Federal Independent Agencies
News releases, reports, statements and associated documents from federal independent agencies.
Featured Stories
National Air and Space Museum To Present "Air and Space After Hours: Innovating Galleries" Dec. 12
WASHINGTON, Nov. 20 -- The Smithsonian Institution issued the following news release:
The Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum will offer an evening program exploring what it takes to create a museum exhibition and sharing stories behind the artifacts on display. "Air and Space After Hours: Innovating Galleries" will take place Thursday, Dec. 12, 6 to 8 p.m. at the museum's flagship building in Washington, D.C. Free tickets are required and can be reserved on the museum's website (https://airandspace.si.edu/whats-on/events/air-and-space-after-hours-making-museum-galleries). This is the
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WASHINGTON, Nov. 20 -- The Smithsonian Institution issued the following news release:
The Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum will offer an evening program exploring what it takes to create a museum exhibition and sharing stories behind the artifacts on display. "Air and Space After Hours: Innovating Galleries" will take place Thursday, Dec. 12, 6 to 8 p.m. at the museum's flagship building in Washington, D.C. Free tickets are required and can be reserved on the museum's website (https://airandspace.si.edu/whats-on/events/air-and-space-after-hours-making-museum-galleries). This is thefirst program of the new Allan and Shelley Holt Innovations Series celebrating innovation at the museum.
In this after-hours event, attendees will be able to explore exhibitions and talk with museum staff, embark on a digital quest and enjoy light refreshments. Museum curators, collections specialists and educators will share their behind-the-scenes perspective of the museum's innovative objects and stories. Guests will also have the opportunity to peek behind the curtain at the upcoming Allan and Shelley Holt Innovations Gallery. Its first exhibition, "Climate Change: Aerospace Innovations for a Warming World"--sponsored by the corporations Amentum, GE Aerospace and Linde--is currently being installed and is set to open in 2025. The Innovations Gallery is part of the multi-year renovation of the museum's flagship building.
More information about how the museum is transforming all of its exhibitions and revitalizing the building is available on the museum's website (https://airandspace.si.edu/about/major-projects/transformation).
The National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C., is located at Sixth Street and Independence Avenue S.W. and is open every day except Dec. 25 from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Admission is free, but timed-entry passes are required to visit. The Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center is located in Chantilly, Virginia, near Washington Dulles International Airport and is open every day except Dec. 25 from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Admission is free, timed-entry passes are not required, and parking is $15.
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Original text here: https://www.si.edu/newsdesk/releases/national-air-and-space-museum-present-air-and-space-after-hours-innovating
NASA Satellites Reveal Abrupt Drop in Global Freshwater Levels
PASADENA, California, Nov. 20 (TNSres) -- NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory issued the following news:
A team of researchers identified this decrease in freshwater using observations from the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) satellites.
An international team of scientists using observations from NASA-German satellites found evidence that Earth's total amount of freshwater dropped abruptly starting in May 2014 and has remained low ever since. Reporting in Surveys in Geophysics, the researchers suggested the shift could indicate Earth's continents have entered a persistently drier phase.
From
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PASADENA, California, Nov. 20 (TNSres) -- NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory issued the following news:
A team of researchers identified this decrease in freshwater using observations from the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) satellites.
An international team of scientists using observations from NASA-German satellites found evidence that Earth's total amount of freshwater dropped abruptly starting in May 2014 and has remained low ever since. Reporting in Surveys in Geophysics, the researchers suggested the shift could indicate Earth's continents have entered a persistently drier phase.
From2015 through 2023, satellite measurements showed that the average amount of freshwater stored on land -- that includes liquid surface water like lakes and rivers, plus water in aquifers underground -- was 290 cubic miles (1,200 cubic km) lower than the average levels from 2002 through 2014, said Matthew Rodell, one of the study authors and a hydrologist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. "That's two and a half times the volume of Lake Erie lost."
