SAN ANTONIO, Texas - U.S. Rep. Will Hurd says the North American Development Bank, which invests in infrastructure projects along the southwest border, has exceeded exceptions.
NADBank was set up in the early 1990s as part of the negotiations over the North American Free Trade Agreement.
Hurd, a Republican from San Antonio, said that, initially, the bank had the aim of fostering environmental policy in the U.S.-Mexico border region and enhancing relations between the two countries.
“Decades later, NADBank has truly accomplished this and even exceeded expectations,” Hurd said.
NADBank provides grants through the Project Development Assistance Program (PDAP) and the Border Environment Infrastructure Fund (BEIF) to support communities with development activities necessary for the implementation of vital water infrastructure projects that are selected by EPA through a public prioritization process.
This process allows the program to target limited funding to projects with the highest benefit in terms of public health and environmental risk, cost-effectiveness, institutional capacity and sustainability.
Hurd pointed out that NADBank has helped finance more than 250 projects and supported around $8.6 billion in infrastructure investments.
“These projects have cleaned up polluted air, addressed public health challenges, and promoted greater energy projection.”
Hurd’s remarks about NADBank were delivered by a district director during a webinar that was held to announce $15 million in funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 6 through the U.S.-Mexico Border Water Infrastructure Program.
This program funds technical assistance and infrastructure construction grants for high-priority municipal drinking water and wastewater projects. The monies were awarded to NADBank, which administers projects on behalf of EPA Region 6 in Texas and New Mexico.
“Today we recognize the strong partnership NADBank has with the EPA and announce new funding through EPA’s Border Environment Infrastructure Fund,” Hurd said.
“Through the EIF, NADBank and EPA have partnered with local governments in Texas’ 23rd District on several multimillion dollar projects to improve the lives of south and west Texans.”
Hurd said the grants not only make much-needed infrastructure improvements, but also prevent serious public health risks.
“We see what NADBank has been able to accomplish in its partnership with the EPA. In recent weeks, we have celebrated the completion of a project in Marathon and marked the groundbreaking of a project in Presidio all because of funding through the Border Environment Infrastructure Fund. With this new allocation of $15 million for our region, I have no doubt that more projects to improve the lives of my constituents who live, work and raise their families in our communities will be accomplished in the future.”
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