The long-delayed Farm Bill could benefit Virginia farmers by renewing funding for climate-smart investments, but it's been held up for months in Congress. Some lawmakers want this bill to expand funding for such programs as the Environmental Quality Incentives Program, or EQIP, which gives financial and technical help to farmers and ranchers to make conservation a priority. About $250 million was allocated for the program, but more than 9,000 applications were submitted, bringing it to $475 million. ...
Today, groups working with lower-income families in Connecticut are raising awareness about the state's "benefits cliff" with a day of action. The benefits cliff is when a person might get a raise, have a kid with a part-time job, or some other income increase which then makes them ineligible for certain benefits. The changes can have severe impacts on communities and disproportionately affect families with children. ...
New York towns are reaping many benefits since the Inflation Reduction Act was passed. Along with funds for larger clean energy projects, the state was awarded $158 million for the IRA's Home Energy Rebates program. Smaller towns and villages use these grants to implement their climate action plans. ...