EPA's consumer recycling education and outreach (REO) grant program will fund a range of projects that will increase waste prevention activities, increase the collection of recyclable materials and…

The Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Office of Land and Emergency Management awarded the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians $2.0 million under the Reduce, Reuse, Recycling Education and Outreach Grants program (CFDA 66.921) on July 1, 2025, with a completion date of June 30, 2028. The award funds a comprehensive community education and outreach campaign designed to enhance recycling participation and reduce contamination in residential and community recycling programs within the tribe's jurisdiction in Tahlequah, Oklahoma.

Under this project grant, the United Keetoowah Band will deliver a range of products and services including over 35 community outreach events and hands-on recycling demonstrations, educational brochures, newsletter articles, and social media content targeting tribal members. The tribe will establish informational signage throughout the community and hire four full-time and one part-time (75%) staff member to manage the education and outreach program. Key deliverables include providing technical assistance to community members on proper recycling practices, purchasing recycling demonstration equipment, and implementing initiatives focused on commonly recycled materials such as plastics, aluminum, paper, glass, food waste, and organics. The project objectives are to increase public awareness of residential recycling programs, inform participants about accepted recyclable materials, and ultimately increase collection rates while decreasing contamination in the tribe's recycling stream.

EPA's consumer recycling education and outreach (REO) grant program will fund a range of projects that will increase waste prevention activities, increase the collection of recyclable materials and program participation rates, and decrease contamination of the recycling stream, fund projects that focus on commonly recycled materials such as municipal solid waste (e.g., plastics, aluminum, paper, glass, etc.), including food waste and organics, and/or fund projects and provide tools and technical assistance that will lead to long-term, sustained change, benefits, and support beyond the life of the grant. The purpose of this award is to enhance the united keetoowah band of cherokee indians' (UKB) efforts to meet the REO grants elements. UKB will implement a community education outreach campaign to inform the tribal members and provide technical assistance on proper recycling. Activities:UKB will perform the following activities: organize community outreach events; post informational signage; provide technical support to community members; and purchase recycling demonstration equipment. The tribe will also produce and distribute educational brochures, newsletter articles, social media and more. The project will fund 4 full-time and one 75%-time staff members to manage the education and outreach program. The objectives of this project are to inform the public about residential or community recycling programs; provide information about the recycled materials that are accepted as part of a residential or community recycling program that provides for the separate collection of residential solid waste from recycled material; and increase collection rates and decrease contamination in residential and community recycling programs.subrecipient:no subawards are included in this assistance agreement.outcomes:the anticipated deliverables include over 35 community outreach events and hands-on recycling demonstrations; educational brochures, newsletter articles, social media posts, and technical support to the tribal community and surrounding community; community meetings; and informational signage. The expected outcomes are a 75% increase in recycling participation in the community by year 3; and reduced contamination in the recycling stream. The intended beneficiaries are approximately 14,000 members of the UKB tribe, across 14 counties in northeast oklahoma.