Benton Harbor Mayor Marcus Muhammad is hoping something can be done to bring back at least a portion of a $20 million federal grant awarded to the Southwest Michigan Planning Commission for a variety of projects in the city after the Trump administration canceled it.
The grant through the Environmental Protection Agency’s Inflation Reduction Act Community Change Grants Program was announced by the Biden administration last year and would have meant workforce development, energy efficiency, and community resiliency efforts in the city. It also would have paid for improvements at the Bobo Brazil Community Center.
Muhammad tells us when the administration announced a funding freeze last month, the city got word the EPA was going to go over all previously awarded grants with a “fine tooth comb.” Then came a notice of grant termination.
“The reason given was that the grant award was not in alignment with the Trump administration’s agenda,” Muhammad said.
Muhammad says the loss of this grant is a blow to the city on multiple fronts.
“It would be a colossal loss to the city. You know, there’s a housing component, there’s a energy efficiency component, there’s job creation, job development, the recreation center, Bobo Brazil renovations.”
Muhammad met with Congressman Bill Huizenga this past weekend and was told Huizenga would have his staff look into the matter. Huizenga tells us they will.
“We are definitely taking a look at sort of what the parameters are,” Huizenga said. “There was a portion of it that was for the Bobo Brazil Community Center, and there was another portion of it that was for housing. Interestingly, they weren’t HUD and they weren’t community development. They were through the EPA, which is a pretty unusual source of funds for things like that.”
Muhammad believes the grant being rescinded is unconstitutional because Congress approved the Inflation Reduction Act and is supposed to have the power of the purse.
Huizenga says it’s strange the EPA would award a grant covering so many things as this one. He says it looks like the Biden administration was just trying to get that money pushed out before the new administration took control. However, he says he’ll find out if there are alternative sources that could be used to help the city out.
