This agreement provides funding from the infrastructure investment and jobs act (IIJA) to cher-AE-heights indian community of the trinidad rancheria

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) awarded a $950,680 Cooperative Agreement to the Cher-Ae Heights Indian Community of the Trinidad Rancheria under the Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling (SWIFR) Grant Program (CFDA 66.920). The purpose of this award is to fund Trinidad Rancheria's Zero-Waste Project, which consists of community engagement and education, construction of a zero-waste facility, purchase of equipment, hiring and training of staff, installation and service of compost and recycling bins throughout the community, and the promotion of sustainable management of fish waste in Trinidad Harbor. The zero-waste facility will be able to process the tribe's food waste, green waste, paper waste, and fish waste from sport and charter fishers, and serve as a transfer station for sorting and backhauling common recyclables. The project aims to increase collection and reduce contamination of post-consumer materials, measure waste diversion rates and greenhouse gas emissions averted, and serve as an example for developing circular economies through sustainable materials management for rural communities and tribes.

EPA's solid waste infrastructure for recycling (swifr) grants for tribes and intertribal consortia will fund projects that focus on encouraging environmentally sound post-consumer materials management, fund projects that will result in a decrease in the generation of municipal solid waste and/or an increase in the diversion of municipal solid waste from landfills and incineration; and/or fund projects that provide or expand access to source reduction, reuse, recycling, backhaul, anaerobic digestion, and composting for tribes and tribal members of intertribal consortia. The purpose of this award is fund trinidad rancheria's zero-waste project that consists of community engagement and education, construction of a zero-waste facility, purchase of equipment, the hiring and training of staff, installation and service of compost and recycling bins throughout the community, and the promotion of the sustainable management of fish waste in trinidad harbor. The zero-waste facility will be able to process all of the tribe's food waste, green waste, paper waste, fish waste from sport and charter fishers, and serve as a transfer station for sorting and backhauling common recyclables. Operation of the facility will be performed by a new full-time position; a zero-waste technician, who will be provided tools and training to collect and process organic waste from community participants, back-haul recyclables, maintain the facility, and measure diversion rates, types, and quantities of recycled and composted materials to quantify GHG reduction. Lastly, the project will serve as an example for development of circular economies through sustainable materials management for rural communities and tribes.activities:project activities include giving presentations and holding listening sessions to promote community engagement and participation; designing and constructing a zero waste facility that will increase collection and reduce contamination of post-consumer materials; purchasing and installing equipment at the facility; hiring and training staff; installing and servicing compost and recycling bins in the community; collecting data on waste diverted, post-consumer materials collected, greenhouse gas emissions averted; and supporting the sustainable management of fish waste at trinidad harbor by engaging with commercial and recreational fishermen.subrecipient:no subawards are included in this assistance agreement.outcomes:anticipated deliverables include meeting agendas and summaries; copies of presentations; copies of quotes and receipts for equipment procured and purchased; photos of site and facility at all stages of construction; summary reports including the number of infrastructure investments and enhancements made, tons of MSW collected, recycled, composted or managed; tons of MSW generated per material type and source; and number of temporary or permanent jobs created; final quality assurance project plan (qapp); and zero waste facility final life cycle analysis report. This assistance agreement provides $950,680 in federal funding.