[StBernard] [r6news] Louisiana environmental justice group to receive $100, 000 grant from EPA

[Westley Annis]

LEJCOC project will focus on air emissions; $1 million in grants awarded
nationwide

(Dallas, Texas – June 8, 2007)  A Louisiana environmental justice group
will use a grant from the Environmental Protection Agency to work toward
reducing residents’ exposure to toxic air emissions from industrial
facilities.

The Louisiana Environmental Justice Community Organization Coalition
(LEJCOC) of White Castle will be awarded $100,000 as part of EPA’s
Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving Program.  EPA
recently awarded a total of $1 million in grants to communities across
the country for projects aimed at addressing environmental and public
health issues such as childhood asthma, farm worker pesticide
protection, fish consumption, indoor air quality, drinking water
contamination and lead poisoning prevention.

LEJCOC will concentrate on two communities in Shreveport and St. James
Parish.  The group plans to train residents to use of alternative
dispute resolution strategies to empower them to negotiate with the
industries in these two communities.  They will also work with the
industries to make changes to equipment and operating controls.

EPA's environmental justice program was created in response to an agency
report that found that minority and low-income populations may
experience higher than average exposure to pollutants and may be
disproportionately affected by environmental problems.  Since 1994, the
program has provided over $31 million in funding to more than 1,100
community-based organizations.  Financial assistance is available to all
non-profit organizations designated by the IRS or recognized by the
state, territory, commonwealth or tribe in which they are located.  The
purpose of the funding is to assist affected communities so that they
can develop proactive, strategic and visionary solutions to their
environmental justice issues.

Additional information on Environmental Justice and program grants is
available at http://www.epa.gov/earth1r6/6dra/oejta/ej/index.html.

To learn more about activities in EPA Region 6, please visit
www.epa.gov/region6.

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