---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 7438"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "7438"
heading: "Environmental and climate justice block grants"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/7438"
units:
  - "Chapter 85 — Air Pollution Prevention and Control"
  - "Subchapter I — Programs and Activities"
  - "Part A — Air Quality and Emission Limitations"
---

# §7438. Environmental and climate justice block grants

- (a) **Appropriation—** In addition to amounts otherwise available, there is appropriated to the [Administrator](/usc/42/7602.md?p=a) for fiscal year 2022, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated—
  - (1) $2,800,000,000 to remain available until September 30, 2026, to award grants for the activities described in [subsection (b)](#b); and
  - (2) $200,000,000 to remain available until September 30, 2026, to provide technical assistance to eligible entities related to grants awarded under this section.
- (b) **Grants—**
  - (1) **In general—** The [Administrator](/usc/42/7602.md?p=a) shall use amounts made available under [subsection (a)(1)](#a-1) to award grants for periods of up to 3 years to eligible entities to carry out activities described in [paragraph (2)](#b-2) that benefit disadvantaged communities, as defined by the [Administrator](/usc/42/7602.md?p=a).
  - (2) **Eligible activities—** An eligible entity may use a grant awarded under this subsection for—
    - (A) community-led air and other pollution monitoring, prevention, and remediation, and investments in low- and zero-emission and resilient technologies and related infrastructure and workforce development that help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other [air pollutants](/usc/42/7602.md?p=g);
    - (B) mitigating climate and health risks from urban heat islands, extreme heat, wood heater emissions, and wildfire events;
    - (C) climate resiliency and adaptation;
    - (D) reducing indoor toxics and indoor air pollution; or
    - (E) facilitating engagement of disadvantaged communities in [State](/usc/42/7602.md?p=d) and Federal advisory groups, workshops, rulemakings, and other public processes.
  - (3) **Eligible entities—** In this subsection, the term “eligible entity” means—
    - (A) a partnership between—
      - (i) an [Indian tribe](/usc/42/7602.md?p=r), a local government, or an [institution of higher education](/usc/42/11851.md?p=7); and
      - (ii) a community-based [nonprofit](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=3) organization;
    - (B) a community-based [nonprofit](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=3) organization; or
    - (C) a partnership of community-based [nonprofit](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=3) organizations.
- (c) **Administrative costs—** The [Administrator](/usc/42/7602.md?p=a) shall reserve 7 percent of the amounts made available under [subsection (a)](#a) for administrative costs to carry out this section.
- (d) **Definition of greenhouse gas—** In this section, the term “greenhouse gas” means the [air pollutants](/usc/42/7602.md?p=g) carbon dioxide, hydrofluorocarbons, methane, nitrous oxide, perfluorocarbons, and sulfur hexafluoride.

## Source credit

(July 14, 1955, ch. 360, title I, § 138, as added Pub. L. 117–169, title VI, § 60201, Aug. 16, 2022, 136 Stat. 2078.)