U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo announced today that the Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding the Pueblo of Jemez in New Mexico a $3 million grant. The grant will be used for improvements to the irrigation infrastructure on tribal land.
The grant aims to expand water supplies for the local farming community and food vendors in the area. This follows a series of monsoons and wildfires that have impacted the region. The investment forms part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, which is committed to ensuring that communities across the country have the resources they need to grow strong regional economies.
According to Secretary Raimondo, the investment will improve critical irrigation infrastructure, spur job creation and support a resilient tribal economy. Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development Alejandra Y. Castillo added that the EDA works closely with tribal communities to support place-based economic growth, and this investment will improve critical public infrastructure, bringing new business opportunities to the Pueblo of Jemez and the region.
New Mexico’s Governor, Michelle Lujan Grisham, expressed gratitude for the investment, stating the Biden Administration’s understanding of the need to invest in the infrastructure and economic development of tribal nations. Senator Martin Heinrich echoed her sentiment, welcoming the $3 million to create more opportunities for the Pueblo of Jemez to strengthen infrastructure and boost economic development.
The project is funded under the Disaster Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2023, which provided the EDA with $483 million in additional Economic Adjustment Assistance (EAA) Program funds for disaster relief and recovery for areas affected by natural disasters in 2021 and 2022.
