Micah Six Eight Mission

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 CORONA VIRUS DISEASE-19 PANDEMIC. PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS AND LAKE CHARLES, LOUISIANA ARE SOME OF THE MOST HEAVILY POLLUTED FOSSIL FUEL INDUSTRIAL AREAS IN THE GULF SOUTH. HOWEVER, THESE TWO COMMUNITIES HAVE RECEIVED VERY LITTLE SUPPORT FOR AIR POLLUTION MONITORING OR REFORM. THIS PROJECT WILL SET AIR MONITORING BASELINES THAT FUTURE MEASUREMENTS CAN COMPARE TO. THE PRIMARY USE OF AIR SENSOR DATA WILL BE FOR COMMUNITY INFORMATION AND ENGAGEMENT.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, 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. THIS PROJECT WILL SET AIR MONITORING BASELINES THAT FUTURE MEASUREMENTS CAN COMPARE TO. MICAH 6:8 MISSION'S TEAM OF COMMUNITY PARTNERS WILL DEPLOY ONE SENSOR IN THE GREATER LAKE CHARLES AREA AND ONE SENSOR IN THE GREATER PORT ARTHUR AREA. THE SENSORS WILL BE FIXED IN PLACE, AIR QUALITY (AQ) SYNC1 HIGH-GRADE SENSORS WITH A WEATHER STATION ATTACHED. DATA FROM THE AQSYNC IS TRANSMITTED IN REAL TIME THROUGH A CELLULAR NETWORK INSTALLED ON THE MONITOR ITSELF. THE COLLABORATORS ON THIS PROJECT WILL ENDEAVOR TO FIND FUTURE FUNDING FOR MOBILE AIR MONITORING FOR A WIDER VARIETY OF POLLUTANTS, TO COMPLEMENT THE FIXED SENSORS.SUBRECIPIENT:FOR A BETTER BAYOU AND HEALTHY GULF ARE PARTNERS WITH MICAH 6:8 MISSION. THEY WILL BE CONDUCTING SOCIAL MEDIA AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH, PERFORMING MAINTENANCE ON THE EQUIPMENT SUCH AS CHANGING FILTERS, AND PROVIDING DATA MANAGEMENT AND COORDINATION WITH CONTRACTORS.OUTCOMES:THE ANTICIPATED DELIVERABLES INCLUDE: 1) AT LEAST ONE YEAR OF CONTINUOUS AIR EMISSIONS DATA (BARRING INOPERABLE CONDITIONS DUE TO STORMS) AND WEATHER DATA FROM A FIXED LOCATION IN PORT ARTHUR, AND A FIXED LOCATION IN LAKE CHARLES. 2) A WEBSITE WITH MAPS AND ANIMATION, AND COMMUNICATION OF THE RESULTS OF THE SENSORS TO THE PUBLIC. 3) COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT FORUMS (SOCIAL MEDIA, NEWSLETTER, TEXT, E.G.) WHERE PEOPLE CAN FIND OUT WHAT'S IN THE AIR, PLUS LEARN HOW TO GET INVOLVED IN ADVOCACY AND COMMUNICATE WITH EACH OTHER ABOUT POLLUTION CONCERNS. THE EXPECTED OUTCOMES INCLUDE: 1) INCREASED PUBLIC AWARENESS OF AIR POLLUTANTS AND PUBLIC HEALTH AS A RESULT OF AIR POLLUTION. 2) COMMUNITY MEMBERS FEEL MORE EMPOWERED AND MORE EMBOLDENED TO AGITATE FOR HEALTH, JUSTICE AND EQUITY. 3) COMMUNITY MEMBERS FEEL LISTENED TO AND VALUED. 4) DATASETS ON AIR POLLUTION THAT ARE RIGOROUS IN QUALITY AND SCIENTIFIC DEFENSIBILITY ARE AVAILABLE TO THE COMMUNITIES. THE INTENDED BENEFICIARIES INCLUDE COMMUNITIES IN GREATER PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS, AS WELL AS GREATER LAKE CHARLES, LOUISIANA.

