South L.A. among communities awarded state grants for climate projects
The City Council on Wednesday approved an $11.4 million grant for projects addressing the harmful effects of climate change at city parks and greenways.
The $11.4 million award from the California Climate Investment Fund is for projects that can be done at no cost to the city or the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works, the agency that oversees the grant.
The funds are made up of $3.3 million for three greenways at City Park, $3 million for a greenway at Elysian Park, and $2.3 million for greening the San Gabriel Mountains via an urban corridor. The total is $7.4 million.
In addition to the funds, the council approved four other grants it will award in the coming fiscal year.
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Councilmember José Huizar joined L.A. city officials and community leaders who gathered in City Hall for a press conference to announce the grants.
Councilmember Huizar presented Los Angeles with a $1,000 grant to promote the idea and understanding of greenways and parks in the city.
“This is a fantastic gesture to recognize the value in integrating greenways into the city of L.A.,” Huizar said.
The money also was used to hire an expert at the Community Climate Action program at the UCLA School for Environmental and Public Affairs to work on a study of how greenways can be used to combat climate impacts in the community.
“This work is very crucial to protecting our future, and we’re very pleased with the direction of the grant given its value to improving the sustainability and safety of Los Angeles,” said Mayor Eric Garcetti.
Councilmember Huizar’s office said the money will be used to support an online report, the “City of Los Angeles Greenway Plan: Understanding and Integrating Greenways into the City,” that will be accessible to anyone interested in the greenways program.
The funding also was given
