Mayor Joshua Garcia, seen here in a file photo, announced on his Facebook that recent federal cuts could have an impact on Holyoke.
Reminder Publishing file photo
HOLYOKE — Mayor Joshua Garcia announced on his Facebook that recent federal cuts could have an impact on Holyoke.
Holyoke was set to receive $19 million in funding from the Environmental Justice Community Change grant for essential infrastructure improvements, but Garcia stated, “this funding has now been lost.”
Department of Public Works Chair Mary Monahan and Garcia explained that this program was vital for Gateway City communities like Holyoke, providing much-needed financial assistance for projects that not only have an impact to the quality of life of residents but also what they pay as rate payers and tax payers.
Monahan explained, “The grant was specifically designed to address needs in communities like Holyoke, a Gateway City community, a community that had economic challenges that affected how government could respond to the needs of the residents.”
Monahan stated the application for the $19 million in funding was an effort by multiple city departments, led by the DPW, including the Planning Board, Conservation Commission and support from the mayor’s office to fund necessary projects that the city lacked an immediate funding source for.
One significant project included in this grant was a $3 million investment for a new centrifuge at Holyoke’s wastewater treatment plant. A functioning centrifuge is critical for dewatering sludge, as it helps to minimize energy and disposal costs.
Garcia explained why the centrifuge center needs the work that it does.
He said, “Unfortunately, years of deferred maintenance and inadequate capital planning resulted in the existing centrifuge being barely operational. The high power demand and ineffective dewatering processes led to increased costs, which ultimately fell on our ratepayers. Currently, we rely on leasing a centrifuge to alleviate some of the financial burden associated with energy and sludge disposal costs, but this solution is not sustainable in the long term.”
The lost grant also encompassed plans for a new fuel depot for city vehicles and equipment, essential roadway, trail and sidewalk improvements, a comprehensive master plan for the wastewater treatment plant to prioritize capital needs effectively and improving greenery in the city.
One of the big initiatives in the city right now it to use its infrastructure to support economic development, according to Monahan and she said, “We have infrastructure, especially our wastewater treatment facility that has the capacity to support large industries.”
According to Monahan, besides the $3 million investment for a new centrifuge at Holyoke’s wastewater treatment plant, the Environmental Justice Community Change grant was meant to make it less expensive to operate the wastewater treatment plant, ultimately making it less expensive on ratepayers, as well as making it less expensive for businesses to come into the city.
She explained, “That had an immediate impact on reducing costs at the treatment plant that could be passed on to the ratepayer. The other component of this plant, our wastewater treatment plant is because of its capacity, because of its process, our treatment plant has the opportunity to generate green power — another efficiency that could reduce operation costs of the plant and also generate a revenue source.”
Monahan noted that this funding loss was not specific to Holyoke as many communities will be affected by President Donald Trump’s executive orders.
“This was all a part of the new president’s executive orders and his anti-DEI and anti-woke policies. So, the title itself, Environmental Justice Community Change grant stood out as being one of those woke policies that were developed under the previous administration,” Monahan said.
She added that this executive order sends a clear message to communities like Holyoke that they are on their own.
Monahan explained that the federal government has historically been a partner with states and communities for large infrastructure projects.
“In the ‘70s, ‘80s, they funded wastewater treatment plants with 90% grants. The federal highway system, our major road projects are all funded through federal dollars. Some of them might come to the states some of them might come directly to the municipality. So, what [they are] telling us now, states and cities, you’re on your own,” she said.
Garcia talked about how the city is dealing with the news of federal cuts and stated, “The continued lack of funding has forced our DPW to adopt a reactive approach, waiting for equipment to fail before addressing issues. This leads to emergency repairs, which are inevitably far more costly for our taxpayers and ratepayers.”
Although the news is not what the city expected, Garcia said he hopes to work with the state and federal government to find a solution.
Going forward, Monahan said state Sen. John Velis (D-Westfield) and state Rep. Pat Duffy (D-Holyoke) along with the Western Massachusetts office of Gov. Maura Healey, recognize the importance of the projects in Holyoke.
“We’ve been having conversations with them,” Monahan said, “the hope is that state can find a funding source in order to let us advance the centrifuge as well as the facility planning to identify potential revenue sources from our wastewater operations.”
Monahan went on to say, “Communities like Holyoke are that much closer to the cliff so losing significant financial resources is making that more and more dangerous. I don’t want to say it’s likely we’re going to come off that cliff because we’re Holyoke, we’ll make things happen, but we got to rethink now our approach to funding these projects and prioritizing these efforts.”
Garcia also announced that Holyoke received word that the USDA is terminating all agreements for the IRA Urban and Community Forestry grant, including its $1 million award to implement some of the recommendations from the city’s 2021 Urban Forestry planning efforts.
This funding would have been used toward contracted tree work to address Holyoke’s list of hazard trees, as well as consulting, staff training and workforce development, equipment rentals, supplies and continued community engagement.
Garcia stated, “These resources were badly needed and now unfortunately will not be dispersed to our community. Please know we do remain committed and will look into alternative resources, local appropriation, to do our best to tackle our urban forestry work.
