Federal Independent Agencies
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Federal Independent Agencies
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IDB Supports Modernization of Les Cayes Airport and Rehabilitation of National Route 2 in Southern Haiti
WASHINGTON, June 25 -- The Inter-American Development Bank issued the following news release:
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IDB Supports Modernization of Les Cayes Airport and Rehabilitation of National Route 2 in Southern Haiti
The Board of Executive Directors of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) approved up to $69 million in non-reimbursable investment financing to modernize Les Cayes Airport and improve the transportation network in southern Haiti.
The works at Les Cayes Airport represent a key step toward strengthening connectivity and development in the country's southern region. The investment plan is ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, June 25 -- The Inter-American Development Bank issued the following news release: * * * IDB Supports Modernization of Les Cayes Airport and Rehabilitation of National Route 2 in Southern Haiti The Board of Executive Directors of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) approved up to $69 million in non-reimbursable investment financing to modernize Les Cayes Airport and improve the transportation network in southern Haiti. The works at Les Cayes Airport represent a key step toward strengthening connectivity and development in the country's southern region. The investment plan isdesigned to upgrade aviation safety to international standards, providing a reliable alternative for the transport of passengers, cargo, and essential supplies. The works will be carried out in phases to gradually enable operations and expand the airport's capacity to meet projected demand through 2045.
The investment plan includes widening the runway to 30 meters, upgrading the apron and pavement markings, installing aeronautical lighting and safer approach systems, deploying modern meteorological observation equipment, and constructing a perimeter fence.
The project also includes essential operational facilities, such as an air traffic control tower and a rescue and firefighting building.
The rehabilitation of priority sections of National Route 2 (RN2) will improve the region's main access corridor, a vital connection to Port-au-Prince and the country's principal economic centers.
The program will support the structural rehabilitation of 11 kilometers of pavement along the Etang de Miragoane-Carrefour Moussignac section, enabling more continuous, safer, and more reliable operation of this strategic roadway.
These interventions are aligned with other key investments, including the Port of Saint-Louis du Sud and the road link between Les Cayes and Jeremie, thereby strengthening the transport infrastructure network effect, improving connectivity, boosting trade and emergency response capacity, expanding access to markets and services, fostering job creation, and supporting regional integration, including links with the Caribbean.
The program will directly benefit 61,000 annual air transport users and 6,500 annual users of the RN2 corridor, who will experience more reliable travel, reduced travel times, and safer connectivity.
The program will also provide technical support to strengthen the institutional and operational capacity of the Ministry of Public Works, Transport and Communications (MTPTC), promoting the enhancement of its knowledge and technical expertise. This will contribute to improving project management and implementation, ensuring the sustainability of investments and greater efficiency in the maintenance and development of infrastructure over the long term.
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About the IDB
The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), a member of the IDB Group, is devoted to improving lives across Latin America and the Caribbean. Founded in 1959, the Bank works with the region's public sector to design and enable impactful, innovative solutions for sustainable and inclusive development. Leveraging financing, technical expertise, and knowledge, it promotes growth and well-being in 26 countries.
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Original text here: https://www.iadb.org/en/news/idb-supports-modernization-les-cayes-airport-and-rehabilitation-national-route-2-southern-haiti
* * *
IDB Supports Modernization of Les Cayes Airport and Rehabilitation of National Route 2 in Southern Haiti
The Board of Executive Directors of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) approved up to $69 million in non-reimbursable investment financing to modernize Les Cayes Airport and improve the transportation network in southern Haiti.
The works at Les Cayes Airport represent a key step toward strengthening connectivity and development in the country's southern region. The investment plan is ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, June 25 -- The Inter-American Development Bank issued the following news release: * * * IDB Supports Modernization of Les Cayes Airport and Rehabilitation of National Route 2 in Southern Haiti The Board of Executive Directors of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) approved up to $69 million in non-reimbursable investment financing to modernize Les Cayes Airport and improve the transportation network in southern Haiti. The works at Les Cayes Airport represent a key step toward strengthening connectivity and development in the country's southern region. The investment plan isdesigned to upgrade aviation safety to international standards, providing a reliable alternative for the transport of passengers, cargo, and essential supplies. The works will be carried out in phases to gradually enable operations and expand the airport's capacity to meet projected demand through 2045.
The investment plan includes widening the runway to 30 meters, upgrading the apron and pavement markings, installing aeronautical lighting and safer approach systems, deploying modern meteorological observation equipment, and constructing a perimeter fence.
The project also includes essential operational facilities, such as an air traffic control tower and a rescue and firefighting building.
The rehabilitation of priority sections of National Route 2 (RN2) will improve the region's main access corridor, a vital connection to Port-au-Prince and the country's principal economic centers.
The program will support the structural rehabilitation of 11 kilometers of pavement along the Etang de Miragoane-Carrefour Moussignac section, enabling more continuous, safer, and more reliable operation of this strategic roadway.
These interventions are aligned with other key investments, including the Port of Saint-Louis du Sud and the road link between Les Cayes and Jeremie, thereby strengthening the transport infrastructure network effect, improving connectivity, boosting trade and emergency response capacity, expanding access to markets and services, fostering job creation, and supporting regional integration, including links with the Caribbean.
The program will directly benefit 61,000 annual air transport users and 6,500 annual users of the RN2 corridor, who will experience more reliable travel, reduced travel times, and safer connectivity.
The program will also provide technical support to strengthen the institutional and operational capacity of the Ministry of Public Works, Transport and Communications (MTPTC), promoting the enhancement of its knowledge and technical expertise. This will contribute to improving project management and implementation, ensuring the sustainability of investments and greater efficiency in the maintenance and development of infrastructure over the long term.
* * *
About the IDB
The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), a member of the IDB Group, is devoted to improving lives across Latin America and the Caribbean. Founded in 1959, the Bank works with the region's public sector to design and enable impactful, innovative solutions for sustainable and inclusive development. Leveraging financing, technical expertise, and knowledge, it promotes growth and well-being in 26 countries.
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Original text here: https://www.iadb.org/en/news/idb-supports-modernization-les-cayes-airport-and-rehabilitation-national-route-2-southern-haiti
From Immersion to Impact: NAM and KEMRI Advance Women's Health Leadership Across Africa
WASHINGTON, June 24 -- The National Academy of Medicine issued the following news:
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From Immersion to Impact: NAM and KEMRI Advance Women's Health Leadership Across Africa
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By Komal Syed
Leaders and staff from KEMRI and NAM, together with LEA-WH fellows and distinguished guests, gather to mark the start of Immersion Week and a shared commitment to advancing women's health research and innovation across Africa.
In May 2026, the inaugural cohort of the Leadership for Innovation and Excellence in Accelerating Research on Women's Health Fellowship, known as LEA-WH, gathered in Nairobi, ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, June 24 -- The National Academy of Medicine issued the following news: * * * From Immersion to Impact: NAM and KEMRI Advance Women's Health Leadership Across Africa * By Komal Syed Leaders and staff from KEMRI and NAM, together with LEA-WH fellows and distinguished guests, gather to mark the start of Immersion Week and a shared commitment to advancing women's health research and innovation across Africa. In May 2026, the inaugural cohort of the Leadership for Innovation and Excellence in Accelerating Research on Women's Health Fellowship, known as LEA-WH, gathered in Nairobi,Kenya, for an intensive Immersion Week designed to launch a year of training, mentorship, collaboration, and leadership development. Fittingly, "lea" means "nurture" in Swahili -a reflection of the fellowship's goal to nurture a new generation of women's health research and innovation leaders across Africa.
A collaboration between the National Academy of Medicine (NAM) and the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), with support from the Gates Foundation, the LEA-WH Fellowship brings together emerging leaders from across Africa who are working to advance women's health through research, innovation, policy, and systems transformation. The 20 fellows in the first of the three planned annual cohorts represent a dynamic community of researchers, clinicians, biotechnologists, public health professionals, entrepreneurs, and innovators in Africa committed to addressing women's health challenges that remain underfunded, underrecognized, and often insufficiently informed by local expertise.
The Immersion Week marked the first time the fellows met in person. More than an orientation, the week was designed to help fellows build relationships, understand the fellowship's structure and expectations, engage with key themes in women's health research and innovation, and begin developing peer and mentor networks that will support them throughout the program
"One of the most important goals of Immersion Week was to bring this cohort together as a community. The training and information were essential, but the relationships formed among the fellows and with program staff will be just as valuable. By the end of the week, there was a real sense of connection, shared purpose, and excitement for the journey ahead." -Kelly Robbins, Senior Program Officer, NAM Health Policy Fellowships and Leadership Programs
From Individual Leaders to a Cohort
LEA-WH fellows, KEMRI staff, and NAM staff celebrate connection and collaboration after an afternoon of team-building activities during the Immersion Week.
