Newport is no longer receiving a $1 million grant for tree planting in its West end.
In August 2024, Newport announced it received a grant from the Inflation Reduction Act through the USDA Forest Service. The city was just one of four in Kentucky to receive funding for its project—named the Newport West Side Reforestation Project. However, city officials announced at a Feb. 24 commission meeting that Newport would no longer receive those funds.
Through the grant, the city planned to have volunteers plant 1,000 trees over the next five years.
“I think that we need to take action from the board and tell our federal caucus, that is, our senators, and our house representatives, that this is not acceptable to award a grant and then to turn around and take it back is not the way that business should be done,” said Newport Commissioner Ken Rechtin.
He said the city was notified last week that the money was not coming. Rechtin said that money was very important to the city and generated interest and volunteerism.
“Fortunately, I’m told that we haven’t expended tons of money in advance of this, but I believe that we need to tell Mitch [McConnell] and [Rand] Paul and all the rest of them, and Thomas Massie that this isn’t acceptable, and we really need that fixed at this point.”
Rechtin said if the city isn’t going to be able to plant 1,000 trees by 2028, he would like a scaled-down version of the project they can handle internally.
“The ability to get that grant was great, and whatever challenges that we’re faced with, I can tell you that we’re going to continue to green this community,” Newport Mayor Tom Guidugli Jr. said. “It may not happen as fast, but it’s going to continue to happen, and we’re going to make continuous progress in greening the community.”