The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) awarded a community grant for $1.5 million and an environmental justice government to government award for $539,452 to Santo Domingo Pueblo, totaling $2,039,452. The $1.5 million grant is for planning and engineering design activities associated with improvements to the Domingo, Galisteo, and Main Village lift stations as part of the comprehensive Santo Domingo wastewater distribution system project. The $539,452 grant will educate residents on the dangers of open dumps and remove several open dumps within Tribal lands.
Santo Domingo Pueblo identified the need for a long-term and efficient wastewater system to manage wastewater across Pueblo lands. With this $1.5 million grant funding, the Pueblo will plan and design a centralized wastewater treatment plant that will improve wastewater infrastructure across the territory. The estimated duration of this project is 14 months.
With the environmental justice government to government grant, Santo Domingo Pueblo plans to clean up 11 non-hazardous waste open dump sites and conduct six free trash weeks, three tire amnesty events, and two open dump community workshops. The grant will also fund outreach efforts to 2,000 community members to ensure residents understand proper waste disposal methods and the hazards of open dump sites, including soil and water contamination, to eliminate the practice of open dumping.
Both of these grants’ objectives align with goals set in the EPA FY 2022- FY2026 Strategic Plan, ensuring underserved communities have clean and safe drinking water and maintain crucial water infrastructure.