The week opened with welcome remarks from program leadership and partners, followed by a "Why I Am Here" fellow showcase that invited each participant to share their background, motivations, and aspirations. Throughout the week, fellows engaged in sessions that reflected the full scope of the LEA-WH program: research and development, health systems strengthening, policy and governance, human-centered design, funding ecosystems, communication, personal branding, mentorship, and leadership development.
The central goal of Immersion Week was to help fellows move from individual excellence to collective purpose. Sessions emphasized collaboration across countries, disciplines, and professional tracks, reinforcing that transformative progress in women's health requires networks as well as knowledge.
The week also included lived experience panels that grounded the program in the realities of women and communities affected by women's health conditions. These sessions underscored a core principle of the fellowship: that meaningful research and innovation must be shaped by the people and communities it is intended to serve.
Leadership at the Center
LEA-WH fellows engage in interactive discussions during the Vitae Leadership Development Workshop, facilitated by Dr. Ama de-Graft Aikins.
A highlight of Immersion Week was a leadership development workshop organized through Vitae and led by Dr. Ama de-Graft Aikins, a NAM member, Professor of Social Psychology at the University of Ghana, and Professorial Research Fellow at the London School of Economics and Political Science. The workshop invited fellows to reflect on leadership identity, resilience, career mapping, and the kind of leadership needed to advance women's health research and innovation across Africa.
The session also introduced fellows to individual development planning, peer coaching, and the habits of reflective leadership that will continue throughout the fellowship year.
Reflecting on the session, Dr. Ama de-Graft Aikins said "I spent a revelatory day with a dynamic group of fellows who had already bonded over shared career experiences and goals, and were primed for critical self-reflection, professional growth and-to paraphrase Dr. Fezile Khumalo, a LEA-WH Fellow-'finding and using their voices' to advance women's health in Africa. It was an honor to contribute to this forward-thinking fellowship program as a Vitae Associate and NAM member."
In addition to formal leadership training, the week included a fireside conversation with Dr. Yaw Bediako, CEO and Co-Founder of Yemaachi Biotech and Dean of Research and Innovation at Asheshi University in Ghana. The conversation encouraged fellows to consider how science, entrepreneurship, and innovation can work together to address health challenges in Africa.
Dr. Yaw Bediako speaks with LEA-WH fellows during a fireside conversation.
A Mentorship Network to Support the Journey
A defining feature of LEA-WH is its mentorship model. Each fellow has been matched with a leadership development mentor by NAM staff who will provide guidance, support, and perspective throughout the fellowship year. Many mentors are members of the National Academy of Medicine, while others were recommended by NAM members for their expertise and commitment to advancing health, science, and leadership.
The fellow-mentor pairings for leadership development include:
* Aamirah Mussa, Botswana Harvard Health Partnership (Botswana) - Jillian Pintye, University of Washington (United States)
* Airat Adeola Bakare, University of Lagos (Nigeria) - Maria Rodriguez, Oregon Health & Science University (United States)
* Chinelo Cynthia Nduka, Nnamdi Azikiwe University / Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (Nigeria) - Sabrina Assoumou, Boston University/Boston Medical Center (United States)
* Fezile Bongekile Khumalo, University of Cape Town (South Africa) - Maria Elena Bottazzi (NAM), Baylor College of Medicine (United States)
* Gelila Biresaw Sime, Arba Minch University (Ethiopia) - Deborah Bruner (NAM), Emory University (United States)
* Helen Habibata Habib, African Population and Health Research Center (Kenya) - Wanda Nicholson (NAM), George Washington University School of Public Health (United States)
* Joel Alex Olang, Urban Tech for Hope (Kenya) - Michael Zager, Cirro Bio (United States)
* Joy Ifunanya Odimegwu, University of Lagos / Gaudium Natural Health Limited (Nigeria) - Paule Joseph (NAM), National Institutes of Health (United States)
* Kadryn Kadasia-Tangai, Misala (Kenya) - Elizabeth Burnside, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health (United States)
* Kennedy Mulungu, Ubhwando Group Limited Company / Malawi Liverpool Wellcome Trust (Malawi) - Jenny Liu, University of California, San Francisco (United States)
* Kenneth Toby Maduako, University of Benin Teaching Hospital (Nigeria) - Echezona Ezeanolue, IVAN Research Institute, University of Nigeria (Nigeria and United States)
* Leonard Naphazi Kambewa, Ministry of Health Malawi (Malawi) - Corrina Moucheraud, New York University School of Global Public Health (United States)
* Marie Therese Esengwa Keka, Tekhi Global for Menopause Health (Cameroon) - Alessandra Bazzano, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (United States)
* Mbah Clarisse Engowei, Institute of Medical Research and Medicinal Plants Studies (Cameroon) - Jeannette Guarner, Emory University School of Medicine (United States)
* Nyasha Manyeruke, African Center of Excellence in Population Health and Policy / Early Childhood Development Action Network (Zimbabwe) - Claire Brindis (NAM), University of California, San Francisco (United States)
* Onyekachi Ewa Ibe, Ebonyi State University (Nigeria) - Nancy Lane (NAM), University of California, Davis (United States)
* Rogers Kajabwangu, Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital / Mbarara University of Science & Technology (Uganda) - Friday Okonofua (NAM), University of Benin (Nigeria)
* Sitsofe Gbogbo, University of Health and Allied Sciences (Ghana) - Anne CC Lee, Brown University (United States)
* Uduak Adiakot Okomo, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and MRC Unit (The Gambia) - Audrey Pettifor, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (United States)
* Wepnje Godlove Bunda, Redemption Higher Institute of Biomedical and Management Sciences (Cameroon) - Jennifer Downs, Weill Cornell Medicine (United States)
During Immersion Week, fellows were introduced to the program's mentorship and coaching approach. In addition to their NAM-assigned leadership development mentors, each fellow will be assigned a technical mentor by KEMRI to support their specific research or innovation project throughout the fellowship. Together, these mentorship structures are designed to help fellows clarify their goals, strengthen their leadership capacity, and translate fellowship learning into action.
From Immersion to Action
The week concluded with reflection, practical planning, and a focus on the first 90 days of the fellowship. Fellows identified insights they were taking forward, commitments they wanted to make, and questions that would guide their work in the year ahead.
By the end of the week, the fellows had not only completed an orientation; they had begun building a network. Through LEA-WH fellowship, NAM, KEMRI, and a global community of mentors and faculty are investing in a new generation of leaders who will generate evidence, develop innovations, and drive solutions to improve women's health across Africa.
"The challenges facing women's health are complex, but our collective expertise is stronger. Uniting fellows from 11 countries under the LEA-WH banner allowed us to cross-pollinate on ideas around local insights and scale up pathways that work. Immersion Week was the catalyst for equipping a network of leaders to produce rigorous evidence, shape life-saving policies, and bring innovative products to market. The vision is to ensure every African woman is thriving and healthy." -Dr. Nyawira Gitahi, LEA-WH Program Coordinator; Clinical Research Scientist, Kenya Medical Research Institute
Learn more about the LEA-WH Fellowship and the Kenya Medical Research Institute.
Komal Syed, PhD, is a program officer at the National Academy of Medicine, where her work focuses on international programs and leadership initiatives that advance health research, policy, and diplomacy.
***
Original text here: https://nam.edu/news-and-insights/from-immersion-to-impact-nam-and-kemri-advance-womens-health-leadership-across-africa/
* * *
From Immersion to Impact: NAM and KEMRI Advance Women's Health Leadership Across Africa
*
By Komal Syed
Leaders and staff from KEMRI and NAM, together with LEA-WH fellows and distinguished guests, gather to mark the start of Immersion Week and a shared commitment to advancing women's health research and innovation across Africa.
In May 2026, the inaugural cohort of the Leadership for Innovation and Excellence in Accelerating Research on Women's Health Fellowship, known as LEA-WH, gathered in Nairobi, ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, June 24 -- The National Academy of Medicine issued the following news: * * * From Immersion to Impact: NAM and KEMRI Advance Women's Health Leadership Across Africa * By Komal Syed Leaders and staff from KEMRI and NAM, together with LEA-WH fellows and distinguished guests, gather to mark the start of Immersion Week and a shared commitment to advancing women's health research and innovation across Africa. In May 2026, the inaugural cohort of the Leadership for Innovation and Excellence in Accelerating Research on Women's Health Fellowship, known as LEA-WH, gathered in Nairobi,Kenya, for an intensive Immersion Week designed to launch a year of training, mentorship, collaboration, and leadership development. Fittingly, "lea" means "nurture" in Swahili -a reflection of the fellowship's goal to nurture a new generation of women's health research and innovation leaders across Africa.
