ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - During remarks at the National Conference on Ecosystem Restoration in Albuquerque today, Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland announced the availability of up to $95 million through President Biden's Investing in America agenda for projects to bolster water resources, advance ecosystem health and support resilience in communities facing drought and other climate change impacts.
"Nature is our best ally in the fight against climate change and now, through President Biden's Investing in America agenda, we have new transformational resources to advance locally led, partnership driven projects that will catalyze nature-based solutions and build resilient communities and landscapes," said Secretary Deb Haaland. "As communities across the West continue to face the impacts of prolonged and worsening drought, these collaborative projects will enhance watershed health and conservation throughout Southwest desert ecosystems."
This funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will help support water conservation and efficiency projects, water management and infrastructure improvements, river and watershed restoration, and nature-based solution projects that provide significant ecological benefits while providing critical adaptation support for communities facing climate catastrophes. This year's funding opportunity builds on last year's investments, which included $51 million for 30 projects in 11 states.
"Reclamation will continue to work collaboratively with stakeholders to leverage this once-in-a-generation investment from the Biden-Harris administration to benefit ecosystem health and water resources," said Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Camille Calimlim Touton. "These resources will invest in projects that will advance water conservation and efficiency while improving watershed and other ecological benefits."
Through President Biden's Investing in America agenda, the Interior Department is stewarding an overall $2 billion over five years in new investments to put people to work restoring our nation's lands and waters. To guide these historic investments, in April 2023, the Department unveiled the Restoration and Resilience Framework to catalyze coordination and drive transformational outcomes across our existing programs and initiatives. This work also supports the President's America the Beautiful initiative, and advances the Justice40 Initiative, which set the goal that 40 percent of the overall benefits of certain federal climate, clean energy, water and wastewater infrastructure, and other investments flow to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution.
President Biden's Investing in America agenda represents the largest investment in climate resilience in the nation's history and is providing much-needed resources to enhance Western communities' resilience to drought and climate change. Through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Reclamation is investing a total of $8.3 billion over five years for water infrastructure projects, including rural water, water storage, conservation and conveyance, nature-based solutions, dam safety, water purification and reuse, and desalination. Over the first two years of its implementation, Reclamation selected 430 projects to receive $3 billion.
Projects that provide benefits to multiple water use sectors will be prioritized under this grant application process. The funding opportunity includes two submittal periods with deadlines on June 18, 2024, and March 11, 2025. To learn more, visit Grants.gov and search for funding opportunity R24AS00299.
The Environmental Water Resources Projects are part of the WaterSMART Program. The WaterSMART Program addresses increasing water supply challenges, including chronic water shortages due to population growth, climate variability and change and growing competition for finite water supplies. You can learn more about this program at www.usbr.gov/watersmart.
