Nov 8, 2024 | Community Engagement News, Dr. Beverly Wright News, DSCEJ General News, Funding News, Press Releases, Research and Policy News, The Latest News
Portal Advances Democratization of Data
NEW ORLEANS, LA) – Today, the Environmental Justice Data Action Portal (EJ DAP) was officially launched at a press conference where attendees received a live demonstration of the portal’s features and capabilities. Designed to empower communities and policymakers alike, the EJ DAP is an innovative tool providing access to critical environmental and social justice data through an intuitive, interactive platform.
The EJ DAP, developed in partnership with Intellectual Concepts, LLC, combines extensive datasets on pollution, toxic chemicals, health outcomes, and demographic information, creating a user-friendly and accessible hub of vital information for communities impacted by environmental burdens. With a few clicks, users can access insights into pollution types, sources, and toxicity data for over 150 chemicals. Additionally, the portal’s integration of demographic and socioeconomic indicators enables users to see where environmental impacts intersect with social vulnerabilities.
Empowering Communities through Data and Transparency
The portal is designed to help users identify and address specific environmental challenges within their communities. With the ability to run localized queries based on ZIP codes, users can easily locate pollution sources, understand chemical compositions, and view community-specific environmental and health data. Through this data, community members, policymakers, and industry leaders are better positioned to communicate and collaborate on meaningful action toward environmental justice.
Key Features of the EJ Data Action Portal:
- Localized Pollution and Health Data: Users can explore data on pollution levels, sources, toxic chemicals, and health impacts specific to their local areas.
- ZIP Code Search and Interactive Dashboards: Users can enter their ZIP code to access data tailored to their location, including environmental burden rankings and socioeconomic indicators.
- Regular Data Updates: With ongoing data updates, the EJ DAP ensures users have access to the most current information available.
During today’s press conference, EJ DAP developers provided a live demonstration of the portal’s functionality, showcasing how users can navigate its features and apply its data in real-world contexts. The live demo highlighted how the portal’s data can aid in identifying environmental disparities and informing policy decisions that promote environmental justice.
“The democratization of data is crucial for the success of EJ communities as it will empower them to tell their stories, show injustices, and to convince administrators and other stakeholders that what they are experiencing is real. The DSCEJ’s goal with the EJ DAP is to provide the tools and resources that will allow communities to become confident, competent data champions.” said Dr. Beverly Wright, DSCEJ Founder and Executive Director.
The EJ DAP is a collaboration among experts and stakeholders in the environmental justice field, integrating insights from the Toxic Release Inventory (TRI), Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program (GHGRP), and Environmental Justice Index (EJI). This central resource aligns with the national commitment to promoting equity, health, and environmental justice, offering data transparency and empowering communities across the nation.
The Environmental Justice Data Action Portal is accessible at https://www.ejdap.org/.
About EJ DAP
The Environmental Justice Data Action Portal (EJ DAP) is committed to providing reliable, accessible environmental data to strengthen community-driven efforts toward achieving health equity and environmental justice. Through the portal, EJ DAP supports informed advocacy and policy, contributing to a more equitable future for all. This project was made possible by a grant from the Windward Fund.
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Nov 6, 2024 | Community Engagement News, Dr. Beverly Wright News, DSCEJ General News, Funding News, Press Releases, Research and Policy News, The Latest News
NEW ORLEANS) The DSCEJ will host a press conference to launch the Environmental Justice Data Action Portal (EJ DAP), an innovative, user-friendly platform that the DSCEJ has designed to consolidate key environmental and demographic datasets into a single, accessible hub.
During the demonstration, presenters will show how users can search by ZIP code to locate pollution sources, assess chemical toxicity, and view demographic and socioeconomic data to understand environmental impacts within specific communities. This powerful tool is designed to facilitate community collaboration, inform local and federal policies, and enhance transparency in environmental health data.
EJ DAP integrates data from key sources, including the Toxic Release Inventory (TRI), Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program (GHGRP), and Environmental Justice Index (EJI), making it a comprehensive resource for those addressing environmental burdens and social vulnerabilities. This tool was made possible by a grant from the Windward Fund.
Date: Friday, November 8
Location: DSCEJ HQ – 9801 Lake Forest Blvd. New Orleans, LA 70127
Time: 9:00 AM
WHO:
- Dr. Beverly Wright, Founder & Executive Director, Deep South Center for Environmental Justice
- Troy Carter, Congressman, LA-2 (invited)
- Oliver Thomas, City Councilmember, City of New Orleans (invited)
- Members of the EJ DAP development team
Members of the media are invited to attend, please RSVP to media@dscej.org.
Oct 21, 2024 | Community Engagement News, Dr. Beverly Wright News, DSCEJ General News, Funding News, LGCGP News, Press Releases, The Latest News
DALLAS, TEXAS (October 21, 2024) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Gulf of Mexico Division is awarding the Deep South Center for Environmental Justice (DSCEJ) the Louisiana Gulf Coast Grantmaking Project (LGCGP) and $2.4 million. The Louisiana Gulf Coast Grantmakers Project (LGCGP) is designed to build the capacity of environmental justice communities in coastal Louisiana parishes to respond to the impact of systemic inequities, and the devastating impact of climate change and water quality/water justice issues in their communities.
