The U.S. EPA Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator Adam Ortiz presented the Northern Shenandoah Valley Regional Commission with a $3.9 million Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling grant for new and expanded recycling infrastructure during a ceremony in Winchester, Virginia.
Joined by state and local officials, the EPA celebrated awarding the grant that will help re-establish curbside recycling, upgrade tire grinding operations, and purchase upgraded recycling receptacles, which will have an immediate impact on the region, including rural underserved communities that don’t have easy access to recycling services, in support of the agency’s commitment to advancing sustainability initiatives.
The NSVRC was one of 25 community organizations selected for the SWIFR grant. This grant will support NSVRC’s plans for transforming recycling services to include:
- Approximately 10,000 curbside recycling containers
- 63 recycling containers at convenience centers, landfills and other sites
- Diverting more than 750 tons of tires from landfills
“We are honored to receive nearly $4 million in competitive funding from the EPA to enhance recycling infrastructure in the Northern Shenandoah Valley,” said Dennis Morris, Northern Shenandoah Valley Regional Commission chairman. “This award will be instrumental in upgrading our recycling facilities, meeting the goals of our solid waste management plan, and fostering sustainable waste management practices through collaborative efforts.”
This funding is part of the EPA’s most significant recycling investment in 30 years, thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The SWIFR grant also supports the agency’s National Recycling Strategy by enabling a “circular economy” to keep materials and products in use longer.