The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently announced nearly $128 million to fund 186 projects across the country that advance environmental justice as part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda.
The organizations, which EPA has selected through its Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem Solving Cooperative Agreement and Environmental Justice Government-to-Government programs, will use the funds to ensure disadvantaged communities that have historically suffered from underinvestment have access to clean air and water and climate resilience solutions in alignment with the Biden-Harris Administration’s Justice40 Initiative. Read the full press release by the United States Environmental Protection Agency here.
Accompanying Returning Citizens with Hope (ARCH) will support individuals who are reentering the workforce society after serving prison terms with secure employment through their Reentry Solar workforce program focused on low-cost clean energy solar projects for nonprofits in Columbus, Ohio. This skilled emerging workforce will play a pivotal role in reducing 7,000,000 metric tons of CO2 emissions over 20 years and yield the green energy equivalent of powering 85,000 homes with solar for a year. We previously highlighted our friends at ARCH as finalists in the Columbus Philanthropitch.
Community Renewable Energy (CRE) and the Ohio Environmental Council collaborated with ARCH on this application and are so excited to see them in action. Chief Operating Officer Laura Recchie shared her enthusiasm saying, “My favorite part about working to build the solar ecosystem up in central Ohio is getting to work with organizations like ARCH and Ohio Environmental Council on these shared goals.”
Congratulations to ARCH and to all in Central Ohio who will benefit from this wonderful program.
