ALAWON: American Library Association Washington Office Newsline Volume 14, Number 20 December 6, 2005 In This Issue: 1) Grants Available for Libraries 2) Protect the Toxic Release Inventory Citigroup Foundation: Citigroup Foundation supports nonprofit organizations throughout the U.S., and internationally, where its companies do business. Working with a global network of colleagues and partners, the Foundation gives grants focused in the following three main areas: Financial Education, with emphasis on programs for families and young people; Educating the Next Generation, with emphasis on improving educational opportunities in low- income communities; and Building Communities and Entrepreneurs, with emphasis on the revitalization of low-income communities. Applications are accepted at any time during the calendar year; however, early submission is encouraged. Visit the website listed above for application guidelines. Staples Foundation: The Staples Foundation for Learning announces funds to support programs that provide job skills or education for all people, with a special emphasis on disadvantaged youth. Thomson Gale and School Library Journal Announce the 2006 Giant Step Award The Giant Step Award recognizes school and public libraries that have made significant improvement or created new that impact student learning and development. (http://www.grantstation.com/grantstation/index.asp#seventeen) Historic Preservation Fund Grants to Indian Tribes, Alaska Natives and Native Hawaiian Organizations Grant applications are now available to assist federally-recognized tribes in preserving their historic properties and cultural traditions. (http://www.grantstation.com/grantstation/index.asp#eighteen) IMLS Partnership for a Nation of Learners Community Collaboration Grants The Partnership for a Nation of Learners Community Collaboration Grants program's goal is to build and strengthen working relationships among libraries, museums, and public broadcasting licensees. (http://www.grantstation.com/grantstation/index.asp#nineteen) 2) Protect the Toxic Release Inventory OMB Watch is seeking help from the library community to protect the Toxic Release Inventory from the major assault that EPA recently launched. EPA recently proposed major reductions in the amount of information on toxic pollution that it will collect and make available to the public under the program. The TRI program, which requires companies to report their toxic releases, has been incredibly effective at reducing toxic pollution. For instance, from 1998 to 2003, TRI helped cut releases of toxic chemicals in the United States by 2.8 billion pounds. For more background on TRI click here http://www.crtk.org/library_files/TRI.pdf. The EPA has already started a rulemaking to raise reporting thresholds so that facilities will be able to pollute ten times as much before reporting the details, as well as letting companies for the first time skimp on the details about persistent bio-accumulative toxins (PBTs), like lead and mercury. EPA also officially notified Congress of their intent to cut the TRI program in half by only collecting pollution reports every other year instead of annually. Under the threshold changes, pollution information from almost 4,000 facilities would essentially disappear. In a time when people are being exposed to unknown chemicals in the Gulf Coast the EPA is sacrificing needed information in order to reduce paperwork on corporations and save $2 million a year. The public's right to know is worth more than that. To help protect the TRI, go to: http://www.ombwatch.org/protecttri ****** ALAWON (ISSN 1069-7799) is a free, irregular publication of the American Library Association Washington Office. All materials subject to copyright by the American Library Association may be reprinted or redistributed for noncommercial purposes with appropriate credits. To subscribe to ALAWON, send the message: subscribe ala-wo [your_firstname] [your_lastname] to listproc@ala.org or go to http://www.ala.org/washoff/alawon. To unsubscribe to ALAWON, send the message: unsubscribe ala-wo to listproc@ala.org. ALAWON archives at http://www.ala.org/washoff/alawon. ALA Washington Office, 1301 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W., Suite 403, Washington, D.C. 20004-1701; phone: 202.628.8410 or 800.941.8478 toll- free; fax: 202.628.8419; Web site: http://www.ala.org/washoff. Executive Director: Emily Sheketoff. Office of Government Relations: Lynne Bradley, Director; Don Essex, Erin Haggerty, Patrice McDermott and Miriam Nisbet. Office for Information Technology Policy: Rick Weingarten, Director; Carrie Lowe, Kathy Mitchell, Carrie Russell. ALAWON Editor: Bernadette Murphy.