WASHINGTON — Michigan Technological University is one of 11 institutions around the country receiving a combined $11 million in Environmental Protection Agency grants to research the environmental impacts of energy transitions in underserved and Tribal communities, and what drives people to make those transitions.

Tech received $1.125 million for the four-year study. Over that time, researchers will engage with Tribal and rural community leaders in forest-dependent communities in northern Michigan to study the impacts of current energy systems and pathways for energy transitions that enhance community well-being through improved public health, economic opportunity, and energy justice outcomes, according to an EPA news release.

“Addressing climate change and environmental justice issues are two priorities that are integral to EPA’s mission,” said Chris Frey, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Research and Development. “This research will help us understand how transitioning away from fossil-based energy systems may impact communities and can help pave the way to a just and equitable energy future.”

In their abstract, Tech researchers said the research would focus on four areas:

• an air quality study to assess the impacts from a local energy generation facility that uses a mix of fuels, primarily wood, paper, plastic, and tire-derived.

• assessments of the indoor air quality impacts of fuelwood use, energy efficiency improvements, and beneficial electrification.

• social science research to assess impacts and identify drivers for energy transitions at the residential, industrial, and community scales.

• economic and energy modeling to evaluate the impacts of transition scenarios.

Air quality studies will test three hypotheses:

• people who live closer to the energy generation facility are exposed to a greater variety and higher concentrations of toxic gases and particles.

• local ambient concentrations of air pollutants vary depending on which fuel type is combusted by the energy generation facility.

• people are additively exposed to toxic gases and particles in higher concentrations from indoor stove wood burning, indoor cooking, and tobacco smoke.

Energy and transportation systems are rapidly shifting away from fossil-based energy systems, EPA said in its release. These changes will help mitigate climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The evolving energy and transportation systems provide both challenges as well as opportunities to improve environmental and public health in ways that also reduce inequities such as environmental health burdens.

This research will increase understanding of the environmental impacts of shifting energy and transportation systems on underserved and Tribal communities as well as what drives decisions to adopt renewable energy sources, energy efficient technologies, and new transportation options. Grantees will engage with communities and Tribes in these projects, learning from their lived experience and expertise to better respond to community needs.

These efforts will improve the scientific foundation for the design of robust, behaviorally informed policies and programs to support the sustainable transition to renewable and low-carbon energy systems.