Western Environmental Science Technical Assistance Center for Environmental Justice
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) promise of clean air, clean water and safe land still needs to reach underserved and overburdened communities. With funds from President Joe Biden’s Investing in America agenda, EPA received funds to award $10 million to The University of Arizona to fund the Western Environmental Science Technical Assistance Center for Environmental Justice (WEST EJ Center), for five years.
WEST EJ Center works with communities to overcome these barriers to work towards environmental and energy justice and is one of 16 Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Centers (EJ TCTACs) in EPA and Department of Energy (DOE)’s new program launch. West EJ Center serves Region 9 which includes Arizona, Nevada, California, Hawai’i, and the U.S. Affiliated Pacific Islands, including Native American tribes and Indigenous communities in these areas. The Center is a one-stop shop for organizations and groups within low-income and minority communities to receive hands-on help with grant navigation, community leadership and technical expertise to tackle Environmental and Energy Justice (EEJ) challenges in their community.
SERI is one of five community partners supporting WEST EJ Center’s mission and values by providing our EEJ expertise and community engagement. Rachel Spitz (Program Manager at SERI) is leading the Marketing and Outreach team to promote all aspects of the Center including its mission, services and engagement in the community. Spitz is leading outreach initiatives to ensure partners and the community are aware of the Center’s trainings and resources. Flor Sandoval (Program Director at SERI) is leading the Training team to coordinate the development of multi-mode trainings and materials to meet program participants’ needs and the Center’s mission.
Guidance in finding, applying for, and managing grants.
Building advocacy and leadership through resource fairs, student internships, and Community Champions Program.
Providing environmental health, climate, and renewable energy expertise.
Learn about all the ways WEST EJ CENTER can help your group or community-based organization tackle environmental or energy justice challenges by visiting westejcenter.arizona.edu/how-we-can-help.
Not sure where to start? For hands-on help, contact WEST EJ Center team:
📧 WESTEJ-Center@arizona.edu
📞 1 (877) 518-4634
🌐 westejcenter.arizona.edu
TRAINING RESOURCES
WEST EJ Center’s team is powered by a network of collaborative coalition of academic and community-based partners with extensive networks with state and local government agencies, Tribal nations, Area Health Education Centers (AHECs), state offices of rural health, primary care associations and other community-based organizations across Region 9.
The Center’s team has developed training materials so your organization or group can receive assistance with environmental and energy justice action.
Training materials coming soon…
WEST EJ Center is an Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Center.