EPA Announces Rowan University to Receive $350,000 award Grant to Help Businesses Prevent Pollution as Part of Investing in America Agenda

EPA Announces Rowan University to Receive $350,000 award Grant to Help Businesses Prevent Pollution as Part of Investing in America Agenda

November 12, 2024

Glassboro, NJ - Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced Rowan University has been selected to receive nearly $350,000 in grants to provide technical assistance to businesses to develop and adopt pollution prevention (P2) practices in local communities.

Rowan University's project focuses on the reduction of specialty chemicals with high global warming potential. Many of these chemicals are used in the electric power industry and in microelectronics processing. Pollution prevention is achieved via reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, energy utilization, material use, hazardous wastes, as well as cost savings, and the innovative integration of all the above when taken together creates greener facilities that could serve as role models for allied industries to follow. Rowan University is currently working with one of the largest domestic providers of Sulfur Hexafluoride (SF6) for equipment used by electric utilities. Rowan also plans to coordinate with the Electric Power Research Institute to leverage the research that has been done in the past.

"Thanks to President Biden and Vice President Harris' leadership, EPA has provided unprecedented support for innovative approaches that prevent pollution and protect the environment," said EPA Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention Deputy Assistant Administrator for Pollution Prevention Jennie Romer. "Empowering businesses through these grant projects is a win-win that protects communities while also cutting costs for businesses."

Rowan University has decided that their primary target for EPA funded work will be working with the life cycle of fluorinated compounds such as SF6, C2F6, CHF3, and C4F8 related to the operations of their industrial partner, which is one of the largest domestic providers of sulfur hexafluoride -a potent greenhouse gas used in equipment by electric utilities. The university plans to engage with a local electric utility and a chemical manufacturer that holds approximately 10% of the market share in this sector. Furthermore, they are leveraging previous research conducted by the Electric Power Research Institute to enhance the effectiveness and implementation of their initiatives.

The project aims to achieve broad pollution prevention goals by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, minimizing energy utilization, decreasing material use, and lowering hazardous waste production. In addition, the project seeks to generate significant cost savings and foster the integration of sustainable practices to modernize facilities, creating role models for other industries to follow. Rowan's technical assistance will be on the processing of the chemicals of SF6, C2F6, CHF3, and C4F8 and on the use of alternatives of these compounds. It is expected that improvements in processing will also reduce energy requirements through efficiencies in chemical processing.

In total, EPA announced 48 selectees across the country that will collectively receive nearly $19 million in grants to support states, Tribal Nations, and U.S. territories in providing technical assistance to businesses to develop and adopt pollution prevention (P2) practices in local communities. Thanks to President Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, nearly half of the funds awarded this year were made available with no cost share/match requirement.

Pollution prevention, also known as P2 or source reduction, is any practice that reduces, eliminates, or prevents pollution at its source prior to recycling, treatment, or disposal. Preventing pollution at the source rather than managing waste afterwards is an important way to support American business' efforts to reduce costs, while protecting communities from exposure to toxic chemicals and conserving natural resources. These practices are essential for protecting health, improving environmental conditions-including in and around disadvantaged communities-and preserving natural resources like wetlands, groundwater sources, and other critical ecosystems.

Between 2011-2022, EPA's Pollution Prevention program issued over 500 grants totaling more than $54 million, which have helped businesses identify, develop, and adopt P2 approaches. These approaches have resulted in 31.9 billion kWh in energy savings, eliminated 20.8 million metric tons of greenhouse gases, saved 52 billion gallons of water, reduced 1 billion pounds of hazardous materials, and saved businesses more than $2.3 billion.

The agency expects to award funds once all legal and administrative requirements are satisfied. Once awarded, selected grantees will document and share P2 best practices that they identify and develop through these grants, so that others can replicate these practices and outcomes. Each selected grantee will also develop at least one case study during the grant period on P2 practices that are new or not widely known or adopted, or where detailed information on the P2 practices could benefit other businesses or P2 technical assistance providers.

The grants funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will be fully funded upon being awarded, with individual grant awards as high as $350,000. Grants that are a part of the traditional P2 grants program will be funded over a two-year funding cycle and require a cost share/match of fifty percent. EPA's Pollution Prevention Grant Program advances President Biden's Justice40 Initiative which set a goal to deliver 40% of the overall benefits from certain federal investments to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution. The full list of selections can be found below, and the selected project summariescan be found on EPA's Pollution Prevention website.

Background

President Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law made a historic $100 million investment in EPA's P2 Program, more than doubling the funding for P2 grants. The first round of 39 awards funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law was announced in September 2022and the second round of 24 awards was announced October 2023.

The list of selections can be found below, and the selected project summariescan be found on EPA's Pollution Prevention website.

Read more about P2 and EPA's P2 Grant Program.

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