Department of Environment and Planning Orders Grant Subrecipients to Stop Work as Federal Grant Funds Frozen, US Forest Service Employees Disappear
$5.2 million grant would increase countywide climate resiliency, mitigate pollution, create tree canopy in disadvantaged communities
Fund Freeze Illegal? Violates Constitution as Grant Funds Were Previously Authorized by Congress
ERIE COUNTY, NY— In May 2024, Erie County was awarded a five-year, $5.2 million grant by the United States Department of Agriculture (“USDA”) Forest Service for the Erie County Community Forestry Partnership Project. The project is being led by staff from the Erie County Parks Department, Sheriff’s Dept, and Department of Environment & Planning as well as 5 local non-profit sub-recipients. Although work had begun and an invoice had been submitted, the County was notified on Feb 19th that the Forest Service has “not received authorization to pay the request at this time”. On February 20th, the County learned that the USDA Forest Service Project Manager had been laid off.
Erie County has issued a Stop Work order for internal staff and for grant subrecipients as of February 20, 2025. Total costs incurred to date are being tabulated, and the County will evaluate options. Erie County personnel have continued to reach out to the USDA/US Forest Service to inquire about the grant’s status and payment, but no responses have been received to date.
“This will be the first of many such senseless and destructive cuts coming out of Washington, cuts that hurt communities and create a weaker, sicker, and less productive America. Sadly, this misguided federal action most likely means the end of this community-improving project” said Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz. “While we are dealing with an administration that is callously and cruelly determined to undermine our health, safety and security, Erie County will continue to work to protect and preserve our residents.”
The intent of the Forestry Partnership Project is to address several key priorities from the Erie County Community Climate Action Plan (“CCAP”) and to increase countywide climate resiliency while protecting vulnerable residents in disadvantaged communities and mitigating climate pollution. The resulting community trees and tree canopy will mitigate extreme heat, improve air quality, absorb stormwater runoff, increase property values, and provide additional health, social, and environmental benefits. Finally, the project will support workforce development, including for incarcerated individuals.
Community trees provide many benefits including removing carbon from the atmosphere and improving air quality, providing shade, and protecting vulnerable residents from extreme heat, absorbing stormwater, and increasing property values.
The project contained several components:
- Development of a county-wide Community Forest Management Plan to define existing tree canopy cover, heat island areas, and community tree programs; examine County operations and recommend actions to improve tree canopy; coordinate with the project sub-awardees to engage the community on the development of the Plan; identify priority areas for tree programs; and provide recommendations for tree plantings, tree maintenance, shared service opportunities, and strategies regarding tree resilience.
- A new tree nursery on County land operated by Parks that was intended to provide workforce development opportunities for incarcerated individuals from the Erie County Correctional Facility in a partnership with the Sheriff’s Office to provide low- or no-cost trees to community forestry projects;
- Sub-awardee Buffalo Freedom Gardens, Inc. was to create a Food Forest at JFK Recreation Center to teach residents how to grow and harvest fruits, nuts, and edible plants, provide fruit trees to residents in Buffalo and conduct additional community engagement activities;
- Sub-awardee Cornell Cooperative Extension of Erie County was to conduct multifaceted education and workforce development activities including the creation of a certificate course at SUNY Erie Community College and community engagement activities throughout the County with a focus on disadvantaged communities regarding the Community Forest Management Plan;
- Sub-awardee Monarch of Infinite Possibilities, LLC was to conduct community engagement activities with churches and faith based organizations in disadvantaged communities suffering from a lack of tree cover;
- Sub-awardee Town of Tonawanda was to expand an existing tree nursery, develop a comprehensive maintenance program for street trees and park trees, and conduct community engagement activities within the Town;
- Sub-awardee BRRAlliance, Inc., also known as the Black Rock Riverside Alliance, was to create two fruit orchards, create a community arboretum along two bike paths in the City of Buffalo, and conduct community engagement activities.
The Community Forestry Partnership grant included 6 new positions including County Parks (3), Sheriff’s Dept (1) and the Dept of Environment & Planning (2). In addition, the grant includes five (5) grant subrecipients made up of local non-Profit organizations that are helping to implement various portions of the work. Impacts to staffing are currently being evaluated.
“If this situation is not resolved and funding restored quickly, it is likely that these new staff positions will either be reassigned if possible or laid off. There is also a question of the legality of this funding freeze, as this funding was previously approved by Congress and freezing it violates Article 1 Section 9 of the Constitution,” Poloncarz continued. “While ours is one of many communities experiencing the needless cruelty of this administration, and there will be more to come, remember that if you voted for the current regime, you voted for this.”
For more information:
On the Erie County Forest Management Plan, visit:
https://www3.erie.gov/environment/community-forestry-partnership-project
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