SPOKANE, Wash. — The Gonzaga Institute for Climate, Water and the Environment announced a $19.9 million-dollar grant they received this summer from the U.S Environmental Protection Agency to combat climate change in Spokane.
The Gonzaga Institute for Climate, Water, and the Environment hopes to create climate resilience for Spokane communities. The institute told KREM 2 News that this is the largest investment in the city of Spokane’s history to help respond to extreme heat and wildfire smoke.
Dr. Brian Henning, director of the institute, said with an increase in wildfires and with summer temperatures continuing to rise, Spokane communities are facing the consequences.
"Now that we have these recurring periods of bad air quality, we know there are long-term health impacts,” Henning said.
It's leaving people having to make tough choices.
“If you just have a window air-conditioning unit, that doesn’t do anything to clean your air," Henning said. "We are oftentimes left with this choice; do I cool off my house or do I breathe in clean air? Because if you have a window, you cannot do both.”
Projects include installing heat pumps, air monitoring systems and HVAC systems into low-income households, as well as implementing solar panel and battery back-up systems for community buildings.
“But very few people have indoor quality monitors, so they actually don’t know whether or not the air they're breathing inside is healthy or not,” Henning said.
Along with the institute, a few other organizations that will receive funding from the grant are Spokane Neighborhood Action Partners (SNAP), the Carl Maxey Center and the City of Spokane.
The Spokane Neighborhood Action Partners plans to update air systems in 300 low-income homes. KREM 2 was told they will start this in the spring of 2025 to prepare for summer.
"We will help those families hopefully live healthier lives," John Hoover with SNAP said.
The Gonzaga Institute will also be administering the Community Climate Action Fund. Henning said this is a $2.7 million grant program that community-based organizations in Spokane that are serving disadvantaged communities can apply for.
Henning said this allows for more communities to prepare for fire and heat events.