During times of drought, along with the modern expansion of irrigated agriculture, farms and cities must rely more heavily on groundwater, which can lead to a cycle of declining underground water supplies: Freshwater supplies become depleted, rain and snow fail to replenish them, and more groundwater is pumped. The reduction in available water puts a strain on farmers and communities, potentially leading to famine, conflicts, poverty, and an increased risk of disease when people turn to contaminated water sources, according to a UN report on water stress published in 2024.
The team of researchers identified this abrupt, global decrease in freshwater using observations from the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) satellites, operated by the German Aerospace Center, German Research Centre for Geosciences, and NASA. GRACE satellites measure fluctuations in Earth's gravity on monthly scales that reveal changes in the mass of water on and under the ground. The original GRACE satellites flew from March 2002 to October 2017. The successor GRACE-Follow On (GRACE-FO) satellites launched in May 2018.
The decline in global freshwater reported in the study began with a massive drought in northern and central Brazil, and was followed shortly by a series of major droughts in Australasia, South America, North America, Europe, and Africa. Warmer ocean temperatures in the tropical Pacific from late 2014 into 2016, culminating in one of the most significant El Nino events since 1950, led to shifts in atmospheric jet streams that altered weather and rainfall patterns around the world. However, even after El Nino subsided, global freshwater failed to rebound. In fact, Rodell and team report that 13 of the world's 30 most intense droughts observed by GRACE occurred since January 2015. Rodell and colleagues suspect that global warming might be contributing to the enduring freshwater depletion.
Global warming leads the atmosphere to hold more water vapor, which results in more extreme precipitation, said NASA Goddard meteorologist Michael Bosilovich. While total annual rain and snowfall levels may not change dramatically, long periods between intense precipitation events allow the soil to dry and become more compact. That decreases the amount of water the ground can absorb when it does rain.
"The problem when you have extreme precipitation," Bosilovich said, "is the water ends up running off," instead of soaking in and replenishing groundwater stores. Globally, freshwater levels have stayed consistently low since the 2014-2016 El Nino, while more water remains trapped in the atmosphere as water vapor. "Warming temperatures increase both the evaporation of water from the surface to the atmosphere, and the water-holding capacity of the atmosphere, increasing the frequency and intensity of drought conditions," he noted.
While there are reasons to suspect that the abrupt drop in freshwater is largely due to global warming, it can be difficult to definitively link the two, said Susanna Werth, a hydrologist and remote sensing scientist at Virginia Tech, who was not affiliated with the study. "There are uncertainties in climate predictions," Werth said. "Measurements and models always come with errors."
It remains to be seen whether global freshwater will rebound to pre-2015 values, hold steady, or resume its decline. Considering that the nine warmest years in the modern temperature record coincided with the abrupt freshwater decline, Rodell said, "We don't think this is a coincidence, and it could be a harbinger of what's to come."
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More About GRACE-FO
GRACE (2002-2017) was a joint partnership between NASA and the German Aerospace Center, Deutsches Zentrum fur Luft- und Raumfahrt. JPL managed the GRACE mission and manages the GRACE-FO mission for NASA's Earth Science Division in the Science Mission Directorate in Washington. GRACE-FO is a collaboration between NASA and GFZ. Caltech in Pasadena, California, manages JPL for NASA.
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More information on GRACE and GRACE-FO can be found here:
https://grace.jpl.nasa.gov/
https://gracefo.jpl.nasa.gov/
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Original text here: https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/nasa-satellites-reveal-abrupt-drop-in-global-freshwater-levels/
More Than 75.7 Million People Volunteered in America, AmeriCorps Reports
WASHINGTON, Nov. 20 (TNSres) -- AmeriCorps issued the following news release:
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Volunteering and Civic Life in America research shows a resurgence in community engagement and new insights about virtual volunteering
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AmeriCorps, the federal agency for national service and volunteerism, released the latest Volunteering and Civic Life in America (https://www.americorps.gov/newsroom/news/via) research, a comprehensive look at how people make a difference in their communities and promote the common good.
