News Releases from Region 06

EPA Addresses Environmental Justice in New Mexico

DALLAS - (Oct. 8, 2015) Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced Friends of Valle de Oro was selected as a grant recipient to address environmental justice (EJ) issues in the Mountain View neighborhood in Bernalillo County N.M. The grant enables the organization to conduct research, provide education, and develop solutions to local health and environmental issues in minority communities overburdened by harmful pollution.

"These grants empower communities to implement environmental protection projects locally," said EPA Regional Administrator Ron Curry. "By working directly with communities that are affected, we can accomplish more to reduce environmental harm."

The 2015 projects will help 40 organizations carry out projects that will educate residents about environmental issues. The grants also support activities that address community concerns and empower the next generation of environmental stewards.

Environmental justice is defined as the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people, regardless of race or income, in the environmental decision-making process. Since 1994, EPA's environmental justice small grants program has supported projects to address environmental justice issues in nearly 1,500 communities. The grants represent EPA's continued commitment to expand the conversation on environmentalism and advance environmental justice in communities across the nation.

2015 EJ Small Grant recipients and project descriptions: http://www3.epa.gov/environmentaljustice/resources/publications/grants/ej-smgrants-recipients-2015.pdf

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