EPA Awards Nearly $11 Million in Wildfire Smoke Preparedness Funding
The nine selected grant applicants will spearhead a wide range of projects combatting the adverse health effects of recent wildfires in the Western United States.
- By Robert Yaniz Jr.
- Jan 26, 2024
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has earmarked nearly $11 million in grants for community buildings across the Western United States, following the region’s recent wildfires.
According to a release dated Jan. 23, this $10.67 million in funding will support nine selected grant applicants in their efforts to mitigate the health impacts of wildfire smoke, which range from minor irritations to severe respiratory and cardiovascular conditions. The grants will facilitate projects such as public health outreach and education as well as the enhancement of indoor air quality in public buildings, including schools, libraries and community centers.
“After the wildfires in Maui, the wildfire smoke that blanketed the East Coast last summer, and the many devastating wildfires in the West, we are all aware of the very real health impacts of smoke as well as the critical importance of smoke preparedness,” EPA Deputy Administrator Janet McCabe said in a statement. “EPA is providing more than $10 million in grant funding that will help provide important public health protections in communities across our country, especially in those communities who have been overburdened by smoke pollution for far too long.”
This initiative—funded under the Clean Air Act and supported by recent appropriations acts—represents a proactive approach to a growing environmental and public health challenge. As wildfires continue to pose a significant threat, these grants are a step toward safeguarding communities and ensuring a healthier indoor environment during smoke events.
More information on the organizations selected as well as the programs the grants will fund is available on the Wildfire Smoke Preparedness in Community Buildings Grant Program webpage.
About the Author
Robert Yaniz Jr. is the Content Editor for Environmental Protection.