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USDA Forest Service Urban & Community Forest Program Grant Award Copyrighted September 18, 2023 City of Dubuque Action Items # 01. City Council Meeting ITEM TITLE: USDA Forest Service Urban & Community Forest Program GrantAward SUM MARY: City Manager is providing information on the notification that the City of Dubuque has been awarded a USDA Forest Service Urban and Community Forest Program Grant totaling $1,499,978. SUGGESTED Suggested Disposition: Receive and File;Approve DISPOSITION: ATTACHMENTS: Description Type MVM Memo City Manager Memo Staff Memo Staff Memo Press Release Supporting Documentation Program Fact Sheet Supporting Documentation Dubuque THE CITY QF � All-Meriea Ciry DLT B E ; . � . � �� � � MaSt� Z�C� aYd t�Q Mt55ZSSZ Z zoa�•zoiz•�ai3 YP pp za��*zai� TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members FROM: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager SUBJECT: USDA Forest Service Urban & Community Forest Program Grant Award DATE: September 14, 2023 Leisure Services Director Marie Ware is providing information on the notification that the City of Dubuque has been awarded a USDA Forest Service Urban and Community Forest Program Granttotaling $1,499,978. � Mic ael C. Van Milligen MCVM:sv Attachment cc: Crenna Brumwell, City Attorney Cori Burbach, Assistant City Manager Marie Ware, Leisure Services Director Gina Bell, Director of Sustainability Jennifer Larson, Chief Financial Officer Teri Goodmann, Director of Strategic Partnerships Steve Fehsal, Park Division Manager Anderson Sainci, Director Office of Shared Prosperity and Neighborhood Support Nathan Kelleher, Budget/Financial Analyst Du�uqu� THE CIT7f OF � ���GI� ��� � � �� � ��5�� ��C� �� ��IC �7SS�SS1 � �oo�•zoiz•��i� � �� �017#�01� TO: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager FROM: Marie L. Ware, Leisure Services Manager SUBJECT: USDA Forest Service Urban & Community Forest Program Grant Award DATE: September 14, 2023 INTRODUCTION The purpose of this memorandum is to notify City Council that the City of Dubuque has been awarded a USDA Forest Service Urban and Community Forest Program Grant totaling $1,499,978. DISCUSSION The U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service Urban & Community Forestry Program is offering grants up to $50 million to support the planning and implementation of nature-based solutions to ensure a resilient and equitable tree canopy. Established through the Inflation Reduction Act, this is the only dedicated federal urban forest program that will provide direct funding to address the economic, social and environmental challenges that underserved, and economically distressed communities are experiencing due to a low urban tree canopy. This award helps the city meet goals outlined in the Comprehensive Plan, and the 50% by 2030 Community Climate Action and Resiliency Plan, as well as the City Council Goal: Sustainable Environment: Preserving and Enhancing Natural Resources. Dubuque seeks to increase its tree canopy cover to grow from 26.2 to 40 percent. To support that goal, USDA Forest Service Urban & Community Forestry resources will help the City plant 6,600 trees on public and private property in disadvantaged Census Tracts 1, 3, 5, and 12.02 over the five-year project period. The number of trees proposed was identified in Dubuque's Climate Action Plan to realize its tree canopy goal in the targeted neighborhoods. Key activities of the Branching Out Dubuque initiative will include: • Establish baseline data • Outreach and marketing • Private property owner sign-up • Tree procurement • Tree planting • Short-term maintenance • Resident training • Long-term maintenance • Hiring 1 limited-term FTE Environmental Justice Tree Coordinator to lead and oversee all activities of the grant. Awarded Amount: $1,499,978.00 Match Required: No The success of this grant is a credit to all the departments involved in the formulation, data, research of writing of the grant. Those departments included Leisure Services, Sustainability, City Manager, and Office of Shared Prosperity and Neighborhood Support. An extremely important partner in this process was Dubuque Trees Forever and several members of their organization. Special credit is deserved for the leadership and work provided by Director of Sustainability Gina Bell, Director of Strategic Partnerships Teri Goodmann, Park Division Manager Steve Fehsal in this grant that now will allow us to do very important reforestation efforts in under-resourced areas of our community. A grant agreement will be forwarded for approval once it is received. ACTION STEP This memo is for informational purposes only. CC: Jennifer Larson, Chief Financial Officer Nathan Kelleher, Budget/Financial Analyst Teri Goodmann, Director of Strategic Partnerships Gina Bell, Director of Sustainability Steve Fehsal, Park Division Manager Anderson Sainci, Director of Office of Shared Prosperity and Neighborhood Support 2 9/14/23, 10:42 AM USDA invests$1 billion for nearly 400 projects to expand access to trees and green spaces in communities and neighborhoods... � An official website of the United States government Here's how you know us�A � Forest Service � - � U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Home ► news ► News releases ► USDA invests$1 billion for nearly 400 projects to expand access to trees and green spaces in communities and neighborhoods nationwidethrough Investing in America agenda USDA