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SALT LAKE CITY — The University of Utah last week was selected as one of five recipients of a $34 million federal grant from the Environmental Protection Agency to reduce air pollution at schools in low-income, disadvantaged and tribal communities.
The U. is receiving a $6.5 million chunk, which will go toward the development of indoor air quality management and greenhouse gas reduction plans for schools in urban and rural areas in Utah and Nevada, as well as the Northern Arapaho Tribe in Wyoming.
The American Lung Association, the New York State Department of Health and Health Research, the Go Green Initiative and the U.S. Green Building Council's Center for Green Schools are the other 4 recipients of the grant, which is part of the Biden administration's Investing in America agenda.
For the U.'s part, its efforts will be focused on energy efficiency assessments of school buildings, indoor/outdoor air pollutant monitoring, demonstration of the effectiveness of air pollution reduction strategies, development of an indoor air quality school phone app, community engagement, training, educational activities, and by providing indoor air quality and greenhouse reduction guidance to schools.
"Children spend so much of their day in school. It is critical for their health and academic success that schools have clean and healthy air," EPA Deputy Administrator Janet McCabe said in a statement. "These grants will put schools in the best position to improve attendance and academic achievement while addressing the unique and disproportionate health impacts that children in overburdened communities face as a result of indoor air quality challenges."
The issue
According to data from the EPA, half of K-12 students across the country attend schools that don't have indoor air quality management plans or programs in place.
This can lead to a litany of harmful educational and health outcomes, explained by the American Lung Association, including:
- Increased student absences due to respiratory infections, allergic responses or adverse reactions to chemicals used in schools.
- Reduced student productivity, attention span and academic performance.
- Reduced teacher and staff performance due to discomfort, sickness or absences.
"There is substantial evidence that comprehensive management of indoor air quality in schools improves student academic performance and attendance, reduces the spread of airborne illnesses like COVID-19, lengthens the lifespan of building systems and lowers greenhouse gas emissions from schools while providing significant cost savings through lower energy consumption," said a release from the EPA.
The agency anticipates that grants to the five selected applicants will be finalized and awarded in the fall of 2024, once all legal and administrative requirements are satisfied, and that selected applicants will begin their projects shortly after.
