California to Receive Nearly $1.2 Million from EPA to Help Businesses Prevent Pollution

EPA announced 48 selectees nationwide who will collectively receive nearly $19 million in grants to support states, Tribal Nations, and U.S. territories in providing technical assistance to businesses to develop and adopt P2 practices in local communities. All grants funded by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, or nearly half of this year’s awarded funds, were available with no cost share/match requirement—increasing equitable access to this critical funding.

“By reducing pollution in communities across California these grants will help bring about clear gains in public health,” said EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Martha Guzman. “EPA is proud to support these projects to prevent pollution at its source, protect workers from exposure, and advance environmental justice.”

The first two grants were funded by the Biden-Harris Administration’s historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which more than doubled funding for this important program and committed to delivering at least 40% of the grant benefits directly to communities long harmed and overburdened by pollution and public and private underinvestment.

• California Air Resources Board (CARB) ($350,000). CARB will provide technical assistance to automotive facilities in Southern California. Potential approaches include switching out aerosol solvent brake cleaners for less toxic water-based alternatives, converting from handwashing parts to mechanized water-based part washers, preventing carwash oil and solids from entering water bodies, and identifying best practices for oil and antifreeze waste reduction.  
• University of California (UC), Berkeley ($480,939). UC Berkeley’s program is focused on reducing toxic chemical use by identifying safer alternatives. This grant supports a partnership between industry and academia to focus on developing a path toward safer, high-performing chemicals by working together to address hazards at their source. Through this program, the next generation of green chemistry students will arrive in the industry with a clear understanding of how to design safer, effective chemicals for products that people use every day.
   

Additionally, EPA selected CARB to receive a $350,000 P2 grant through the traditional program.

• CARB ($350,000). Partnering with the California Green Business Network, CARB will provide direct technical assistance to auto repair and maintenance facilities in Northern California. Technical assistance will include 1:1 bilingual support. CARB will also develop training and resources for a network of green business coordinators throughout California and beyond. The goal is to improve the health and environment of those who live in disadvantaged communities by reducing pollution and toxic substances exposure in northern Central Valley, Central Coast, San Francisco Bay, and East Bay areas.

What They’re Saying: P2 Grant Selectees

“Small businesses are an important partner in our efforts to reduce the pollution communities face,” said Judy Nottoli, Ombudsman and Small Business Liaison at CARB. “Leveraging our longstanding partnership with the California Green Business Network, the grants will allow us to establish solutions for entities such as auto repair and auto body facilities that operate in communities overburdened with sources of pollution for innovative solutions to improve air quality and public health.”

Executive Director Megan Arnett exclaimed, “The Berkeley Center for Green Chemistry is thrilled to be a part of the EPA's Pollution Prevention program. This grant supports a unique industry/academic partnership, allowing us to forge a path toward safer, high performing chemicals by working directly with industry partners to support their efforts to address hazards at their source. We're training the next generation of green chemists to design safer, effective chemicals for everyday products. It's a win for everyone, and we're so glad the P2 program values this proactive approach.”

Why This Matters for California

Pollution prevention, also known as P2 or source reduction, is any practice that reduces, eliminates, or prevents pollution at its source before recycling, treatment, or disposal. P2 practices are essential for protecting health, improving environmental conditions–including in and around disadvantaged communities–and preserving natural resources like wetlands, groundwater, and other critical ecosystems. Pollution prevention enables California’s businesses to reduce costs, protect communities and workers from toxic chemical exposures, and conserve natural resources. 

Between 2011 and 2022, EPA’s Pollution Prevention program issued over 500 grants totaling over $54 million, which have helped businesses identify, develop, and adopt P2 approaches. These approaches have resulted in 31.9 billion kWh in energy savings, eliminated 20.8 million metric tons of greenhouse gases, saved 52 billion gallons of water, reduced 1 billion pounds of hazardous materials, and saved businesses more than $2.3 billion.

The agency expects to award funds once the legal and administrative requirements are satisfied. Once awarded, grantees will document and share with others P2 best practices identified and developed through these grants to expand positive health and safety outcomes. Each selectee will develop at least one case study on P2 practices for other businesses or technical assistance providers.

Bipartisan Infrastructure Law P2 grants will be fully funded once awarded, with individual awards as high as $350,000. Grants awarded through the traditional P2 grants program will be funded over a two-year funding cycle and require a cost share/match of fifty percent.

Background

President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law invested a historic $100 million in EPA’s P2 Program, more than doubling the P2 grant funding. EPA announced the first round of 39 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law awards in September 2022. EPA announced 24  second round awards in October 2023.

EPA’s Pollution Prevention website includes the selected project summaries as well as more information on P2 and EPA’s P2 Grant Program.

SOURCE: https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/california-receive-nearly-12-million-epa-help-businesses-prevent-pollution