📰 What Happened: Trump administration policy changes have led to widespread cancellations of federal grants for local parks and green infrastructure, impacting cities from New York to Chattanooga. Projects like QueensWay, a planned linear park in Queens, lost USDOT support, while EPA and FEMA funds for resilience and recovery were also clawed back.

🔍 A Closer Look: These rollbacks hit hardest in underserved communities where federal grants were a rare lifeline for public space improvements. Many projects are now stalled or scaled down due to lost seed capital. Experts warn that delayed or defunded efforts could inflate costs, limit public access, and further burden local agencies already stretched thin.

🧠 Why It Matters: Public parks play a critical role in health, community cohesion, economic growth, and climate adaptation. Without consistent federal support, cities risk reversing gains made during the pandemic park boom—especially in low-income areas that can’t rely on private investment to fill the gap.