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Providence sustainability office faces staff cut despite officialssaying it drives utility savings and grants
Summary
City budget proposes defunding a sustainability policy associate post while transferring utility management into the office and budgeting $1.5 million in energy-credit revenue; staff and the mayors policy team said core programs and the climate justice plan will continue but warned the cut reduces capacity.
Providences proposed fiscal 2026 budget reduces the sustainability offices staff funding even as the department takes on utility management and forecasts $1.5 million in energy-credit revenue for the year.
Department leaders told the Finance Committee the total proposed expenditures for the sustainability department in fiscal 2026 are $826,012, about a $69,533 decrease from the adopted fiscal 2025 budget of $895,545. The department is budgeting $1,500,000 in sale of energy credits; officials said that amount reflects how the revenue is presented this year versus last, not new program revenue.
The administration moved a sustainability policy associate position to an unfunded status in the proposed budget. Committee members, councilors and members of the mayors policy office pressed the administration at the hearing, saying the office has…
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