A collaboration between the National Academy of Medicine (NAM) and the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), with support from the Gates Foundation, the LEA-WH Fellowship brings together emerging leaders from across Africa who are working to advance women's health through research, innovation, policy, and systems transformation. The 20 fellows in the first of the three planned annual cohorts represent a dynamic community of researchers, clinicians, biotechnologists, public health professionals, entrepreneurs, and innovators in Africa committed to addressing women's health challenges that remain underfunded, underrecognized, and often insufficiently informed by local expertise.
The Immersion Week marked the first time the fellows met in person. More than an orientation, the week was designed to help fellows build relationships, understand the fellowship's structure and expectations, engage with key themes in women's health research and innovation, and begin developing peer and mentor networks that will support them throughout the program
"One of the most important goals of Immersion Week was to bring this cohort together as a community. The training and information were essential, but the relationships formed among the fellows and with program staff will be just as valuable. By the end of the week, there was a real sense of connection, shared purpose, and excitement for the journey ahead." -Kelly Robbins, Senior Program Officer, NAM Health Policy Fellowships and Leadership Programs
From Individual Leaders to a Cohort
LEA-WH fellows, KEMRI staff, and NAM staff celebrate connection and collaboration after an afternoon of team-building activities during the Immersion Week.
The week opened with welcome remarks from program leadership and partners, followed by a "Why I Am Here" fellow showcase that invited each participant to share their background, motivations, and aspirations. Throughout the week, fellows engaged in sessions that reflected the full scope of the LEA-WH program: research and development, health systems strengthening, policy and governance, human-centered design, funding ecosystems, communication, personal branding, mentorship, and leadership development.
The central goal of Immersion Week was to help fellows move from individual excellence to collective purpose. Sessions emphasized collaboration across countries, disciplines, and professional tracks, reinforcing that transformative progress in women's health requires networks as well as knowledge.
The week also included lived experience panels that grounded the program in the realities of women and communities affected by women's health conditions. These sessions underscored a core principle of the fellowship: that meaningful research and innovation must be shaped by the people and communities it is intended to serve.
Leadership at the Center
LEA-WH fellows engage in interactive discussions during the Vitae Leadership Development Workshop, facilitated by Dr. Ama de-Graft Aikins.
A highlight of Immersion Week was a leadership development workshop organized through Vitae and led by Dr. Ama de-Graft Aikins, a NAM member, Professor of Social Psychology at the University of Ghana, and Professorial Research Fellow at the London School of Economics and Political Science. The workshop invited fellows to reflect on leadership identity, resilience, career mapping, and the kind of leadership needed to advance women's health research and innovation across Africa.
The session also introduced fellows to individual development planning, peer coaching, and the habits of reflective leadership that will continue throughout the fellowship year.
Reflecting on the session, Dr. Ama de-Graft Aikins said "I spent a revelatory day with a dynamic group of fellows who had already bonded over shared career experiences and goals, and were primed for critical self-reflection, professional growth and-to paraphrase Dr. Fezile Khumalo, a LEA-WH Fellow-'finding and using their voices' to advance women's health in Africa. It was an honor to contribute to this forward-thinking fellowship program as a Vitae Associate and NAM member."
In addition to formal leadership training, the week included a fireside conversation with Dr. Yaw Bediako, CEO and Co-Founder of Yemaachi Biotech and Dean of Research and Innovation at Asheshi University in Ghana. The conversation encouraged fellows to consider how science, entrepreneurship, and innovation can work together to address health challenges in Africa.
Dr. Yaw Bediako speaks with LEA-WH fellows during a fireside conversation.
A Mentorship Network to Support the Journey
A defining feature of LEA-WH is its mentorship model. Each fellow has been matched with a leadership development mentor by NAM staff who will provide guidance, support, and perspective throughout the fellowship year. Many mentors are members of the National Academy of Medicine, while others were recommended by NAM members for their expertise and commitment to advancing health, science, and leadership.
The fellow-mentor pairings for leadership development include:
* Aamirah Mussa, Botswana Harvard Health Partnership (Botswana) - Jillian Pintye, University of Washington (United States)
* Airat Adeola Bakare, University of Lagos (Nigeria) - Maria Rodriguez, Oregon Health & Science University (United States)
* Chinelo Cynthia Nduka, Nnamdi Azikiwe University / Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (Nigeria) - Sabrina Assoumou, Boston University/Boston Medical Center (United States)
* Fezile Bongekile Khumalo, University of Cape Town (South Africa) - Maria Elena Bottazzi (NAM), Baylor College of Medicine (United States)
* Gelila Biresaw Sime, Arba Minch University (Ethiopia) - Deborah Bruner (NAM), Emory University (United States)
* Helen Habibata Habib, African Population and Health Research Center (Kenya) - Wanda Nicholson (NAM), George Washington University School of Public Health (United States)
* Joel Alex Olang, Urban Tech for Hope (Kenya) - Michael Zager, Cirro Bio (United States)
* Joy Ifunanya Odimegwu, University of Lagos / Gaudium Natural Health Limited (Nigeria) - Paule Joseph (NAM), National Institutes of Health (United States)
* Kadryn Kadasia-Tangai, Misala (Kenya) - Elizabeth Burnside, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health (United States)
* Kennedy Mulungu, Ubhwando Group Limited Company / Malawi Liverpool Wellcome Trust (Malawi) - Jenny Liu, University of California, San Francisco (United States)
* Kenneth Toby Maduako, University of Benin Teaching Hospital (Nigeria) - Echezona Ezeanolue, IVAN Research Institute, University of Nigeria (Nigeria and United States)
* Leonard Naphazi Kambewa, Ministry of Health Malawi (Malawi) - Corrina Moucheraud, New York University School of Global Public Health (United States)
* Marie Therese Esengwa Keka, Tekhi Global for Menopause Health (Cameroon) - Alessandra Bazzano, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (United States)
* Mbah Clarisse Engowei, Institute of Medical Research and Medicinal Plants Studies (Cameroon) - Jeannette Guarner, Emory University School of Medicine (United States)
* Nyasha Manyeruke, African Center of Excellence in Population Health and Policy / Early Childhood Development Action Network (Zimbabwe) - Claire Brindis (NAM), University of California, San Francisco (United States)
* Onyekachi Ewa Ibe, Ebonyi State University (Nigeria) - Nancy Lane (NAM), University of California, Davis (United States)
* Rogers Kajabwangu, Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital / Mbarara University of Science & Technology (Uganda) - Friday Okonofua (NAM), University of Benin (Nigeria)
* Sitsofe Gbogbo, University of Health and Allied Sciences (Ghana) - Anne CC Lee, Brown University (United States)
* Uduak Adiakot Okomo, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and MRC Unit (The Gambia) - Audrey Pettifor, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (United States)
* Wepnje Godlove Bunda, Redemption Higher Institute of Biomedical and Management Sciences (Cameroon) - Jennifer Downs, Weill Cornell Medicine (United States)
During Immersion Week, fellows were introduced to the program's mentorship and coaching approach. In addition to their NAM-assigned leadership development mentors, each fellow will be assigned a technical mentor by KEMRI to support their specific research or innovation project throughout the fellowship. Together, these mentorship structures are designed to help fellows clarify their goals, strengthen their leadership capacity, and translate fellowship learning into action.
From Immersion to Action
The week concluded with reflection, practical planning, and a focus on the first 90 days of the fellowship. Fellows identified insights they were taking forward, commitments they wanted to make, and questions that would guide their work in the year ahead.
By the end of the week, the fellows had not only completed an orientation; they had begun building a network. Through LEA-WH fellowship, NAM, KEMRI, and a global community of mentors and faculty are investing in a new generation of leaders who will generate evidence, develop innovations, and drive solutions to improve women's health across Africa.
"The challenges facing women's health are complex, but our collective expertise is stronger. Uniting fellows from 11 countries under the LEA-WH banner allowed us to cross-pollinate on ideas around local insights and scale up pathways that work. Immersion Week was the catalyst for equipping a network of leaders to produce rigorous evidence, shape life-saving policies, and bring innovative products to market. The vision is to ensure every African woman is thriving and healthy." -Dr. Nyawira Gitahi, LEA-WH Program Coordinator; Clinical Research Scientist, Kenya Medical Research Institute
Learn more about the LEA-WH Fellowship and the Kenya Medical Research Institute.
Komal Syed, PhD, is a program officer at the National Academy of Medicine, where her work focuses on international programs and leadership initiatives that advance health research, policy, and diplomacy.
