News Releases from Region 01

Lewiston, Maine Group Awarded $120,000 to Help Community Address Environmental, Public Health Risks

BOSTON – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that the Central Maine Community Health Corporation, based in Lewiston, Maine, has been selected for a $120,000 cooperative agreement for work to address environmental justice issues in their community.

The Lewiston group is one of only ten projects nationally selected this year under EPA's Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving (EJCPS) program, which supports local organizations in their efforts to develop and implement community-driven solutions that address environmental and public health disparities in minority, low-income, tribal and indigenous populations. The ten community projects, selected from 72 applications, reflect an emphasis on support for rural communities and watershed protection. The 2018 awards provide up to $120,000 per project for a two-year project period.

"Many rural and disadvantaged communities are disproportionately impacted by environmental health risks, such as lead exposure or unsafe drinking water," said EPA Acting Administrator Andrew Wheeler. "EPA is committed to supporting local partnerships that will improve the environment and health of these underserved communities."

The Central Maine Community Health Corporation, and their partners, seek to help underserved residents who experience extreme poverty and disproportionate housing-related health impacts, including lead exposure and asthma, by increasing the number of healthy residential housing units and empowering those residents to access healthy housing.

"This EPA funding will directly help this Lewiston-area organization in their efforts to improve health and quality of life in an historically underserved area," said EPA New England Regional Administrator Alexandra Dunn. "This work will help with critical efforts to address human health issues related to asthma, exposure to lead, and other environmental factors. Addressing environmental justice issues in our work is a priority as we work to make a positive difference in the lives of New England citizens."

For more information about the 2018 EJ CPS projects: https://www.epa.gov/environmentaljustice/environmental-justice-collaborative-problem-solving-cooperative-agreement-3

For more information on the EJ Collaborative Problem-Solving Program, including descriptions of previously funded projects: https://www.epa.gov/environmental-justice/environmental-justice-collaborative-problem-solving-cooperative-agreement-0

For more information on how EPA addresses Environmental Justice concerns in New England:  https://www.epa.gov/environmentaljustice/epa-region-1-environmental-justice-2017-end-year-report