Legislators want to make the most of cap and trade funds

These programs had previously been funded by GGRF but had not been included or were not fully funded in the current proposal.

“Greening our communities is essential to the health, wellness and safety of Californian children and families. The Urban Greening program transforms local infrastructure to clean our air and water, create safe places for kids to play outside, and protect neighborhoods from severe weather events,” said Mary Creasman, California Director of Government Affairs for The Trust for Public Land. “Communities all over the state are feeling the impacts of fires and floods, particularly in low-income areas and communities of color. California should increase these programs, not cut them. We are committed to working with the Legislature to restore funds for these critical programs.”

In the letter addressed to Bloom, Garcia and other legislators said these programs are vital to providing significant health, environmental and economic benefits that go beyond the reduction of carbon emissions.

Garcia highlighted this week that local agricultural business Ronald C. Leimgruber Farms will be completing an energy-efficient conservation project that was made possible by SWEEP funding.

“By keeping these programs alive, we can help our vital agricultural industries meet our emission reduction targets while cleaning our air and improving our region’s overall health and prosperity,” Garcia said.

“These climate investment tools wield immense power to transform our most vulnerable populations. Green infrastructure is a critical component of creating healthy and resilient communities. Last year, we were able to utilize a collective $4 million of these cap-and-trade dollars to break ground and set out to construct new local park projects in North Shore and El Centro; creating green space and safe recreational opportunities where there was none.”