***
Original text here: https://nam.edu/news-and-insights/from-immersion-to-impact-nam-and-kemri-advance-womens-health-leadership-across-africa/
EPA Proposes Commonsense NEPA Reforms to Get America Building Again
WASHINGTON, June 24 -- The Environmental Protection Agency issued the following news release:
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EPA Proposes Commonsense NEPA Reforms to Get America Building Again
*
WASHINGTON -U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today proposed commonsense reforms to the way it carries out the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), which, if finalized, would make environmental reviews faster, clearer, and more predictable so America can build more, without lowering a single environmental standard.
NEPA was written to protect Americans from the potential environmental harms of major federal ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, June 24 -- The Environmental Protection Agency issued the following news release: * * * EPA Proposes Commonsense NEPA Reforms to Get America Building Again * WASHINGTON -U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today proposed commonsense reforms to the way it carries out the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), which, if finalized, would make environmental reviews faster, clearer, and more predictable so America can build more, without lowering a single environmental standard. NEPA was written to protect Americans from the potential environmental harms of major federalactions. As the U.S. Supreme Court noted just last year, NEPA has been turned into a weapon to delay and block the very projects communities need -roads, bridges, energy, and water infrastructure -burying them under years of paperwork and litigation while delivering little for the environment in return. EPA's proposal restores NEPA to its original purpose: setting firm timelines, keeping documents focused and concise, and expanding proven, low-risk review pathways, all while keeping environmental protections fully intact.
"NEPA was never meant to be a weapon to kill projects -it was meant to protect the environment we all share," said EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin. "For decades, it's done the opposite: drowning critical projects in paperwork and lawsuits. Our new reforms, if finalized, would set hard deadlines, cut the red tape, and let America build more, and we're doing it without weakening a single environmental protection. Faster, smarter, and cleaner is exactly how government should work for the American people."
"For decades, NEPA has been a source of costly delays and uncertainty for critical infrastructure projects," said CEQ Chairman Katherine Scarlett. "The reforms EPA announced today align with the historic deregulatory effort underway under President Trump's leadership -to unleash American energy, drive economic growth, and secure our Nation while maintaining practical environmental standards."
The proposal would tackle the most widely recognized, bipartisan criticisms of the federal review process while ensuring environmental impacts are fully considered and addressed:
* Streamlines the process without weakening environmental protections. This proposal would not rescind a single environmental standard. Every project must still comply with all applicable environmental laws, including the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act. What changes is the process, not the protections.
* Sets reasonable page limits. The average final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) runs 661 pages. EPA's proposed rule would cap an EIS at 150 pages -or 300 pages for actions of extraordinary complexity -so reviews can stay focused on what matters.
* Enforces firm deadlines. Today, an EIS takes an average of four years to complete. The proposal would require EPA to finish an EIS within two years and to certify it has met its statutory deadlines.
* Sharpens the scope. The proposed rule would clarify that NEPA analysis covers the proposed action and its reasonably foreseeable environmental effects -not speculative or indirect effects unrelated to the action itself.
* Simplifies categorical exclusions (CEs). The proposal would create a fast, straightforward process for establishing new CEs and adopting other agencies' existing ones, cutting duplicative analyses. CEs are categories of actions an agency has determined, after review by the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), do not have a significant effect on the human environment, and therefore typically do not require an EIS or Environmental Assessment (EA).
Today's proposed rule, if finalized, would harmonize EPA's reforms with those underway across the federal government. EPA developed its updates in alignment with the NEPA procedures of agencies, including the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Interior, Energy, Defense, and Transportation, as well as the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers -as part of the Trump Administration's whole-of-government push to streamline permitting and deliver efficient, timely environmental reviews.
EPA's action follows direction from President Trump's Unleashing American Energy Executive Order, Congress's Working Families Tax Cut and the 2023 Fiscal Responsibility Act, and the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Seven County Infrastructure Coalition v. Eagle County. Together, these proposed reforms, if finalized, seek to ensure EPA complies with NEPA as Congress intended, refocus the agency on its core mission of protecting human health and the environment, and make it faster, cheaper, and easier to build in America.
Background
On January 20, 2025, President Trump signed Executive Order 14154, Unleashing American Energy, to accelerate permitting and strengthen U.S. energy production. The order directed CEQ to issue guidance to federal agencies on implementing NEPA to expedite and simplify permitting, and to propose rescinding CEQ's NEPA regulations. CEQ subsequently rescinded those regulations, clearing a path for agencies to quickly reform their own NEPA procedures. EPA's proposal builds on this aligned, government-wide approach to deliver a simplified, streamlined framework for NEPA implementation.
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Original text here: https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-proposes-commonsense-nepa-reforms-get-america-building-again
* * *
EPA Proposes Commonsense NEPA Reforms to Get America Building Again
*
WASHINGTON -U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today proposed commonsense reforms to the way it carries out the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), which, if finalized, would make environmental reviews faster, clearer, and more predictable so America can build more, without lowering a single environmental standard.
NEPA was written to protect Americans from the potential environmental harms of major federal ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, June 24 -- The Environmental Protection Agency issued the following news release: * * * EPA Proposes Commonsense NEPA Reforms to Get America Building Again * WASHINGTON -U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today proposed commonsense reforms to the way it carries out the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), which, if finalized, would make environmental reviews faster, clearer, and more predictable so America can build more, without lowering a single environmental standard. NEPA was written to protect Americans from the potential environmental harms of major federalactions. As the U.S. Supreme Court noted just last year, NEPA has been turned into a weapon to delay and block the very projects communities need -roads, bridges, energy, and water infrastructure -burying them under years of paperwork and litigation while delivering little for the environment in return. EPA's proposal restores NEPA to its original purpose: setting firm timelines, keeping documents focused and concise, and expanding proven, low-risk review pathways, all while keeping environmental protections fully intact.
"NEPA was never meant to be a weapon to kill projects -it was meant to protect the environment we all share," said EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin. "For decades, it's done the opposite: drowning critical projects in paperwork and lawsuits. Our new reforms, if finalized, would set hard deadlines, cut the red tape, and let America build more, and we're doing it without weakening a single environmental protection. Faster, smarter, and cleaner is exactly how government should work for the American people."
"For decades, NEPA has been a source of costly delays and uncertainty for critical infrastructure projects," said CEQ Chairman Katherine Scarlett. "The reforms EPA announced today align with the historic deregulatory effort underway under President Trump's leadership -to unleash American energy, drive economic growth, and secure our Nation while maintaining practical environmental standards."
The proposal would tackle the most widely recognized, bipartisan criticisms of the federal review process while ensuring environmental impacts are fully considered and addressed:
* Streamlines the process without weakening environmental protections. This proposal would not rescind a single environmental standard. Every project must still comply with all applicable environmental laws, including the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act. What changes is the process, not the protections.
* Sets reasonable page limits. The average final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) runs 661 pages. EPA's proposed rule would cap an EIS at 150 pages -or 300 pages for actions of extraordinary complexity -so reviews can stay focused on what matters.
* Enforces firm deadlines. Today, an EIS takes an average of four years to complete. The proposal would require EPA to finish an EIS within two years and to certify it has met its statutory deadlines.
* Sharpens the scope. The proposed rule would clarify that NEPA analysis covers the proposed action and its reasonably foreseeable environmental effects -not speculative or indirect effects unrelated to the action itself.
* Simplifies categorical exclusions (CEs). The proposal would create a fast, straightforward process for establishing new CEs and adopting other agencies' existing ones, cutting duplicative analyses. CEs are categories of actions an agency has determined, after review by the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), do not have a significant effect on the human environment, and therefore typically do not require an EIS or Environmental Assessment (EA).
Today's proposed rule, if finalized, would harmonize EPA's reforms with those underway across the federal government. EPA developed its updates in alignment with the NEPA procedures of agencies, including the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Interior, Energy, Defense, and Transportation, as well as the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers -as part of the Trump Administration's whole-of-government push to streamline permitting and deliver efficient, timely environmental reviews.
EPA's action follows direction from President Trump's Unleashing American Energy Executive Order, Congress's Working Families Tax Cut and the 2023 Fiscal Responsibility Act, and the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Seven County Infrastructure Coalition v. Eagle County. Together, these proposed reforms, if finalized, seek to ensure EPA complies with NEPA as Congress intended, refocus the agency on its core mission of protecting human health and the environment, and make it faster, cheaper, and easier to build in America.
