Woonasquatucket River Watershed Council Joins Lawsuit to Restore Critical Community Investments
Funding Freeze Jeopardizes Jobs, Public Health, and Climate Resilience
The Woonasquatucket River Watershed Council (WRWC), along with national and regional nonprofit partners, has filed a federal lawsuit challenging the federal funding freeze on congressionally approved infrastructure and climate funding. The freeze has halted projects that create jobs, improve public health, and strengthen environmental resilience in communities across Rhode Island and the nation.
The WRWC was eager to move forward with a major urban forestry project funded by federal investment, designed to enhance the Woonasquatucket River Greenway and benefit the 50,000 residents and diverse wildlife living within a 10-minute walk of the planned improvements. This funding would create new full-time jobs, engage local residents and partner organizations, and bring together hundreds of people to learn about the project and become long-term stewards. WRWC is facing a shortfall of over $1,000,000 due to the freeze.
The federal funding freeze has put this progress on hold, impacting not only jobs but also workforce training, youth education, and critical quality-of-life improvements for the communities WRWC serves. These investments are especially vital in urban landscapes, where environmental restoration directly enhances public health and resilience.
“We were quite thrilled when we signed a contract for federal funding to enhance our Greenway with a huge urban forestry project,” said Alicia J. Lehrer, Executive Director of the WRWC. “This funding was promised to our community to expand urban forestry, create jobs, and enhance climate resilience along the Woonasquatucket River Greenway,” Lehrer added. “Instead, it’s being withheld, disrupting not just our work but the work of nonprofits across the country.”
Over the last week, WRWC was contacted by the local chapter of the National Council of Nonprofits, which is assessing the impact of federal funding freezes on organizations across the country. Recognizing the widespread impact, WRWC agreed to join this legal challenge on behalf of nonprofits nationwide.
The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island, argues that the administration’s actions violate federal law by arbitrarily blocking critical investments. Democracy Forward and DeLuca, Weizenbaum, Barry & Revens are representing the plaintiffs pro bono. In addition to National Council of Nonprofits, other plaintiffs include Eastern Rhode Island Conservation District and Green Infrastructure Center.
Congress allocated these funds to improve lives. The funding freeze is harming communities while serving no public good. WRWC is standing up not just for our own work, but for every nonprofit impacted by this unjust action.
Learn more about the lawsuit at www.democracyforward.org and read the original article here.