EPA Announces $500,000 Air Monitoring Grant Project for El Paso-Based Group La Mujer Obrera

EPA Announces $500,000 Air Monitoring Grant Project for El Paso-Based Group La Mujer Obrera

October 25, 2024

DALLAS, TEXAS (October 25, 2024)- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency awarded a $500,000 air monitoring grant to LaMujer Obrera, a community group based in El Paso, Texas, to analyze transportation emissions and other local pollution sources. This funding comes from the Biden-Harris Administration's American Rescue Plan (ARP), which granted select cooperative agreements to conduct ambient air monitoring in communities with environmental and health outcome disparities stemming from pollution and the COVID-19 pandemic.

"For over 40 years, La Mujer Obrera has fought for the health and well-being of their neighbors in the Chamizal community of El Paso," said Regional Administrator Dr. Earthea Nance. "With this funding, La Mujer Obrera can address air quality concerns head-on and provide real-time data to residents. I would like to thank La Mujer Obrera for their decades of environmental stewardship and advocacy for their community."

"Historic amounts of federal funding have given El Paso the opportunity to innovate, improve, and invest in infrastructure that prioritizes public health and reduces pollution," said Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16). "I am grateful to the EPA for another important investment that moves us closer to our goal of true environmental justice, and to La Mujer Obrera for their critical work to advocate for the health of vulnerable communities."

LaMujer Obrera was founded in 1981 and has campaigned for the protection of basic human rights such as employment, housing, education, nutrition, health, and political liberty. With this funding, LaMujer Obrera plans to deployair monitorsin the Chamizal community tocreatea mitigation plan armed with data to protect the health of the residents in the neighborhood. Air quality data will provide a baseline analysis across transportation emissions, environmental justice concerns, known pollution sources, and localized environmental justice screening. Working collectively with Chamizal residents, LaMujer Obrera will prepare and design the Chamizal Action Plan. The plan includes a block-by-block localized air quality assessment and data report(s) that will map sources of contamination contributing to ozone emissions, particulate matter, and fugitive dust. Additionally, this plan will educate residents on hazardous air pollutants that are specific to certain communities.

This funding is designed to be a multi-year plan with the project ending in 2027. By 2027, LaMujer Obrera will incorporate mitigation plans and green infrastructure principles into the planning for future neighborhood improvements and developments for the neighborhood. Lastly, LaMujer Obrera expects residents to experience an improvement in public health and air quality with thesupport of local, state, and federal government to reduceemission sources as recommended by the Chamizal Action Plan.

For more information on the American Rescue Plan, please visit our webpage.

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