Background
On January 20, 2025, President Trump signed Executive Order 14154, Unleashing American Energy, to accelerate permitting and strengthen U.S. energy production. The order directed CEQ to issue guidance to federal agencies on implementing NEPA to expedite and simplify permitting, and to propose rescinding CEQ's NEPA regulations. CEQ subsequently rescinded those regulations, clearing a path for agencies to quickly reform their own NEPA procedures. EPA's proposal builds on this aligned, government-wide approach to deliver a simplified, streamlined framework for NEPA implementation.
***
Original text here: https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-proposes-commonsense-nepa-reforms-get-america-building-again
EPA Announces $6.1 Million in Grants to Assess and Cleanup Communities in Indiana
WASHINGTON, June 24 -- The Environmental Protection Agency issued the following news release:
* * *
EPA Announces $6.1 Million in Grants to Assess and Cleanup Communities in Indiana
*
Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced $5.6 million in Brownfields Multipurpose, Assessment and Cleanup (MAC) grants to accelerate the cleanup of polluted sites across the Indiana. EPA also provided $500,000 in supplemental funding to the Indiana Finance Authority's high-performing Brownfields Revolving Loan Fund (RLF). With these funds, EPA is investing directly in American communities to ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, June 24 -- The Environmental Protection Agency issued the following news release: * * * EPA Announces $6.1 Million in Grants to Assess and Cleanup Communities in Indiana * Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced $5.6 million in Brownfields Multipurpose, Assessment and Cleanup (MAC) grants to accelerate the cleanup of polluted sites across the Indiana. EPA also provided $500,000 in supplemental funding to the Indiana Finance Authority's high-performing Brownfields Revolving Loan Fund (RLF). With these funds, EPA is investing directly in American communities tocleanup and redevelop blighted properties, delivering on the Trump Administration's commitment to ensure that clean air, land, and water for goes hand-in-hand with economic growth and opportunity.
"EPA is focused on delivering practical results that transform contaminated properties into clean, valuable spaces that spark economic growth and that directly benefit American families," said Acting Assistant Administrator for Land and Emergency Management Thomas Croci. "Addressing environmental contamination and reusing brownfield properties revitalizes neighborhoods, drives local job creation, and unleashes new economic opportunities. EPA is proud to partner with local communities to ensure they have the cleanest air, land, and water as we power the Great American Comeback."
"Brownfields grants empower communities to revitalize sites that have long strained local economies and waste valuable recreation and retail space," said EPA Regional Administrator Anne Vogel. "Addressing these sites gets rid of dangerous pollution, but it also unlocks economic opportunities, allowing redevelopment and job growth."
Clean air, land, and water for all Americans is the first pillar of President Trump and Administrator Zeldin's Powering the Great American Comeback initiative. These grants put that commitment into action while simultaneously powering economic growth in communities across the country.
Below are the selected applications for the 2026 Brownfield Multipurpose, Assessment, and Cleanup Grants and RLF supplemental funding in Indiana:
* CDFI Friendly Bloomington was selected for a $500,000 Brownfields Assessment Grant to: conduct 13 Phase I and 10 Phase II environmental site assessments, develop 10 cleanup plans and support community engagement activities. Priority sites include three former furniture manufacturers, an 18.56-acre former bus body factory, and 0.24 acres of former commercial buildings in Mitchell.
* CDFI Friendly Evansville Region Inc. was selected for a $500,000 Brownfields Assessment Grant to: conduct 13 Phase I and an estimated 10-12 Phase II environmental site assessments, develop 10 cleanup plans and support community engagement activities.
* Clay County was selected for a $400,000 Brownfields Assessment Grant to: conduct nine Phase I and seven Phase II environmental site assessments, inventory and prioritize sites, develop two cleanup plans and three reuse plans and support community engagement activities.
* Fort Wayne was selected for a $500,000 Brownfields Assessment Grant to: conduct 11 Phase I and 11 Phase II environmental site assessments, develop eight cleanup plans and support community engagement activities.
* Henry County was selected for a $500,000 Brownfields Assessment Grant to: conduct 11 Phase I and 11 Phase II environmental site assessments, inventory and prioritize sites, create 10 cleanup plans and support community engagement activities.
* Indiana 15 Regional Planning Commission was selected for a $700,000 Brownfields Assessment Coalition Grant to: conduct 18 Phase I and 12 Phase II environmental site assessments, develop six cleanup plans and support community engagement activities..
* Lebanon was selected for a $500,000 Brownfields Assessment Grant to: conduct 10 Phase I and 10 Phase II environmental site assessments, develop three cleanup plans and support community engagement activities.
* North Central Indiana Regional Planning Council was selected for a $1.5 million Brownfields Assessment Coalition Grant to: conduct 29 Phase I and 31 Phase II environmental site assessments, develop 13 cleanup plans and support community engagement activities.
* River Hills Economic Development District and Regional Planning Commission was selected for a $500,000 Brownfields Assessment Grant to: conduct 12 Phase I and four Phase II environmental site assessments, develop one cleanup plan and four reuse plans and support community engagement activities.
* Indiana Finance Authority Brownfield Revolving Loan Fund was selected to receive an additional $500,000 for demonstrating high performance with significantly depleted funds.
Grant recipients with viable cleanup projects ready for work will help communities continue their work to carry out cleanup and redevelopment projects on contaminated brownfield properties.
View the list of all selected applicants here.
Background
EPA's Brownfields Program began in 1995 and, once these grants are awarded, will have provided over $3 billion in grant funding to assess and clean up contaminated properties and return blighted properties to productive reuse. To date, brownfields investments leveraged more than $45 billion in cleanup and redevelopment. Over the years, the relatively small investment of federal funding was able to leverage, from both public and private sources, more than 228,900 jobs. Through fiscal year 2025, on average, $19.47 was leveraged for each EPA Brownfields Grant dollar awarded through multipurpose, assessment, revolving loan fund and cleanup cooperative agreements.
After selection, awards will be made once all legal and administrative requirements are satisfied by selected applicants.
***
Original text here: https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-announces-61-million-grants-assess-and-cleanup-communities-indiana
* * *
EPA Announces $6.1 Million in Grants to Assess and Cleanup Communities in Indiana
*
Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced $5.6 million in Brownfields Multipurpose, Assessment and Cleanup (MAC) grants to accelerate the cleanup of polluted sites across the Indiana. EPA also provided $500,000 in supplemental funding to the Indiana Finance Authority's high-performing Brownfields Revolving Loan Fund (RLF). With these funds, EPA is investing directly in American communities to ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, June 24 -- The Environmental Protection Agency issued the following news release: * * * EPA Announces $6.1 Million in Grants to Assess and Cleanup Communities in Indiana * Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced $5.6 million in Brownfields Multipurpose, Assessment and Cleanup (MAC) grants to accelerate the cleanup of polluted sites across the Indiana. EPA also provided $500,000 in supplemental funding to the Indiana Finance Authority's high-performing Brownfields Revolving Loan Fund (RLF). With these funds, EPA is investing directly in American communities tocleanup and redevelop blighted properties, delivering on the Trump Administration's commitment to ensure that clean air, land, and water for goes hand-in-hand with economic growth and opportunity.
"EPA is focused on delivering practical results that transform contaminated properties into clean, valuable spaces that spark economic growth and that directly benefit American families," said Acting Assistant Administrator for Land and Emergency Management Thomas Croci. "Addressing environmental contamination and reusing brownfield properties revitalizes neighborhoods, drives local job creation, and unleashes new economic opportunities. EPA is proud to partner with local communities to ensure they have the cleanest air, land, and water as we power the Great American Comeback."
"Brownfields grants empower communities to revitalize sites that have long strained local economies and waste valuable recreation and retail space," said EPA Regional Administrator Anne Vogel. "Addressing these sites gets rid of dangerous pollution, but it also unlocks economic opportunities, allowing redevelopment and job growth."
Clean air, land, and water for all Americans is the first pillar of President Trump and Administrator Zeldin's Powering the Great American Comeback initiative. These grants put that commitment into action while simultaneously powering economic growth in communities across the country.
Below are the selected applications for the 2026 Brownfield Multipurpose, Assessment, and Cleanup Grants and RLF supplemental funding in Indiana:
* CDFI Friendly Bloomington was selected for a $500,000 Brownfields Assessment Grant to: conduct 13 Phase I and 10 Phase II environmental site assessments, develop 10 cleanup plans and support community engagement activities. Priority sites include three former furniture manufacturers, an 18.56-acre former bus body factory, and 0.24 acres of former commercial buildings in Mitchell.
* CDFI Friendly Evansville Region Inc. was selected for a $500,000 Brownfields Assessment Grant to: conduct 13 Phase I and an estimated 10-12 Phase II environmental site assessments, develop 10 cleanup plans and support community engagement activities.
