FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
April 19, 2023
Milwaukee, WI - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced last week that they will award two of the seventeen Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Centers (EJ TCTAC) awards to EPA region 5. MTERA is happy to announce partnerships with both awardees; Blacks in Green (BIG) and the University of Minnesota. The two EJ TCTAC awards will each receive $10 million in grant funding over five years to establish technical assistance centers across EPA’s Region 5 territory, which includes 35 Tribal lands in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin.
These coalitions led by Blacks in Green, the University of Minnesota, and the grant funding partnership will ensure MTERA’s mission to continue serving the Tribal communities in the Midwest. The awards are the beginning of a transition for Tribal communities here in the Midwest and speak to the Biden Administration’s Justice40 commitment which pledged 40% of federal funds dedicated to climate change, clean energy and energy efficiency, clean transit, affordable and sustainable housing, training and workforce development, remediation and reduction of legacy pollution, and the development of critical clean water and wastewater infrastructure to historically disadvantaged communities.
MTERA is dedicated to unlocking the vast energy resources of Midwest Tribes and believes this opportunity will allow us to continue our work pursuing energy sovereignty for all Tribes while coming together to leverage the collective strength of our communities across the Midwest. As this opportunity unfolds in the coming months, check back in at MTERA.org for updates and contact our team to learn how you can get involved, become a member, or find more information.
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About the Midwest Tribal Energy Resources Association
A non-profit, intertribal organization comprised of Tribes in Region 5, the Midwest Tribal Energy Resources Association (MTERA) is dedicated to supporting Tribes to lead in the clean energy transition, enhance energy sovereignty, expand economic development opportunities, and improve environmental outcomes. Learn more about MTERA at www.mtera.org.
Contact:
Carri Chapman
carri.chapman@mtera.org