EPA Announces More than $2 Million for New Mexico Environmental Justice Projects As Part of Biden-Harris Administration’s Investing in America Agenda

 USEPA Press Release:

EPA Announces More than $2 Million for New Mexico Environmental Justice Projects As Part of Biden-Harris Administration’s Investing in America Agenda

Three grantees announced as part of largest investments through EPA’s Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem Solving Cooperative Agreement and Environmental Justice Government-to-Government grant programs funded by President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act

 

DALLAS, TEXAS (November 16, 2023) —The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced $2,039,453 to fund three New Mexico projects that advance environmental justice as part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda. The grantees, which EPA selected through its Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem Solving Cooperative Agreement and Environmental Justice Government-to-Government programs, will use the funds to ensure disadvantaged communities have access to clean air and water and climate resilience solutions in alignment with the Biden-Harris Administration’s Justice40 Initiative. 

 

Thanks to President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act—the largest climate investment in U.S. history—this funding is a part the largest investment ever announced under these two longstanding EPA programs. This is the first in a series of environmental justice grant announcements the agency will announce before the end of the year.

 

“No President has invested more in environmental justice than President Biden, and under his leadership we’re removing longstanding barriers and meaningfully collaborating with communities to build a healthier future for all,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “Together, these community-driven projects will improve the health, equity, and resilience of communities while setting a blueprint for local solutions that can be applied across the nation.”

 

“These grants are unprecedented in several ways—for the historic amount of funding provided through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act, and because money is going directly to communities that are ready to implement solutions to environmental issues,” said Regional Administrator Dr. Earthea Nance. “This means $2 million for projects in New Mexico that might otherwise remain overlooked and unfunded. These recipients are deeply knowledgeable about the issues facing their communities, and are ready to invest these grants in projects that will bring meaningful results.

 

“Clean air and water are essential to the people and places of New Mexico,” said U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich. “I’m proud to see the Inflation Reduction Act I fought to pass now delivering another $2 million for environmental projects in our state.” 

 

“New Mexicans understand the importance of safeguarding our environment for generations to come. I’m glad to welcome more than $2 million to New Mexico for environmental justice initiatives to protect our land, air, and water and keep our communities healthy,” said U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján. “New Mexico is a leader in the fight against the climate crisis and this critical funding will help us continue these efforts.”   

 

“New Mexico’s culture is tied to the land we live on, the air we breathe, and the water we drink. I’m excited to welcome over $2 million for projects that will help our communities protect these precious resources,” said Rep. Leger Fernández (NM-3). “The Environmental Protection Agency chose to fund projects that will make us better ancestors. These grants will serve our communities and Pueblos through public education, clean up initiatives, research, and health assessments.”  

 

The grants announced today deliver on President Biden’s commitment to advance equity and justice throughout the United States. The two grant programs directly advance the President’s transformational Justice40 initiative to deliver 40 percent of the overall benefits of certain federal investments to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution.

 

The Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem Solving (EJCPS) Program

 

EPA’s EJCPS program provides financial assistance to eligible organizations working to address local environmental or public health issues in their communities. The program builds upon President Biden’s Executive Orders 13985 and 14008, creating a designation of funds exclusively for small nonprofit organizations, which are defined as having 5 or fewer full-time employees, thus ensuring that grant resources reach organizations of lower capacity that historically struggle to receive federal funding. Eleven of the organizations selected for EJCPS this year are small nonprofit organizations, receiving over $1.6 million in total.

 

EPA EJCPS grant selection in New Mexico include the following:

 

• Earth Care International in Santa Fe will receive $500,000 to conduct a community-led health assessment for the southside of Santa Fe using collaborative problem-solving to develop concrete urban planning, local policy, and community-driven development solutions to the environmental justice and public health challenges facing the area.

 

Environmental Justice Government-to-Government (EJG2G)

 

EPA’s EJG2G provides funding at the state, local, territorial, and Tribal level to support government activities in partnership with community-based organizations that lead to measurable environmental or public health impacts in communities disproportionately burdened by environmental harms.

 

EPA EJG2G grant selections in New Mexico include the following:

 

• The Santo Domingo Pueblo will receive $539,453 permanently decrease the number of individuals contributing to open dumps as well as eliminating open dumps within the underserved and overburdened Tribal Community of Santo Domingo Pueblo, located in north central New Mexico.
• The New Mexico Environment Department will receive $1 million to help federal, state, county, regional and tribal governments and community-based organizations to carry out a Health Impact Assessment to engage community members and inform actions of NMED to help reduce health impacts on underserved and vulnerable populations in San Juan County due to harmful emissions from recycling facilities.

 

Additional Background:  

 

From day one of his administration, President Biden has made achieving environmental justice a top priority. And in August 2022, Congress passed, and President Biden signed, the Inflation Reduction Act into law, creating the largest investment in environmental and climate justice in U.S. history. EPA received $3 billion in appropriations to provide grants and technical assistance for activities advancing environmental and climate justice.

 

Under the Inflation Reduction Act, EPA has launched and expanded innovative programs to provide more support than ever before to communities that unjustly bear the burdens of environmental harm and pollution. This includes the $177 million for the creation of 16 Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Centers (EJ TCTACs) to remove barriers to federal resources and help communities pursue funding opportunities like those made available through President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda. EPA has also launched and will award funds through the $550 million  Thriving Communities Grantmaking Program before the end of 2023.

 

 To learn more about environmental justice at EPA, visit: https://www.epa.gov/environmentaljustice

 

Connect with the Environmental Protection Agency Region 6 on Facebook, Twitter, or visit our homepage.

 

 

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