In an effort to identify potential brownfield issues, the San Carlos Apache Tribe is receiving federal funding to undertake an extensive survey of its lands.
Located in southeastern Arizona, the San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation was established in 1872, encompasses some 1.8 million acres, and is today the home to around 16,200 people.
The just over $166,000 in funding is coming out of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, and will pay for an inventory of brownfield sites on the Tribe’s land, while also comprising a cleanup plan.
In a statement, Arizona Senator Mark Kelly said the funding will both help in the process of cleaning up contaminated lands as well as in creating “development opportunities for economic growth.”
The identification and remediation of any brownfield site makes possible the “construction of schools, hospitals, recreation centers, and more,” according to a press release from Kelly’s office.
By Garry Boulard
