The University of Colorado and its Boulder campus will receive about $750,000 from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment to support two university projects that aim to promote a healthier environment.

“These grants help ensure every Coloradan has the opportunity to live in a healthy environment,” CDPHE Executive Director Jill Hunsaker Ryan said in a release. “We’re proud to support projects that reflect local priorities and promote well-being in areas most impacted by pollution.”

For one project, the University of Colorado Boulder will receive $500,000 from CDPHE to characterize and control indoor air pollution and heat stress in Adams County School District 14.

This project aims to enhance indoor air quality and reduce heat stress in K-12 classrooms within the Adams County School District 14 through assessment, mitigation and community engagement, according to CDPHE’s website. It will identify effective control strategies, analyze indoor air quality and heat exposure, evaluate the impact of High-Efficiency Particulate Air purifiers and educate students and the community on school air quality issues. CU Boulder environmental engineering professor Mark Hernandez will lead this project.

The second project is called the Community-Led Environmental Action for Neighborhood Water Accessibility, Treatment and Equity Restoration. The project will receive $249,761 from CDPHE.

“This project aims to reduce exposure to toxic metals — arsenic, uranium, and lead — in drinking water by providing water filtration solutions for households with private wells,” according to CDPHE’s website. “This project collaborates with the San Luis Valley Ecosystem Council and the San Luis Valley Community Advisory Board. The initiative engages the community to improve water quality and safeguard public health.”

The grants to CU are part of a CDPHE funding initiative that is awarding more than $3 million in funding to support projects that improve environmental health across the state, according to the release. CDPHE’s Environmental Justice Advisory Board selected the recipients through the Colorado Environmental Justice Grant Program.

“We’re thrilled to once again provide support to organizations that are committed to uplifting communities and ensuring Coloradans, no matter where they live, can thrive and lead healthy lives,” Lesly Fajardo-Feaux, environmental justice advisory board co-chair, said in the release.

“This funding demonstrates our commitment to empowering those most impacted by Colorado’s environmental challenges, amplifying underrepresented voices, and building a healthier future for everyone. True progress in environmental justice comes when we fully engage and represent the communities in shaping our environmental future.”

Other funding recipients include the Southern Ute Indian Tribe, Montrose Regional Health, the Housing Authority of Pueblo and Project Protect Food System Workers. CDPHE announced the funding awards on Tuesday.

The project funding period is from July 1 to June 30, 2027. CDPHE selected 10 projects after receiving 51 applications for this third cycle of the grant program. For more information, visit tinyurl.com/jxuw5284.