LifeCity Hosts EPA Pollution Prevention Grant Community + Industry Connection Event
LifeCity has participated in the EPA’s Pollution Prevention Federal Grant program since 2016, partnering with many local universities and organizations during this tenure. The purpose of the Pollution Prevention program, or P2, is to reduce pollution generated by manufacturersthrough source reduction — eliminating waste and pollution at its source rather than finding alternative outlets for waste.
During one of the most recent grant cycles, LifeCity partnered with Louisiana State University, Southern University, and Metromorphosis to connect with manufacturers in East Baton Rouge and New Orleans East, two historically disinvested regions, through on-site and off-site technical assistance. As part of this grant, LifeCity worked with the Lower Ninth Ward Center for Sustainable Engagement and Development to assemble an engaged Community Advisory Board (CAB) comprising community members from New Orleans East and the Lower Ninth Ward with a goal to help bridge the gap between community and industry. After a two-year engagement with the Community Advisory Board, this work culminated in a spirited Community + Industry Connection event held at the Tate Etienne and Prevost (TEP) Center on April 29th, 2026. Twenty-eight people were in attendance.
The overall goal of the Community + Industry Connection event was to create an informal space for open-minded discussion, opening the door for relationships to continue afterward. While the development of future relationships is yet to be seen, the event did produce lively conversations and engaged listening, with contributions from both community and industry representatives.
The event began with a video presentation by the TEP Center, showcasing the founding story of the historic site and the history of civil rights in New Orleans. This was followed by an hour of open discussion with contributions from community members, representatives from the Deep South Center for Environmental Justice (New Orleans East), Port of New Orleans, Sewerage & Water Board of New Orleans, and more. The topic of workforce development was a heavy focus area, with a clearly communicated need for industry-facilitated job training and community-industry partnerships for job placement.
“We are relying on hotels and festivals to keep us open. It’s not enough.”
Some key topics that were discussed during the event were:
How can local community members understand what local neighborhood jobs are available?
How can technical training programs be improved so that industry is ready to hire graduates after the training ends?
How can the city incentivize local job creation outside of hospitality?
How can industry directly partner with local neighborhood organizations to circulate jobs?
“We have to bring in other industries.”
“It doesn’t take one organization to get someone a job…It could take six, seven different organizations. So, how do you connect?”
At the culmination of the event, facilitators asked everyone to share a word to describe how they felt coming out of the conversation: village, passion, opportunity, determination, collaboration, and change were among the many words shared. While this event marks the final deliverable of the grant, LifeCity and partners will continue to explore how to build upon and advance this work.
