Mayor Ed Gainey Statement on Governor Shapiro's Lawsuit Challenging Federal Funding Freeze

I stand in support of Governor Shapiro’s lawsuit challenging the Trump Administration’s unlawful freeze on important federal funds that have been committed to support everyday Pennsylvanians.  The Trump Administration’s actions will delay or disrupt critical environmental, infrastructure, and economic development programs and pose a significant challenge to the Commonwealth’s and region's interests, ultimately hindering the ability to access critical funding to drive initiatives here in Pittsburgh and throughout the Southwestern Pennsylvania. 

Our city has shown the power and effectiveness of collaboration with our partners in governance at the state & federal level in the past. Coordination between all 3 levels of government was critical to the rapid reconstruction of the Fern Hollow Bridge, and has driven Pittsburgh Water’s lead line replacement program forward at record speed, while also saving ratepayers from bearing the much higher costs of traditional bond financing. The Trump Administration’s decision to recklessly abandon that approach and freeze or restrict Federal funding already authorized by Congress to come to the Commonwealth could have disastrous consequences, and I applaud Governor Shapiro for standing up for the needs of Pennsylvanians. 

In particular, this funding freeze threatens programs focused on energy efficiency and weatherization across the Commonwealth that rely on PennVEST funding.  Impacted programs are crucial for reducing energy costs, improving environmental sustainability and enhancing the resilience of our region to climate change.   

The Governor’s action is necessary to mitigate the potential long-term impact of this funding freeze on the Commonwealth.  I will continue to monitor the situation closely and have asked the City Law Department to assess what steps we can take to support the Governor’s action to challenge this detrimental action taken by the current administration.  

~Mayor Ed Gainey