The Environmental Protection Agency revoked and affirmed revocation of a $19 million Community Change Grant for the North Richmond Community Resilience Initiative, citing misalignment with administration policy priorities. Planned uses included a community center run by Urban Tilth, planting 65 trees around Verde Elementary to shield children from pollutants, renovating four dilapidated buildings into energy-efficient single-family homes, fully electric retrofits for 40 qualifying homes, demolishing 10 buildings, and creating a community garden and gathering space. The grant was awarded under the Inflation Reduction Act as one of 105 selected projects. U.S. Representatives John Garamendi and Mark DeSaulnier protested the revocation as violating federal appropriations law, federal court orders, and the contract signed Jan. 6.
NORTH RICHMOND - Months after the Environmental Protection Agency revoked a $19 million grant meant to benefit North Richmond children and other residents, the federal agency is standing by its decision, claiming in a recent letter to Bay Area congressmembers that the project promotes "DEI or environmental justice initiatives" that are counter to Trump administration priorities. The North Richmond Community Resilience Initiative was set to use the federal grant dollars to build a community center. It would have been run by Urban Tilth, an environmental education provider, and served the community during an emergency or disaster.
The initiative also called for planting 65 trees around Verde Elementary School to help shield children from pollutants, renovating four dilapidated buildings into energy-efficient single family homes, fully electric retrofitting another 40 qualifying homes and demolishing 10 buildings on another piece of land to make way for a community garden and gathering space. The project was awarded a $19 million Community Change Grant under the Inflation Reduction Act, a President Joe Biden-era bill passed by Democrats that was meant to address climate change, lower health care costs and create jobs. It was one of 105 projects to be selected for a grant.
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