OHIO — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced Thursday that MetroHealth System and the Trust for Public Land in Ohio will receive more than $20 million combined to help disadvantaged communities combat environmental challenges.

What You Need To Know

  • MetroHealth will receive $17,191,775, and The Trust for Public Land in Ohio will receive $3,000,000

  • The money will be used for projects that include reducing noise pollution, increasing community climate resistance and building community capacity

  • The funds are from the Community Change Grants Program through President Joe Biden's Inflation Reduction Act

MetroHealth will receive $17,191,775, and The Trust for Public Land in Ohio will receive $3,000,000. The money will be used for projects that include reducing noise pollution, increasing community climate resistance and building community capacity. 

MetroHealth, in partnership with Community Housing Solutions, is tasked with identifying 1,200 Cleveland-area households with at least one resident with asthma, and then work with them to reduce air pollution. Possible ways the system plans to do so is by replacing gas ranges with electric ranges, upgrading kitchen electrical systems if needed and improving kitchen ventilation, among other projects. 

The Trust for Public Land will partner with See You at the Top and working with the City of Cleveland and the Cleveland Parks and Greenspace Coalition to talk with residences about eight historically disadvantaged neighborhoods about parks and greenspaces. 

Trust for Public Land, along with partner See You at the Top, will work with the city of Cleveland and the Cleveland Parks and Greenspace Coalition to engage residents of eight historically disadvantaged neighborhoods in municipal decision-making and planning processes related to parks and greenspaces.

The funds are from the Community Change Grants Program through President Joe Biden's Inflation Reduction Act. 

 “The Inflation Reduction Act continues to deliver for Northeast Ohio. I’m excited to join the EPA in announcing two federal grant awards to MetroHealth and The Trust for Public Land. These grants will make a tangible difference for local families, helping thousands of residents with asthma upgrade their homes and giving residents a voice in developing greenspace. We all deserve clean air, indoors and outdoors, and these grants help us move toward that goal,” said Rep. Shontel Brown in a release.

The award for MetroHealth and the Trust for Public Land are part of a $2 billion award from the Inflation Reduction Act program, which the EPA said is the largest single environmental justice investment in history. In total, 21 organizations are receiving funds.

"Trust for Public Land and Syatt are grateful for the opportunity to create system-wide change in Cleveland via the Cleveland Parks & Greenspace Coalition. This award will center community residents in the development of the new Parks and Recreation Department and implementation of the city-wide parks and greenspace comprehensive plan. The equity-driven, environmental, and climate justice community work in this grant award will encourage two-way communication between the City and residents, becoming a watershed event for a more resilient Cleveland,” said Sean Terry, Ohio state director at Trust for Public Land, in a release.

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