South L.A. among communities awarded state grants for climate projects
Published March 7, 2017
By: Paul Chinn, The Associated Press
LOS ANGELES — With all the economic impact climate change could have on the region, Los Angeles was among 11 communities, including El Cajon and San Diego County, that were handed the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Cities Climate Challenge grants Friday.
The Clean Cities Climate Challenge is part of the Obama administration’s Climate Action Plan and helps local governments, cities and communities fight climate change and improve public health and air quality.
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said the grants will help Los Angeles address a range of climate threats, including the growing health risks from exposure to air pollution and the loss of habitat for some species of plants and animals.
“This is one of the most important things I’m doing as mayor,” Garcetti said. “We have a real challenge here in the nation’s second most populous city.”
Cities from Los Angeles County to Boise, Idaho, were among the 46 communities nationwide selected for the grants. And in the same amount of time, they will identify and implement clean energy, economic and housing projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
“We are honored to be one of the first two communities to receive the Clean Cities Climate Challenge,” said Los Angeles City Councilman Mitch Englander.
The money will go toward projects like a water system that can capture and clean wastewater, to programs to make transit more affordable, and to a program to cut the use of fossil fuels — including diesel and petroleum-based heating fuels.
California Gov. Jerry Brown, joined by the mayors of three Los Angeles-area communities in the awards were in Washington to announce the final winners.
“Los Angeles and its residents are facing unique and unprecedented challenges with a warming climate, growing health risks and decreasing resources,” Brown said. “We have chosen nine communities throughout the state to represent
