Grantees will evaluate landfills, and educate communities to reduce waste streams.

USDA marked the 40th anniversary of Earth Day with events to raise awareness about the role of citizens, businesses and communities in protecting the environment and ensuring a cleaner, brighter future for generations to come. This included the announcement of $3.4 million being provided to 36 organizations, including two New Hampshire and one Vermont organization, through the Solid Waste Management Grant Programs.

These organizations will use the grants to provide training and technical assistance for reducing solid waste, or to evaluate landfill conditions to determine threats to water resources.

“The impact of the services these recipients are providing will result in cleaner drinking water and reduced waste streams throughout New Hampshire and Vermont,” said Molly Lambert, State Director for USDA Rural Development. “Individuals and communities will gain expertise and save money as a result of the training and the technical assistance.”

In Vermont, the University of Vermont and State Agriculture College plans to use their $157,751 grant to evaluate current landfill conditions to determine the threat to water resources and provide technical assistance to landfills in five communities whose landfills closed or will be closed in the near future. Many landfill sites that were closed in the early 1990’s are reaching the end of their mandatory 20 year monitoring period. The major purpose of this project is to evaluate landfill runoff, leachate, surface, ground water, and soil quality to identify biological indicators and assist landfill operators and regulatory agencies to evaluate potential environmental and health risks from closed landfill sites.

In New Hampshire, the Upper Valley Lake Sunapee Regional Planning Commission will use its $104,550 grant to provide technical assistance, education and outreach to sustainable regional solid waste organizations in Sullivan County. Emphasis will be on decreasing the waste stream quantities, managing hazardous waste and reducing drinking water contamination, and lowering costs to communities through efficient management and disposal methods.

Northeast Resources Recovery Association (NRRA) plans to put its $69,229 grant toward solid and hazardous waste reduction training, technical assistance training in both schools and municipalities with emphasis on recycling education training to people in rural Vermont and New Hampshire. They will assist 100 schools and recycling centers that have not received NRRA training within the past five years.

Also, RCAP Solutions, Inc., a Massachusetts based organization, is receiving a $160,899 Solid Waste Management Grant to provide education and training to promote and implement unit-based pricing of municipal waste management to North Country New Hampshire communities, and communities recommended by the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services. Unit-based pricing programs, or Pay as You Throw (PAYT) programs, generally result in savings to a municipality and households

For more information about USDA Rural Development’s Solid Waste Management Grant Program, contact Gary Beem, Program Analyst, at 802-828-6053 visit http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/vt.


USDA Rural Development administers and manages more than 40 housing, business, and community infrastructure and facilities programs. These programs are designed to improve the economic stability of rural communities, businesses, residents, farmers and ranchers and improve the quality of life in rural America. To learn more about USDA Rural Development programs visit the web site at http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/vt.