42 USC 7438 – Environmental and climate justice block grants
(a) Appropriation
In addition to amounts otherwise available, there is appropriated to the Administrator for fiscal year 2022, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated—
(1) $2,800,000,000 to remain available until September 30, 2026, to award grants for the activities described in subsection (b); and
(2) $200,000,000 to remain available until September 30, 2026, to provide technical assistance to eligible entities related to grants awarded under this section.
(b) Grants
(1) In general
The Administrator shall use amounts made available under subsection (a)(1) to award grants for periods of up to 3 years to eligible entities to carry out activities described in paragraph (2) that benefit disadvantaged communities, as defined by the Administrator.
(2) Eligible activities
An eligible entity may use a grant awarded under this subsection for—
(A) community-led air and other pollution monitoring, prevention, and remediation, and investments in low- and zero-emission and resilient technologies and related infrastructure and workforce development that help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other air pollutants;
(B) mitigating climate and health risks from urban heat islands, extreme heat, wood heater emissions, and wildfire events;
(C) climate resiliency and adaptation;
(D) reducing indoor toxics and indoor air pollution; or
(E) facilitating engagement of disadvantaged communities in State and Federal advisory groups, workshops, rulemakings, and other public processes.
(3) Eligible entities
In this subsection, the term “eligible entity” means—
(A) a partnership between—
(i) an Indian tribe, a local government, or an institution of higher education; and
(ii) a community-based nonprofit organization;
(B) a community-based nonprofit organization; or
(C) a partnership of community-based nonprofit organizations.
(c) Administrative costs
Terms Used In 42 USC 7438
- Administrator: means the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. See 42 USC 7602
- Fiscal year: The fiscal year is the accounting period for the government. For the federal government, this begins on October 1 and ends on September 30. The fiscal year is designated by the calendar year in which it ends; for example, fiscal year 2006 begins on October 1, 2005 and ends on September 30, 2006.
- Indian tribe: means any Indian tribe, band, nation, or other organized group or community, including any Alaska Native village, which is Federally recognized as eligible for the special programs and services provided by the United States to Indians because of their status as Indians. See 42 USC 7602
- Partnership: A voluntary contract between two or more persons to pool some or all of their assets into a business, with the agreement that there will be a proportional sharing of profits and losses.
- State: means a State, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, and American Samoa and includes the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. See 42 USC 7602
The Administrator shall reserve 7 percent of the amounts made available under subsection (a) for administrative costs to carry out this section.
(d) Definition of greenhouse gas
In this section, the term “greenhouse gas” means the air pollutants carbon dioxide, hydrofluorocarbons, methane, nitrous oxide, perfluorocarbons, and sulfur hexafluoride.