LOS ANGELES – On June 9, Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37) and EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Martha Guzman held an environmental justice funding convening and grant workshop to preview the soon-to-launch Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Technical Advisory Centers (EJ TCTACs), which will soon provide technical assistance, training, and other resources to underserved and overburdened communities throughout the nation, including communities in Southern California.
Administered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy, these 17 first-of-their-kind EJ TCTACs will help communities utilize $177 million in historic funding from Congress to remove barriers and improve accessibility for communities with environmental justice concerns through technical assistance, training, and capacity-building for communities, Tribes, faith-based organizations, state governments, local governments, and community-based organizations. These centers aim to be operational in late Summer 2023.
“We cannot defend against the threats of climate change unless we talk seriously about the ways in which vulnerable and disadvantaged communities are impacted by the impacts of a warming climate,” said Kamlager-Dove. “I was glad to partner with EPA Regional Administrator Martha Guzman, who is just as passionate about environmental justice as I am, and I cannot wait to see the benefits of EJ TCTACs for communities in my District very soon.”
“Congress and the Biden Administration made it clear in laws like the Inflation Reduction Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that any action to address the climate crisis needs to consider historically marginalized populations. That is why these first-of-their-kind centers will serve as an excellent example of not only working to meet the unique needs of these groups, but also listening and learning about what sorts of services and resources should be made available. These centers are just the beginning, and I look forward to building on environmental justice progress and priorities in Congress along with other federal partners like Regional Administrator Guzman,” continued Kamlager-Dove.
“I’ve consistently heard from those on the frontlines of the fight for environmental justice of the unnecessary challenges they face applying for EPA and other federal funding opportunities,” said EPA Regional Administrator Martha Guzman.
“These first-of-their-kind EJ TCTACs will remove unnecessary barriers to help communities across the nation access the historic funding opportunities made possible thanks to President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. “
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