Two Green City programs funded in budget bill

Members of Washington State’s congressional delegation spearheaded critical federal funding for two Cascade Land Conservancy Green City programs contained in the $410 billion budget bill signed by President Barack Obama earlier this week.

The bill contains funding for the Green Tacoma Partnership and the Green Seattle Partnership as part of the U.S. Forest Service program that promotes tree planting and encourages urban parks, street trees, landscaped boulevards, public gardens, river and coastal promenades, greenways, river corridors, wetlands and nature preserves.

Both Seattle and Tacoma will add new elements in 2009, thanks to the approximately $500,000 grant from the U.S. Forest Service’s urban tree program. The two programs will share the grant equally.

Senator Patty Murray and Rep. Norm Dicks were instrumental in securing the funds from their positions on respective appropriations committees. Senator Maria Cantwell and Rep. Dave Reichert also provided strong support.

"This is federal money that helps our communities grow," said Senator Murray. "I am proud to have helped steer this funding to community-supported projects here at home.  This is a program that can also put people to work, helping families in these challenging economic times."

 “ Both Tacoma and Seattle have initiated efforts to protect and restore parklands and green spaces, helping to reduce stormwater runoff, pollution and soil erosion as well as preserving wildlife habitat,” said Dicks, Chairman of the House Interior and Environment Appropriations Subcommittee.  “This additional federal funding for the Green Tacoma and Green Seattle partnerships, coordinated by the Cascade Land Conservancy, will leverage additional public and private resources as it encourages responsible environmental stewardship in the Puget Sound area."               
 

“These Green City Partnerships are crucial now,” said Gene Duvernoy, President of the Cascade Land Conservancy.  “We have teamed up with the Veterans Conservation Corps on a program where returning veterans are employed in Green City programs, learning and the science and the techniques behind the work so they can become self-employed as contractors in the future.  We can use that model to work with government job programs to provide meaningful work for others and teach them a skill they might use when times get better. These grants make that effort all the more possible.”

Duvernoy added that both projects advance the goals of the Cascade Agenda, the 100-year program that links substantial conservation with the need for livable communities.  The agenda calls for setting aside key lands for parks throughout the region.  The Green Cities programs have been a successful implementation of the idea that we need to restore and maintain green spaces within our cities and towns.

The budget document, signed by President Obama, keeps federal operations running through the end of the fiscal year Sept. 30. While the funds for the Green City programs are classed as earmarks, they are part of an ongoing program that has seen successes around the country. Funds from the program have been successful in other cities including Milwaukee, Green Chicago, Chicago Wilderness Program and the Parks and People Foundation in Baltimore.