BOSTON (Sept. 14, 2023) –- Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced more than $2.6 million from President Biden's Investing in America agenda to expand recycling infrastructure and waste management systems across Connecticut.
EPA has selected Stamford, Connecticut to receive a grant of more than $2 million under the newly created Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling funding opportunity. In addition, the agency is making available approximately $592,000 for Connecticut to improve solid waste management planning, data collection and implementation of plans. Thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, this investment totaling is a part of EPA's largest recycling investment in 30 years.
The grants support the implementation of EPA's National Recycling Strategy to build an economy devoted to keeping materials, products, and services in circulation for as long as possible –what's known as a "circular economy."
"President Biden's Investing in America Agenda tackles our most pressing environmental challenges including climate change and lead in drinking water, and today we add another historic investment to better manage waste in communities across America," said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. "By investing in better recycling, EPA is deploying resources to provide recycling services across the country, including in disadvantaged communities, while preventing waste that contributes to the climate crisis, supporting local economies and creating good-paying jobs."
"Connecticut's recycling efforts are commendable, and the City of Stamford's project will more than quadruple the City's composting capability," said EPA New England Regional Administrator, David W. Cash. "The project will benefit historically marginalized communities in Stamford by making food composting and recycling accessible and convenient."
"This federal funding will help cut food waste going to landfills and strengthen recycling services in underserved communities," said U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal. "It will also create good-paying jobs. Overall, it's a win-win, fighting the climate crisis and expanding the economy. I'm thrilled by this award and look forward to fighting for more."
U.S. Senator Chris Murphy said, "Connecticut produces more trash than our system can currently handle, and a lot of that waste comes from food scraps. This more than $2 million grant from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will help Stamford make it more convenient for residents to start composting and improve waste management across the state," said Murphy."
"Proper waste management, recycling systems, compost infrastructure – these are the essential, often unglamorous, nitty-gritty of what makes a city run, and what makes it a wonderful, clean place to live," said U.S. Representative Jim Himes. "With this $2 million grant made possible by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, Stamford can purchase new recycling collection vehicles and bins, ensure that every community has access to recycling services, and remove food waste and plastics to create a cleaner, climate resilient, and sustainable city."
"The City of Stamford's food composting program has been a great success, with over 43,000 pounds of food waste composted last year alone," said Stamford Mayor Caroline Simmons. "With this critical funding, we will be able to increase our capacity, expand the program for residents across the city, save taxpayers money, and most importantly, protect our environment from harmful waste. We are grateful to the EPA, our federal delegation, and the Biden Administration for this funding, their commitment to tackling climate change, and their once-in-a-generation investments in critical infrastructure across the country."
President Biden's Investing in America Agenda is growing the American economy from the bottom up and middle-out – from rebuilding our nation's infrastructure, to driving over $470 billion in private sector manufacturing and clean energy investments in the United States, to creating a manufacturing and innovation boom powered by good paying jobs that don't require a four-year degree, to building a clean-energy economy that will combat climate change and make our communities more resilient.
EPA's Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling Grant Program is also advancing President's Justice40 Initiative, which aims to ensure that 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized, underserved, and overburdened by pollution. Approximately $56 million out of the $73 million – or 76% - of the total funding for communities will go toward projects that benefit disadvantaged communities.
Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling Grants for Communities
The recycling grants for communities will support improvements to waste management systems across the country. Connecticut's selected project will:
- Reduce the Amount of Food Waste that Stamford sends to Landfills by Collecting and Composting it and through Education and Outreach.
- Make it More Convenient for Residents and Businesses to Recycle Food
- Facilitate Use of Recycled Food Waste
Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling Grants for States and Territories
The recycling grants for states and territories will provide funding to all 56 states, territories, and the District of Columbia via grants ranging from $360,000 to $750,000; with the highest grant amounts supporting those states and territories that need it the most.
The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (CTDEEP) will use the funding to develop and implement a new data storage system to track the flow of municipal solid waste, recyclables, and construction and demolition waste materials; evaluate the efficacy of recently implemented municipal diversion programs through targeted waste characterizations and support a solid waste and recycling training program for state and local staff.
These grants represent important steps toward achieving the EPA's National Recycling Goal and Food Loss and Waste Reduction Goal. Funded activities include improving post-consumer materials management programs through developing or updating solid waste management plans and strengthening data collection efforts.
More information is available at https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2023-09/Connecticut_SWIFR.pdf (98 KB).
Additional Background
Today's announcement for states, territories, and communities is the first round of funding from this new grant program. In the coming months, EPA will announce the selected recipients of the recycling grants for Tribes and intertribal consortia, as well as the recipients of EPA's new Recycling Education and Outreach grant program.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provides $275 million total from fiscal year 2022 to fiscal year 2026 for grants authorized under the Save Our Seas 2.0 Act - the largest investment in recycling in 30 years. The recycling grants are supplemented with additional funding provided through EPA's annual appropriations. EPA has selected these entities to receive funding for recycling infrastructure projects and anticipates making all the awards announced today once all legal and administrative requirements are satisfied.
For details about the Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling Grant Program selectees and other Bipartisan Infrastructure Law-related funding opportunities, visit the EPA recycling grants webpage.
from EPA News Releases https://ift.tt/Fs5YTHE