The national formal volunteering rate increased 5.1 percentage points between 2022
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WASHINGTON, Nov. 20 (TNSres) -- AmeriCorps issued the following news release:
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Volunteering and Civic Life in America research shows a resurgence in community engagement and new insights about virtual volunteering
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AmeriCorps, the federal agency for national service and volunteerism, released the latest Volunteering and Civic Life in America (https://www.americorps.gov/newsroom/news/via) research, a comprehensive look at how people make a difference in their communities and promote the common good.
The national formal volunteering rate increased 5.1 percentage points between 2022and 2023, representing a growth rate of more than 22 percent in just two years. This is the largest expansion of formal volunteering ever recorded and truly showcases that the spirit of volunteerism is on the rise in America post-pandemic.
Previous Volunteering and Civic Life in America research showed the formal volunteering rate dropped by seven percentage points during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic--the largest decrease since AmeriCorps and the U.S. Census Bureau began tracking civic engagement trends more than two decades ago. Fewer than 61 million Americans formally volunteered through an organization in 2021.
The latest research released today shows formal volunteering in America is rebounding. More than 75.7 million people - or 28.3 percent of Americans - formally volunteered through an organization in 2023, giving more than 4.99 billion hours of service with $167.2 billion of economic value.
"We are witnessing a remarkable resurgence in volunteering. By focusing on impact rather than just counting hours of service, we are closing the gap between those in need and the support they deserve," said Michael D. Smith, CEO, AmeriCorps. "This data reflects the unwavering spirit of Americans coming together to uplift their communities, ensuring that everyone feels the transformative power of service. Together, we are building a stronger, more connected nation."
Formal volunteering involves helping others through organizations. Through local nonprofit and community-based organizations, Americans are afforded new ways to engage with their communities and foster a sense of constructive action, civic participation and belonging. Volunteers support American schools and shelters, hospitals and hotlines, food banks, and civic, nonprofit, tribal and faith-based organizations across the country.
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Below are the 10 U.S. states with the highest formal volunteering rates among residents in 2023.
State ... 2023 Formal Volunteering Rate
Utah ... 46.6%
Vermont ... 40.5%
Minnesota ... 40.3%
Nebraska ... 40.3%
Kansas ... 39.6%
South Dakota ... 37.8%
Connecticut ... 37.4%
Montana ... 37.2%
Washington, DC ... 35.8%
Oregon ... 35.7%
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For the first time, this year's research includes a measure of virtual volunteering. It finds that 82 percent of formal volunteers served completely in-person, averaging 64 hours of service between September 2022 and September 2023, while over 13.4 million engaged in virtual or hybrid volunteering, averaging 95 hours of service in that period.
Virtual Volunteer Findings
* Collectively, virtual and hybrid volunteers served more than 1.2 billion hours and contributed over $41.5 billion in economic value.
* Virtual and hybrid volunteers were slightly older than volunteers who served completely in person. On average, the typical virtual or hybrid volunteer was 49 years of age compared to 46 years of age for the typical in-person volunteer.
* People living with a disability are overrepresented among virtual and hybrid volunteers. The virtual and hybrid volunteering rate was 20 percent among those living with a disability compared to 18 percent among those who were not.
Demographic Findings
* The formal volunteering rate for women rebounded more than 5 percentage points from 2021 to 2023. Consistent with previous years, women volunteer at a higher rate (30.9 percent) than men (25.6 percent) in the latest data.
* Parents with children under 18 formally volunteered at a higher rate (37 percent) than those without children in their household (25 percent), a nearly 12 percentage-point difference.
* Generation X (aged 43 to 58 in 2023) had the highest formal volunteering rate out of all generations in each of the last four waves of the Civic Engagement and Volunteerism datasets.
Volunteering is not always formal. More than 137.5 million people - or 54 percent of Americans - helped their neighbors informally with tasks like running errands or watching each other's children between September 2022 and 2023. This represents a meaningful three percentage point increase from previous years.
