Some say “trust the science". But how can you when man persist to be at war against the laws of nature?
I have long borne the brunt of mounting climate change impacts and ocean mismanagement, despite having done the least to cause these ocean problems. Over the past three years, Justice40 has guided agencies in embedding more federal equitable practices into land/water management and climate action, improving the health of not just our ocean front, but the entire well-being of ecosystems disproportionally affecting communities that depend on it. While swift deployment of climate resources is necessary to mount a vigorous campaign against this raging disaster, we must be sure not to yet again repeat the mistake of leaving the most impacted communities behind.
This full report of the Justice40 and water equity in Florida highlights the largest gaps in funding along with an array of deficiencies currently impacting the North and South Florida Keys.
Of the hundreds of programs currently implementing Justice40, the EPA State Revolving Funds (SRFs) offer the greatest opportunity to protect communities from water pollution that impacts drinking water and our fresh and marine water bodies. The funding needed to sustain the success of the EPA SRFs is in jeopardy. The new President’s budget for fiscal year 2025 proposed cutting funding to the Clean Water SRF. These funding cuts would undermine the wellbeing of United States citizens and our critical water resources, and yet not enough are informed to the hazards to urge Congress to ensure that funding for EPA State Revolving Funds is strong in fiscal year 2025.
Today, under a new administration, 2025 appropriations process begins, yet the idea of supporting and prioritizing funding in “disadvantaged-designated” neighborhoods has died. What will happen to those EPA Drinking Water projects now? The ill-intent from damaging policy riders is in effect, only this time, its coming from the top down of the White House.
“Uneaten food makes up approximately 4% of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions,” said Terry Cosby, Chief of NRCS, which houses the Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production. “Turning food waste into valuable compost is an important climate solution and benefits both farmers and communities. Local strategies and tools like the cooperative agreements are important climate solutions and also contribute to food security at the community level, and we encourage communities to apply.”
We will continue to aim at the heart of the emergency response necessary to access more land for entrepreneurship, digipreneurship, and education to improve the economic and agriculture-related opportunities in our backyard.
Throughout Florida BCN works with a wide variety of wholesale and retail customers to help increase access to sustainable farm foods grown in our region.
