The key player in the developing community of environmental justice in Philadelphia belongs to non -profit groups to see federal financing by the administration of President Donald Trump.
Overbrook Environmental Education Center It is now without $ 700,000 promised group for their work to support others Organizations working on social gardens, waste reduction, sustainable agriculture and other environmental projects in adverse local communities, said Jerome Shabazz, executive director at the Center.
Shabazz told him that he was told that a grant from multiplayer from the era of Joe Biden from the American Environmental Protection Agency was deactivated “immediately” at the end of February as the Department of Government Elon Musk helped eliminate similar federal subsidies.
The program of technical support centers (TCTAC) from 2023. Technical support centers (TCTAC) run by EPA in cooperation with the United States Energy Department, was to support the work of the West Philadelphia group to aid other non -profit organizations Move around the complicated federal subsidy system. Now the organization puts a petition to philanthropic partners to “fill the void,” Shabazz said. And although the center did not have to reverse anyone who is looking for their aid – it can change quickly.
“We are looking forward to other sources of financing that will help reduce the blow,” said Shabazz.
Overbrook and eight other organizations in the central Atlantic region He received funds via the National Wildlife Federation, which was financed by the TCTAC program in the amount of $ 177 million as part of his efforts “ensures that 40% of the benefits of some federal investments flows into the community in an adverse situation”, According to EPA in 2023..
It seems that the NWF grant has been dissolved on February 21IN According to Highergov, online tool For government contractors and grant granted. Financing stops another Trump administration movement about the withdrawal of politicians from the time of Biden.
NWF refused to comment.
EPA did not return many requests for comment, but Agency site He notes that the NWF program is inactive, and in the brave red letters: “Note: not all TCTA is currently active.”
Non-Profit founder in Philadelphia: It seems that “the house has never built up”
Alisa Shargorodsky established non-profit echo systems as a non-profit organization based on Bucks-County to aid companies in the food sector, focusing mainly on those in low income areas, in the transition to the “economy about the plant”, which “keeps materials and products in circulation as long as possible”. According to EPA. It is considered a key soothing effort to sluggish down climate change, and the group wanted Overbrook aid when they applied for a subsidy program for EPA subsidies, at the end of March.
Although TCTAC is deactivated, Shargorodsky still wants to apply for an EPA subsidy, but the caution of the uncertain climate created by EPA, and non -profit plans for the future are in the abyss.
“He feels like creating a place for a home,” said Shargorodsky. “And you do everything, clean the trees or flatten the soil and build, kick the foundation, and do all things, and you start pour out the foundation, and then you build the walls, and then you know that you are:” Oh, sorry, sorry. ” It’s a bit like a house never built. “
John Quigley, a senior member of Kleinman Center for Energy Policy at the University of Pennsylvania, said that this subsidy was crucial for both urban and rural communities-from which many are low-income problems and experiences, such as pollution-to have autonomy to solve environmental problems in their districts.
“The community would like to continue the community,” said Quigley, who previously served as the Secretary for Protection Pennsylvania under the government’s government Ed Rendell and the Secretary of Environmental Protection under the command of the democratic governor Tom Wolf.
Financing also allowed hyperlocal groups to remain competitive in a often federal subsidy process, in which some sets of skills, such as subsidy and communication with decision -makers, are crucial.
“The fact that funds are withdrawn means that these communities will not have resources to move federal subsidies, write proposals, manage funds, really engage in their community and provide voice to decision -makers,” said Quigley.
The Neighborhood Gardens Trust (NGT), which protects the garden real estate of the community throughout Philadelphia, turned to the Overbrook Environmental Education Center, when he recently submitted an application for EPA subsidies in order to create a management plan for hundreds of trees in their garden places throughout the city.
Executive director of Trust, Jenny Greenberg, He described Overbrook aid as a “important bridge” in access to federal financing. She said that the ten -year NGT works with a petite budget and has only three employees who supervise almost 75 gardens. Greenberg said that Shabazz still offers support for social gardens, but he hesitates whether to fight for his desired subsidy, taking into account the uncertain future of EPA funds.
“It seems that the risk seems that we should focus our strategies for obtaining funds elsewhere, unfortunately,,” said Greenberg.
Looking to the future, Shabazz is afraid that the loss of federal support for local environmental projects can maintain local efforts for green districts and complete other projects, such as the “Clean and Green” initiatives of the mayor of Cherielle L. Parker.
Parker spokesman did not immediately ask the request for comment.
EPA and the position of the United States among certain environmental problems are significantly changing, because the agency administrator, Lee Zeldin, asked Trump’s administration to reconsider the 16-year statement that greenhouse gas threatens public health and social welfare, Associated Press was reported.
“Do we really save, you know?” Shabazz said. “Do we really save taxpayers with cuts? Some cuts cost us, right? “
Data reporter Chris A. Williams brought reporting to this story.