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Below are the 10 states with the highest informal helping rates in the country.
State ... 2023 Informal Helping Rate
Utah ... 68.2%
Montana ... 68.0%
Colorado ... 67.4%
Vermont ... 65.1%
Delaware ... 64.8%
Minnesota ... 63.4%
Iowa ... 63.3%
Wisconsin ... 62.7%
Pennsylvania ... 62.3%
Maine ... 62.0%
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Below are the formal volunteering and informal helping rates for the 12 largest metropolitan areas.
Metropolitan Area ... 2023 Formal Volunteering Rate ... 2023 Informal Helping Rate
New York Metro Area ... 25.0% ... 50.3%
Los Angeles Metro Area ... 21.8% ... 48.2%
Chicago Metro Area ... 29.1% ... 54.3%
Dallas Metro Area ... 34.2% ... 48.1%
Houston Metro Area ... 21.9% ... 47.0%
Philadelphia Metro Area ... 32.9% ... 64.9%
Washington, DC Metro Area ... 34.1% ... 51.7%
Miami Metro Area ... 16.7% ... 41.1%
Atlanta Metro Area ... 28.5% ... 44.3%
Boston Metro Area ... 35.5% ... 57.0%
San Francisco Metro Area ... 33.0% ... 60.2%
Phoenix Metro Area ... 32.0% ... 54.0%
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Every two years, AmeriCorps partners with the U.S. Census Bureau to conduct the most robust survey about civic engagement across the United States and over time. The data informs AmeriCorps' Volunteering and Civic Life in America research, a comprehensive look at how Americans make a difference in their communities and promote the common good. The latest research examines trends in formal volunteering, informal helping, and other civic behaviors.
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AmeriCorps, the federal agency for national service and volunteerism, provides opportunities for Americans to serve their country domestically, address the nation's most pressing challenges, improve lives and communities, and strengthen civic engagement. Each year, the agency places more than 200,000 AmeriCorps members and AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers in intensive service roles; and empowers millions more to serve as long-term, short-term, or one-time volunteers.
AmeriCorps offers opportunities for individuals of all backgrounds to be a part of the national service community, grow personally and professionally, and receive benefits for their service.
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Original text here: https://www.americorps.gov/newsroom/press-release/more-757-million-people-volunteered-america-americorps-reports
FHLB Dallas Makes $250K Charitable Donation to Help Flooded New Mexico Region
DALLAS, Texas, Nov. 20 -- The Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas, a district bank in the Federal Home Loan Bank System, issued the following news release:
ROSWELL, NEW MEXICO, November 19, 2024 -- The Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas (FHLB Dallas) has provided a $250,000 charitable donation to Community Foundation of Southern New Mexico to assist with recovery from flooding in Roswell, New Mexico.
Community Foundation of Southern New Mexico, based in Las Cruces, New Mexico, will provide financial resources to support the immediate and long-term recovery needs for the residents and areas affected
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DALLAS, Texas, Nov. 20 -- The Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas, a district bank in the Federal Home Loan Bank System, issued the following news release:
ROSWELL, NEW MEXICO, November 19, 2024 -- The Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas (FHLB Dallas) has provided a $250,000 charitable donation to Community Foundation of Southern New Mexico to assist with recovery from flooding in Roswell, New Mexico.
Community Foundation of Southern New Mexico, based in Las Cruces, New Mexico, will provide financial resources to support the immediate and long-term recovery needs for the residents and areas affectedby the devastation in Roswell and surrounding areas in Chaves County.
More than 400 homes and 200 businesses were damaged from flooding from severe storms that swept through the area on October 19 and October 20, 2024.
Community Foundation of Southern New Mexico is working closely with the Office of Emergency Management, Chaves County Health Council and nonprofits in Chaves County to support all of those affected.
