The Environmental Protection Agency has awarded more than $3 million in grants to three San Diego County tribes to build and upgrade their solid waste and recycling infrastructure.
Through funding under the Infrastructure and Jobs Act, the EPA has awarded a $1.5 million grant to the Rincon Band of Luiseño Indians, $1.5 million to the Iipay Nation of Santa Ysabel and $173,750 to the Mesa Grande Band of Mission Indians.
Rincon says it will use its money to expand its capacity for recycling, reuse and composting on its Valley Center reservation. Funding will be used to purchase composting bins, a tub grinder to produce mulch, a trailer to collect recycled goods and the installation of filtered drainage system to treat stormwater.
“Our goal is to keep our tribal lands clean and green for our future generations while educating our people on the importance of recycling and the many environmental and economic benefits that can be achieved,” Rincon Chairman Bo Mazzetti said via email.
Mesa Grande’s grant will also be used to purchase infrastructure to support its waste management plan and to identify markets for recycled goods, according to the EPA website.
The Iipay Nation will use its grant to build a small-scale sorting and transfer station to divert waste from landfills and to fund an educational effort related to diverting waste from landfills.
“By developing a waste management model that allows post-consumer products to maintain their highest value for as long as possible, we are strengthening our commitment in protecting the environment and providing for the next seven generations,” said Iipay Nation Chairman Kevin Osuna in a statement from the EPA.
The tribes received the funding from the EPA under the Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling program, a new federal initiative authorized by the Save Our Seas 2.0 Act. It is funded through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which provides $55 million in recycling infrastructure grants annually to programs nationwide from 2022 to 2026.
