CEE Faculty and EPA Partner to Launch Environmental Justice Community Center

The University of Connecticut is excited to announce the establishment of the Environmental Justice Thriving Community Technical Assistance Center (EJ-TCTAC), a collaborative initiative funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

The EJ-TCTAC is led by Dr. Carolyn Lin (Department of Communication), with a dedicated team including Dr. Davis Chacon Hurtado (School of Civil and Environmental Engineering & Human Rights Institute), Dr. Diego Cerrai (School of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Eversource Energy Center), Dr. Rupal Parekh (School of Social Work), and Chris Newell (Director of Native American Cultural Programs). Special recognition is also given to Marisa Chrysochoou, the initial investigator, whose foundational work has greatly contributed to this initiative.

They provide free, tailored support to municipalities, state and tribal governments, non-profits, and regional agencies in addressing environmental justice and energy equity challenges. Their services focus on fostering sustainable practices, community development, and economic growth through the following:

  • Custom Support: Assisting with nonprofit establishment, grant identification, project budgeting, coalition-building, and navigating government systems like Grants.gov and SAM.gov.
  • Training: Delivering customized virtual or in-person sessions on grant applications, environmental justice principles, project design, and community needs assessments, along with resource hub creation and one-on-one consultations.
  • Needs Assessments: Offering SWOT analyses, stakeholder mapping, strategic planning, collaboration roadmaps, and data collection to support environmental and public health initiatives.

This center aims to enhance environmental justice efforts across New England, providing vital support and resources to communities as they address environmental and social challenges.

For more information, visit their website at environmental-justice.program.uconn.edu.

Congratulations to the entire team on this significant step toward promoting environmental justice and community resilience across the region!