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U.S. EPA Awards $100,000 to City of Prichard to Reduce Pollution And Health Disparities

Release Date: 01/07/2010
Contact Information: Davina Marraccini, (404) 562-8293, marraccini.davina@epa.gov

(ATLANTA – Jan. 7, 2010) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently awarded $100,000 to the city of Prichard, Ala., for a project designed to help residents understand and reduce local pollution and associated health disparities.

The award is part of EPA’s Community Action for a Renewed Environment (CARE) program, a community-based, community-driven program that builds partnerships to help the public understand and reduce toxic risks from numerous sources. Since the program was established four years ago, CARE has provided a total of $12 million to 68 communities nationwide, including more than $1 million to eight communities in the southeast. During 2009, the Prichard CARE project was the only project funded in the southeast region and one of just nine projects funded nationwide.

“EPA looks forward to collaborating with the city of Prichard to build local partnerships that will be instrumental in solving local environmental problems,” said Stan Meiburg, Acting Regional Administrator for EPA in Atlanta. “We hope to work with our community project partners to reduce releases and minimize exposure to toxic pollutants.”

Founded in 2008, the Prichard Environmental Consortium works with the city of Prichard to preserve and restore the city’s environment. The Prichard CARE project will focus on creating a community-based partnership that will work in collaboration with various agencies in identifying environmental and health risks in the Prichard community.

“This is a great opportunity for our citizens to voice their opinions on environmental concerns that they are experiencing in their community,” said Ossia Edwards, city of Prichard District 5 Councilwoman. “Also, this gives residents the opportunity to build relationships among each other and with our partners who will be working on this project.”

Established in 2005, CARE is a competitive grant program that offers an innovative way for communities to organize and take action to reduce toxic pollution in their air, land and water. By joining forces, for-profit and non-profit organizations can work together to improve the environmental health of a community and its residents.

EPA has published the CARE Request for Proposals (RFP) for 2010 projects. EPA plans to award approximately $2 million in grants, and applications are due by Mar. 9, 2010.

Visit the CARE website at www.epa.gov/care to learn more about the program and to obtain a copy of the RFP.