invests $1 billion for nearly 400 projects to expand access to trees and green spaces in communities and neighborhoods nationwidethrough Investing in America agenda USDA Press Release WASHINGTON, September 14, 2023 -Today, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Forest Service is awarding more than $1 billion in competitive grants to plant and maintain trees, combat extreme heat and climate change, and improve access to nature in cities, towns, and suburbs where more than 84% of Americans live, work, and play. Communities in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and several U.S. Territories and Tribal Nations are receiving funding, covered by the Justice40 Initiative and made possible by President Biden's Inflation Reduction Act-the largest climate investment in history. The Forest Service selected 385 grant proposals from entities working to increase equitable access to trees and nature, and the benefits they provide for cooling city streets, improving air quality, and promoting food security, public health and safety. The funding was granted to entities in all 50 states, two U.S. territories, three U.S. affiliated Pacific islands, and several Tribes through the Forest Service's Urban and Community Forestry Program. "These investments arrive as cities across the country experience record-breaking heatwaves that have grave impacts on public health, energy consumption, and overall well-being," said Secretary Vilsack. "Thanks to President Biden's Investing in America agenda, we are supporting communities in becoming more resilient to climate change and combatting extreme heat with the cooling effects of increased urban tree canopy, while also supporting employment opportunities and professional training that will strengthen local economies." https://www.fs.usda.gov/news/releases/usda-invests-1-bil lion-nearly-400-projects-expand-access-trees-and-green-spaces 1/5 9/14/23, 10:42 AM USDA invests$1 billion for nearly 400 projects to expand access to trees and green spaces in communities and neighborhoods... The Urban and Community Forestry Program is the only program in the federal government dedicated to enhancing and expanding the nation's urban forest resources. This is the largest single USDA Inflation Reduction Act investment to date in urban and community forests. "Today's landmark funding from the U.S. Forest Service will increase urban access to nature, improve air quality, keep city streets cool during sweltering summers, tackle the climate crisis, and create safer, healthier communities in every corner of America," said John Podesta, Senior Advisor to the President for Clean Energy Innovation and Implementation. "That makes a huge difference for the grandmother who doesn't have air conditioning, or the kid who has asthma, or the parent who works outside for ten hours a day. This investment will create not just greener cities—it will create healthier and more equitable cities:' "President Biden set a bold goal to cut in half the number of people that do not have access to parks and nature by the end of the decade," said Brenda Mallory, Chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality. "This funding will expand access to green space in underserved communities nationwide, advancing the Biden-Harris Administration's commitment to environmental justice and our Justice40 Initiative:' This announcement is part of President Biden's Investing in America agenda to advance environmental justice, generate economic opportunity, and build a clean energy economy nationwide. The grants are made possible by investments from President Biden's Inflation Reduction Act, the largest climate investment in history and a core pillar of Bidenomics. The Urban and Community Forestry Program is part of President Biden's Justice40 Initiative, which works to ensure the overall benefits of certain federal investments reach disadvantaged communities that are marginalized, underserved, and overburdened by pollution and underinvestment. The grant funding was open to community-based organizations, Tribes, municipal and state governments, non-profit partners, universities and other eligible entities. In total, the Forest Service received 842 applications requesting a total of $6.4 billion in funding, an indication of the urgent nationwide need to plant and maintain more urban trees. Studies show that trees in communities are associated with improved physical and mental health, lower average temperatures during extreme heat, and increased food security, and create new economic opportunities. This historic funding will help the Forest Service support projects that increase tree cover in disadvantaged communities, provide equitable access to the benefits of nature, and deliver tangible economic and ecological benefits to urban and Tribal communities across the country. https://www.fs.usda.gov/news/releases/usda-invests-1-bil lion-nearly-400-projects-expand-access-trees-and-green-spaces 2/5 9/14/23, 10:42 AM USDA invests$1 billion for nearly 400 projects to expand access to trees and green spaces in communities and neighborhoods... Grantees used the White House Council on Environmental Quality's Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool to help identify disadvantaged communities. This geospatial mapping tool identifies disadvantaged communities that face burdens in the categories of climate, energy, health, housing including nature deprivation, legacy pollution, transportation, water and wastewater, workforce