Jastech Development Services Inc

THIS AGREEMENT WILL PROVIDE FUNDING TO JASTECH DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, INC (JASTECH) TO CLEAN UP A BROWNFIELD SITE, OVERBROOK URBAN FARM, AT VACANT LOTS 6122 AND 6150 LANCASTER AVENUE, PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA 19151. JASTECH WILL LAUNCH THE OVERBROOK FARM AND EDUCATION CENTER, AND OVERBROOK FARMACY MARKET. THE BENEFICIARIES OF THIS GRANT WILL BE THE RESIDENTS AND YOUTH OF THE OVERBROOK COMMUNITY AND SURROUNDING AREAS IN WEST PHILADELPHIA. THIS INITIATIVE WILL AIM TO RENEW AND REPURPOSE AN AREA BLIGHTED BY BROWNFIELDS INTO A HUB FOR COMMUNITY REVITALIZATION. THE EDUCATION CENTER WILL EXPAND THE EXISTING SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATHEMATICS (STEM) EDUCATION PROGRAM FOR SCHOOL-AGED CHILDREN, AND THE FARMACY MARKET WILL INCREASE NEIGHBORHOOD ACCESS TO FRESH FOOD AND NUTRITION AND PROVIDE EDUCATION ON HEALTHIER DIETS. BROWNFIELDS ARE REAL PROPERTY, THE EXPANSION, DEVELOPMENT, OR REUSE OF WHICH MAY BE COMPLICATED BY THE PRESENCE OR POTENTIAL PRESENCE OF A HAZARDOUS SUBSTANC

DESCRIPTION:THIS ASSISTANCE AGREEMENT PROVIDES FUNDING UNDER INFLATION REDUCTION ACT TO CONDUCT AMBIENT AIR MONITORING OF POLLUTANTS OF GREATEST CONCERN IN COMMUNITIES WITH ENVIRONMENTAL AND HEALTH OUTCOME DISPARITIES STEMMING FROM POLLUTION AND THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. THE GOAL OF THE OVERBROOK BREATHE RIGHT COMMUNITY AIR MONITORING PROJECT IS TO INCREASE AWARENESS OF AIR POLLUTION IN TARGETED ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE COMMUNITIES OF WEST PHILADELPHIA. WITH THE ENGAGEMENT OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN THE OVERBROOK / WYNNEFIELD / MILL CREEK / MANTUA COMMUNITIES, THE 'BREATHE RIGHT' PROJECT WILL MONITOR FIVE CRITERIA AIR POLLUTANTS AND ANALYZE SEVERAL HEAVY METALS INCLUDING LEAD IN PM2.5 TO BETTER INFORM COMMUNITY MEMBERS ABOUT THE STATE OF AIR POLLUTION IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS. ACTIVITIES:THE ACTIVITIES WILL BE USED TO SUPPORT COMMUNITY AND LOCAL EFFORTS TO MONITOR THEIR OWN AIR QUALITY AND TO PROMOTE AIR QUALITY MONITORING PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN COMMUNITIES AND TRIBAL, STATE, AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS THAT: LEVERAGE EXISTING AIR QUALITY EXPERTISE, EXPAND USE OF COMMUNITY MONITORING GROUPS AND OTHER APPROACHES THAT GIVE THE COMMUNITY A VOICE IN THE MONITORING OF THE AIR QUALITY, AND BUILD A FOUNDATION OF TRUSTING RELATIONSHIPS AND ENHANCED UNDERSTANDING FROM WHICH SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS TO COMMUNITY AIR POLLUTION PROBLEMS CAN BE FOUND. THE ACTIVITIES OF THIS PROJECT INCLUDE COLLECTING, ANALYZING OF AIR SAMPLES, AND DISTRIBUTION OF RESULTS TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS. ANALYSIS OF FIVE TRACE GASES AND PARTICULATE MATTER CONCENTRATIONS (PM2.5 AND PM10) WILL HELP TO INFORM THE COMMUNITY ABOUT THE STATE OF AIR POLLUTION IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS. ADDITIONAL CHEMICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF PARTICULATE MATTER (HEAVY METALS INCLUDING PB) WILL HELP TO ASSESS EMISSION SOURCES AND TOXICITY OF PARTICULATE MATTER. LEAD HAS BEEN PROBLEMATIC THROUGHOUT PHILADELPHIA IN AIR POLLUTION THROUGHOUT THE CITY RELATED TO CONSTRUCTION, AMONG OTHER ACTIVITIES. THE BREATHE RIGHT PROJECT IS PROPOSING TWO-YEAR CONTINUOUS SAMPLING FOR PM2.5 AND PM10 AT 15 OUTDOOR SITES