EPA Awards $11.5 Million in Recycling Infrastructure Grants to Tribal Communities in Alaska, Idaho and Washington

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has awarded $11.56 million in grants to nine Tribal entities and Intertribal Consortia in Alaska, Idaho and Washington through the Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling (SWIFR) grant programme. The funding will support improvements in recycling infrastructure, organic waste management, hazardous waste collection and workforce development.

Grant awards range from $939,629 to $1.5 million and are intended to strengthen local solid waste management systems while increasing the recovery of recyclable materials and reducing reliance on landfill disposal.

“These grants help Tribal communities make important upgrades to improve household hazardous waste collection, expand composting infrastructure, and provide local job training for waste management operations,” said Emma Pokon, Regional Administrator for EPA Region 10.

The SWIFR programme was established to support the development of a stronger and more resilient municipal solid waste recycling system in the United States. Funded projects in the region will focus on expanding Tribal capacity to manage post-consumer materials and organic waste, providing technical assistance, supporting workforce training and creating additional waste management positions.

EPA said the investments will help communities improve collection services, develop composting programmes, increase access to recycling markets and reduce pressure on existing landfill capacity.

Acting Assistant Administrator for Land and Emergency Management Thomas Croci said the grants will support domestic material recovery, local economic development and job creation while reducing disposal costs.

The funded Tribal projects include:

Alaska: Kenaitze Indian Tribe ($978,782); Kodiak Area Native Association ($1.50 million); Kokhanok Village ($1.49 million); Native Village of Nightmute ($1.09 million); Newtok Village ($939,629); and The Tyonek Native Corporation ($1.50 million).

Idaho: Nez Perce Tribe ($1.17 million).

Washington: Makah Indian Tribe of the Makah Indian Reservation ($1.40 million) and Tribal Solid Waste Advisory Network, Inc. ($1.50 million).

The EPA said the investments are designed to improve long-term waste management capacity in Tribal communities by expanding recycling programmes, increasing access to end markets for recovered materials and supporting environmental protection efforts.

Source: EPA

SUNSHINE Spotlight: EPA’s SWIFR grants will provide more than $11.5 million to strengthen Tribal recycling infrastructure, supporting material recovery, composting and local waste management capacity across the Pacific Northwest and Alaska.