In addition, FHLB Dallas member institution Pioneer Bank has set up a donation account to collect funds to help the victims. Donations are also being accepted at any Pioneer Bank location. Funds in the account will be donated directly to the Community Foundation of Southern New Mexico.
"The devastation from a natural disaster can be profound and can require significant resources for recovery," said Christopher Palmer, president and CEO of Pioneer Bank and an FHLB Dallas board member. "Pioneer Bank and FHLB Dallas are here to help."
In 2025, $4 million is expected to be made available for the Bank's Disaster Rebuilding Assistance (DRA) program, which provides grant funds to low- to moderate-income homeowners to repair their homes after an eligible natural disaster. Households with income of less than 80 percent of the area's median income may qualify for grants up to $15,000 for home repairs.
"Helping communities recover after a natural disaster is something we are proud to be able to do, and we believe partnering with a local organization, Community Foundation of Southern New Mexico, will help get the aid out quickly to those who need it," said FHLB Dallas President and CEO Sanjay Bhasin.
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Please check the FHLB Dallas website, fhlb.com, for updates.
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About the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas
The Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas is one of 11 district banks in the FHLBank System created by Congress in 1932. FHLB Dallas, with total assets of $ $129.4 billion as of September 30, 2024, is a member-owned cooperative that supports housing and community development by providing competitively priced loans and other credit products to approximately 800 members and associated institutions in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico and Texas. For more information, visit our website at fhlb.com.
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Original text here: https://www.fhlb.com/library/press-releases/2024/fhlb-dallas-makes-250k-charitable-donation-to-help
Ex-Im Bank Director Owen Herrnstadt Touts Record-Level Investment in Clean Energy Projects Supporting U.S. Jobs at COP29 in Azerbaijan
WASHINGTON, Nov. 20 -- The Export-Import Bank of the U.S. issued the following news release on Nov. 19, 2024:
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Director Herrnstadt and EXIM Staff Met with President of Bulgaria to Discuss Financing for a Renewable Energy Project
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Baku, Azerbaijan - Last week, Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) Board Member Owen Herrnstadt travelled to the 2024 U.N. Climate Change Conference (COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan to highlight EXIM's record-level clean energy investments, discuss EXIM's climate financing opportunities with international government and business leaders and share how
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WASHINGTON, Nov. 20 -- The Export-Import Bank of the U.S. issued the following news release on Nov. 19, 2024:
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Director Herrnstadt and EXIM Staff Met with President of Bulgaria to Discuss Financing for a Renewable Energy Project
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Baku, Azerbaijan - Last week, Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) Board Member Owen Herrnstadt travelled to the 2024 U.N. Climate Change Conference (COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan to highlight EXIM's record-level clean energy investments, discuss EXIM's climate financing opportunities with international government and business leaders and share howEXIM's efforts in clean energy support U.S. jobs.
Throughout COP29, Director Herrnstadt participated in high-level discussions with global leaders and advanced several key EXIM priorities. Director Herrnstadt touted that EXIM more than doubled its investments in clean energy and other environmentally beneficial exports - growing from $1.1 billion in FY23 to a record $2.3 billion in FY24. In total, EXIM authorized $8.4 billion in deals in FY24, supporting approximately 38,000 jobs across the U.S.
On Wednesday, November 13, Director Herrnstadt met with the President of Bulgaria, Rumen Radev and Bulgaria Minister of Energy Vladamir Malinov to discuss EXIM financing for the Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant, which EXIM has supported since 2000.
On Thursday, Director Herrnstadt delivered opening remarks at the U.S. Center for a session entitled, "U.S. Industry Climate Solutions for Global Partners," which was organized by Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration, U.S. Trade and Development Agency and EXIM. Director Herrnstadt highlighted how EXIM supports renewable and clean energy projects and U.S. jobs through its Environmentally Beneficial Exports Program, flagship Make More in America Initiative and China and Transformational Export Program.
