96275325

Description: This agreement provides funding under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) to Ironbound Community Corporation (ICC).

Specifically, by leveraging innovative solutions and fostering community collaboration, ICC will use this funding to enhance climate resilience, improve air quality, and provide essential emergency services to address the environmental, socioeconomic, and public health challenges currently faced by the Ironbound neighborhood in Newark, NJ.

By implementing a mobile micro-grid with solar panels and battery storage as well as the introduction of electric vehicles for short-distance transportation of project area residents, ICC will reduce the neighborhood's reliance on fossil fuels, lowering emissions and improving air quality.

This initiative will directly mitigate health issues caused by pollution, such as asthma and cardiovascular diseases, thereby enhancing residents' well-being.

The grant will bolster disaster preparedness and response capabilities by developing community resilience hubs at 3 critical community facilities and working with partners in local government to develop and implement contingency plans for microgrid deployment during emergencies.

This will ensure that the community has a reliable power source during disasters, reducing vulnerability and enhancing safety.

Additionally, enhanced community outreach efforts will raise awareness about the micro-grid, its availability, and its benefits, fostering greater community engagement and resilience.

The grant also aims to create a sustainable and equitable future for the Ironbound neighborhood through implementing workforce development workshops and training initiatives.

Residents will gain essential skills for managing and sustaining the micro-grid and other community resilience projects, creating job opportunities and economic empowerment, helping to alleviate poverty and improve living standards.

The project will also promote environmental justice by reducing the environmental burdens borne by the community and will provide culturally appropriate, multilingual educational materials to inform residents about the health benefits of reduced emissions and the use of renewable energy.

This education will empower residents with the knowledge and tools to advocate for sustainable practices and policies, fostering long-term environmental and social justice.

Activities: The activities to be performed include establishing an electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure facilities for both heavy-duty and light-duty electric vehicles, along with purchasing two electric passenger vans and one electric passenger vehicle for short-distance transportation of project area residents.

The activities also include the development of community resilience hubs at three critical community facilities which will be equipped with solar power systems and mobile battery microgrids to ensure resilient power supply during emergencies.

A fleet of three mobile battery systems will be developed which will: 1) connect to a ground-mounted solar power system at ICC's Ferry Street Farm site; 2) be driven by a truck during power outages to any of the four designated critical community facilities that have lost power, where they will connect to microgrid electrical infrastructure built by ICC at those facilities; 3) connect to a solar power system on the roof of each community resilience hub, to extend the operating time of the mobile battery system at each site; and 4) if the power outage is of such duration that the battery is depleted, return to the central ICC site to recharge through its solar power system.

The activities to be performed will further include the execution of a comprehensive workforce development program aimed at equipping individuals with the skills needed in the renewable energy sector, focusing on solar energy, battery storage, electric vehicle (EV) charging, and microgrid stability.

The community resilience hubs will serve as host sites for...

Ironbound Community Corporation

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 2: New York City [EPA - RO]

Newark, New Jersey United States

City-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 01/05/28 to 05/02/25.