* Clay County was selected for a $400,000 Brownfields Assessment Grant to: conduct nine Phase I and seven Phase II environmental site assessments, inventory and prioritize sites, develop two cleanup plans and three reuse plans and support community engagement activities.
* Fort Wayne was selected for a $500,000 Brownfields Assessment Grant to: conduct 11 Phase I and 11 Phase II environmental site assessments, develop eight cleanup plans and support community engagement activities.
* Henry County was selected for a $500,000 Brownfields Assessment Grant to: conduct 11 Phase I and 11 Phase II environmental site assessments, inventory and prioritize sites, create 10 cleanup plans and support community engagement activities.
* Indiana 15 Regional Planning Commission was selected for a $700,000 Brownfields Assessment Coalition Grant to: conduct 18 Phase I and 12 Phase II environmental site assessments, develop six cleanup plans and support community engagement activities..
* Lebanon was selected for a $500,000 Brownfields Assessment Grant to: conduct 10 Phase I and 10 Phase II environmental site assessments, develop three cleanup plans and support community engagement activities.
* North Central Indiana Regional Planning Council was selected for a $1.5 million Brownfields Assessment Coalition Grant to: conduct 29 Phase I and 31 Phase II environmental site assessments, develop 13 cleanup plans and support community engagement activities.
* River Hills Economic Development District and Regional Planning Commission was selected for a $500,000 Brownfields Assessment Grant to: conduct 12 Phase I and four Phase II environmental site assessments, develop one cleanup plan and four reuse plans and support community engagement activities.
* Indiana Finance Authority Brownfield Revolving Loan Fund was selected to receive an additional $500,000 for demonstrating high performance with significantly depleted funds.
Grant recipients with viable cleanup projects ready for work will help communities continue their work to carry out cleanup and redevelopment projects on contaminated brownfield properties.
View the list of all selected applicants here.
Background
EPA's Brownfields Program began in 1995 and, once these grants are awarded, will have provided over $3 billion in grant funding to assess and clean up contaminated properties and return blighted properties to productive reuse. To date, brownfields investments leveraged more than $45 billion in cleanup and redevelopment. Over the years, the relatively small investment of federal funding was able to leverage, from both public and private sources, more than 228,900 jobs. Through fiscal year 2025, on average, $19.47 was leveraged for each EPA Brownfields Grant dollar awarded through multipurpose, assessment, revolving loan fund and cleanup cooperative agreements.
After selection, awards will be made once all legal and administrative requirements are satisfied by selected applicants.
***
Original text here: https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-announces-61-million-grants-assess-and-cleanup-communities-indiana
EPA Announces $6 Million in Brownfields Grants to Revitalize Communities in Mississippi
WASHINGTON, June 24 -- The Environmental Protection Agency issued the following news release:
* * *
EPA Announces $6 Million in Brownfields Grants to Revitalize Communities in Mississippi
*
EPA Announces $6 Million in Brownfields Grants to Revitalize Communities in Mississippi
Contact: EPA Region 4 Press Office ( region4press@epa.gov )
June 24, 2026
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced $5.5 million in Brownfields Multipurpose, Assessment and Cleanup (MAC) grants to accelerate the cleanup of polluted sites across Mississippi. EPA also provided $500,000 ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, June 24 -- The Environmental Protection Agency issued the following news release: * * * EPA Announces $6 Million in Brownfields Grants to Revitalize Communities in Mississippi * EPA Announces $6 Million in Brownfields Grants to Revitalize Communities in Mississippi Contact: EPA Region 4 Press Office ( region4press@epa.gov ) June 24, 2026 WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced $5.5 million in Brownfields Multipurpose, Assessment and Cleanup (MAC) grants to accelerate the cleanup of polluted sites across Mississippi. EPA also provided $500,000in supplemental funding to one high-performing Brownfields Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) grantee in Mississippi. With these funds, EPA is investing directly in American communities to clean up and redevelop blighted properties, delivering on the Trump Administration's commitment to ensure that clean air, land, and water go hand-in-hand with economic growth and opportunity.
"EPA is focused on delivering practical results that transform contaminated properties into clean, valuable spaces that spark economic growth and that directly benefit American families," said Acting Assistant Administrator for Land and Emergency Management Thomas Croci. "Addressing environmental contamination and reusing brownfield properties revitalizes neighborhoods, drives local job creation, and unleashes new economic opportunities. EPA is proud to partner with local communities to ensure they have the cleanest air, land, and water as we power the Great American Comeback."
"These brownfield grants represent opportunities to reimagine contaminated properties as assets that meet the needs of communities," said Regional Administrator Kevin McOmber. "When you take a blighted property, clean it up, and bring the community together to figure out how the property should be redeveloped, you can generate a lot of excitement."
Clean air, land, and water for all Americans is the first pillar of President Trump and Administrator Zeldin's Powering the Great American Comeback initiative. These grants put that commitment into action while simultaneously powering economic growth in communities across the country. Selected applications for the 2026 Brownfield Multipurpose, Assessment, and Cleanup Grants and RLF supplemental funding in Mississippi include:
* A $1.5 million Coalition Assessment Grant to East Central Planning and Development District to conduct twenty-four Phase I and sixteen Phase II environmental site assessments.
* A $500,000 Community-wide Assessment Grant to City of Hernando to conduct nine Phase I and six Phase II environmental site assessments.
* A $2 million Community-wide Assessment Grant to Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality to conduct twenty-five Phase I and twenty-eight Phase II environmental site assessments.
* A $500,000 Supplemental RLF Grant for its high-performing RLF program, which has depleted funds.
* A $1.5 million Coalition Assessment Grant to Southern Mississippi Planning and Development District used to inventory sites and conduct twenty Phase I and ten Phase II environmental site assessments.
Grant recipients with viable cleanup projects ready for work will help communities continue their work to carry out cleanup and redevelopment projects on contaminated brownfield properties.
View the list of selected applicants in here.
Background
EPA's Brownfields Program began in 1995 and, once these grants are awarded, will have provided over $3 billion in grant funding to assess and clean up contaminated properties and return blighted properties to productive reuse. To date, brownfields investments leveraged more than $45 billion in cleanup and redevelopment. Over the years, the relatively small investment of federal funding was able to leverage, from both public and private sources, more than 228,900 jobs. Through fiscal year 2025, on average, $19.47 was leveraged for each EPA Brownfields Grant dollar awarded through multipurpose, assessment, revolving loan fund and cleanup cooperative agreements.
After selection, awards will be made once all legal and administrative requirements are satisfied by selected applicants.
***
Original text here: https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-announces-6-million-brownfields-grants-revitalize-communities-mississippi
* * *
EPA Announces $6 Million in Brownfields Grants to Revitalize Communities in Mississippi
*
EPA Announces $6 Million in Brownfields Grants to Revitalize Communities in Mississippi
Contact: EPA Region 4 Press Office ( region4press@epa.gov )
June 24, 2026
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced $5.5 million in Brownfields Multipurpose, Assessment and Cleanup (MAC) grants to accelerate the cleanup of polluted sites across Mississippi. EPA also provided $500,000 ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, June 24 -- The Environmental Protection Agency issued the following news release: * * * EPA Announces $6 Million in Brownfields Grants to Revitalize Communities in Mississippi * EPA Announces $6 Million in Brownfields Grants to Revitalize Communities in Mississippi Contact: EPA Region 4 Press Office ( region4press@epa.gov ) June 24, 2026 WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced $5.5 million in Brownfields Multipurpose, Assessment and Cleanup (MAC) grants to accelerate the cleanup of polluted sites across Mississippi. EPA also provided $500,000in supplemental funding to one high-performing Brownfields Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) grantee in Mississippi. With these funds, EPA is investing directly in American communities to clean up and redevelop blighted properties, delivering on the Trump Administration's commitment to ensure that clean air, land, and water go hand-in-hand with economic growth and opportunity.
"EPA is focused on delivering practical results that transform contaminated properties into clean, valuable spaces that spark economic growth and that directly benefit American families," said Acting Assistant Administrator for Land and Emergency Management Thomas Croci. "Addressing environmental contamination and reusing brownfield properties revitalizes neighborhoods, drives local job creation, and unleashes new economic opportunities. EPA is proud to partner with local communities to ensure they have the cleanest air, land, and water as we power the Great American Comeback."
"These brownfield grants represent opportunities to reimagine contaminated properties as assets that meet the needs of communities," said Regional Administrator Kevin McOmber. "When you take a blighted property, clean it up, and bring the community together to figure out how the property should be redeveloped, you can generate a lot of excitement."
