EPA REGION 6 Recipient: New Mexico State University (NMSU) Applicant Type: Institution of Higher Education Award Amount: $10,000,000 Title: South Central Environmental Justice Resource Center (SCEJRC) Location: EPA Region 6 (AR, LA, NM, OK, TX, and 66 tribal nations) Partners:
NMSU (Academic-College of Engineering and Cooperative Extension Service), Beloved Community (Non- profit), UT Arlington-based Texas Manufacturing Extension Program (Academic, TMAC), LifeCity (Business/Industry), Santa Fe Green Chamber of Commerce (Non- profit, SFGCC), Inter-Tribal Council of Louisiana (Non-profit), Arkansas Capital Corporation (Business/Industry, ACC), Gulf States Renewable Energy Industry Association (Non-profit, GSREIA), Together Louisiana (Non-profit), and G.A.A.P. Grant Writing Training (Non-profit). Goals and Description:
NMSU plans to lead an experienced team of community-based partners to create the multi-faceted South- Central Environmental Justice Resource Center (SCEJRC). SCEJRC activities will focus on providing relevant outreach programming and resources within EPA Geographic Region 6 to enhance environmental and energy justice, with a focus on disinvested populations in underserved communities and those in rural and remote areas. Through community-based partnerships, SCEJRC will develop an Equitable Leadership Model designed to guide equitable engagement across two EJ impact sectors:
(1) uplifting disinvested communities through leadership, peer learning, and outreach training to ensure relevant and active engagement in future environmental and energy policy development, and (2) empowering business leaders for equitable engagement through awareness of current assets and options, and emerging economic opportunities.
SCEJRC will utilize traditional and innovative strategies to develop place-based resources guided by Participatory Action Research, develop a user-friendly regional web-based portal that navigates access to technical assistance resources within EPA Region 6; and develop and deliver EJ outreach services that are geographically, demographically, culturally, and linguistically relevant, relatable, and responsive to community needs (e.g., in-person, web-based, trainings, workshops). SCEJRC will proactively foster a culture of collaboration and trust to forge shared priorities and values at the local, state, and regional levels for strategic place-based impact with distinct intentionality.
Outcomes will be assessed annually with programming adjusted as needed to ensure the targeted populations are benefiting from the respective services and resources. NMSU will collaborate closely with the Deep South Center for EJ, which will serve as the lead coordinator for EJ TCTAC services across the souther United States.