“Since 1992, the DSCEJ has been working with community groups in Louisiana and beyond to bring environmental justice and climate resilience to Gulf Coast communities and we are grateful to see them continuing their great work,” said Regional Administrator Dr. Earthea Nance. “As recent events show, hurricanes remain a dangerous natural disaster and it is important we continue to strengthen our coastal communities in any way possible to mitigate disaster risks. I would like to thank the DSCEJ for their decades of environmental justice work and for their continued goal of protecting public health and the environment.”
“The Deep South Center for Environmental Justice has a history of ensuring equity environmental practices in disadvantaged communities,” said Marc Wyatt, U.S. EPA Region 4 Gulf of Mexico Division Director. Through DSCEJ’s commitment and hard work, this project will create a pathway for increased collaboration across community based organizations, various sectors of government, and the community at large.”
“Environmental justice is not just a goal, it’s a promise. A promise that every Louisianian deserves a healthy environment, free from the harms of industrial pollution and destruction from storms and flooding. Today, I’m excited to announce a $2.5 million investment from the EPA to help our community tackle critical water justice issues and improve overall quality of life. These projects will have a lasting impact on our environment and, most importantly, on the people who call these parishes home,” said Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. (LA-02).
“Congratulations to the Deep South Center for Environmental Justice on receiving this $2.4 million award from the EPA to spearhead the Louisiana Gulf Coast Grantmaking Project,” said Mayor LaToya Cantrell. “This grant will empower communities across the Gulf Coast region to address critical issues like water quality and climate resilience, ensuring that local organizations have the resources they need to lead impactful, community-driven projects. Our partnership with DSCEJ, especially through efforts like the Climate Action Equity Report and Project, has set a standard for inclusive engagement and meaningful change. We are proud to continue working together to build a stronger, more resilient future for all of our communities.”
“As we face an unprecedented hurricane season, it is more crucial than ever to support community-based organizations in their efforts to combat climate change and address water quality issues. The Deep South Center for Environmental Justice is thrilled to partner with the EPA to deliver much-needed funding to these organizations. Through the Louisiana Gulf Coast Grantmaking Project, grants ranging from $50,000 to $100,000 will empower 24 environmental justice champions to advance their visions for their communities,” said DSCEJ Founder & Executive Director, Dr. Beverly Wright.
Over a two-year period, through a competitive subaward process, the DSCEJ will provide $1.82M in subawards to approximately 24 selected Environmental Justice-missioned CBOs with awards of $50,000 to $100,000 to implement green projects to address one or more water quality issues and improve quality of life in their communities. The goals of each project will vary but will include mitigating flooding, reducing impacts from nonpoint source pollution, or improving stormwater management. The project will also provide technical assistance through a combination of existing programming and leveraged resources, helping sub-awardees to better plan and craft viable project proposals, for solicitations offered through this project, and others.
The DSCEJ will be focusing on aiding multiple parishes throughout the state of Louisiana. These parishes include Acadia, Calcasieu, Cameron, Iberia, Jefferson, Jefferson Davis, Lafayette, LaFourche, Orleans, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. James, St. John the Baptist, St. Martin, St. Mary, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Terrebonne and Vermillion.
The Gulf of Mexico Division is a non-regulatory program of EPA founded to facilitate collaborative actions to protect, maintain, and restore the health and productivity of the Gulf of Mexico. To carry out its mission, the Gulf of Mexico Division continues to maintain and expand partnerships with state and federal agencies, federally recognized tribes, local governments and authorities, academia, regional business and industry, agricultural and environmental organizations, and individual citizens and communities. For more information on this division, please visit this webpage.
Connect with the Environmental Protection Agency Region 6 on Facebook, X (formerly known as Twitter), or visit our homepage.
Oct 17, 2024 | Community Engagement News, Dr. Beverly Wright News, DSCEJ General News, Funding News, LGCGP News, Press Releases, The Latest News
DALLAS, TEXAS (October 17, 2024) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 6 Administrator Dr. Earthea Nance will be joined by Founder & Executive Director of the Deep South Center for Environmental Justice (DSCEJ) Dr. Beverly Wright, Congressman Troy Carter (LA-2), Mayor LaToya Cantrell, and U.S. EPA Region 4 Gulf of Mexico Division Director Marc Wyatt to celebrate DSCEJ’s EPA grant of $2,499,616 to administer the Louisiana Gulf Coast Grantmaking Project.
Members of the media are invited to attend, please RSVP to R6Press@epa.gov.