DESCRIPTION:THIS AGREEMENT PROVIDES FUNDING UNDER THE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT (IRA) TO MICAH SIX EIGHT MISSION. THE RECIPIENT WILL ENGAGE LOW-INCOME AND COMMUNITIES OF COLOR IN CAMERON AND CALCASIEU PARISHES THAT BEAR THE BURDEN OF DISPROPORTIONATE IMPACTS OF POLLUTION FROM THE HEAVY PETROCHEMICAL INDUSTRY IN SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA AND ARE ALSO EXTREMELY VULNERABLE TO CLIMATE CHANGE. IN COLLABORATION WITH COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS, CHURCHES, ACADEMIC EXPERTS, LOCAL BUSINESSES, AND NATIONAL NONPROFITS, THIS PROJECT WILL CARRY OUT A CAPACITY BUILDING PROJECT ON AIR AND WATER POLLUTION AND THEIR RELATED HEALTH IMPACTS AND LINKS TO CLIMATE CHANGE. IT WILL GATHER EXISTING DATA ON POLLUTION, CLIMATE CHANGE, AND PUBLIC HEALTH AND COLLECT FURTHER DATA USING AIR POLLUTION MONITORS THAT HAVE BEEN INSTALLED BY THE GRANTEE. THE RESULTS OF A SERIES OF WORKSHOPS, DOOR-TO-DOOR OUTREACH, AND DISTRIBUTION OF EVIDENCE-BASED EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS WILL INFORM A FINAL ACTION PLAN, WHICH WILL DETAIL THE STEPS THAT MUST BE TAKEN TO ADDRESS COMMUNITY NEEDS..ACTIVITIES:THE ACTIVITIES INCLUDE IDENTIFYING AND SUPPORTING EXISTING AND POTENTIAL LEADERS IN THE COMMUNITY, EQUIPPING THE LEADERS WITH THE TECHNOLOGY AND SUPPORT NEEDED FOR THEM CONTRIBUTE FULLY TO THE PROJECT; UNDERTAKING MAPPING AND DATA ANALYSIS; REVIEWING RELEVANT PROJECTS AND PLANS BEING UNDERTAKEN BY OTHER STAKEHOLDERS; EDUCATING RESIDENTS ABOUT AIR AND WATER POLLUTION PROBLEMS; HOSTING TWO WORKSHOPS TO ENGAGE RESIDENTS IN THE AREA; USING THESE WORKSHOPS TO IDENTIFY THEIR AIR AND WATER POLLUTION CONCERNS AND TO SHAPE GOALS, VISION AND PLAN OF ACTION FOR ADDRESSING THEM; AND FORMULATING VIABLE STRATEGIES TO ADDRESS AND RESOLVE THE IDENTIFIED CONCERNS.SUBRECIPIENT:EVERGREEN MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH WILL SUPPORT THIS PROJECT BY IDENTIFYING COMMUNITY LEADERS; AND HOSTING MEETINGS, WORKSHOPS, AND PRESENTATIONS. HABITAT RECOVERY WILL SUPPORT MICAH SIX EIGHT MISSION BY IDENTIFYING COMMUNITY LEADERS IN CAMERON PARISH, AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS; ENGAGING RESIDENTS THROUGH DOOR-TO-DOOR OUTREACH/SOCIAL MEDIA/PHONE CALLS AND PARTICIPATING IN WORKSHOPS; PROVIDING INPUT ON BROCHURES, SUMMARY REPORTS, AND FINAL ACTION PLAN.OUTCOMES:THE ANTICIPATED DELIVERABLES INCLUDE IDENTIFICATION OF COMMUNITY LEADERS WHO WILL PROVIDE SUPPORT OVER THE DURATION OF THE PROJECT; LIST OF STAKEHOLDERS INTERESTED IN CONTRIBUTING KNOWLEDGE OR EXPERTISE TO THE PROJECT; FIVE COMMUNITY LEADERS ARE EQUIPPED AND TRAINED TO USE TECHNOLOGY - IPADS, HOT-SPOTS, AND ZOOM FOR VIRTUAL MEETINGS; SUBMISSION OF QMP AND QAPP TO EPA FOR APPROVAL; FORMALIZED PROJECT STEERING GROUP; MEETING MINUTES AND SIGN-IN SHEETS; COPIES OF ALL RESOURCES AND MATERIALS USED DURING THE PROJECT; LIST OF RELEVANT PLANS, AND SUMMARY OF THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PLANS TO THE PROJECT; DATA GATHERED AND ANALYZED; MAPS CREATED; BROCHURES SUMMARIZING THE MAIN AIR AND WATER POLLUTION ISSUES RELEVANT TO THE COMMUNITIES; LIST OF RESIDENTS INTERESTED IN ENGAGING IN THE PROJECT AND INITIAL UNDERSTANDING OF RESIDENT' MAIN CHALLENGES AND NEEDS; UNDERSTANDING OF RESIDENTS' GOALS, VISION, AND PLAN OF ACTION; PRESENTATIONS AT CONFERENCES AND WEBINARS AND; FINAL REPORT/ACTION PLAN AND BROCHURES BASED ON THE ASSESSMENT OF COMMUNITY NEEDS THE EXPECTED OUTCOMES INCLUDE 5 COMMUNITY LEADERS EQUIPPED, TRAINED AND READY TO SUPPORT IMPLEMENTATION; 100 RESIDENTS REACHED THROUGH DOOR-TO-DOOR OUTREACH/SOCIAL MEDIA MESSAGES/PHONE CALLS; 50 RESIDENTS PROVIDE SUPPORT AND INPUT THROUGH THE WORKSHOPS; 40 NATIONAL CBOS LEARNING FROM THE PROJECT; 2 GOVT. PARTNERS, 1 LOCAL NON-PROFIT AND 1 UNIVERSITY STAKEHOLDERS PARTICIPATING IN EFFORTS TO ADDRESS COMMUNITY ISSUES AND; 20 OF NATIONAL STAKEHOLDERS LEARNING ABOUT PROJECT. THE INTENDED BENEFICIARIES INCLUDE HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES IN CAMERON AND CALCASIEU PARISHES IN LOUISIANA.