This year, CEC has lost more than $1.5 million in federal climate funding due to the termination of three major grants from the U.S. Department of Energy and U.S. Department of Agriculture. These programs supported regenerative agriculture, clean transportation, and equitable access to climate solutions across the Central Coast.
The sudden loss of this funding has disrupted projects that were helping low-income families access electric vehicles, supporting local farmers in adopting regenerative practices, and creating green workforce opportunities.
While these losses are significant, there are powerful signs of resilience. Community demand for clean transportation is stronger than ever — EV adoption reached a record 29% of new car sales last quarter — and there is growing momentum for state and regional investment to replace lost federal dollars. Local partnerships are deepening, and community members are uniting to defend and advance climate action across sectors.
The stories shared underscored both the challenges and resilience of our Central Coast community. CEC and Congressman Carbajal are now collaborating on an op-ed to share these stories and solutions more broadly — stay tuned.
In the meantime, you can read more about the session and how other organizations are being impacted in The Santa Barbara Independent and Noozhawk.
