NEW ORLEANS (press release) – Last week, Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. (D-LA) joined Dr. Earthea Nance, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Regional Administrator for South Central Region and community partners to celebrate a $3,982,000 million grant for the City of New Orleans. This funding was made possible through the EPA’s the Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling Grant Program (SWIFR) and will be used to construct a new Materials Recovery Facility, expand current residential curbside recycling, and develop a 10-year solid waste master plan.
“I’m committed to environmental sustainability, and this grant funding is a significant milestone in New Orleans’ journey towards a greener and more environmentally responsible future,” said Rep. Carter “I’m also proud that this grant aims to ensure that federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized, underserved, and overburdened by pollution. Environmental justice MUST be at the center of any action to address disproportionate health and environmental impacts on communities, especially communities of color. Together, we will make New Orleans a shining example of environmental stewardship, equity, and progress.”
Congressman Carter voted for and helped craft the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law which made this grant possible. The Infrastructure, Investment, and Jobs Act provided the largest EPA investment in recycling in 30 years to support National Recycling Strategy implementation.
Background
The City of New Orleans will expand its current residential curbside recycling program to all eligible households. This expansion will ensure universal and equitable access to curbside recycling, providing new recycling access to about 73,000 households and to replace 10,000 legacy recycling carts. The city also will develop a 10-year solid waste master plan that evaluates regional recycling processing infrastructure and capacity, explores opportunities for organics diversion including food waste, and explores infrastructure and policy needs to address waste diversion in multifamily and commercial operations. These project components will help the city meet its Climate Action Plan goal of a 25% waste diversion rate by 2030.
