By Gabe Agcaoili. Bay City News.
Cities in the San Francisco Bay Area will receive more than $42 million to combat climate change by planting trees and creating urban spaces, among other projects, California lawmakers said this week.
U.S. Sens. Alex Padilla and Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., said the funding is part of the $102.8 million grant awarded to the state by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Forest Service. It comes from the Inflation Reduction Act, according to Padilla's office.
“As extreme temperatures increasingly threaten the safety of workers and communities across California, expanding access to shade and green space is more important than ever,” Padilla said in a statement.
According to data from Padilla's office, the San Francisco Office of Public Works and Urban Forestry will receive $12 million, while the city's Parks and Recreation Department will receive $2 million for tree planting, environmental maintenance and other projects.
The following Bay Area cities and government agencies will also receive grants: Berkeley ($1 million), Concord ($1 million), Fremont ($383,472), Hayward ($500,000), Oakland ($8 million), Petaluma ($1 million), Pittsburg ($2 million), San Jose ($6,644,300), Santa Cruz ($1 million), Vallejo ($1,734,070), Walnut Creek ($100,000), Napa County Resource Conservation District ($1 ,560,761) and Watsonville Wetlands Watch ($3,275,191).
Feinstein emphasized the importance of funding, as many urban areas in California lack sufficient tree canopies as the effects of climate change continue to plague the state and the country.
“This grant will help more cities and towns plant and maintain trees, which in turn will filter pollution, reduce energy consumption, reduce temperatures and give more Californians access to green spaces in their communities,” he said.
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