Provide funding under the inflation reduction act (IRA) to the central council of the tlingit and haida indian tribes of alaska

This $14,999,999 Cooperative Agreement award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Climate Pollution Reduction Grants (CFDA 66.046) program will fund the Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska to implement greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction programs, policies, and measures in Southeast Alaska. The key activities include the design and establishment of five composting facilities tailored for four tribal communities and the City of Juneau. This will expand composting infrastructure in disadvantaged tribal communities to reduce GHG emissions and increase the beneficial use of organic waste. The project will also support community awareness, education, and participation in composting practices and environmental stewardship. The anticipated outcomes include significant cumulative GHG emissions reductions by 2030 and beyond, job creation, and increased community resilience to climate change impacts.

Description

The purpose of this award is to provide funding under the inflation reduction act (IRA) to the central council of the tlingit and haida indian tribes of alaska. The recipient will implement greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction programs, policies, projects, and measures identified in a priority climate action plan (PCAP) developed under a climate pollution reduction grants (CPRG) planning grant. Activities conducted through this grant will benefit all residents and visitors to southeast alaska through four main objectives: implementation of ambitious measures that will achieve significant cumulative GHG reductions by 2030 and beyond; pursuit of measures that will achieve substantial community benefits, particularly in low-income and disadvantaged communities; complementing other funding sources to maximize these GHG reductions and community benefits; and, pursuit of innovative policies and programs that are replicable and can be 'scaled up' across multiple jurisdictions.activities:the activities include the design and establishment of five composting facilities tailored specifically for four tribal communities and the city of juneau in the southeast alaska region. This stand-alone GHG reduction measure will expand composting infrastructure in disadvantaged tribal communities and the city of juneau to reduce GHG emissions and increase the beneficial use of organic waste. In addition to the development of efficient composting facilities in five communities, this project will also support community awareness, education, and participation in beneficial composting practices and environmental stewardship. Subrecipient:wages for composting operators in each of the four participating tribal communities; establishment of four composting facilities in the four participating tribal communities; workforce development trainings for compost facility operation and equipment operation in the four participating tribal communities; soil testing to assess the quality in suitability of compost produced at all five composting facilities; ongoing maintenance and repair of composting equipment at the four tribal compost facilities; successful establishment and day-to-day operation of the four tribal compost facilities. Outcomes:the anticipated deliverables include: the establishment of five composting facilities - four in tribal communities in the southeast alaska region and one in the city of junea; equipment installations at all five composting facilities to support sustainable operations; a full-developed business plan for sustainable operation and management of composting facilities in southeast alaska; job creation and workforce development with at least five full-time compost operator positions as well as additional jobs in each community for facility maintenance, operations, and community outreach; public awareness campaigns distributed through digital media, local print materials, and in-person events to ensure broad community reach and engagement. The expected outcomes include: a reduction in cumulative metric tons of GHG emissions from 2025 through 2030 and from 2025 through 2050; lowered energy demand and residential/commercial energy expenditures; increased staff capacity for GHG reduction measures; enhanced community engagement through workshops and trainings to cultivate a sense of ownership and collective responsibility for environmental stewardship; creation of high-quality jobs with business plan development support; increased resilience to the impacts of climate change for communities disproportionately affected in the southeast alaska region. The intended beneficiaries include tribal community members across the four participating tribes in southeast alaska, tribal staff and community members for the central council of the tlingit and haida indian tribes of alaska, residents of the city of juneau, and the southeast alaskan workforce.