New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Amanda Lefton today announced $1 million in grant funding for two projects that will support effective action to reduce air pollution and exposure within disadvantaged communities (DAC) and environmental justice (EJ) communities. The awards, funded through DEC's Air Pollution Mitigation grant program, support the Statewide Community Air Monitoring (CAM) initiative and its ongoing work to identify and prioritize sources of air pollution and mitigation strategies in partnership with community stakeholders. 

“Reducing the impacts of air pollution and vehicle emissions is vital to the long-term health and well-being of New Yorkers living in disadvantaged and environmental justice communities,” Commissioner Lefton said. “DEC's Air Pollution Mitigation grant program builds on the successful Community Air Monitoring initiative to identify sources of pollution in partnership with community stakeholders. Under the leadership of Governor Kathy Hochul, DEC remains committed to this transformational work and looks forward to the results of the New Rochelle and Buffalo projects.” 

The funded projects are designed to reduce or mitigate emissions or air pollution in areas with higher air pollution levels and negative quality of life impacts from noise and odors due to an inequitable distribution of air pollution sources. 

The following projects were awarded funding: 

Buffalo Prenatal-Perinatal Network, $500,000: funding will support a project to enhance indoor air quality and maternal health by utilizing cost-effective air filtration devices and community education initiatives. The project will focus on improving health outcomes for a very sensitive subpopulation of African American and Hispanic women and their newborns in Buffalo's disadvantaged communities. 

Energy Justice Law and Policy Center, $500,000: funding will support efforts by Clean Air New Rochelle, led by the Energy Justice Law and Policy Center in partnership with the city of New Rochelle, to monitor air quality in DACs within The LINC. The $45 million City-proposed mitigation-focused infrastructure project is in a high-traffic corridor area with goals to restore street connections, improve traffic flow, install green infrastructure, and create community spaces. Energy Justice Law’s project will engage communities to monitor and evaluate these reduction methods in areas near sensitive populations by evaluating the effectiveness of air pollution exposure reduction strategies, including effects of traffic rerouting the planting of trees and the use of vegetative barriers near busy roadways.

Buffalo Prenatal Perinatal Network, Inc. CEO Luanne Brown said, “Pregnancy is a critical window when environmental stressors like air pollution can have profound impacts on both mother and child, something that often bears a disproportionate impact on disadvantaged communities like Buffalo. With support from Governor Hochul and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and in collaboration with our partners, Dr. Lina Mu and Meng Wang, School of Public Health and Health Professions, University at Buffalo, hundreds of pregnant women will receive a low-cost air purifier to reduce household air pollution. This community-based intervention program will help reduce maternal complications, improve birth outcomes, and provide long-term benefits for child development.” 

Energy Justice Law and Policy Center founder and Executive Director Raya Salter said, “This grant allows us to pair cutting edge air-monitoring with community leadership. By tracking the real impacts of mitigation projects in New Rochelle’s frontline communities, we’re building a model for municipal, community-driven air-pollution solutions and, with the DEC, advancing the Climate Act.” 

Community Air Quality

Residents and community-based organizations often approach DEC when they have air quality concerns. DEC uses existing air quality data, air quality model results, and information on local sources of air pollution to better understand the community's concern. 

In August 2024, DEC completed the collection and analysis of air quality data for the statewide Community Air Monitoring Initiative. This initiative gathered air quality data in 10 disadvantaged communities with some of the highest air pollution burdens across New York. DEC created an overview of the initiative and detailed interactive “story maps” of the 10 communities using the monitoring results, including mapping tools to display the mobile monitoring findings, air pollution sources, and locations of sensitive populations like schools, daycares, playgrounds, public housing, and nursing homes. 

As part of the Community Air Monitoring Initiative, DEC continues to partner with communities around New York to help address air pollution and quality of life impacts and the emissions contributing to climate change. DEC is working with CAM communities to collect input and recommendations for air pollution reduction strategies that will be compiled in a report and released early next year. 

DEC will consult with the Climate Justice Working Group and oversee the next phase of the Community Air Monitoring initiative in collaboration with local stakeholders and other state agencies to develop statewide mitigation strategies to improve air quality in DACs based on community input. 

Additional information on the Office of Environmental Justice is available on the DEC website: https://dec.ny.gov/environmental-protection/environmental-justice 

New York State's Climate Agenda