Clean air, land, and water for all Americans is the first pillar of President Trump and Administrator Zeldin's Powering the Great American Comeback initiative. These grants put that commitment into action while simultaneously powering economic growth in communities across the country. Selected applications for the 2026 Brownfield Multipurpose, Assessment, and Cleanup Grants and RLF supplemental funding in Mississippi include:
* A $1.5 million Coalition Assessment Grant to East Central Planning and Development District to conduct twenty-four Phase I and sixteen Phase II environmental site assessments.
* A $500,000 Community-wide Assessment Grant to City of Hernando to conduct nine Phase I and six Phase II environmental site assessments.
* A $2 million Community-wide Assessment Grant to Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality to conduct twenty-five Phase I and twenty-eight Phase II environmental site assessments.
* A $500,000 Supplemental RLF Grant for its high-performing RLF program, which has depleted funds.
* A $1.5 million Coalition Assessment Grant to Southern Mississippi Planning and Development District used to inventory sites and conduct twenty Phase I and ten Phase II environmental site assessments.
Grant recipients with viable cleanup projects ready for work will help communities continue their work to carry out cleanup and redevelopment projects on contaminated brownfield properties.
View the list of selected applicants in here.
Background
EPA's Brownfields Program began in 1995 and, once these grants are awarded, will have provided over $3 billion in grant funding to assess and clean up contaminated properties and return blighted properties to productive reuse. To date, brownfields investments leveraged more than $45 billion in cleanup and redevelopment. Over the years, the relatively small investment of federal funding was able to leverage, from both public and private sources, more than 228,900 jobs. Through fiscal year 2025, on average, $19.47 was leveraged for each EPA Brownfields Grant dollar awarded through multipurpose, assessment, revolving loan fund and cleanup cooperative agreements.
After selection, awards will be made once all legal and administrative requirements are satisfied by selected applicants.
***
Original text here: https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-announces-6-million-brownfields-grants-revitalize-communities-mississippi
EPA Announces $3.5 Million in Grants to Assess and Cleanup Communities in Utah
WASHINGTON, June 24 -- The Environmental Protection Agency issued the following news release:
* * *
EPA Announces $3.5 Million in Grants to Assess and Cleanup Communities in Utah
*
SALT LAKE CITY - Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced $3.5 million in Brownfields Multipurpose, Assessment and Cleanup grants to accelerate the cleanup of polluted sites in Utah. With these funds, EPA is investing directly in American communities to cleanup and redevelop blighted properties, delivering on the Trump Administration's commitment to ensure that clean air, land and water for goes ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, June 24 -- The Environmental Protection Agency issued the following news release: * * * EPA Announces $3.5 Million in Grants to Assess and Cleanup Communities in Utah * SALT LAKE CITY - Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced $3.5 million in Brownfields Multipurpose, Assessment and Cleanup grants to accelerate the cleanup of polluted sites in Utah. With these funds, EPA is investing directly in American communities to cleanup and redevelop blighted properties, delivering on the Trump Administration's commitment to ensure that clean air, land and water for goeshand-in-hand with economic growth and opportunity.
"EPA is focused on delivering practical results that transform contaminated properties into clean, valuable spaces that spark economic growth and that directly benefit American families," said Acting Assistant Administrator for Land and Emergency Management Thomas Croci. "Addressing environmental contamination and reusing brownfield properties revitalizes neighborhoods, drives local job creation, and unleashes new economic opportunities. EPA is proud to partner with local communities to ensure they have the cleanest air, land, and water as we power the Great American Comeback."
"These Brownfields grants will help Utah communities clean up contaminated sites and unlock opportunities for redevelopment and investment," said Regional Administrator Cyrus Western. "By transforming underused properties into community assets, EPA is helping create healthier neighborhoods and stronger local economies."
Clean air, land and water for all Americans is the first pillar of President Trump and Administrator Zeldin's Powering the Great American Comeback initiative. These grants put that commitment into action while simultaneously powering economic growth in communities across the country. Selected applications for the 2026 Brownfield Multipurpose, Assessment, and Cleanup Grants and RLF supplemental funding in Utah include:
* Utah Department of Environmental Quality - $2 million Assessment Grant: Grant funds will be used for Community-wide Assessment Grants to conduct brownfield inventories, planning, environmental assessments and community outreach across a variety of priority sites.
* Salt Lake County - $1.5 million Assessment Grant: Grant funds will be used to conduct brownfield inventories, planning, environmental assessments and community outreach. Grant funds will be used to complete environmental assessments at three priority sites in Salt Lake County to identify if contamination is present at the sites prior to redevelopment.
Grant recipients with viable cleanup projects ready for work will help communities continue their work to carry out cleanup and redevelopment projects on contaminated brownfield properties.
View the list of selected applicants in Utah here.
Background
EPA's Brownfields Program began in 1995 and, once these grants are awarded, will have provided over $3 billion in grant funding to assess and clean up contaminated properties and return blighted properties to productive reuse. To date, brownfields investments leveraged more than $45 billion in cleanup and redevelopment. Over the years, the relatively small investment of federal funding was able to leverage, from both public and private sources, more than 228,900 jobs. Through fiscal year 2025, on average, $19.47 was leveraged for each EPA Brownfields Grant dollar awarded through multipurpose, assessment, revolving loan fund and cleanup cooperative agreements.
After selection, awards will be made once all legal and administrative requirements are satisfied by selected applicants.
***
Original text here: https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-announces-35-million-grants-assess-and-cleanup-communities-utah
* * *
EPA Announces $3.5 Million in Grants to Assess and Cleanup Communities in Utah
*
SALT LAKE CITY - Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced $3.5 million in Brownfields Multipurpose, Assessment and Cleanup grants to accelerate the cleanup of polluted sites in Utah. With these funds, EPA is investing directly in American communities to cleanup and redevelop blighted properties, delivering on the Trump Administration's commitment to ensure that clean air, land and water for goes ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, June 24 -- The Environmental Protection Agency issued the following news release: * * * EPA Announces $3.5 Million in Grants to Assess and Cleanup Communities in Utah * SALT LAKE CITY - Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced $3.5 million in Brownfields Multipurpose, Assessment and Cleanup grants to accelerate the cleanup of polluted sites in Utah. With these funds, EPA is investing directly in American communities to cleanup and redevelop blighted properties, delivering on the Trump Administration's commitment to ensure that clean air, land and water for goeshand-in-hand with economic growth and opportunity.
"EPA is focused on delivering practical results that transform contaminated properties into clean, valuable spaces that spark economic growth and that directly benefit American families," said Acting Assistant Administrator for Land and Emergency Management Thomas Croci. "Addressing environmental contamination and reusing brownfield properties revitalizes neighborhoods, drives local job creation, and unleashes new economic opportunities. EPA is proud to partner with local communities to ensure they have the cleanest air, land, and water as we power the Great American Comeback."
"These Brownfields grants will help Utah communities clean up contaminated sites and unlock opportunities for redevelopment and investment," said Regional Administrator Cyrus Western. "By transforming underused properties into community assets, EPA is helping create healthier neighborhoods and stronger local economies."
Clean air, land and water for all Americans is the first pillar of President Trump and Administrator Zeldin's Powering the Great American Comeback initiative. These grants put that commitment into action while simultaneously powering economic growth in communities across the country. Selected applications for the 2026 Brownfield Multipurpose, Assessment, and Cleanup Grants and RLF supplemental funding in Utah include:
* Utah Department of Environmental Quality - $2 million Assessment Grant: Grant funds will be used for Community-wide Assessment Grants to conduct brownfield inventories, planning, environmental assessments and community outreach across a variety of priority sites.
* Salt Lake County - $1.5 million Assessment Grant: Grant funds will be used to conduct brownfield inventories, planning, environmental assessments and community outreach. Grant funds will be used to complete environmental assessments at three priority sites in Salt Lake County to identify if contamination is present at the sites prior to redevelopment.
Grant recipients with viable cleanup projects ready for work will help communities continue their work to carry out cleanup and redevelopment projects on contaminated brownfield properties.
View the list of selected applicants in Utah here.
Background
EPA's Brownfields Program began in 1995 and, once these grants are awarded, will have provided over $3 billion in grant funding to assess and clean up contaminated properties and return blighted properties to productive reuse. To date, brownfields investments leveraged more than $45 billion in cleanup and redevelopment. Over the years, the relatively small investment of federal funding was able to leverage, from both public and private sources, more than 228,900 jobs. Through fiscal year 2025, on average, $19.47 was leveraged for each EPA Brownfields Grant dollar awarded through multipurpose, assessment, revolving loan fund and cleanup cooperative agreements.
After selection, awards will be made once all legal and administrative requirements are satisfied by selected applicants.