AND AN INTENSIVE, TWO-WEEK CAMPAIGN MEASURING TRACE GASES FROM 15 OUTDOOR SITES PER YEAR. A FOUR-WEEK INTENSIVE MEASUREMENT CAMPAIGN WILL ASSESS CHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF PM2.5 (HEAVY METALS) AT ONE SITE EACH YEAR. WE WILL ALSO MEASURE PM2.5, PM10, AND FOUR TRACE GASES FROM 5 CO-LOCATED INDOOR ENVIRONMENTS. THE PROPOSED PROJECT WILL SHARE THE RESULTS IN COMMUNITY MEETINGS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD ONCE PER YEAR IN MEETINGS AND ON THE OEEC WEBSITE. NEIGHBORHOOD COMMUNITY MEETINGS WILL BE ORGANIZED TOO. ADDITIONALLY, THEY WILL DEVELOP A WEBSITE FOR RESIDENTS TO CHECK THE STATUS OF AIR POLLUTION. SUBRECIPIENT:THE SUBAWARD WITH VILLANOVA UNIVERSITY WILL BE USED TO SUPPORT THE AIR SAMPLING PORTION OF THE PROJECT. THIS INCLUDES INSTALLING THE AIR MONITORS, COLLECTION OF SAMPLES, ANALYZING THE LAB SAMPLES, AND DISTRIBUTION OF THE RESULTS TO THE LARGER COMMUNITY. THE SUBAWARD TO THE ACADEMY OF NATURAL SCIENCES AND DREXEL UNIVERSITY ARE TO SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY-BASED PARTICIPATORY PROJECT. THE ACTIVITIES INVOLVED WILL INCLUDE INTERPRETING, TRANSLATING, AND CREATING VISUALIZATIONS OF THE PROJECT RESULTS FOR THE LARGER COMMUNITY. THE RECIPIENT INTENDS TO ISSUE SUBAWARD AGREEMENTS TO ITS PARTNERS IN COMPLIANCE WITH APPENDIX A OF EPA'S SUBAWARD POLICY.OUTCOMES:THE ANTICIPATED DELIVERABLES WILL COMPARE THE COMMUNITY AIR POLLUTION DATA WITH THE EPA CENTRAL MONITORING STATION AND WILL PREPARE AIR QUALITY MAPS USING GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEM (GIS). THE INTENDED BENEFICIARY IS THE OVERBROOK NEIGHBORHOOD WHICH HAS A POPULATION OF ROUGHLY 43,172 PEOPLE, AND ITS GEOGRAPHY IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF ITS DEMOGRAPHICS; OVERBROOK IS IN AN ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE NEIGHBORHOOD IN PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA. KNOWLEDGE OF AIR POLLUTION RISKS AND EXPOSURE ALLOW FOR GREATER COMMUNITY ADVOCACY AND ACTION WITH CITY AND FEDERAL AGENCIES TO BETTER REGULATE AIR POLLUTION. SOME OF THE EXPECTED OUTCOMES INCLUDE COLLABORATIVE DATA COLLECTION OF FIVE CRI

DESCRIPTION:THIS PROJECT PROVIDES FUNDING TO JASTECH DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, INC. TO IMPLEMENT ITS PROJECT, WHICH WILL DESIGN, DEMONSTRATE, AND DISSEMINATE ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION PRACTICES, METHODS, AND TECHNIQUES THAT WILL SERVE TO INCREASE ENVIRONMENTAL LITERACY AND ENCOURAGE BEHAVIOR BENEFITTING THE ENVIRONMENT IN THE OVERBROOK SECTION OF PHILADELPHIA, PA. THE GRANTEE WILL DO THIS BY INCREASING PUBLIC AWARENESS AND KNOWLEDGE ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES BY PROVIDING PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS WITH THE SKILLS NECESSARY TO MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS AND TO TAKE RESPONSIBLE ACTIONS IN THEIR COMMUNITY. THE OVERBROOK COMMUNITY SCIENCE (OCS) PROJECT WILL SUPPORT EPA'S PRIORITIES FOR COMMUNITY PROJECTS THAT INCREASE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING OF THE BENEFITS OF ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP THROUGH COMMUNITY COLLABORATION ON ISSUES OF CLIMATE AND ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY. THE OCS WILL PROVIDE RESOURCES FROM THE CITY AND STATE TO EDUCATE STAKEHOLDERS IN NON-FORMAL SETTINGS ON CAREER DEVELOPMENT, ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES AND SOLUTIONS, AND TEACH ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND LOCAL ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES. ACTIVITIES:THIS PROJECT WILL INCREASE PUBLIC AWARENESS AND KNOWLEDGE ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES IN WEST AND NORTH PHILADELPHIA AND PROVIDE THESE COMMUNITIES WITH THE SKILLS NECESSARY TO MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS AND TAKE RESPONSIBLE ACTIONS. ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED DURING THIS PROJECT PERIOD INCLUDES FORMING A COMMUNITY ADVISORY BOARD (CAB) TO IMPLEMENT A REPLICABLE PILOT PROGRAM THAT FULFILS COMMUNITY-IDENTIFIED NEEDS FOR ADAPTING TO BURDENSOME CLIMATE AND ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURES. ALL PARTNERS AND SUB-AWARDEES WILL ASSIST IN THE OUTREACH AND IDENTIFICATION OF CITY-OWNED, VACANT LOTS IN THE OVERBROOK AND NORTH PHILADELPHIA SECTIONS OF PHILADELPHIA. THE OCS PLANS TO WORK WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO IDENTIFY THEIR DESIRED USE AND WILL PROVIDE WORK TO REMOVE DEBRIS FROM UNDERSERVICED VACANT LOTS. FURTHERMORE, SUB-AWARDEES, ESPERANZA, IMPACT SERVICES, WYNNEFIELD OVERBROOK REVITALIZATION CORPORATION, AND PENNSYLVANIA HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY, WILL PROVIDE COMMUNITY OUTREACH WITH THE PHILADELPHIA COMMERCE DEPARTMENT. THE OCS WILL IDENTIFY NEEDS FOR ADAPTING TO CLIMATE CHANGE AND MOTIVATING NEIGHBORHOOD-LEVEL ACTIONS TO OVERCOME BURDENSOME ENVIRONMENTAL AND HEALTH EXPOSURES; SUPPORT THE INVENTORY OF VACANT LOTS; AND HELP CONVENE MEMBERS FOR THE CAB AND PARTICIPANTS FOR FOCUS GROUPS. THE OCS PLANS TO WORK WITH THESE COMMUNITIES FROM WEST AND NORTH PHILADELPHIA TO INSTALL AIR MONITORS IN APPROXIMATELY 42 HOMES.SUBRECIPIENT:THE OCS SUBAWARDEES, ESPERANZA, IMPACT SERVICES, WYNNEFIELD OVERBROOK REVITALIZATION CORPORATION AND PENNSYLVANIA HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY WILL PROVIDE COMMUNITY OUTREACH WITH THE PHILADELPHIA COMMERCE DEPARTMENT'S - PHILADELPHIA TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS CORRIDOR (PHL TBC) STAFF MEMBERS. THEY WILL INFORM COMMUNITY MEMBERS ON OUTCOMES OF THE PILOT TO FULFIL COMMUNITY-IDENTIFIED NEEDS FOR ADAPTING TO CLIMATE CHANGE AND MOTIVATING NEIGHBORHOOD-LEVEL ACTIONS TO OVERCOME BURDENSOME ENVIRONMENTAL AND HEALTH EXPOSURES, SUPPORT THE INVENTORY OF VACANT LOTS, HELP CONVENE MEMBERS FOR THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY BOARD AND PARTICIPANTS FOR FOCUS GROUPS.OUTCOMES:IT IS ANTICIPATED THAT THIS PROJECT WILL RESULT IN THE FOLLOWING DELIVERABLES: FORMING A COMMUNITY ADVISORY BOARD TO PARTICIPATE IN THE CAMPAIGN PROCESS; CONDUCTING FOCUS GROUPS TO IDENTIFY KEY BEHAVIORAL TARGETS AND BETTER UNDERSTAND TARGET AUDIENCE PERCEPTIONS OF BARRIERS AND BENEFITS OF KEY BEHAVIORAL TARGETS; PERFORMING SAMPLING AND LEAD EXPOSURE RISK ANALYSIS; ASSESSING VACANT PROPERTIES IN THE SPECIFIED DISTRICTS; DEVELOPING AND IMPLEMENTING THE COMMUNITY-BASED CAMPAIGN IN A PARTICIPATORY MANNER, UTILIZING EXISTING ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES (E.G., EPA NONPOINT SOURCE OUTREACH TOOLBOX, OEEC EDUCATION PROGRAM, EPA, CDC, AND AD COUNCIL LEAD POISONING PREVENTION OUTREACH MATERIALS); AND, IMPLEMENTING A FOLLOW-UP COMMUNITY TRAINING AND ASSESS THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE CAMPAIGN

THIS PROJECT WILL RAISE AWARENESS OF URBAN WATER POLLUTION AND HELP STUDENTS AND RESIDENTS OVERCOME BARRIERS TO PROPERLY DISPOSE OF TOXIC HOUSEHOLD P