August 28, 2025
Op-ed Marcus Muhammad, Benton Harbor Mayor
First published in the MI Herald Palladium in BH fighting to overturn grant rescission
The people of Benton Harbor deserve and expect the best from those they elect to office. When the City of Benton Harbor was told we were going to receive $20 million from the federal government and it was clawed back, people questioned why. So, did I. Residents need transparent and straight forward answers that are logical.
Unfortunately, what has happened is beyond reason. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rescinded the $20 million Environmental and Climate Justice grant earlier this year, which was awarded to the Southwest Michigan Planning Commission on behalf of the city. We are still fighting to obtain what was legally awarded to us. The Community Change Grant was set to go toward energy workforce training, a citywide recycling program and a myriad of other projects. The Renaissance for Benton Harbor would be underway in full swing with the Bobo Community Center transformation had the EPA not rescinded the funding.
The Southwest Michigan Planning Commission, with the support of the City of Benton Harbor, are currently a part of a lawsuit where we are citing that it’s unconstitutional to rescind funding that was allocated by Congress. So, there is hope.
With the Solar-for-All funds from the EPA for energy projects we could have built a resiliency hub with battery storage at the Community Center, all the while residents would have seen their electric bills go down. Now, that the solar grant has been canceled it will cause job loss, government distrust and a loss of confidence.
Meanwhile, we will do what we can to work with local state, nonprofit and federal partners.
The Community Change Grant could still do so much for our city, and other projects that bring the wider community together. All these investments would have employed people, protected our health, brought neighborhoods together, generate tourism funds, and spur economic growth. To make a short story short, these logical investments would have made Benton Harbor Great Again. However, we remain resilient.