EPA awards $5.6 million to tribes in Nevada for environmental programs

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently awarded $5.6 million of funding to support tribes in Nevada in implementing environmental programs, maintaining and improving drinking water and wastewater infrastructure, and conducting community education activities.
 
Included in the $5.6 million is approximately $1.7 million for water quality projects, including monitoring, protection and restoration of watersheds, water and energy efficiency projects, and wastewater reclamation and treatment systems. The Indian Health Service will receive $107,000 of the funding for drinking water and wastewater infrastructure, including training and technical assistance for plant operators.
 
“Tribes continue to make great strides in environmental protection and improving public health,” Alexis Strauss, EPA acting regional administrator for the Pacific Southwest, said. “This year, EPA is supporting water quality projects and water infrastructure for Nevada tribes with over $1.8 million in funding.”
 
The remaining $3.8 million will go toward programs like cleanup projects for dumps and contaminated lands, air quality monitoring and improvement projects and community outreach and education.
 
Past EPA funding has supported efforts like the Walker River Paiute Tribe’s irrigation project, which addressed return flows into the Walker River, and the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe’s Environmental Youth Camp, which taught young tribe members about environmental issues and traditional means of protecting lands, among other topics.