State environment department awards grant money to clean up, prevent illegal trash dumping

AZTEC — Farmington, San Juan County and the Navajo Nation are among the recipients of state funding to clean up or prevent illegal trash dumping.

The New Mexico Environment Department is awarding $776,000 to various entities around the state in Recycling and Illegal Dumping grants.

“This funding allows rural communities of New Mexico to complete projects that ultimately protect human health and the environment, as well as improve the quality of life for their citizens,” said NMED Cabinet Secretary James Kenney in a press release.

The funding for those grants comes from a fee charged when people register vehicles. This generates approximately $800,000 annually, and entities submit applications for these grants.

San Juan County has been awarded $5,000 to clean up numerous illegal trash dumping sites. It also received $17,000 to improve the county’s scrap tire management program. This includes making equipment upgrades and increasing the tire collection and processing capacity.

The Navajo Nation received $150,000 for a collaborative effort between six chapters to clean up several large illegal dump sites.

Farmington will use the $12,000 grant to host tire collection events. This will allow the proper disposal of used tires and prevent them from being dumped on public lands.

Other awards went to the following entities:

• Pueblo of Isleta: $16,000 to improve the scrap tire recycling program
• City of Sunland Park: $19,832.50 for community events to collect household hazardous waste for proper disposal and $56,200 for community events to collect used tires
• City of Truth and Consequences: $13,575.05 for a waste oil-fired heater at the recycling center at the waste transfer center
• San Miguel County: $68,200 to establish a recycling center in the Village of Pecos
• Estancia Valley Solid Waste Authority: $16,476 to clean up two large dump sites in the La Merced de Manzano land grant area
• Jemez Pueblo: $32,565 to increase cardboard recycling
• Southwest Solid Waste Authority: $227,000 to purchase a tire shredder
• Village of Angel Fire: $41,419 for upgrades to the recycling center
• McKinley County: $51,906.30 to clean up illegal dump sites and educate the public
• Village of Eagle Nest: $19,672.10 to increase the capacity to collect and store scrap metals and large appliances 
• Village of Magdalena: $12,520 for community events to collect large household appliances as well as construction and demolition waste for proper disposal
• North Central Solid Waste Authority: $14,500 for a feasibility study relating to establishing recycling services in Rio Arriba County

Hannah Grover covers government for The Daily Times. She can be reached at 505-564-4652 or via email at hgrover@daily-times.com.

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