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CCRPC staff pauses certain federal grants amid national grant review; outlines outreach and mapping engagement
Summary
CCRPC Executive Director Charlie Baker said staff paused 10 federal grants that include climate and equity scopes while awaiting agency guidance after a federal grant pause announcement; staff also described outreach plans, CEAC topics, and steps to broaden participation in future land‑use mapping work.
At the Feb. 5 meeting of the Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission Executive Committee, Executive Director Charlie Baker reported that a recent federal grant pause prompted CCRPC staff to temporarily pause 10 federal grants with climate and equity elements while staff confirm each grant’s status with funding agencies.
Baker said CCRPC has "not received any bad news" to date but that some ambiguity remains; he estimated about "60–70%" of CCRPC’s budget is funded by federal sources and said CCRPC will wait for agency direction before lifting the pause on those projects. Anne Nelson Stoner added that staff have lost access to some federal databases and mapping tools, which is affecting ongoing work.
In outreach and engagement updates, Stoner noted that Urmila Chhetri will support Community Engagement Advisory Committee (CEAC) facilitation while Stoner is on maternity leave. CEAC last month discussed the Walk‑to‑Shop program, Green Mountain Transit service reductions, and a draft stipend policy for engagement participants. Staff said they are preparing municipality‑specific engagement plans and regionally themed topical focus groups to broaden input for future land‑use mapping efforts. Taylor Newton said public participation will include both general outreach and targeted engagement to reach underrepresented groups.
Committee members raised concerns about hearing from the same stakeholders repeatedly and urged staff to develop outreach strategies that reach marginalized communities and small business owners. Baker said staff do not intend to recreate maps but to refine existing maps and align them with statutory requirements.
The committee took no formal action on grants beyond pausing the identified grants pending agency confirmation; staff will report back as agencies provide guidance.