Later, Director Herrnstadt joined a panel discussion hosted by the U.N.'s Environment Program and Finance Initiative (ENEP FI) and the International Labour Organization (ILO) entitled, "Mobilizing Financial Sector Support for a Just Transition." During this discussion, Director Herrnstadt emphasized the critical importance of supporting workers in a just transition. He explained that EXIM's mandate to support U.S. jobs becomes even more critical as industries and services adopt new technologies, such as robotics and AI. He also underscored that a just transition includes adherence to internationally recognized labor standards.
Director Herrnstadt continued the conversation about EXIM's role in the low-carbon energy transition during a roundtable entitled, "Financing the Low-Carbon Energy Transition in Asia and the Pacific," alongside IAEA officials and energy and finance ministers from across Asia Pacific. During this roundtable, Director Herrnstadt shared EXIM's recent authorization of nearly $100 million for a small modular reactor power project in Romania under our Engineering Multiplier Program. He also noted that the Asia Pacific region held immense significance as an export market for growing U.S. exporters and creating good jobs for U.S. workers.
Director Herrnstadt concluded the COP29 trip by joining a panel hosted by the Atlantic Council and the American Chamber of Commerce in Brazil (AmCham Brazil). Director Herrnstadt was joined by Anna Shnitsberg, Chief Climate Officer of the U.S. Development Finance Corporation, and others to discuss the importance of energy security for a cleaner and more secure world. He also highlighted how EXIM has authorized over $200 million and over 130 transactions in Brazil, supporting U.S. jobs over the past two years.
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ABOUT EXIM:
The Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) is the nation's official export credit agency with the mission of supporting American jobs by facilitating U.S. exports. To advance American competitiveness and assist U.S. businesses as they compete for global sales, EXIM offers financing including export credit insurance, working capital guarantees, loan guarantees, and direct loans. As an independent federal agency, EXIM contributes to U.S. economic growth by supporting tens of thousands of jobs in exporting businesses and their supply chains across the United States. Learn more at http://www.exim.gov.
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Original text here: https://www.exim.gov/news/export-import-bank-director-owen-herrnstadt-touts-record-level-investment-clean-energy
EPA: City of Asheville Lifts Systemwide Boil Water Notice Issued After Hurricane Helene
WASHINGTON, Nov. 20 -- The Environmental Protection Agency issued the following news release on Nov. 19, 2024:
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Residents still urged to conserve water
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ASHEVILLE, N.C. - On November 18, 2024, the City of Asheville Water Resources Department officially lifted the Boil Water Notice first issued after Hurricane Helene. Laboratory results from sampling conducted November 16 and November 17 have confirmed that the water supply is free from contaminants. It is NO longer advised for customers to use bottled water for consumption. Because Water Resources expects an initial increase in demand,
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WASHINGTON, Nov. 20 -- The Environmental Protection Agency issued the following news release on Nov. 19, 2024:
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Residents still urged to conserve water
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ASHEVILLE, N.C. - On November 18, 2024, the City of Asheville Water Resources Department officially lifted the Boil Water Notice first issued after Hurricane Helene. Laboratory results from sampling conducted November 16 and November 17 have confirmed that the water supply is free from contaminants. It is NO longer advised for customers to use bottled water for consumption. Because Water Resources expects an initial increase in demand,customers are encouraged to temporarily avoid large-volume activities like filling bathtubs, watering landscaping, filling swimming pools and taking abnormally long showers. Otherwise, normal usage for consumption (drinking and cooking), hygiene (bathing and handwashing) and dishwashing may resume. Like it was before Helene, it is advisable for customers, especially those with plumbing installed before 1988, to flush your cold water tap for 30 seconds to two minutes before gathering water for consumption. That process should be followed daily. Appliances with filters, such as icemakers and hot water heaters that have been turned off, can be turned back on. Please refer to manufacturer's instructions on restarting those appliances if they were inactive for an extended period. For progress updates on Water Resources' recovery from Helene, visit ashevillenc.gov/helene/water-services-recovery or call 828-251-1122.
