HOUSTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced Thursday that it is holding two virtual opportunities for the public to share input on a grant program being developed to support clean water in underserved Gulf of Mexico communities.
The input gathered will inform a new Request for Applications to award up to $25 million total across the five Gulf states of Texas, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana.
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The virtual public listening sessions will be held on the last Thursday of April and May, and you can register by following the links provided below:
- Thursday, April 27th, 2023 – 2:30PM – 4:00PM CST – Go Here to Register
- Thursday, May 25th, 2023 – 2:30PM – 4:00PM CST – Go Here to Register
On Nov. 21, 2021, President Joe Biden signed the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, allocating over $60 billion to the EPA to invest in clean water infrastructure. Of that $60 billion, the EPA’s Gulf of Mexico Division was appropriated $53 million over five years to develop funding opportunities for the public, with majority of the funding dedicating to activities supporting underserved communities. The new Request for Applications, under development, is intended to allocate up $25 million of the division’s funding through this law.
Participants in the virtual listening sessions will learn about the law and the funding received by EPA’s Gulf of Mexico Division, and will also have an opportunity to share ideas for projects that could be funded under the new Request for Applications. Specifically, participants will be asked to share information about the environmental challenges that are currently impacting communities and how the Request for Applications can be tailored to benefit underserved communities.
For more information about the virtual listening sessions, you can email GCEJLS_GMD@epa.gov.