Organizations seeking grants through Beaver County’s $5 million Environmental Mitigation Fund can apply now.

Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection on Wednesday announced the finalized criteria and application period for funding made available last year in a Shell air violation settlement.

Shell in May 2023 signed a consent order and agreement to resolve months of pollution exceedances, paying nearly $10 million for repeated air permit violations at the company’s Potter Township ethane cracker plant. The company paid a $4.9 million civil penalty to the DEP and another $5 million to establish a fund for projects that benefit the “environment, health and quality of life” of those living near the petrochemical plant.

The grant proposal submission period is Jan. 4 through Feb. 29. The Pittsburgh Foundation will manage and disburse the funds. Eligible groups include those with tax-exempt status located in Beaver County or partnering with a qualifying Beaver County organization.

A community advisory board will review applications, make recommendations and give special consideration to at least one project that provides for regular, independent air quality testing near the plastics facility and those fostering civic participation. The panel will review all applications within 45 days of the submission deadline.

“We are hopeful that these funds will enable both grassroots and more established organizations to deepen their agency in the future of the region, improving the lives, health and environment for Beaver County residents,” said Daniel Rossi-Keen, an advisory board member and executive director of RiverWise.

The DEP Office of Environmental Justice is assisting in the effort. Last July, Fernando Treviño, the office’s special deputy secretary, said he hoped first-round funding would be issued by the end of 2023. That timeline was pushed back by a few months, he said.

“Behind-the-scenes work and, to some degree, internal bureaucracy sometimes slowed things a little more than we wanted originally, but I think the progress has been very steady and is moving in the right direction,” he said.

Treviño said securing the $5 million funding pool – and directly involving community leaders in its allocation – represents a shift in the state’s environmental justice priorities. The initiative, he said, is expected to serve as a pilot for similar approaches throughout Pennsylvania.

“It’s one of the largest funds of its kind in Pennsylvania history and a first-of-its-kind for DEP,” Treviño said. “That is why we were very intentional and deliberative as we outlined the process forward.”

“What we have learned is the Beaver County community is always open to come to the table and work with DEP and even Shell, to some degree, when there’s a direct benefit to the community,” he continued. “That has been a highlight for me.”

To bolster public engagement during the process, the fund’s community advisory board will host a virtual public meeting at 6 p.m. Jan. 11 and two in-person public meetings at 6 p.m. Jan 17 and Jan. 31 at Penn State-Beaver’s Student Union Building Lodge, 100 University Drive in Center Township. Meetings will be streamed on RiverWise and Beaver County Marcellus Awareness Community Facebook pages.

Two virtual Q&A sessions for prospective applicants will be held 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Jan. 24 and Feb. 13. Register at shorturl.at/iGV47.

Additionally, Treviño will host virtual office hours for anyone with questions from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. each Tuesday beginning Jan. 9. To register, email RA-EPBeaverCoMitFund@pa.gov for a link to join.

The application for grant funding is housed on The Pittsburgh Foundation’s website. To apply, visit pittsburghfoundation.org/temcf.

This article originally appeared on Beaver County Times: Submissions open for $5 million Beaver County Environmental Mitigation Fund