Tribes in California Benefit from Recovery Act Funds to Enhance Water Services

7 tribes in California will have improved access to vital water services through funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The E.P.A. (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Service's Indian Health Service (IHS) today announced $90 million nationwide in 'shovel ready' infrastructure plans designed to better protect human and environmental health in Indian Country.

"On tribal lands, ten percent of homes lack access to safe drinking water compared to less than one percent of non-native homes. Together with the Indian Health Service, E.P.A. is using Recovery Act funds to provide much-needed support for water and wastewater systems in Indian Country," said Laura Yoshii, acting regional administrator for the U.S. E.P.A. in the Pacific Southwest. "This backing creates jobs for tribal members, addresses critical infrastructure needs and will increase access to drinking water and basic sanitation services. By 2010, over 4,400 tribal homes in the Pacific Southwest are expected to gain piped drinking water or basic sanitation services for the 1st time."

· Tule River Indian Reservation will gain $6,371,470 to upgrade its wastewater treatment plant serving 268 homes
· Round Valley Indian Tribes will gain $474,380 to expand its wastewater treatment facility serving 132 homes
· Redwood Valley Rancheria of Pomo Indians will gain $316,770 for enhancements to its wastewater treatment plant serving 32 homes
· Grindstone Indian Rancheria of Wintun-Wailaki Indians of California will gain $205,310 to upgrade sewer connections serving ten homes
· Redding Rancheria will gain $180,070 to expand sewer connections serving 13 homes
· Quechan Tribe will gain $340,630 to upgrade sewer lines serving 15 homes
· Campo Band of Kumeyaay Indians will gain $753,100 for drinking water treatment serving 29 homes

Continuing a tradition spanning 20 years, E.P.A. and IHS's combined effort to enhance water services in Indian Country contributed to their identification of 95 wastewater and 64 drinking water priority plans to be completed by IHS's Sanitation Facilities Construction Plan through E.P.A. Recovery Act funds. The plans exceed the Recovery Act requirement that 20 percent of the funds be used for green infrastructure, water and energy efficiency enhancements and other environmentally innovative projects.

President Obama signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 on February 17, 2009, and has directed that the recovery act be implemented with unprecedented transparency and accountability. To that end, the American people can see how every dollar is being invested at recovery.gov.

More information about all the E.P.A. Recovery Act water efforts: http://www.epa.gov/water/eparecovery/

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