EL PASO, Texas (KFOX14\/CBS4) \u2014 El Paso could see millions of dollars in new funding for solar lighting, water-saving upgrades and school-area safety improvements under a grant application the City Council advanced Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Council moved forward with an application for up to $4 million in grant funding from Meta, a proposal that would require no local matching tax dollars.<\/p>\n
Under the initial plan, $2 million would be used to install about 235 solar streetlights.<\/p>\n
Another $1 million would go toward upgrading water-saving irrigation at city parks, and the final $1 million would be slated for crosswalks and traffic safety improvements around schools.<\/p>\n
Some representatives questioned how project sites would be chosen and pushed for an equal share of the investment across all eight districts.<\/p>\n
RECOMMENDED: Meta to hold eight El Paso meetings this fall as data center agreement talks advance<\/a><\/p>\n Fernando Berjano, the City of El Paso\u2019s senior climate program manager, said the project list is not final.<\/p>\n \u201cThe list of projects that we highlighted are tentative and we’re going to be working on on that final list once we get the award, hopefully in, early spring 2027,\u201d Berjano said.<\/p>\n The City has until Oct. 19 to apply for the grant funding.<\/p>\n City staff said each part of the plan could be scaled back if Meta awards less than the full $4 million.<\/p>\n Meta is expected to announce grant recipients in early 2027.<\/p>\n RECOMMENDED: Meta hires Lauren Zimmerman to lead community engagement for El Paso data center project<\/a><\/p>\n