Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) announced that the Walker River Paiute Tribe will receive $5.2 million in Economic Development Administration (EDA) grants for improvements to water infrastructure that will boost the local economy. These funds were allocated through the American Rescue Plan’s Indigenous Communities program to support Tribes.
“Tribes in Nevada and across the country were hit hard by the pandemic, and I supported this funding to make sure they were able to recover,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “I’ll continue working on behalf of Nevada Tribes to make sure they have the infrastructure they need to grow their economies and create good-paying jobs.”
“Water infrastructure can have a significant effect on the health and economy of a community, and it is critical that we protect access to clean water for all Nevadans,” said Senator Rosen. “I’m proud to have helped secure this funding through the American Rescue Plan, which will expand existing water infrastructure for the Walker River Paiute Tribe and boost ongoing conservation efforts, while also creating jobs and increasing the community’s economic resilience.”
“The Walker River Paiute Tribe, like many Indian Nations across the country, was negatively affected by the pandemic. Our community continues to work to recover and finds ways to come out stronger and more resilient,” said Amber Torres, Chairman of the Walker River Paiute Tribe. “The Economic Development Administration’s $5.2 million dollar investment in the Tribe’s Water System Improvement project is an important step in the Tribe’s recovery. With the American Rescue Plan’s Indigenous Communities funding secured in part by Senators Cortez Masto and Rosen, the Tribe will be able to insure clean drinking water is readily available to the community, expand capacity to add new homes, improve fire flow throughout the system and bring much needed employment opportunities to the region.”
Senators Cortez Masto and Rosen are strong champions for Native Americans in the Senate. In 2020, Senator Cortez Masto, along with Senator Rosen, passed the bipartisan Not Invisible Act and Savanna’s Act to help address the epidemic of missing, murdered, and trafficked Indigenous women, and she has continued to work to ensure the implementation of those laws. Senators Cortez Masto and Rosen secured measures in the Inflation Reduction Act to make it easier for Tribes in Nevada to launch critical energy development projects. During the Coronavirus pandemic, they highlighted the urgent need increase funding for Tribal governments to meet the challenges of the pandemic, and they sent a letter, which Senator Cortez Masto co-led, calling for more EDA funding in COVID relief legislation such as the American Rescue Plan. The Senators have also been steadfast promoters of Nevada’s travel and tourism industry and rural economic development, and Senator Cortez Masto has introduced legislation to promote greater rural and tribal investment by expanding funding available under the EDA.
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