Village Board Looks Into Recycling

By John Larson

MAGDALENA – The New Mexico Recycling Coalition is offering help to small municipalities with a population of 10,000 or less who want to institute recycling programs, and Village Board trustees Monday Feb. 8, reviewed an informational letter detailing ways the Coalition can help.
The letter, submitted to the board by Laurie Ware, listed several free resources, including technical assistance from recycling professionals, and assistance in applying for a grant from New Mexico Recycling and Illegal Dumping (RAID).
According to English Bird, Executive Director of the Coalition, the New Mexico Environment Department is looking for RAID grant application projects or programs that can be completed within six months.
“Possible fundable activities include recycling trailers, which cost approximately $10,000 each for the commonly used mobile collection trailers,” the letter said. “Or other collection equipment such as recycling bins or compartmentalized collection trucks.”
Ware told the Mountain Mail that she was contacted by the Coalition because of her involvement with the successful recycling program at Cottonwood Valley Charter School in Socorro.
“They can help write grants to get money for a variety of recycling equipment, such as containers. Some villages have been awarded up to $20,000 worth of equipment,” Ware said. “They want villages to have the capability to recycle.”
Communities that have taken advantage of the grant include Tucumcari ($10,000), Truth or Consequences ($15,500), Cimarron ($24,000), Carlsbad ($20,000), Melrose ($20,000), and 30 others.
“This letter is to let them know is that the money is out there,” Ware said. “The village government has to be the body applying for the grant.”
Mayor Jim Wolfe said Magdalena currently recycles cardboard, motor oil, tires, and car batteries at the village transfer station.
“What to do with the other recyclables is the problem. The hang up is that most of it has to be taken to Albuquerque,” he said. “We’ve tried to start this up years ago, but ran into the same problem. How to pay for it. Hopefully we could get with the county and Socorro and combine it all at some point.”
In the meantime, the City of Socorro will be holding its “Third Saturday Recycle Day” collecting mixed paper and cardboard at the Plaza this Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Village Board Looks Into Recycling