Frederick County awarded $1M grant to support environmental justice initiatives
Frederick County will receive about $1 milion in grant funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to support environmental justice initiatives — including an expanded air quality monitoring network and a new program to help residents upgrade their homes to be more energy efficient.
The grant was awarded through the EPA’s Environmental Justice Government-to-Government Program, which offers funding for state, local, territorial and tribal governments looking to reduce environmental and public health burdens facing disadvantaged communities.
Kristin Mielcarek, the grants manager for the county’s Division of Energy and Environment, said on Thursday that the county applied for the grant in April 2023 and received confirmation of the $997,266 award last month.
The process was competitive — Frederick County was one of only three applicants in Maryland and 88 applicants nationwide to receive an award through the Government-to-Government Program.
The grant covers fiscal years 2023 through 2026. As the new environmental justice initiatives are rolled out, Frederick County will apply to the federal government for reimbursement through the grant program, Mielcarek said.
According to Tiara Lester, the division’s sustainability program manager, the county plans to use the funds to launch a Green Homes Program.
“This initiative demonstrates our commitment to ensure that our efforts to address climate change and increase the resilience of Frederick County truly involves everyone in our community,” Lester said on Tuesday.
Within the Green Homes Program, there will be three different initiatives — the Green Homes Challenge, the Green Compass and Green Partnerships.
Lester said the county’s Green Homes Challenge has existed for roughly a decade. By taking certain actions such as installing a rain barrel or switching to high-efficiency appliances, residents can qualify for incentives such as a credit toward their stormwater utility fee.
Information about the Green Homes Program is posted at frederickcountymd.gov/8660/Green-Homes-Program.
However, residents who lack English proficiency, computer literacy or who are struggling to make ends meet may have a harder time accessing the Green Homes Challenge and other existing resources.
To help close the gap, Lester said, the county plans to set up a Green Compass program wherein community navigators will assist residents in finding and benefiting from the resources for which they qualify.
The county will also leverage Green Partnerships with the Asian American Center of Frederick, Habitat for Humanity of Frederick County and Mobilize Frederick to provide education and outreach to the subsets of county residents they serve.
TJ Sydykov, the director of operations for the Asian American Center, said the group’s primary role will be to ensure that immigrant and non-English-speaking residents can take advantage of the initiatives.
Eric Anderson, the executive director of the local Habitat for Humanity branch, said the grant money will help the group proceed with “green construction” on its affordable housing project on West All Saints Street in the city of Frederick.
Anderson said some of the money may be used to refurbish older homes with heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, and energy efficient windows.
Karen Cannon, the executive director of Mobilize Frederick, said the grant money will let the group expand an air-quality monitoring network piloted by the county in October 2023.
Cannon said the hope is to install air-quality monitors at various Frederick County Public Schools, so teachers can incorporate them into lessons.
Mobilize Frederick will help facilitate community climate conversations to learn about how county residents have been affected by environmental issues such as poor air quality and climate change.
“A lot can be done to address climate change that also addresses air quality, public health and affordability,” Cannon said.
