The Arizona-Sonora border region will receive over $255,000 to advance environmental projects, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced last week. Recipient organizations will match with an additional $100,000.
The funds will improve proper management of scrap vehicles and discarded electronics, increase sustainable storm water management with green infrastructure alternatives and build capacity on environmental health for the three border tribes.
The funds come from the EPA’s Border 2020: U.S.-Mexico Environmental Program, a binational effort to protect and improve public health and address environmental issues.
“Protecting the public health of our border communities with Mexico is a top priority of EPA,” EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler said in an April 14 press release.
“These grants and matching funds will provide a safer and healthier work environment for the community and our state, tribal, and federal partners as we monitor changes in air and water quality,” Wheeler said.
The University of Arizona and the Inter-Tribal Council of Arizona will collaborate with the Tohono O’odham Nation, the Cocopah Tribe and the Pascua Yaqui Tribe to establish environmental health priorities and discuss pest management and emergencies related to vector-borne diseases.
Arizona State University will work with stakeholders in Ambos Nogales to map green infrastructure options in hopes to develop transboundary water flows. Additionally, land stakeholders will work to remove regulatory barriers and encourage sustainable storm water management to the public, according to the EPA news release.
To educate the public on safe practices to recycle electronic waste, the University of Sonora will hold workshops using recommendations from the Arizona Department of Environmental Qualities e-waste toolkit.
The Municipality of Nogales, Sonora, and its environmental commission will also conduct workshops on improving the management of vehicle scrap. They also will lead an inventory of junk vehicle and recycling centers.
“These projects will benefit communities on both sides of our shared border,” said John Busterud, EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator.
Go to www.epa.gov/border2020 for more information on the Border 2020 program.