development, as well as associated socioeconomic thresholds. More information about the funded proposals, as well as announcements about the grant program, is available on the Urban and Community Forestry Program webpage. More information on the historic Inflation Reduction Act is available on the White House Fact Sheet: One Year In, President Biden's Inflation Reduction Act is Driving Historic Climate Action and Investing in America to Create Good Paying Jobs and Reduce Costs. About the Agency Contact Us Agency Leadership Budget and Performance Equity Action Plan Faces of the Forest Service National Programs and Offices Newsroom News releases Success Stories Feature stories Speeches Testimony Publications Regulations and Policies Directives Search https://www.fs.usda.gov/news/releases/usda-invests-1-bil lion-nearly-400-projects-expand-access-trees-and-green-spaces 3/5 � � • - � ., . � � . . $ 1.5 Billion to Expand Tree Canopy a nd Access to N atu re 100% of Benefits Will Flow to Communities in Greatest Need Urban and Community Forestry Grants, authorized underthe Inflation Reduction Act, provide fundingto community-based organizations, Tribes, State and local agencies, public colleges and universities, and USDAisanequalopportunity non-profits working to provide equitable access to trees and nature and the benefits they provide to urban provider,employer,and lender. COI"Tl I"Tl U n It12S. � ''y a : + ` � � , � . • SI : �'� . .� - . P� • � ' ` `h � � ' ��"a � - - �,� � �/, , . � i VU� � Investing in a Healthier Expanding Tree Canopy The Benefits of Trees Confronting the Growing Threat of Future for America in our Communities in our Communities Extreme Heat and Climate Change 385 grants were awarded to 50 Benefiting cities,towns,villages, Trees mitigate extreme heat,conserve energy, July 2023 was the hottest month on record states,2 territories,3 U.S.-affiliated non-profit organizations,Tribes, provide shade,absorb storm water,create in communities around the country. Pacific Islands,and multiple Tribal community and faith-based wildlife habitat,and filter air and water.An Research has shown tree canopy cover communities with 100%of benefits organizations,and minority urban tree canopy leads to better health reduces temperatures 11-19°F compared flowingto those in greatest need. serving institutions. outcomes,economic opportunities and jobs, to communities with no tree cover. and increased propertyvalues. Urban and Community Forestry FY 2023 IRA Grant Allocations in Millions of Dollars WA VT NH 56.00M 536.37M $OJSM 50.00M MT Np $2.36M $2.52M ME $0.75M $0.75M 51.50M OR gZ'39M $0.50M MN - 31.57M The USDA Forest 53.75M 55.25M Servi ce's U rba n a nd 558.20M ID 533.44M WI NY s0.75M SD 54.88M Community Forestry �S�ZM WY $3.00M $13.50M SM50M $73.5�M 50.75M Program awarded 50.80M NE IA $32.95M PA $2.25M $9.75M MA 51.88M more than $1 billion $3.00M �T 51.88M $15J3M I� �9 OOM 'Z�•95M $22.81M 511.00M 515.75M $13.8HM IN �Z3.04M to fund projects that �A $OJSM CO $23.34M s4.13M WV RI �1.20M �,3.80M 54.88M $25.97M �A $6.75M 543.20M KS $0.75M support urban 5102.87M �ZZ'19M 52.63M yM OM KY $1.50M�17JOM 51.25M 52.Z5M 52.63M co m m u n i ti es 521.00M 514.53M N� �T $15.44M through equitable az OK S4.N3M $9.20M N� $11.25M access to trees and $6.00M NM $1.88M AR $16.31M S� $22.79M $22.19M $1.88M $3.50M $1.88M 5Z.63M the benefits they $Z0.50M $4.24M AL �9 A5M 6.75M DE 50.50M provide. The funding �Lr---= TX $M50M $9.57M �1'.s4M $16.81M 56.00M was made possible y31.60M � M� 534.36M SO.00M bythe Inflation �z4.3�M FL DC �9.12M 53.75M Reduction Act. aK $29.18M 50J5M $5.11M n,, Puerto 51.50M -�� �`��� HI Rico s8.00M $1.50M Pacific g2.25M U.S. Virgin 51.50M �42.59M Islands �12.56M Islands 55.00M FY 2023 IRA State Allocation-$250 Million Total FY 2023 IRA Notice of Funding Opportunity Grants-$1.13 BillionTotal H istoric I nvestments i n America's Cities, Towns, Suburbs, and Tribal Communities 100% of Benefits Will Flow to Communities in Greatest Need Investments from the Inflation Reduction Act wi�l fund 385 projects dedicated to tree p�anting and maintenance, workforce development, wood utilization, extreme heat mitigation, restoration and resilience strategies, and community planning. Most projects include mu�tiple themes. • p � . � 0 0 �- � ..- titi Tree Planting Restoration and Resilience Workforce Development Extreme Heat Community Engagement in &Maintenance Urban Forestry Planning 60 percent of the projects 45 percent of the projects 43 percent of the projects 90 percent ofthe projects will support will create and sustain will fosterthe planning, 36 percent ofthe projects will supportthe planting, climate-adapted tree living-wagejobs in green planting,and long-term will empower local monitoring,and long-term plantings and related industries and provide new care of urban trees needed communities,especially maintenance of trees, vegetation, nursery career pathways into urban to mitigate rising those experiencing includingthose on public production,wood forestry and arboriculture temperatures in growing inequitable environmental and private land,in parks, utilization,and strategies foryouth and adults metropolitan areas. and social burdens,to alongstreets and school that increase community enteringthis workforce. participate in grounds,and in vacant lots resilienceto droughts, decision-makingthat and community gardens. floods,storms,insects, improves conditions locally, diseases,and other natural regionally,and nationally. d isasters.