Almost a quarter-million dollars from the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will be coming to a Lehigh Valley community college to bolster pollution prevention. WDIY’s Sarit Laschinsky has more.
Northampton Community College says the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency awarded it a $225,113 Pollution Prevention Grant, which was funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
In a release, the college said its Emerging Technology Applications Center program will deliver on-site technical assistance and educational training in pollution prevention approaches, to help businesses reduce their environmental footprint, operating expenses, and liability risk.
NCC’s project, titled P2 Technical Assistance for Pennsylvania Aerospace, Food, Beverage, and Metal Manufacturers, will identify more economical ways to reduce or eliminate the release of toxic air emissions.
It will also reduce waste created from solvent-based coatings and greenhouse gas emissions, and decrease human exposure to pollutants that contribute to the severity of respiratory diseases, according to the college.
The new grant will allow NCC to continue working in the pollution prevention area until 2025.
In a statement Dr. John Barkanic, the grant’s managing director, said the EPA’s funding is critical to reducing industrial pollution, and the proposed program is designed to support manufacturers across Eastern Pennsylvania.
Barkanic added that the program has a special emphasis on underserved communities which are located in Environmental Justice Zones.
According to the release, preventing pollution compared to managing waste after it is produced is more economical, sustainable, and environmentally sound, and will project and advance community health.
(Original air-date: 10/17/22)
