03D25424

Description: This action approves an award in the amount of $14,443,306.00 to support Texas A&M University to install hundreds of onsite wastewater treatment systems, infrastructure that will both build climate resilience and reduce greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions while also reducing the risk of waterborne diseases.

Activities: The activities performed will develop and execute community-based and community-driven outreach to engage and partner with the citizens of target counties, evaluate and monitor viable climate-resilient wastewater treatment technology options, install climate-resilient wastewater treatment systems in the Black Belt, evaluate and establish appropriate responsible management and governance approaches for achieving systems sustainability, establish a robust climate-focused wastewater workforce development program, and disseminate scale proposed programs.

Subrecipient: The following activities will be implemented through subawards: selection and installation of approved climate-resilient onsite wastewater systems; wastewater treatment system selection, evaluation, testing, data collection, sampling, data analysis, and modeling; coordinating with various community colleges and professional organizations to develop training and testing materials for rural water and wastewater certification programs; coordination of the Consortium for Alabama Rural Water/Wastewater Management and providing technical expertise on various aspects of the project; evaluating, and mitigating the greenhouse gas emissions from decentralized wastewater infrastructure in the region; recruiting AmeriCorps VISTAs (Volunteers in Service to America) to disseminate information about decentralized wastewater systems; identifying effective governance structures for management and operation of onsite wastewater treatment systems, and developing a geospatial analysis of the composition of unincorporated communities across Alabama; and creating courses for water and wastewater programs for Alabama's 24 community and technical colleges while providing credentials to two-year and four-year university bridge programs.

Outcomes: New innovative onsite wastewater treatment systems (OWTS) that are climate-friendly, energy-efficient, and cost-effective, novel responsible management and governance models for providing sustainable operations and maintenance (O&M) services to CR-OWTS, new certification developed for climate-resilient OWTS (CR-OWTS) for rural communities.

The expected outcomes include increased number of properly installed and managed CR-OWTS, increased resilience to extreme weather and climate conditions.

The intended beneficiaries are disadvantaged communities.

Texas A & M University

2 - TAKE DECISIVE ACTION TO ADVANCE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND CIVIL RIGHTS 2.1 - PROMOTE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND CIVIL RIGHTS AT THE FEDERAL, TRIBAL, STATE, AND LOCAL LEVELS S - CROSS AGENCY STRATEGY S.1 - ENSURE SCIENTIFIC INTEGRITY AND SCIENCE-BASED DECISION MAKING S - CROSS AGENCY STRATEGY S.1 - ENSURE SCIENTIFIC INTEGRITY AND SCIENCE-BASED DECISION MAKING 6 - SAFEGUARD AND REVITALIZE COMMUNITIES 6.1 - CLEAN UP AND RESTORE LAND FOR PRODUCTIVE USES AND HEALTHY COMMUNITIES 2 - TAKE DECISIVE ACTION TO ADVANCE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND CIVIL RIGHTS 2.1 - PROMOTE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND CIVIL RIGHTS AT THE FEDERAL, TRIBAL, STATE, AND LOCAL LEVELS 4 - ENSURE CLEAN AND HEALTHY AIR FOR ALL COMMUNITIES 4.1 - IMPROVE AIR QUALITY AND REDUCE LOCALIZED POLLUTION AND HEALTH IMPACTS 5 - ENSURE CLEAN AND SAFE WATER FOR ALL COMMUNITIES 5.1 - ENSURE SAFE DRINKING WATER AND RELIABLE WATER INFRASTRUCTURE 5.2 - PROTECT AND RESTORE WATERBODIES AND WATERSHEDS 6 - SAFEGUARD AND REVITALIZE COMMUNITIES 6.2 - REDUCE WASTE AND PREVENT ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION 5 - ENSURE CLEAN AND SAFE WATER FOR ALL COMMUNITIES 5.1 - ENSURE SAFE DRINKING WATER AND RELIABLE WATER INFRASTRUCTURE 2 - TAKE DECISIVE ACTION TO ADVANCE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND CIVIL RIGHTS 2.2 - EMBED ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND CIVIL RIGHTS INTO EPA’S PROGRAMS, POLICIES, AND ACTIVITIES 5 - ENSURE CLEAN AND SAFE WATER FOR ALL COMMUNITIES 5.1 - ENSURE SAFE DRINKING WATER AND RELIABLE WATER INFRASTRUCTURE 2 - TAKE DECISIVE ACTION TO ADVANCE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND CIVIL RIGHTS 2.1 - PROMOTE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND CIVIL RIGHTS AT THE FEDERAL, TRIBAL, STATE, AND LOCAL LEVELS S - CROSS AGENCY STRATEGY S.1 - ENSURE SCIENTIFIC INTEGRITY AND SCIENCE-BASED DECISION MAKING S - CROSS AGENCY STRATEGY S.1 - ENSURE SCIENTIFIC INT

66.616 - Environmental and Climate Justice Block Grant Program

EPA Region 4: Atlanta [EPA - RO]

Alabama United States

State-Wide

Environmental and Climate Justice Community Change Grants Program (EPA-R-OEJECR-OCS-23-04)

Termination This project grant was reported as terminated by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) in July 2025. See All
Amendment Since initial award the End Date has been shortened from 12/31/27 to 05/02/25.