Learn more about the City of Asheville's Water Quality Advisories (https://www.ashevillenc.gov/service/water-quality-advisories/).
Learn more about EPA's Hurricane Helene response activities (https://www.epa.gov/hurricane-response/hurricane-helene).
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Original text here: https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/city-asheville-lifts-systemwide-boil-water-notice-issued-after-hurricane-helene
EPA Awards $800,000 to SoCal Small Businesses to Advance Innovative Environmental Technologies
WASHINGTON, Nov. 20 -- The Environmental Protection Agency issued the following news release:
LOS ANGELES (November 19, 2024) - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing $800,000 in research funding to two Southern California small businesses to further develop and commercialize their environmental technologies. With these awards from EPA's Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program, businesses nationwide will be tackling complex challenges including destroying PFAS, cleaning indoor air during wildfires, enhancing recycling systems, reducing food waste, and improving
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WASHINGTON, Nov. 20 -- The Environmental Protection Agency issued the following news release:
LOS ANGELES (November 19, 2024) - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing $800,000 in research funding to two Southern California small businesses to further develop and commercialize their environmental technologies. With these awards from EPA's Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program, businesses nationwide will be tackling complex challenges including destroying PFAS, cleaning indoor air during wildfires, enhancing recycling systems, reducing food waste, and improvingdisaster response.
"Small businesses in California are at the forefront of developing waste management and disaster response solutions that protect our communities," said EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Martha Guzman. "By investing in innovative ideas like these, we at EPA are partnering with the private sector to help protect our environment and strengthen local economies."
This year's SBIR Phase II award recipients in Southern California are:
* Water Illumination, Inc. ($400,000) in Riverside, California, is developing a chemical-free UV technology that destroys PFAS in saline wastewater within minutes. Working with UC Riverside and local water districts, this clean energy solution will operate at ambient conditions and eliminates PFAS without creating harmful byproducts.
* Holochip Corporation ($400,000) in Torrance, California, is developing an AI-powered mobile app that creates real-time 3D indoor maps for emergency responders. The technology helps first responders navigate complex buildings during disasters by tracking their location and path using standard smartphones and tablets."
"We are thrilled to be working with EPA on Phase II of this SBIR program. In Phase I we delivered an iOS-based real-time environmental mapping and localization solution over large areas and remotely shared maps. In Phase 2, we're expanding to Android, integrating drone mapping, and enabling real-time navigation with obstacle avoidance in multi-user shared environments." said Holochip CEO Robert Batchko. "Since 2004, Holochip has been a trusted provider of advanced simulation, training, AI, SLAM, XR, and visualization technologies to government and industry. With a track record of delivering innovative solutions, we support mission-critical operations and drive technological excellence across diverse domains."
"We are excited to announce that we have advanced to the EPA SBIR Phase II award," said Water Illumination CEO Xuejun Yu. "Building on our Phase I success--achieving nearly 100% PFAS destruction in real wastewater--this milestone marks a significant step forward in our journey to commercialize our innovative and sustainable PFAS destruction technology."
For over 40 years, EPA's SBIR program has funded small businesses as they create environmental technologies and bring them to the marketplace. SBIR projects are funded in a phased approach. For Phase I, EPA awards contracts of up to $100,000 for six months for "proof of concept" of the proposed technology. Small businesses that have received a Phase I award can compete for a Phase II award of $400,000 to further develop and commercialize the technology.
Learn more about the recipients (https://cfpub.epa.gov/ncer_abstracts/index.cfm/fuseaction/recipients.display/rfa_id/729/records_per_page/ALL).
Learn more about EPA's SBIR program (https://www.epa.gov/sbir).
Learn more about EPA's Pacific Southwest Region (https://www.epa.gov/pacific-southwest-media-center).
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Original text here: https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-awards-800000-socal-small-businesses-advance-innovative-environmental-technologies
