[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 184 (Friday, September 20, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49456-49457]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-24198]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-5610-8]


FY 1996 Community/University Partnership Grants Awardees

    The Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Environmental 
Justice has completed its review of the one hundred and two 
applications submitted under the Community/University Partnership (CUP) 
Grants Program. Nine projects were selected for awards, totaling two 
million dollars. The following is a list of the awarded projects.

University of Washington
    Asian and Pacific Islander Seafood Consumption Study--$205,316

    The purpose of this project is to improve the health and 
environmental quality of Asian Pacific Islanders in the Seattle/Puget 
Sound area by empowering the local community with information they can 
use to develop their own awareness and agenda to address environmental 
problems. The specific aims of the project are to document seafood 
consumption by surveying communities using culturally sensitive 
outreach tools, to work with community leaders to develop outreach 
models, to develop culturally appropriate and effective risk 
communication materials, and to document the consumption rates and 
patterns in these communities.

Haskell Indian Nations University
    Community/University Partnership for Native American Science 
Education and Technical Support--$220,320

    The purpose of this project is to address water quality concerns of 
the

[[Page 49457]]

Prairie Band Potawatomi Tribe and Kickapoo Tribe. The goals of the 
project are to assess the sources and extent of water contamination, 
seek compliance with existing water quality standards, and create a 
remediation plan to resolve the water quality problems. Practical 
hands-on workshops on the various water quality problems will be 
provided for members of affected Indian communities. In addition, 
efforts will be made to bring together both Indian and non-Indian 
landowners to build consensus on a water contamination remediation 
plan.

University of Texas at El Paso
    The UTEP/UT at Houston School of Public Health in El Paso Community 
Partnership Program for EJ . . .--$250,000

    This project is a collaborative effort involving Adults and Youth 
United Development (AYUD), a community-based organization serving 
residents of the colonias, and two universities located on the U.S.-
Mexico border. The purpose of this project is to address the local 
environmental justice issues by creating an environment where local 
community groups can have the same input as any other constituency into 
the processes of developing environmental policies and enforcing 
environmental regulations. This goal will be achieved through enhancing 
the community's understanding of data and environmental risks, training 
community members in accessing information systems and conducting 
workshops between government personnel and community representatives. 
Issues to be addressed include safe potable water, wastewater treatment 
and health related problems.
North Carolina Central University
    Partnership Effort for the Advancement of Children's Health--
$249,404

    The purpose of this project is reduce lead exposure in houses 
located in the North/East Central Durham area. The Partnership Effort 
for the Advancement of Children's Health (PEACH), a coalition with 
representatives from the community and the health education, 
environmental science and medical professions, will provide leadership 
for this project. The goals of the project are to identify and improve 
the condition of houses where lead poisoning problems are most acute, 
use effective dialogue to mediate contacts between community, 
environmental agencies, and state and local programs involved in the 
reduction of lead poisoning, and generate a plan for collection, 
interpretation, and presentation of the data from this project to all 
stakeholders, including the State of North Carolina.

Hostos Community College
    Community Access Geographic Information System (GIS) for EJ 
Initiatives in the South Bronx--$77,977

    The purpose of this project is to develop a community-access 
geographic information system (GIS) for environmental justice 
initiatives in the South Bronx area. The partners will develop a state 
of the art GIS laboratory and conduct an environmental assessment of 
baseline conditions in the Bronx. To ensure appropriate access to this 
GIS, the partners will seek to establish GIS capability in the Bronx 
community district offices, public libraries, and pilot some systems in 
a few high schools. Training will be provided to residents on a regular 
basis.
Arizona State University
    EJ Partnership Project: Reservation Environmental Assessment 
Project--$249,999

    This project seeks to utilize the Reservation Environmental 
Assessment Project (REAP), a program designed to instruct and educate 
Indian community representatives about specific problems affecting 
their communities through both classroom and hands-on techniques. The 
education will focus on lead in paint, drinking water, soils, and 
incidental pesticides in soils, surface water and foods. The Camp Verde 
and Colorado River reservations will receive on-site environmental 
assessments and will be assisted in the development of remediation 
strategies.
Columbia University in the City of New York
    The Northern Manhattan Environmental Justice Partnership to Develop 
Environmental Health Leadership--$244,920

    The purpose of this project is to inform and empower residents in 
three urban communities (Central & West Harlem and Washington Heights) 
about the excessive levels of airborne particulate matter and carbon 
monoxide from heavy car, bus, and truck traffic as well as other 
environmental pollutants. The goals of the project are to facilitate 
meaningful communication between community residents and environmental 
health researchers, provide environmental health leadership training 
for residents, utilize GIS as an effective education tool, and 
intervene and reduce exposure to environmental toxins.

Xavier University of Louisiana
    A Community Lead Education Project--$250,000

    Xavier University is in partnership with ten parishes along the 
Mississippi River between Baton Rouge and New Orleans to address lead 
exposure. The goals of the project are to conduct studies on the 
toxicology and epidemiology of environmental hazards related to lead 
and on the socioeconomic impact of lead exposures, develop community-
based education/communication programs capable of responding to the 
specific needs of lead impacted communities, and develop environmental 
education curricula that emphasize lead poisoning prevention in teacher 
training and classroom materials.
University of Missouri-St. Louis
    St. Louis Metropolitan EJ Empowerment Project--$248,098

    The purpose of this project is to address the environmental justice 
problems in the St. Louis area through the development of strategies 
focusing on local community involvement and empowerment. The goals of 
the project are to improve communication and coordination through the 
establishment of an Environmental Justice Advisory Board, provide 
expert consultants to advise residents, enhance opportunities for 
scientific analysis through participation in roundtables with 
universities, develop plans for community work in each neighborhood, 
and compile and disseminate environmental justice information to 
affected communities. Each neighborhood team will focus on strategies 
for environmental improvement, clean-ups and reuse of local properties.

    Dated: September 12, 1996.
Clarice E. Gaylord,
Director, Office of Environmental Justice.
[FR Doc. 96-24198 Filed 9-19-96; 8:45 am]
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