Pelosi Announces $14 Million for a Cleaner, Greener San Francisco

Washington, D.C. – Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi announced that San Francisco will soon receive $14 million in new federal funding to plant and maintain trees, combat extreme heat and climate change, and improve access to nature.  This funding was awarded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service under Democrats’ Inflation Reduction Act – the largest climate investment in history.

“This federal funding from the Inflation Reduction Act will help us build a cleaner, greener Bay Area for generations to come,” Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi said.  “The climate crisis is the existential threat of our time – and our future depends on taking action now to ensure our children have clean air to breathe and a healthy planet to call home.  By increasing tree cover in San Francisco, our City is planting the seeds for a healthier and more equitable community.”

The San Francisco Bureau of Urban Forestry will receive $12 million to plant and establish thousands of street trees in low-canopy communities.  This will mitigate extreme heat and establish climate-ready neighborhoods.  In addition, this effort will create green jobs and workforce development opportunities for members of the community.

The San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department will receive $2 million to develop a comprehensive Canopy Management Plan for parks in southeast San Francisco.  As a part of the plan, the city will develop a workforce development Pre-Apprentice Program that will hire and train local residents to plant and maintain city trees.

Through funding from the Inflation Reduction Act, the U.S. Forest Service is making historic investments in boosting the nation’s tree cover in urban, suburban and rural communities nationwide.  The Forest Service has selected 385 grant proposals from across America – including the two in San Francisco – that will increase access to trees and green spaces.

Studies show that communities with access to trees and green spaces are associated with improved health outcomes including preventing heat-related illness, reduced crime, lower average temperatures and an influx of other kinds of investments and new economic opportunities.