Title
Grant Application - State Environmental Justice Cooperative Agreement Program - LUESA
Action
ACTION:
(A) Approve submission of a grant application to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for State Environmental Justice Cooperative Agreement Program grant funding up to $200,000.
(B) If awarded, recognize, receive and appropriate amount awarded to the General Grants Fund (G001) for the duration of the grant.
Staff Contact: Leslie Rhodes, Air Quality Director
Presentation: No
BACKGROUND/JUSTIFICATION:
Mecklenburg County Air Quality is applying for up to $200,000 in State Environmental Justice Cooperative Agreement Program (SEJCA) grant funds from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The SEJCA funding will be used to develop and implement a community-based social marketing pilot project in a local, underserved community. The grant defines “underserved community” as a community with environmental justice concerns and/or vulnerable populations, including minority, low-income, and homeless populations.
Community-based Social Marketing (CBSM) is a strategy based on research in the social sciences which involves identifying the barriers and benefits to a desired outcome and addressing those in ways that are accepted and embraced by the community. This pilot project will address the role that air quality plays as a trigger for respiratory conditions and community members will be involved in developing the pilot project.
While local air quality has improved, the Charlotte region only narrowly meets that health-based standard for ground-level ozone, as respiratory irritant. This SEJCA funding will allow County staff to work directly in an underserved community to mitigate the role air quality plays in poor respiratory health. No matching/County funds are required.
PROCUREMENT BACKGROUND:
N/A
POLICY IMPACT:
N/A
FISCAL IMPACT:
Increase in revenue and associated expense in the General Grants Fund (G001) in the awarded amount.
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