***
Original text here: https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-announces-35-million-grants-assess-and-cleanup-communities-utah
EPA Announces $13.5 Million in Brownfields Grants to Revitalize Communities in Georgia
WASHINGTON, June 24 -- The Environmental Protection Agency issued the following news release:
* * *
EPA Announces $13.5 Million in Brownfields Grants to Revitalize Communities in Georgia
*
Contact: EPA Region 4 Press Office ( region4press@epa.gov )
June 24, 2026
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced $13 million in Brownfields Multipurpose, Assessment and Cleanup (MAC) grants to accelerate the cleanup of polluted sites across Georgia. EPA also provided $500,000 in supplemental funding to one high-performing Brownfields Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) grantee ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, June 24 -- The Environmental Protection Agency issued the following news release: * * * EPA Announces $13.5 Million in Brownfields Grants to Revitalize Communities in Georgia * Contact: EPA Region 4 Press Office ( region4press@epa.gov ) June 24, 2026 WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced $13 million in Brownfields Multipurpose, Assessment and Cleanup (MAC) grants to accelerate the cleanup of polluted sites across Georgia. EPA also provided $500,000 in supplemental funding to one high-performing Brownfields Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) granteein Georgia. With these funds, EPA is investing directly in American communities to clean up and redevelop blighted properties, delivering on the Trump Administration's commitment to ensure that clean air, land, and water go hand-in-hand with economic growth and opportunity.
"EPA is focused on delivering practical results that transform contaminated properties into clean, valuable spaces that spark economic growth and that directly benefit American families," said Acting Assistant Administrator for Land and Emergency Management Thomas Croci. "Addressing environmental contamination and reusing brownfield properties revitalizes neighborhoods, drives local job creation, and unleashes new economic opportunities. EPA is proud to partner with local communities to ensure they have the cleanest air, land, and water as we power the Great American Comeback."
"These brownfield grants represent opportunities to reimagine contaminated properties as assets that meet the needs of communities," said Regional Administrator Kevin McOmber. "When you take a blighted property, clean it up, and bring the community together to figure out how the property should be redeveloped, you can generate a lot of excitement."
Clean air, land, and water for all Americans is the first pillar of President Trump and Administrator Zeldin's Powering the Great American Comeback initiative. These grants put that commitment into action while simultaneously powering economic growth in communities across the country. Selected applications for the 2026 Brownfield Multipurpose, Assessment, and Cleanup Grants and RLF supplemental funding in Georgia include:
* A $1.5 million Coalition Assessment Grant to the Augusta Economic Development Authority to conduct 31 Phase I and 22 Phase II environmental site assessments and support community engagement activities.
* A $4 million Cleanup Grant to City of Chickamauga to clean up the former Crystal Springs Print Works Site located at Long Street and West 10th Avenue.
* A $500,000 RFL Supplemental Grant to Decide DeKalb Development Authority, which has a high-performing RLF program with depleted funds.
* A $4 million Cleanup Grant to Downtown Development Authority of Social Circle to clean up the Social Circle Cotton Mill. A $499,950 Cleanup Grant to Henderson School Alumni Association Trust to clean up the Henderson School in Jackson.
* A $1.5 million Coalition Assessment Grant to Northwest Georgia Regional Commission to conduct 26 Phase I and 16 Phase II environmental site assessments.
* A $1.5 million Coalition Assessment Grant to River Valley Regional Commission develop nine cleanup plans, two reuse assessments, and three area-wide plans, and to support community engagement activities.
* A $500,000 Community-wide Assessment Grant to Rome Floyd County Development Authority to expand the current inventory of brownfield sites and conduct ten Phase I and five Phase II environmental site assessments.
Grant recipients with viable cleanup projects ready for work will help communities continue their work to carry out cleanup and redevelopment projects on contaminated brownfield properties.
View the list of selected applicants here.
Background
EPA's Brownfields Program began in 1995 and, once these grants are awarded, will have provided over $3 billion in grant funding to assess and clean up contaminated properties and return blighted properties to productive reuse. To date, brownfields investments leveraged more than $45 billion in cleanup and redevelopment. Over the years, the relatively small investment of federal funding was able to leverage, from both public and private sources, more than 228,900 jobs. Through fiscal year 2025, on average, $19.47 was leveraged for each EPA Brownfields Grant dollar awarded through multipurpose, assessment, revolving loan fund and cleanup cooperative agreements.
After selection, awards will be made once all legal and administrative requirements are satisfied by selected applicants.
***
Original text here: https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-announces-135-million-brownfields-grants-revitalize-communities-georgia
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EPA Announces $13.5 Million in Brownfields Grants to Revitalize Communities in Georgia
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Contact: EPA Region 4 Press Office ( region4press@epa.gov )
June 24, 2026
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced $13 million in Brownfields Multipurpose, Assessment and Cleanup (MAC) grants to accelerate the cleanup of polluted sites across Georgia. EPA also provided $500,000 in supplemental funding to one high-performing Brownfields Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) grantee ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, June 24 -- The Environmental Protection Agency issued the following news release: * * * EPA Announces $13.5 Million in Brownfields Grants to Revitalize Communities in Georgia * Contact: EPA Region 4 Press Office ( region4press@epa.gov ) June 24, 2026 WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced $13 million in Brownfields Multipurpose, Assessment and Cleanup (MAC) grants to accelerate the cleanup of polluted sites across Georgia. EPA also provided $500,000 in supplemental funding to one high-performing Brownfields Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) granteein Georgia. With these funds, EPA is investing directly in American communities to clean up and redevelop blighted properties, delivering on the Trump Administration's commitment to ensure that clean air, land, and water go hand-in-hand with economic growth and opportunity.
"EPA is focused on delivering practical results that transform contaminated properties into clean, valuable spaces that spark economic growth and that directly benefit American families," said Acting Assistant Administrator for Land and Emergency Management Thomas Croci. "Addressing environmental contamination and reusing brownfield properties revitalizes neighborhoods, drives local job creation, and unleashes new economic opportunities. EPA is proud to partner with local communities to ensure they have the cleanest air, land, and water as we power the Great American Comeback."
"These brownfield grants represent opportunities to reimagine contaminated properties as assets that meet the needs of communities," said Regional Administrator Kevin McOmber. "When you take a blighted property, clean it up, and bring the community together to figure out how the property should be redeveloped, you can generate a lot of excitement."
Clean air, land, and water for all Americans is the first pillar of President Trump and Administrator Zeldin's Powering the Great American Comeback initiative. These grants put that commitment into action while simultaneously powering economic growth in communities across the country. Selected applications for the 2026 Brownfield Multipurpose, Assessment, and Cleanup Grants and RLF supplemental funding in Georgia include:
* A $1.5 million Coalition Assessment Grant to the Augusta Economic Development Authority to conduct 31 Phase I and 22 Phase II environmental site assessments and support community engagement activities.
* A $4 million Cleanup Grant to City of Chickamauga to clean up the former Crystal Springs Print Works Site located at Long Street and West 10th Avenue.
* A $500,000 RFL Supplemental Grant to Decide DeKalb Development Authority, which has a high-performing RLF program with depleted funds.
* A $4 million Cleanup Grant to Downtown Development Authority of Social Circle to clean up the Social Circle Cotton Mill. A $499,950 Cleanup Grant to Henderson School Alumni Association Trust to clean up the Henderson School in Jackson.
* A $1.5 million Coalition Assessment Grant to Northwest Georgia Regional Commission to conduct 26 Phase I and 16 Phase II environmental site assessments.
* A $1.5 million Coalition Assessment Grant to River Valley Regional Commission develop nine cleanup plans, two reuse assessments, and three area-wide plans, and to support community engagement activities.
* A $500,000 Community-wide Assessment Grant to Rome Floyd County Development Authority to expand the current inventory of brownfield sites and conduct ten Phase I and five Phase II environmental site assessments.
Grant recipients with viable cleanup projects ready for work will help communities continue their work to carry out cleanup and redevelopment projects on contaminated brownfield properties.
View the list of selected applicants here.
Background
EPA's Brownfields Program began in 1995 and, once these grants are awarded, will have provided over $3 billion in grant funding to assess and clean up contaminated properties and return blighted properties to productive reuse. To date, brownfields investments leveraged more than $45 billion in cleanup and redevelopment. Over the years, the relatively small investment of federal funding was able to leverage, from both public and private sources, more than 228,900 jobs. Through fiscal year 2025, on average, $19.47 was leveraged for each EPA Brownfields Grant dollar awarded through multipurpose, assessment, revolving loan fund and cleanup cooperative agreements.
After selection, awards will be made once all legal and administrative requirements are satisfied by selected applicants.
***
Original text here: https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-announces-135-million-brownfields-grants-revitalize-communities-georgia