The summary below provides a description of a New York, New York project that received a cooperative agreement from EPA’s former Community Action for a Renewed Environment (CARE) project in 2010. These case studies serve as historic references, and conditions since the project was funded may have changed.

The resources developed for this project provide communities with information about ways that other communities have addressed environmental issues. Communities can use these project results to reduce environmental impacts, understand risks and become stewards of their own environment.

Summary

Northern Manhattan CARE Collaborative 
New York, New York 
Region 2

The Northern Manhattan CARE Collaborative project is the recipient of a Level II CARE cooperative agreement, building on a successful level I award of 2007. West Harlem Environmental Action, Inc. (WE ACT) will be the organization leading this project. WE ACT is a non-profit community-based environmental justice organization dedicated to building community power to fight environmental racism and improve environmental health, protection and policy in communities of color. WE ACT will continue to support their successful CARE Level I project through this CARE level II partnership of broad based stakeholders in Northern Manhattan, New York City.  This effort will work to reduce risk from toxic exposures in Northern Manhattan, specifically with relation to solid waste, pests and pesticides. Through this CARE level II project WE ACT will: 1) Identify risk actions targeting toxic exposures from solid waste, pests and pesticides in Northern Manhattan, 2) Implement risk reduction actions targeting toxic exposures from solid waste, pests and pesticides, 3) help the Northern Manhattan CARE Collaborative become self-sustaining, 4) and implement a composting and recycling project in collaboration with a local school and a NYC-based composting and recycling agency (Action Environmental Services). 

Established CARE Partners: Grant House Tenant Association and the Morningside Heights/West Harlem Sanitation Coalition, Simmons Gallery and Grass Roots Farmers Market, Fredrick E. Samuels MHOP Resident Association, Bank of America, Harlem Business Alliance, Touro College of Pharmacy, Columbia NIEHS Center for Environmental Health in Northern Manhattan, Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Bureau of Environmental Surveillance & Policy, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development, and Little Sisters of the Assumption.