Heinrich, Luján Highlight Infrastructure Law Funding For Colonias

On Tuesday, August 16, 2022 U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) visited Berino to highlight how the Infrastructure Law will deliver critical funding for water and sewer improvements for New Mexico’s colonias. Senators Heinrich and Luján championed the Infrastructure Law, which will send New Mexico an expected $355 million over five years to improve water infrastructure. During the visit, Senators Heinrich and Luján met with officials from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development and members of the Lower Rio Grande Public Water Works Authority. In Fiscal Year 2022 (FY22) Appropriations, Senators Heinrich and Luján secured $73 million in Water & Waste Disposal Grants and $38.6 million to USDA Rural Development to hire additional staff for the Rural Development Innovation Center to ensure Tribes, colonias, and rural communities have access to rural economic development programs.