AG Campbell Secures $100,000 In Funding For Air Quality Projects To Benefit Everett Residents

Attorney General Secures Funding for Community-Based Organizations to Address Air Quality Problems in Everett

The Attorney General’s Office has allocated $100,000 to two community-based non-profit organizations, Mystic River Watershed Association (MyWRA) and Everett Community Growers, Inc. (ECG), to collaborate with each other and community members in addressing air quality issues in Everett.

Background

For years, cities like Everett have been disproportionately affected by environmental injustices without receiving the necessary resources to mitigate the impact. This has resulted in communities and residents suffering without viable solutions. Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell aims to rectify these injustices by providing funding to organizations working in collaboration with local government and the community. The Attorney General’s Office is committed to eradicating environmental injustices, protecting communities, and promoting clean air and a healthy environment for all.

Mystic River Watershed Association (MyWRA)

MyWRA will receive approximately $75,000 to fund the assessment and monitoring of air pollution and heat islands in an industrial area in southeastern Everett. The project will involve collaboration with the Air Pollution Monitoring Lab at Tufts University to investigate the concentration, impacts, and extent of air pollutants and ultrafine particles that significantly affect people’s health.

Everett Community Growers, Inc (ECG)

ECG will receive $25,000 to support MyWRA’s project in Everett through community outreach and engagement. Additionally, the funds will be used for air quality assessment work conducted by MyWRA in a larger regional project. In the Everett project, the funds will be utilized to survey community members disproportionately impacted by poor air quality. The goals include informing decision-making in the MyWRA project, increasing public awareness of the results and strategies to reduce exposure to air pollution, and collaborating with the City of Everett to identify solutions that mitigate health risks to residents.

Quotes

“The combined impacts of air quality pollution and heat can have disastrous effects on vulnerable populations,” said Patrick Herron, Executive Director of Mystic River Watershed Association. “We’re grateful to AG Campbell’s Office for making these funds available to study air quality in this industrialized area of Everett and engage residents about their concerns.”

“Everett Community Growers is thrilled to continue our work with the Mystic River Watershed Association and engage our community with resident-led decision making in Everett,” said Nicole Fina, Coalition Coordinator of Everett Community Growers, Inc. “Our engagement team, consisting of Everett residents and youth, will also be involved in this project, ensuring that resident voices are at the core of planning and decision-making. We recognize our residents’ concerns about air quality, especially in light of climate change, and we look forward to brainstorming impacts and developing solutions. We would like to thank Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell for this opportunity and anticipate future collaborations.”

Funding Source

This funding is part of a settlement agreement between Schnitzer Northeast and the Attorney General’s Office. It is administered by the AG’s Environmental Protection Division.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
• SDG 13: Climate Action
• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• SDG 3.9: By 2030, substantially reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water, and soil pollution and contamination.
• SDG 11.6: By 2030, reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality and municipal and other waste management.
• SDG 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries.
• SDG 17.17: Encourage and promote effective public, public-private, and civil society partnerships, building on the experience and resourcing strategies of partnerships.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Indicator for SDG 3.9: Number of deaths and illnesses attributed to air pollution.
• Indicator for SDG 11.6: Ambient air pollution levels in cities.
• Indicator for SDG 13.1: Number of people affected by climate-related hazards and disasters.
• Indicator for SDG 17.17: Amount of funding allocated to community-based non-profit organizations working on environmental justice issues.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

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Source: mass.gov

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