental justice initiatives


CAPITAL REGION, N.Y. — Governor Kathy Hochul recently announced a total of $3.5 million in state funding to support environmental justice initiatives being led by more than 20 community-based organizations across the state.

According to a press release, new grants invest in localized air monitoring initiatives and projects that take action to raise awareness and address environmental and health issues, helping to reach emission reduction requirements under the historic 2019 Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act.

“New York is committed to ensuring disadvantaged communities throughout the state have the funding, resources, and support they need to help address the disproportionate burden of air pollution and climate impacts that has been affecting communities and residents for far too long,” Hochul said in the release.

“With $3.5 million in new funding, community organizations can help address local concerns and develop solutions in partnership with the state to improve quality of life, enhance air quality and the environment, and help to ensure a cleaner, greener future.”

Among the grants announced today, $2.1 million in Environmental Justice Community Impact Grants were awarded to 22 community-based organizations to support projects that address environmental and public health concerns. Community Impact funding assists communities in developing and implementing programs that address environmental issues, harms, and health hazards, build community consensus, set priorities, and improve public outreach and education.

Since 2006, the Department of Environmental Conservation’s (DEC) Office of Environmental Justice awarded nearly $15 million for 236 projects to help support communities overburdened by environmental issues.

Funding for Community Impact Grants is provided by the State’s Environmental Protection Fund (EPF), a critical resource for environmental justice and other programs such as land acquisition, farmland protection, invasive species prevention and eradication, recreation access, and water quality improvement.

Among the many environmental victories in the enacted 2022-23 State Budget, Governor Hochul and legislative leaders increased the EPF to $400 million, the highest-ever level of funding in the program’s history.

In addition, four community-based organizations will receive $1.43 million in Disadvantaged Community (DAC) Air Quality Monitoring grants. This grant opportunity, first announced by Governor Hochul in May during Air Quality Awareness Week, is also funded by EPF resources designated to support environmental justice communities. Eligible community-based organizations serving disadvantaged communities were eligible for grants up to $500,000 for initiatives that obtain air quality data tailored to issues identified by community residents.

“New York State’s support of environmental justice initiatives will result in stronger, healthier communities and I applaud Governor Hochul’s ongoing commitment to the organizations on the ground who are making a difference,” New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Basil Seggos said in the release.

“Both the community impact and air monitoring grants support the crucial work of not-for-profit, community-based organizations that develop a wide variety of projects that drive positive change and improved environmental outcomes in their communities.”

Community Impact Grants were awarded to the following organizations in the Capital Region:

• Media Alliance, Inc. $100,000; Growing Environmental Education at NATURE Lab; Media Alliance, Inc. seeks support to create an outdoor environmental education space at the NATURE Lab to improve community engagement, accessibility, and connectivity across its urban arts and environmental education campus.

• Radix Ecological Sustainability Center $100,000; South End Food Sovereignty Education and Climate Justice Project; The South End Food Sovereignty Education and Climate Justice Project will promote food justice literacy through the care of urban garden space and the involvement of youth and adults in the process of food production, distribution, and composting.

• Kite’s Nest, Inc. $99,996; Youth Growing Justice; This project engages youth as environmental justice leaders through a healing-centered approach to developing regenerative neighborhood businesses and food justice initiatives, while increasing knowledge of environmental stressors in the community.

The community air monitoring grants announced are in addition to the first-of-its-kind air quality and greenhouse gas mobile monitoring initiative in 10 disadvantaged communities across the state.

The areas covered in the community air monitoring initiative are home to approximately five million New Yorkers and include neighborhoods overburdened by environmental pollution, which were selected for air quality monitoring using criteria developed by the Climate Justice Working Group.

The results of the monitoring will drive solutions to reduce greenhouse gases and other harmful air pollutants to protect public health and the environment. Grants help bolster efforts in communities beyond the community air monitoring initiative.


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