12 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY FEBRUARY 13-19, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com Since his first day in office Jan. 20, President Donald Trump has been issuing orders, including a directive to freeze federal funding. “It goes against the will of Congress,” U.S. Rep. Jimmy Panetta, D-Carmel Valley, told constituents during a phone town hall meeting on Monday, Feb. 10. “Once funds are appropriated by Congress for a specific purpose, the executive branch must expend those funds. Congress has the power of the purse.” A court order has temporarily blocked the freeze, but the flurry of orders and questions about federal funds have created confusion and chaos among many local institutions. “Federal agencies continue to complete analysis and reports of their programs and projects for compliance with executive orders, and we are unclear as to what the impact will be for our campus programs when this work is completed,” says Walter Ryce, a spokesperson for CSU Monterey Bay. For some organizations, the impact is already being felt. Richard Stedman, air pollution control officer for the Monterey Bay Air Resources District, says MBARD cannot access a $650,000 grant it received from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. MBARD monitors the air in Monterey, San Benito and Santa Cruz counties using an outdated system; they were set to update that equipment. Stedman says they didn’t receive a notice about the freeze and found their account from EPA was gone upon logging in to file for about $100,000 in reimbursement. “We’ve let EPA know. They have told us basically they can’t speak to us, and referred us to others in the administration that are not returning our calls,” Stedman adds. (To add more confusion into the mix, some EPA grants are still available. MBARD, for example, can still access an over $400,000 grant to implement the federal Clean Air Act.) A $14.3 million grant from the Federal Highway Administration to install 44 electric vehicle charging stations in the tri-county area is also at stake. Tiffany Wise-West, sustainability officer for the City of Santa Cruz, says the agency has ceased communication. “It will be a setback in our progress toward achieving climate action goals across the three counties,” she says. On Monday, Feb. 10, U.S. District Judge John McConnell Jr. said the freeze was “likely unconstitutional” and slammed the Trump administration for “continu[ing] to improperly freeze federal funds.” He ordered the federal government to immediately restore frozen funding. On Feb. 11, MBARD officials were again able to access their EPA account. Members of Congress representing the region say they are working to clarify local impacts. “The Trump Administration’s lawless attempts to freeze federal funding are leaving our Central Coast communities scared and vulnerable. Without needed federal funding, community organizations and local governments’ operations are threatened,” Democratic representatives Panetta, Zoe Lofgren, Salud Carbajal and Julia Brownley said in a joint statement on Feb. 10. Fund Flow Federal executive orders are impacting different sectors on the Central Coast and beyond. By Celia Jiménez U.S. Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-San Jose, says reports of issues related to a federal funding freeze continue coming in. She set up a website (lofgren.house.gov/ federalfundingfreeze) to gather more. NEWS “It goes against the will of Congress.” DANIEL DREIFUSS INFORMATION & RESERVATIONS +1 (800) 527-2200 Our local friends & neighbors are invited to indulge in a soothing getaway to Big Sur. Through March 13, visit Post Ranch Inn and take advantage of our Locals’ Escape offer. • Accommodations in a Tree House, Coast House, Ocean House or Pacific Suite • Daily Dining Credit of $250 Each Night of Your Stay • Daily Breakfast Basket Nightly rates start at $1500 based on room type Unplug, Unwind, and Reconnect Try Us First. We Pay The Highest! MONTEREY COIN SHOPPE Since 1970 same street for 40 years Open Mon-Thur 11am-4pm and Friday by appointment only. Call for an appointment: 831.646.9030 449 Alvarado St., Monterey www.montereycoinshoppe.com WE BUY GOLD AND SILVER, JEWELRY, COINS, DIAMONDS, WATCHES, ART & RARE ANTIQUES
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