PRESS RELEASE
March 28, 2025
Subject: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Statement to MLive
Good afternoon,
This morning, Brad Devereaux at MLive contacted us regarding the Trump administration's reported cancellation of the EPA Community Change Grant. Please see the full statement we will provide below, as well as a quote from Chair Strebs.
At this time, Kalamazoo County has not received an official termination letter from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regarding our $18.9 million Community Change Grant. However, we are aware that several other grant recipients across the state have received similar notifications, and we are monitoring the situation closely.
If we were to receive a formal termination notice, it would be deeply disappointing – not only for Kalamazoo County Government, but also for our residents and, most importantly, the skilled laborers this decision would directly affect.
This grant represents a significant and strategic investment in our community. Of the $18.9 million awarded, $12.1 million was allocated to support local contractors, tradespeople, and suppliers, directly fueling economic growth. An additional $2.1 million was dedicated to launching a workforce development program aimed at training 150 new skilled laborers over the next three years. These are high-demand, good-paying jobs – carpenters, electricians, HVAC technicians, plumbers – roles essential to Southwest Michigan’s infrastructure and economic future.
Skilled labor is already in short supply in our region. The construction of our Justice Center, for example, was delayed by several months due to a lack of available workers. Now is the time to support workforce expansion – not hinder it.
This grant was never just about repairing homes or environmental resilience. It was about investing in people, creating career pathways, and strengthening our local labor force. Losing this program would directly undermine our ability to respond to workforce needs – an issue that business owners, trade associations, and economic leaders have consistently raised.
The County and its partners have already invested significant time and resources in preparing to implement this 3-year grant. If the funding is terminated, it won’t just delay progress – it will waste months of planning, mobilization, and community engagement. Local stakeholders, training providers, and program staff are already working per the terms of the agreement. That readiness should not go to waste.
Should we receive a termination letter, we will work with our Board of Commissioners to review the contractual agreement with the EPA and determine next steps.
In the meantime, we remain committed to advocating for the workers and families this grant was intended to support and for continued investment in Southwest Michigan’s economic future.
Quote from Chair Strebs:
“Right now, working families are doing everything they can to get by, and the effects of climate change are only making life harder. This grant was a lifeline. It directed funding where it was needed most – into aging homes and into the hands of workers ready to build a better future. Taking that away now doesn’t just stall progress – it lets down the very people this funding was meant to uplift. Kalamazoo County remains committed to both climate resiliency and expanding our skilled workforce. While some leaders walk away from the people, we at the County will seek ways to meet the needs of everyone in our community even in the face of great challenge.”
Respectfully,
Taylor Koopman (she/her), MA/APIO
Public Information Officer
Office of the County Administrator
o. 269-383-8651 m. 269-532-9555
201 W. Kalamazoo Ave., Kalamazoo, MI
69007