Rep. Vargas Announces Nearly $20 Million Environmental and Climate Justice Community Change Grant for San Diego
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Representative Juan Vargas (CA-52) announced $19,999,317 in U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) funding for climate-resilient projects to help improve air quality, mitigate extreme heat, and expand green space in San Diego’s historic central neighborhoods including Barrio Logan, Logan Heights, Stockton, Grant Hill, Mt. Hope, Sherman Heights, Southcrest, and Shelltown.
“Today’s announcement is welcome news for families in San Diego and across the region. This funding demonstrates our continued commitment to addressing long standing environmental and climate justice challenges and investing in the health and wellbeing of our communities,” said Rep. Juan Vargas. “I’m proud to have voted for the Inflation Reduction Act to support projects just like this one and look forward to seeing the positive impacts to come.”
“We are grateful to the EPA for recognizing how transformational this funding will be for San Diegans,” said Mark Stuart, President & CEO, SDF. “This federal grant is an endorsement of our coalition of partners and community-driven approach to fund much-needed projects that will improve the health and lives of residents in our central historic barrios and create a healthier, more vibrant and resilient community,”
This Environmental Health Coalition and San Diego Foundation project aims to:
- Improve residents’ access to clean and safe transportation by expanding a free micro-transit shuttle service and electrifying regional buses;
- Electrify homes, add energy storage, install air filters, and perform weatherization upgrades;
- And connect residents to clean energy job opportunities and apprenticeships in electrical and construction work.
Made possible by the Inflation Reduction Act which Rep. Vargas voted to pass in 2022, the Environmental and Climate Justice Community Change Grants Program is the single largest investment in environmental and climate justice in history. Today's funding announcement is the first tranche from the program designed based on community input to award grants on a rolling basis.
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