Berkshire Environmental Action Team Inc

DESCRIPTION:THE 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.ACTIVITIES:THE ACTIVITIES INCLUDE MONITORING AIR QUALITY AROUND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE NEIGHBORHOODS, CITY SCHOOLS, AND NEAR POINT SOURCES OF POLLUTION IN PITTSFIELD MASSACHUSETTS. THIS PROJECT WILL COMPILE NEIGHBORHOOD-LEVEL AIR QUALITY DATA TO COMPARE WITH LOCATION AND WEATHER DATA AND CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEALTH SURVEY TO IDENTIFY HEALTH CONCERNS AND INCREASES AND DECREASES IN SEVERITY, CHRONOLOGICALLY PAIRING THIS DATA WITH AIR QUALITY MONITORING RESULTS TO LOOK FOR CORRELATION. THIS DATA WILL BE SHARED WITH LOCAL, REGIONAL AND STATE AGENCIES AS WELL AS ENVIRONMENTAL AND COMMUNITY ACTION ORGANIZATIONS TO ADVOCATE FOR CHANGES IN POLICY TO LOWER ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION WITH THE GOAL OF ADDRESSING CLIMATE IMPACTS AND PUBLIC HEALTH, ESPECIALLY IN VULNERABLE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE NEIGHBORHOODS. SUBRECIPIENT:NO SUBAWARDS ARE INCLUDED IN THIS ASSISTANCE AGREEMENT.OUTCOMES:THE ANTICIPATED DELIVERABLES INCLUDE IDENTIFICATION OF AIR POLLUTION, COMMUNITY-SPECIFIC ASSESSMENTS OF AIR POLLUTION DATA, DEPLOYMENT OF EQUIPMENT TO CONDUCT AIR QUALITY MONITORING IN OR NEAR UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES, INCREASED PUBLIC AWARENESS OF AIR QUALITY AND USE OF CITIZEN SCIENCE THROUGH DEMONSTRATION OF HAND-HELD MONITORING AT PUBLIC EVENTS IN THE COMMUNITY, NEAR REAL-TIME AIR QUALITY DATA AVAILABILITY FOR COMMUNITIES AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS, STRENGTHENING OF EXISTING AND PROMOTION OF NEW PARTNERSHIPS AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT THROUGH VARIOUS ACTIVITIES AND INFORMATION EXCHANGES, AND DATA-INFORMED ADVOCACY FOR BETTER PUBLIC HEALTH, HOUSING, TRANSPORTATION, AND LAND USE REFORM. THE EXPECTED OUTCOMES INCLUDE INCREASED PARTICIPATION BY LOCAL BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY IN EMISSIONS REDUCTION, DEMAND RESPONSE PROGRAMS, AND ADOPTION OF RENEWABLES TO LOWER EMISSIONS, CHANGES IN TRAFFIC PATTERNS AND ELECTRIFICATION OF PUBLIC TRANSIT AND SCHOOL BUSES, ENERGY EFFICIENCY UPGRADES AND ELECTRIFICATION OF BUILDINGS AND VEHICLES TO REDUCE EMISSIONS, IMPROVED CONDITIONS IN HOUSING AND PUBLIC BUILDINGS (ALLOWING FOR IMPROVED HEALTH OUTCOMES), NO FOSSIL-FUELED OR TRASH BURNING ELECTRIC GENERATION WITHIN THE CITY, INCREASED ACCESS TO CLINICS AND HEALTHCARE MEASURES, AND IMPROVED ACCESS TO GREEN SPACE. THE INTENDED BENEFICIARIES INCLUDE UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES IN PITTSFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.