Title
Apply for the United States Environmental Protection Agency Environmental Justice Government-to-Government Program Grant Opportunity for Federal Fiscal Year 2022-23 - Federal Inflation Reduction Act Funding (Ordinance S-49927)
Description
Request to retroactively authorize the City Manager, or his designee, to apply for, accept and, if awarded, enter into an agreement for disbursement of Federal funding from the United States Environmental Protection Agency through the Federal Fiscal Year 2022-23 Environmental Justice Government-to-Government Program grant opportunity. If awarded, the funding will be used to pilot a Community Cool Corridor led by community-based organizations in South-Central Phoenix. Further request to authorize the City Treasurer to accept, and the City Controller to disburse, all funds related to this item. Funding for this grant opportunity is available through the Federal Inflation Reduction Act. The total grant funds applied for will not exceed $1 million, and there is no local match required from the City. There is no impact to the General Fund.
Report
Summary
The Office of Environmental Programs (OEP) worked with other City departments to submit a grant application to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) through the Federal Fiscal Year 2022-23 Environmental Justice Government-to-Government (EJG2G) Program to fund a project to pilot the cool corridor concept in a South Phoenix neighborhood. This Community Cool Corridor pilot project is expected to mitigate climate and health risks from urban heat islands and extreme heat; facilitate engagement, education and training of marginalized communities; and empower community-based partners to implement resiliency and adaptation at a local level.
This project will include significant collaboration with community-based organizations to provide the opportunity for residents to become directly involved in decision-making to address environmental and public health challenges. This project implements visions and actions already identified and recommended by the South-Central community through previously completed transit, heat, and tree and shade plans. This community led project enhances access to existing and future transit, integrates publicly accessible drinking water, promotes opportunities for shade, and utilizes Green Stormwater Infrastructure (GSI) within the right-of-way, to achieve a more localized cooling effect. Art, culture and wayfinding will be incorporated into the project to celebrate this unique community. Through this project, resident and community partnerships will create shared knowledge, installation and maintenance of native trees, shrubs and GSI features by strengthening connections to existing community destinations such as parks, schools, and libraries. This pilot will enable the City to evaluate and replicate this model across varying context and community priorities.
The EJG2G grant submittal deadline was April 14, 2023.
Due to the timing of the deadlines and a shortage of City staff, the application was submitted prior to obtaining City Council approval. If City Council does not approve this retroactive request, the application will be withdrawn by OEP.
Financial Impact
The estimated total cost for the project is $1 million. No matching funds are required. Grant funds will be managed through OEP and reimbursed through the United States EPA. Potential grant funding received is available through the Federal Inflation Reduction Act, from the United States EPA through the Federal Fiscal Year 2022-23 EJG2G grant opportunity.
Location
The project focuses on a smaller geographic segment of the South-Central Communities identified as the North Area within the South Central TOD Community Plan.
Council District: 8
Department
Responsible Department
This item is submitted by Deputy City Managers Mario Paniagua and Alan Stephenson and the Office of Environmental Programs.