NEW ORLEANS — The City of New Orleans has received millions of federal dollars to help fight climate pollution. That's the topic of this week's commentary with WWL Political Analyst and Gambit Columnist Clancy DuBos.
First the good news. New Orleans will get nearly $50 million to reduce greenhouse gases over the next five years.
Now that money will kick start the city's Climate Action Plan by providing solar power to 1,400 homes and more than a dozen city buildings. Expanding the local bike-sharing fleet, building seven more miles of protected bikeways, and much more.
Now the bad news. The city has a terrible history of failing to spend federal grants in a timely manner, at the risk of losing those grants.
I'm talking hundreds of millions of dollars for critical needs like improved streets, drainage, public safety measures, and more.
Mayor Cantrell deserves credit for getting this grant, but her team needs to do better at putting federal dollars to work on time.
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