State climate grants back farmworker safety, workforce stability in NCW region

WENATCHEE — Two Wenatchee-based organizations are among the recipients of new state funding aimed at protecting workers and communities from the health impacts of climate change.

The Washington State Department of Health announced it is distributing $2.5 million from the Climate Commitment Act to 15 community-based and Tribal organizations across the state for environmental and climate-justice work.

Locally, Columbia Valley Community Health and the Community for the Advancement of Family Education (CAFÉ) were selected for grants through the department’s Workplace Safety Grant Program, which focuses on people most affected by extreme weather and environmental conditions.

For North Central Washington, where tree fruit and other crops depend on a large outdoor workforce, climate impacts are increasingly showing up as operational and public-health challenges. Extended heat waves, wildfire smoke and unpredictable weather can slow harvests, shift work hours and increase the need for protective equipment and medical support in the field. Programs that focus on training, prevention and culturally specific outreach are becoming a core part of keeping the regional agricultural economy stable and workers on the job.

The program is awarding $1.1 million to nine organizations to support projects that address risks such as extreme heat and cold, wildfire smoke, drought and flooding. This funding cycle prioritized education and outreach for agricultural workers.

Tonantzintla “Tona” Chacón, executive director of CAFÉ, said the funding will support workshops and community events that help farmworkers identify hazards and respond to changing conditions on the job.

“Climate-focused wellness fairs and educational workshops provide practical, culturally, and linguistically appropriate information,” Chacón said in a statement. “Topics include heat and cold illness prevention, smoke exposure protection, hydration, emergency preparedness, and worker rights related to workplace safety.”

The grant will also pay for protective supplies designed to reduce heat stress and limit exposure to wildfire smoke, according to the Department of Health.

In announcing the awards, Lauren Jenks, assistant secretary for environmental public health at DOH, said the funding is intended to center communities that experience the greatest health impacts from climate change.

“With these Climate Commitment Act funds, we continue to put frontline communities at the center of our climate-justice work,” Jenks said in a statement.

Another North Central Washington recipient, Unidos Nueva Alianza Foundation in Ephrata, also received funding through the workplace safety program.

The remaining $1.4 million announced this week will go to six organizations through the state’s Healthy Environment for All capacity-grant program. That funding supports community input into state environmental-health policy and updates to Washington’s Environmental Health Disparities Map.

The grants are funded through the Climate Commitment Act, the state’s cap-and-invest program that directs revenue toward projects intended to reduce climate pollution, create jobs and improve public health.

Andrew Simpson: 509-433-7626 or andrew@ward.media