How Trump’s Funding Freeze is Impacting Vital Environmental Projects in Los Angeles

President Trump’s freeze on federal funding has put a stop to two important environmental projects in Los Angeles County. These projects, valued at $28 million, were set to promote urban tree planting, including efforts in areas impacted by recent fires in Altadena.

Recently, six nonprofit organizations received a joint grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to improve green spaces in less affluent communities. The $20 million GREEN San Gabriel Valley Collaborative grant was made possible by the bipartisan Inflation Reduction Act, signed by President Joe Biden.

Alongside this, an $8 million urban forestry grant, managed by TreePeople, a nonprofit based in Los Angeles, was also frozen. This grant was meant to support communities with few trees, including places like El Monte, Baldwin Park, and Sylmar. These areas often suffer from “heat islands,” where asphalt and concrete create excessively hot conditions.

TreePeople had ambitious plans to plant 3,600 public trees and distribute 4,100 fruit trees to the community before the funding was halted. Unfortunately, two scheduled fruit tree giveaways in El Monte had to be canceled due to this funding issue.

The freeze on funding affects various sectors, including pollution reduction and childcare education. A U.S. District Court recently ruled that the vast freeze was likely unconstitutional, yet some of the funds remain inaccessible. Staff members from Day One, the nonprofit responsible for the collaborative grant, found themselves locked out of the federal system that releases these funds.

The GREEN project was set to benefit local neighborhoods in many ways. It aimed to plant trees in parkways and school yards, install rooftop solar panels, provide e-bike vouchers, and finance a green street project in South El Monte. However, as invoices were submitted for reimbursement, the funds were not released, leaving project employees in uncertain positions.

Projects like these are crucial in the fight against climate change. Trees help absorb carbon dioxide and produce oxygen, a natural way to reduce greenhouse gases. Additionally, promoting electric cargo bikes can lead to fewer car trips, benefiting the environment even more.

If funding is restored, the GREEN project plans to transform turf into native plants and create rain gardens at residential homes. These gardens would capture stormwater, replenishing groundwater supplies, especially important with potential extreme rainfall events on the horizon.

As we face the growing effects of climate change, initiatives like these are vital for creating healthier, greener communities.

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