New Mexico receives US$2.5 million to combat climate change
NEW MEXICO – New Mexico Senators Martin Heinrich and Ben Ray Luján, as well as Representative Gabe Vásquez welcomed two federal grants totaling US$2.47 million for the City of Las Cruces and Doña Ana County to address climate change.
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) awarded US$470,000 to the City of Las Cruces for its Plugged in for Good (PIFG) Energy Partnership project to promote electrification and weatherization, which seeks to reduce energy costs for low-income families, will protect New Mexicans from extreme heat events, and will create a skilled clean energy workforce, while also investing in job training through registered apprenticeship programs.
Las Cruces Mayor Eric Enriquez said the grant will be a big boost for some of the residents, particularly those living in Las Cruces’ older, more established neighborhoods.
“This grant is intended to help them modernize their hard-earned homes. Improvements to their homes will make them more energy efficient and improve the quality of life for their families. I am excited about the opportunities this grant can offer our hard-working residents,” said Enriquez.
Also, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), awarded US$2 million to Doña Ana County to carry out a comprehensive resiliency plan that will focus on transportation infrastructure vulnerabilities during emergency evacuations and weather-related disasters.
The DOT funding will support a study that recommends near-term projects to complete in three to five years, revise land use policies, and integrate nature-based solutions into site design and operations. The funding is made possible by the Infrastructure Act, which Heinrich and Lujan helped sign into law.
