Chicago, IL – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a history-making selection of finalist Blacks in Green (BIG) with a strong community-based alliance to serve as one of 17 Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Centers (EJ TCTAC), as part of a $177M program. BIG will receive $10 million in grant funding over five years to establish technical assistance centers across EPA’s Region 5 territory, which includes 35 tribal lands, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin. The centers will provide technical assistance, training, and related support to communities and their partners with environmental justice concerns.
Partners in this innovative approach encourage frontline organizations everywhere to assume financial leadership of solutions being proposed for their communities – a simple, essential “flip the script” that properly positions them in ownership. BIG and partners worked in kinship, through a democratic process to advance this core principle of the new terms of engagement between frontline organizations and white allies, honoring our leadership as experts on the ground.
BIG will serve as lead in the Region 5 EJ TCTAC Alliance, a collaboration with the following frontline, community-based and community serving organizations, building this program together, to provide “front-door access” for people and communities across the region seeking environmental and energy justice solutions.
Midwest Tribal Energy Resources Association (MTERA)
Black Environmental Leaders Association (BEL)
Environmental Health Watch (EHW)
School of Public Health (SPH) – University of Illinois, Chicago
Smart Energy Design Assistance Center (SEDAC) – University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Read the joint press release from BIG and our partners by clicking the button below.
Missed EPA’s live announcement? You can find the recording on EPA’s YouTube channel linked below
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE THRIVING COMMUNITIES TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE CENTERS PROGRAM & AWARDEES
EPA has selected the following 14 organizations to serve as Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Centers (EJ TCTACs), along with their partners. These organizations will receive a total of $177 million to help underserved and overburdened communities across the country.
University of Connecticut
West Harlem Environmental Action, Inc.
Inter-American University of Puerto Rico-Metro Campus
National Wildlife Federation
Deep South Center for Environmental Justice
Research Triangle Institute
Blacks in Green
University of Minnesota
New Mexico State University
Wichita State University
University of Arizona
San Diego State University
Willamette Partnership
University of Washington
In addition, EPA has selected three national EJ TCTACs that will provide additional assistance across the country, with particular capacity to assist Tribes, including:
International City/County Management Association
Institute for Sustainable Communities
National Indian Health Board
The following is a list of these organizations and their partners.
The EJ TCTAC Program is part of the Department of Transportation’s Thriving Communities Initiative that is working towards a holistic government-wide framework for providing technical assistance and capacity building resources those most in need to improve and foster thriving communities throughout the country.
