EPA awarded $25,000 grants to the Josiah Hill III Clinic (JHC) for its “Healthy Homes, Healthy Congregations: Green Steward Project” and Beyond Toxics for “The Families and Air Pollution Project”. The former is a partnership with Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon (EMO). Three churches and a mosque in Portland have been selected for the pilot project. The grants will assist these two community-based organizations as part of the EPA’s Environmental Justice Small Grant Program, to conduct outreach and empower local communities to address environmental and public health issues.
At the event which took place December 16, 2011 at the State Capitol, the Oregon Environmental Justice Task Force (EJTF) was also recognized for effective implementation of the State environmental legislation, as well as the Task Force’s initiatives that incorporate environmental justice consideration into State agencies’ programs. EPA Regional Administrator Dennis McLerran presented the awards. Speakers included Curtis Robinhold, Governor’s Chief of Staff; Ben Duncan, Chair, Oregon EJTF and Robert Collin, Oregon EJTF/Willamette University.
L to R: Dennis J. McLerran, EPA Region 10 Administrator; Sheryl Stohs, PhD., EJ Community Liasion; Charles McGee II, Executive Director, JHC; & Jenny Holmes, Environmental Ministries Director, EMO.