Issued: Sep 13, 2023 (2:14pm EDT)
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Chemung County, N.Y. Selected for $1.7 Million Grant in First-Ever EPA Funding to Promote Less Waste
New York Also Slated to Receive Funding for Statewide Efforts
NEW YORK (Sept. 13, 2023) - Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that Chemung County, New York has been selected to receive $1.7 million in the first-ever EPA funding under EPA's new Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling program to build resilient circular economies across the country. New York State is also slated to receive over $531,000 to support its ongoing efforts to sustainably manage materials and generate less waste. The grants are part of EPA's largest recycling investment in 30 years and will be awarded using funding from the Biden Administration's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL).
The grant to Chemung County will allow it to build a new composting facility at the site of a decommissioned wastewater treatment plant to expand upon its existing composting program. The new facility will replace the shuttered former wastewater treatment plant with a new facility that will divert waste from the nearby Chemung County landfill and create a more accessible place for residents to turn waste into product. The funding will help the county model what's known as a "circular economy" by building a program to keep materials and products in circulation for as long as possible. This approach is a model of production and consumption, where items and products are reused whenever possible rather than discarded as waste.
"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."
"Unfortunately, the U.S has had a 'just throw it away' mentality that simply did not help us reach our goals for a cleaner, healthier environment," said EPA Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia. "The SWIFR grant program seeks to put the common adage 'waste not want not' into action. This funding will support New York's waste reduction efforts and will allow Chemung County to build a brand-new composting facility."
"Investing in recycling infrastructure and waste management systems is critical to ensure that New York's communities aren't burdened by pollution. This critical funding from EPA will greatly benefit Chemung County and bolster their efforts to build a circular economy while helping to divert waste from area landfills, which will strengthen the environmental well-being of the Southern Tier. I thank EPA for this vital investment, and I look forward to working with EPA to continue improving recycling infrastructure and waste management systems in New York State" said Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (NY).
All states and territories also received SWIFR funding. The money for states and territories will help support their efforts to improve post-consumer materials management programs through planning, data collection, and the implementation of plans. The funding is part of EPA's overall efforts to invest in America by strengthening infrastructure and implementing programs for lasting change. It will aid communities and states in modeling what's known as a "circular economy" by building a program to keep materials and products in circulation for as long as possible.
"We're excited that the Environmental Protection Agency has selected Chemung County to receive a $1.6 million grant for our Solid Waste Infrastructure and Recycling Initiatives. Thanks to grant opportunities such as this, projects which would otherwise be unaffordable are able to come to fruition", said Christopher J. Moss, Chemung County Executive. "I am pleased that Chemung County's grant application met both the program objective and contained multiple strategic plan elements. These funds will allow Chemung County to continue to partner with its local municipalities as we continue our efforts to establish and optimize our capacity for composting materials."
"DEC applauds the Biden-Harris Administration, EPA Administrator Regan, and Regional Administrator Garcia for demonstrating their sustained investment in supporting cleaner and healthier communities, encouraging product reuse, promoting recycling, and protecting our natural resources," New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos said. "The significant funding announced today bolsters New York's efforts to reduce greenhouse gases from landfilled waste and achieve the State's climate objectives by supporting our recycling processes through grants to enhance DEC's own data management and support local composting to reduce waste in the Southern Tier."
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
More than two thirds of the funding for the projects announced today are going toward projects that benefit disadvantaged communities. The recycling grants for communities will support improvements to waste management systems across the country and will range from $500,000 to $4 million per grant. This will allow resources to be used more efficiently and reduce the impact have on our planet and the climate. Projects that will be supported by this investment include purchasing new fleets of recycling collection vehicles and bins to provide curbside recycling services for communities currently lacking access; upgrades to material recovery facilities to reduce contamination; enhancements to composting and organics programs and infrastructure, and construction of various types of facilities that improve recycling, composting, and reuse infrastructure for materials such as plastics and food waste. Collectively, these grants from EPA's Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling Grant Program will keep valuable resources out of our landfills and will significantly contribute to our efforts to reduce our carbon footprint. This grant will also help fund recycling services to disadvantaged communities that have been traditionally underserved by recycling services. And they will create good-paying jobs in rural and urban communities across the country.
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. 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.
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.
Follow EPA Region 2 on Twitter and visit our Facebook page. For more information about EPA Region 2, visit our website.
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