Central California Environmental Justice Network

DESCRIPTION:THE PURPOSE OF THIS COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT IS TO PROVIDE FUNDING UNDER THE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT (IRA) TO CENTRAL CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE NETWORK (CCEJN). THE RECIPIENT WILL BUILD UPON AND EXPAND EXISTING PROGRAMS AND RELATIONSHIPS WITH RESIDENTS, RESEARCHERS, AND REGULATORS TO CREATE CAMPAIGNS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING MEANINGFUL ENVIRONMENTAL AND PUBLIC HEALTH RESULTS. THEY WILL ACCOMPLISH THIS USING TWO APPROACHES: 1) COMMUNITY-LED AND-INFORMED AIR MONITORING CAMPAIGNS THAT ARE SUPPORTED BY TECHNICAL EXPERTS; 2) FACILITATION OF THE MEANINGFUL INVOLVEMENT OF RESIDENT LEADERS FROM RURAL, DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES IN PUBLIC PROCESSES THAT IMPACT THEIR HEALTH. THIS COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT PROVIDES FULL FEDERAL FUNDING IN THE AMOUNT OF $500,000.00. PRE-AWARD COSTS ARE APPROVED BACK TO APRIL 1, 2024. ACTIVITIES:THE ACTIVITIES INCLUDE 1) COMMUNITY-LED AND-INFORMED AIR MONITORING CAMPAIGNS THAT ARE SUPPORTED BY TECHNICAL EXPERTS; AND 2) FACILITATION OF THE MEANINGFUL INVOLVEMENT OF RESIDENT LEADERS FROM RURAL, DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES IN PUBLIC PROCESSES THAT IMPACT THEIR HEALTH. (1) COMMUNITY-LED AND-INFORMED AIR MONITORING CAMPAIGNS THAT ARE SUPPORTED BY TECHNICAL EXPERTS: THE COMMUNITY AIR MONITORING CAMPAIGNS HAVE THREE COMPONENTS: WE WILL WORK WITH COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY TO BUILD LOCAL CAPACITY TO MAINTAIN A COMMUNITY-RUN PARTICULATE MATTER (PM) AND OZONE MONITORING NETWORK IN RURAL AREAS THAT LACK REGULATORY MONITORS; WE WILL WORK WITH THE PUBLIC HEALTH INSTITUTE TO UTILIZE METHANE-SENSING EQUIPMENT TO IDENTIFY AND REPORT FUGITIVE EMISSIONS FROM OIL AND GAS INFRASTRUCTURE IN FENCE LINE COMMUNITIES; AND WE WILL WORK WITH PSE HEALTHY ENERGY TO CREATE AND IMPLEMENT A COMMUNITY-INFORMED VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUND (VOC) BUCKET SAMPLING CAMPAIGN TO INVESTIGATE AND RESPOND TO COMMUNITY CONCERNS. (2) FACILITATION OF THE MEANINGFUL INVOLVEMENT OF RESIDENT LEADERS FROM RURAL, DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES IN PUBLIC PROCESSES THAT IMPACT THEIR HEALTH: WE WILL PARTNER WITH GRASSROOTS GROUPS AND RESIDENT LEADERS FROM SMALL, DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES IN THE REGION TO CREATE A RURAL COMMUNITIES ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ADVISORY COMMITTEE. THIS COMMITTEE WILL LEARN ABOUT -AND BUILD THEIR CAPACITY TO ENGAGE IN-PUBLIC PROCESSES RELATED TO AIR QUALITY AND CLIMATE CHANGE POLICY. THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS WILL ALSO IDENTIFY SHARED PROBLEMS, COME TO A CONSENSUS ON A SHARED VISION, ENVISION POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS, AND COLLECTIVELY SET TARGETS TO ACCOMPLISH GOALS. A TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE (TAC) COMPOSED OF ACADEMICS AND REGULATORS WILL SUPPORT THIS RESIDENT GROUP AND WORK COLLECTIVELY TO INVESTIGATE AND DEVELOP SOLUTIONS TO THE RESIDENTS' KEY ENVIRONMENTAL AND PUBLIC HEALTH CONCERNS. SUBRECIPIENT:THIS IS ASSISTANCE AGREEMENT INCLUDES SUBAWARDS FOR COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY AND PSE HEALTH ENERGY. COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY (CSU) WILL BUILD THE CAPACITY OF CCEJN STAFF TO OPERATE AND MAINTAIN A COMMUNITY OZONE AND PM SENSOR NETWORK. CSU WILL PROVIDE TECHNICAL SUPPORT AND CAPACITY-BUILDING TRAINING TO CCEJN TO INSTILL LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY AND LOCAL CONTROL OF THE NETWORK. SPECIFICALLY, THE FUNDING WILL SUPPORT TRAVEL FOR A STUDENT FOR RUNNING SENSOR TRAINING AND TROUBLESHOOTING WORKSHOPS FOR CCEJN AND OTHERS, AND DR. JATHAR'S TIME FOR ANALYSIS AROUND DECISION-MAKING (E.G., CITING SENSORS) AND INTERPRETATION (E.G., AIR QUALITY TRENDS). PSE HEALTH ENERGY (PSE) WILL SUPPORT CCEJN IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF A VOC AIR SAMPLING PLAN, INCLUDING STRATEGIES TO IDENTIFY AIR SAMPLING LOCATIONS AND PROVIDE AIR SAMPLING GUIDANCE. PSE WILL ALSO ANALYZE AND SUMMARIZE THE LABORATORY DATA FROM THE COLLECTED AIR SAMPLES INTO SHORT WRITTEN SUMMARIES, FIGURES, AND AGGREGATED DATASETS, AS WELL AS SUPPORT CCEJN'S CAPACITY-BUILDING INITIATIVES VIA MONTHLY CALLS. OUTCOMES:THE ANTICIPATED DELIVERABLES INCLUDE COMMUNITY-LED AND-INFORMED AIR MONITORING CAMPAIGNS THAT ARE SUPPORTED BY TECHNICAL EXPERTS AND FACILITATION OF THE MEANI