Improving Watershed Resilience in the Gravois Jefferson Neighborhoods of St. Louis

The EPA’s Environmental and Climate Justice Community Change Grants program (Community Change Grants) is awarding approximately $2 billion in Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) funds in environmental and climate justice activities to benefit disadvantaged communities through projects that reduce pollution, increase community climate resilience, and build community capacity to address environmental and climate justice challenges. These place-based investments will be focused on community-driven initiatives to be responsive to community and stakeholder input. They are designed to deliver on the transformative potential of the IRA for communities most adversely and disproportionately impacted by climate change, legacy pollution, and historical disinvestments. 

CIS was part of a team led by Climate Resilience Consulting that was awarded a contract to provide technical assistance to the St. Louis Arts Chamber of Commerce. The team supported the development of a Community Change Grant application focused on improving watershed resilience in the underserved Gravois Jefferson Neighborhoods, including a redesign of Marquette Park to address flooding and drainage issues, and urban heat island and extreme heat challenges. The park included the Thomas Dunn Learning Center, a community-serving facility working with over 100 community-based organizations to provide a wide range of services to neighborhood residents (e.g., food pantry, arts classes, sports facilities, free public pool, and other community programming). The project also focused on piloting a kit of parts for green stormwater infrastructure at the intersection of Nebraska Ave. and Chippewa Street. The pilot project will serve as a proof of concept that can be scaled up across the Gravois-Jefferson Neighborhoods and across the City of St. Louis in partnership with Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District (MSD). As part of the project, CIS led outreach and engagement with underserved communities, hosting a design charrette and community open house with local government, community-based organizations, and community members.

The application is focused on four goals: i) protecting the local watershed, ii) promoting greater connectivity and accessibility across neighborhoods, iii) driving economic growth in the community, and iv) contributing to the health and well-being of all residents.