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EPA Provides Funding to the University of Turabo and the University of Puerto Rico to Prevent Pollution

Release Date: 12/06/2012
Contact Information: John Martin, (212) 637-3662, martin.johnj@epa.gov

(New York, N.Y.) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has awarded nearly $200,000 in pollution prevention grants to the University of Turabo and the University of Puerto Rico at Aguadilla to fund projects that will help prevent pollution in Puerto Rico.

“These grants support important initiatives that will save energy and prevent pollution at universities and hotels in Puerto Rico,” said EPA Regional Administrator Judith A. Enck. “EPA is happy to support these pollution prevention initiatives in Puerto Rico.”

"The EPA's pollution prevention grants fund programs that reduce or eliminate waste at the source," said EPA Regional Administrator Judith A. Enck. "These grants help businesses, colleges and state agencies identify strategies to reduce the use of toxic materials, save energy, protect human health and save money."

The University of Turabo will use a $146,989 EPA grant to provide specialized training to hotels in Puerto Rico to teach them to reduce their energy and water consumption. The University of Turabo will develop case studies of how some hotels have made their operations more sustainable and will develop these studies into a standardized profile for hotel operations. The university will also train hotel management and staff to use the ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager, an interactive energy management tool that allows business to track and assess energy and water usage.

The University of Puerto Rico will use a $47,089 EPA grant to train a variety of businesses, educational institutions and the general public about the environmental and economic importance of conserving energy. The University of Puerto Rico will use one of its own energy efficient buildings on campus as a case study and a training tool. The university will be using ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager to track their energy conservation and will provide a series of workshops and technical assistance to promote building energy conservation.

These grants are part of the approximately $4 million in grants the EPA awards each year that are aimed at preventing pollution across the nation. For more information on EPA Region 2’s pollution prevention program, visit https://www.epa.gov/region02/p2/

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