The Northern Liberties Neighborhood Association was among the 20 community-based groups nationwide to share in $1 million in Environmental Justice Grants from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency this week.

The organizations will receive $50,000 grants each for projects aimed at addressing environmental and public health issues as exposure to toxins, farm worker pesticide protection, fish consumption, indoor air quality, drinking water contamination, and pollution from shipping ports.

"From Anchorage, Alaska to Boston, Massachusetts, engaged communities across the country are seizing the opportunity to clean up their own backyard," said Granta Nakayama, assistant administrator for EPA's Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. "These grants provide necessary resources for local communities to take an active role in creating solutions to our nation's environmental problems."

Financial assistance under the environmental justice small grants program is available to all non-profit organizations designated by the IRS or recognized by the state, territory, commonwealth or tribe in which it is located.

The purpose of the funding is to assist affected communities so that they can develop proactive, strategic, and visionary approaches to address their environmental justice issues and to achieve community health and sustainability.

Since 1994, EPA has provided more than $31 million in funding to more than 1,100 community-based organizations.

10/5/2007