WASHINGTON (Aug. 14, 2023) — Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced $11 million in grant funding to 11 institutions for research to address the drivers and environmental impacts of energy transitions in underserved and Tribal communities.

“Addressing climate change and environmental justice issues are two priorities that are integral to EPA’s mission,” said Chris Frey, Assistant Administrator for EPA’s Office of Research and Development. “This research will help us understand how transitioning away from fossil-based energy systems may impact communities and can help pave the way to a just and equitable energy future.”

Energy and transportation systems are rapidly shifting away from fossil-based energy systems. These changes will help mitigate climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The evolving energy and transportation systems provide both challenges as well as opportunities to improve environmental and public health in ways that also reduce inequities such as environmental health burdens.

This research will increase understanding of the environmental impacts of shifting energy and transportation systems on underserved and Tribal communities as well as what drives decisions to adopt renewable energy sources, energy efficient technologies, and new transportation options. Grantees will engage with communities and Tribes in these projects, learning from their lived experience and expertise to better respond to community needs. These efforts will improve the scientific foundation for the design of robust, behaviorally informed policies and programs to support the sustainable transition to renewable and low-carbon energy systems.

The following institutions are receiving awards: 

• University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, Mass., to engage with lower income households and neighborhoods in Holyoke, Massachusetts, to improve knowledge on drivers, barriers, and environmental benefits of shifting to using electric sources of energy within households.
• University of Maine, Orono, Maine, to engage with indigenous, rural, and low-income communities in Maine to understand the role of statewide Local Energy Action Networks (LEANs) in supporting and advancing renewable energy and energy efficiency adoption.
• Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Va., to work with rural and urban community members in New England to deliver information and tools that empower community-based environmental organizations to identify and advocate for renewable energy projects that are consistent with community values.
• Research Triangle Institute, Research Triangle Park, N.C., to partner with communities living near concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) in eastern North Carolina to determine the environmental, public health, economic, and environmental justice impacts of large-scale swine waste-to-energy operations.
• Green Umbrella, Cincinnati, Ohio, to evaluate the effects of using electrical power and energy efficiency on household energy consumption, security, and behavior, as well as on indoor air quality for residents of multi-family dwelling units in urban Cincinnati.
• University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, Ill., to investigate the air quality and public health impacts of transitioning to electric freight vehicles, with a focus on the Little Village neighborhood in southwest Chicago.
• Michigan Technological University, Houghton, Mich., to engage with Tribal and rural community leaders in forest-dependent communities in northern Michigan to study the impacts of current energy systems and pathways for energy transitions that enhance community well-being through improved public health, economic opportunity, and energy justice outcomes.
• The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, to engage with underserved communities in the Columbus Metropolitan Area to understand community use of electrical power and mobility needs, and to develop assessments and toolkits to support decision-makers on energy transitions that improve health, environmental and social conditions in underserved communities.
• University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, Calif., to assess and communicate the air quality and health implications of a transition from oil refining to biofuel for energy production and to engage with communities near oil refineries in the northeast San Francisco Bay area to develop a web-based tool for informing petroleum refinery conversions or retirement.
• Arizona State University, Tempe, Ariz., to develop a framework for evaluating neighborhood air pollution changes arising from shifting to alternative public transportation and electricity generation, using Maricopa County, Arizona, as a case study.
• Portland State University, Portland, Ore., to engage with communities in the western U.S. to understand the environmental justice impacts of renewable energy storage from a community-engaged perspective, focusing on different nodes spanning the life cycle of renewable energy storage infrastructures, activities, and technologies.

Learn more about the funded grant recipients.
Learn more about EPA research grants.