WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski (IL-13) joined the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to announce that the United Congregations of Metro East will receive $500,000 for an air pollution monitoring project. The funding comes as communities in the Metro East continue to face significant environmental health challenges. 

“As Metro East residents continue to combat long standing environmental health and safety problems, we have to do more to detect and address pollution,” said Rep. Nikki Budzinski.“After bringing EPA officials to East St. Louis to hear about these concerns directly, I’m so glad to join them in announcing that nearly $500,000 will be headed to the United Congregations of Metro East to monitor our local air quality and gain better insight into pollution in this region. In combination with the EPA Environmental Justice Academy announced at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, I’m hopeful that we can make real progress for the folks struggling with these persistent challenges.”

The funding was awarded through the EPA’s Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem Solving Cooperative Agreement and Environmental Justice Government-to-Government programs, which are supporting disadvantaged communities that have historically suffered from underinvestment to ensure access to clean air and water.

In August, Congresswoman Budzinski hosted EPA officials in East St. Louis and Cahokia Heights to hear directly from residents about their health concerns related to air pollution and contaminated water. 

She also recently highlighted the opening of applications for Illinois’ first Environmental Justice (EJ) Academy. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s EJ Academy is a training program that will help local leaders cultivate skills to identify and address environmental challenges in their communities. The academy will be hosted in East St. Louis, Illinois and is being co-sponsored by the Kapal Foundation and Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.

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