AUSTIN (KXAN) – The city of Austin secured over $70 million in grant funding toward aviation, environmental and emergency response, but the lasting federal government shutdown leaves more funding up in the air.
What’s on hold?
Several offices within the U.S. Department of Justice have seen staff members furloughed, meaning submitted grant applications are still pending approval, the Austin Government Relations Grants Division (AGRGD) said in a Saturday news release.
This includes grants from the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, Office of Justice Programs and Office on Violence Against Women, the release states.
Grants from the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) are also impacted.
AGRGD reported DSHS will “reevaluate the situation” if the shutdown extends past Friday, while the Austin Housing Department does not expect HUD to award any grants during the government shutdown, per the Saturday release.
What was awarded?
Grant funding was awarded to the following city divisions for the period Sept. 1 – Oct. 20, according to AGRGD:
- Austin Aviation: Awarded $58.6 million by the Federal Aviation Administration, supporting ongoing expansions at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport
- Austin Emergency Management: Awarded $11.9 million from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The funding will go toward supporting emergency management teams in the city and surrounding areas
- Austin Police Department: Awarded $375,000 from the U.S. Department of Justice. The funding will support law enforcement’s mental health and wellness ($200,000) and a youth-led recruiting model ($175,000)
- Austin Resource Recovery: Awarded $500,000 from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency toward brownfields assessments. Brownfields are properties that are either vacant or have environmental concerns due to past use, according to the Austin Brownfields Revitalization Office
The city has more grant applications still in progress. This includes more funding for Austin Police as well as grants for Austin Public Health, Austin Transportation and Public Works and Austin Forensic Science, according to the release.
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