Date: Monday, October 21st
Location: Contemporary Arts Center, 900 Camp St. New Orleans, LA 70130
Time: 10:30 – 11:30 AM
WHO:
- Dr. Nance, Regional Administrator, EPA Region 6
- Marc Wyatt, Division Director, U.S. EPA Region 4 Gulf of Mexico Division
- Dr. Beverly Wright, Founder & Executive Director, Deep South Center for Environmental Justice
- Mayor LaToya Cantrell
- Troy Carter, Congressman, LA-2
- Oliver Thomas, City Councilmember, City of New Orleans (invited)
Dec 13, 2023 | DSCEJ General News, Funding News, Press Releases
For Immediate Release
December 13, 2023
Deep South Center for Environmental Justice Receives $825,000 Grant from The Kresge Foundation
NEW ORLEANS, LA – The Deep South Center for Environmental Justice (DSCEJ) is pleased to announce that it has been awarded an $825,000 grant from The Kresge Foundation to strengthen its organization as a resource for education, research, community and student engagement, and technical training, with innovative programs for community capacity building in the Gulf Coast Region to respond to the impact of systemic inequities, and the devastating impact of climate change and water quality/water justice issues. Activities for this project have begun and will conclude in October 2026.
The DSCEJ will employ its unique “Communiversity Model,” which has effectively fostered meaningful collaborations between communities and academic researchers, to help its partner CBOs learn about policies governing flood protection, to develop strategies to identify and prioritize common and recurring flood risks that threaten their communities and region, and to identify practical solutions to mitigate these flood risks.
“We are thrilled to receive this grant from The Kresge Foundation,” said Dr. Beverly Wright, Executive Director of DSCEJ. “This funding will bring critical capacity-building support to Black communities who are significantly vulnerable to flood events caused by increasingly frequent rainfall and major storms.” Flood hazards in Black communities in the Gulf Coast Region have deep roots in systemic racism in zoning, housing, and community development. The DSCEJ anticipates that the increased knowledge, skills, and self-efficacy in communities across the Gulf Coast are expected to have long-term impacts on legal decisions, targeted actions, and policy development at the local, state, and national level.
Since 2017, The Kresge Foundation has generously supported DSCEJ community engagement projects with $2.95 million in grants.
About the Deep South Center for Environmental Justice
Families in the Gulf Coast deserve to live in communities that are free from deadly air and are more resilient to climate change and extreme weather. The Deep South Center for Environmental Justice (DSCEJ) works to empower and engage communities to put environmental justice and equity at the center of all climate action. Led by environmental justice scholar and advocate, author, civic leader and professor of Sociology Dr. Beverly L. Wright, the DSCEJ uses research, education, and community and student engagement to advocate for policy change, lead health and safety training for environmental careers, develop social and emotional community wellness programs, and create new and environmentally healthy opportunities for the residents of communities disproportionately impacted by historic environmental injustice.
About The Kresge Foundation
The Kresge Foundation was founded in 1924 to promote human progress. Today, Kresge fulfills that mission by building and strengthening pathways to opportunity for low-income people in America’s cities, seeking to dismantle structural and systemic barriers to equality and justice. Using a full array of grant, loan, and other investment tools, Kresge invests more than $160 million annually to foster economic and social change. For more information visit kresge.org.
Nov 29, 2023 | CIRC News, DSCEJ General News, Funding News, Press Releases
Nov 29, 2023
The Community Investment & Recovery Center (CIRC) Will Help More Than 250 Regional Organizations Secure Vital Federal Funding for Environmental Justice Concerns
New Orleans, LA – The Deep South Center for Environmental Justice (DSCEJ) announces the launch of an online resource for its Community Investment & Recovery Center (CIRC), one of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Environmental Justice Thriving Community Technical Assistance Centers (TCTAC). Over the next five years, DSCEJ will assist more than 250 community-based organizations in rural and underserved communities in applying for and accessing $50 to $100 million in grants to address their community’s environmental challenges.
Through the CIRC, DSCEJ will provide technical assistance and help build capacity for the community-based organizations to put them in the best possible position to secure federal funding through the Biden-Harris Administration’s Justice40 initiative, a whole-of-government approach to ensuring 40% of climate investments flow to underserved communities that are overburdened by pollution.
The launch of the online resource is a part of the CIRC information and outreach hub to serve communities in EPA Regions 4 and 6, which span 13 states and 72 tribes. Community-based organizations interested in accessing technical assistance services provided by DSCEJ’s CIRC program can go online to complete the CIRC Capacity Assessment.
“The historic investments made by the Biden-Harris Administration in environmental justice are coming to bear. We are looking forward to serving communities to build their capacities and secure funds now available to them through the administrations’ Investing in America agenda to improve environmental conditions and reduce climate risks,” said Dr. Beverly Wright, founder and executive director of the Deep South Center for Environmental Justice. “We have spent decades building the relationships and capacity needed to have an impact on this scale. While our goal is ambitious, we know the most effective solutions are those closest to the community, and now is the time to act on them.”
In August, the EPA awarded DSCEJ a $13 million grant over five years to remove barriers and improve accessibility for communities with environmental justice concerns. DSCEJ is among 16 entities selected nationally through a partnership between the EPA and the U.S. Department of Energy to house Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Centers (EJ TCTACs) and receive $177 million in grant funding.
The EJ TCTAC program is part of the Federal Interagency Thriving Communities Network. The new technical assistance centers will help ensure communities with environmental justice concerns can access President Biden’s historic investments in America to address generational disinvestment, legacy pollution, and infrastructure challenges and build a clean energy economy that will lower energy costs, strengthen our energy security, and meet our climate goals.
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