Dear Friends and Neighbors,
Please take a moment to learn how this situation affects you, our work, and our community—and learn ways you can make a difference.
Funding Freeze Background and How We Are All at Risk
Last week, the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) ordered a 90-day pause on federal funding. Fortunately for TEP, that order was rescinded. However, Executive Order, Unleashing American Energy, terminates the “Green New Deal” and halts funding for related projects through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law/Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (BIL/IIJA).
TEP and the entire National Estuary Program receive BIL/IIJA funding through the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to implement water quality improvements, habitat restoration projects, and our native plant nursery. In Tillamook County, our BIL-funded projects also mitigate flooding and support our fishing, shellfish, and aquaculture industries. These projects have nothing to do with energy production, minerals, electric vehicles, or electric appliances and consumer goods that are the focus of the Executive Order.
The Acting Administrator of the EPA suspended our BIL account last week, without taking into consideration how our funds are ear-marked. Now, TEP cannot access the $1.15M in funds that have been contractually approved and obligated by EPA for salaries and projects and the $1.6M that were allocated to be received this year and next. A separate judge issued a separate restraining order on Monday for agencies, including the EPA, to halt the ongoing freeze. Yet, TEP’s BIL/IIJA funds are still suspended
100% of these funds are spent for the benefit of Tillamook County’s estuaries, watersheds, and community. This suspension puts our local people, our wildlife, and our way of life at unnecessary risk.
The Trickle-Down Effects to Your Community
Nine (9) people, over half of TEP’s staff, rely on the EPA’s BIL funding for our salaries. For every direct TEP job at risk, another eight (8) indirect jobs are at risk. The trickle-down effect of the EPA freeze severely impacts hard-working people and local businesses including our contractors, landlords, grocery stores, restaurants, and other retail establishments. Our small, rural community will face disproportionate consequences if the EPA suspension continues.
As a small non-profit, we do not have a large safety net of cash in the bank. We have legally binding contractor and subcontractor agreements in place based on the BIL funds. We cannot pay bills for work that has been completed and for essential work that is scheduled to start within the next 90 days. This is not sustainable for the duration of the freeze. Not only does this impact our partners’ abilities to pay their staff, it creates another trickle down situation. It also impacts the timing of our projects, which is critical because Oregon has a very narrow in-water work window (July-Sept). Preliminary work must be completed beforehand, or projects are delayed an entire year.
These dollars are meant to be flowing into our communities to make the lives of your family and friends better. The EPA’s BIL funds to the National Estuaries Program must be released.
What You Can Do Now
This is our moment to work together and face this reality head-on, through our collective power and voice. Here’s what you can do:
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Please reach out to your Members of Congress: Senator Merkley, Senator Wyden, and Congresswoman Bonamici represent Tillamook County at the federal level.
It’s critical that they hear from their constituents, YOU, about the real-world positive difference federal funds are making to ensure clean water, flood protection, and resilience for your community. Ask them to do everything possible to lift the EPA’s funding freeze for existing grants which utilize BIL/IIJA. Use this sample message, or craft your own:
“Dear [name of Representative/Senator], I urge you to act quickly to ensure that critical financial assistance and grants from federal agencies continue to be available to make a positive difference in our community. Congress approved these funds to support the public health and economic prosperity of Americans across this country, and this is impeding critical work in our community. [1-2 sentences about how this has a local impact on you and what you are concerned about in your community.] I ask that you urge the Administration to make all federal funding, especially EPA’s BIL funding of the National Estuaries Program, available for the good of our communities.”
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Check in with your community. While this message has been specific to Tillamook Estuaries Partnership, other non-profit organizations within Tillamook County are in similar circumstances. We must face challenges by caring for each other, sharing where we have the resources and skills, and asking for help where we need it most.
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Please share what you’re hearing and we will continue to do this same. We pride ourselves on being a fact-based environmental stewardship organization. We pledge to remain champions for Tillamook County, remain a resource for you, and remain your friends and neighbors.
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Support local non-profits, like TEP, as you are able. Donate, volunteer, connect, and stay in touch for mutual support.
Thank you for supporting us during these unpredictable times, and thank you for supporting all the good community work happening at the grassroots level here in Tillamook County.
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