COACHELLA, Calif. – The City of Coachella had a virtual groundbreaking ceremony on Friday, February 5 at 8:30 am for the Grapefruit Blvd Urban Greening and Connectivity Project located on Grapefruit Blvd from Leoco Lane to 9^th Street.

“We are excited to be breaking ground on this significant project for our Downtown Pueblo Viejo District,” said StevenHernandez, Mayor of the City of Coachella. “This will not only assist the City in reducing greenhouse gases via carbon sequestration but by also providing shade to local business, thus reducing energy consumption by keeping these businesses cooler throughout the day.” Mayor Hernandez also stated, “Additionally, this area is a known flood-prone area, so by adding Bioswales with 220,000-gallon stormwater retention will go a long way when our arid landscape can absorb a monsoon or when a microburst storm occurs. So as you can see, it’s not only good for the environment, but it’s good for business too.”

This $5.34M climate resiliency project was granted $3.19m, which was the largest award in the State back in October 2019by the State of California’s Natural Resources Agency’s Urban Greening Programs. The grant was one of twenty infrastructure projects funded by Cap-and-Trade- revenues, also known as the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund. Additional funding of $1.37m was provided by the Coachella Valley Association of Governments (CVAG) will assist in street widening, and $250,000 was provided by the California Department of Housing and Community Development for traffic signal improvements.

The Grapefruit Boulevard Urban Greening and Connectivity project improvements will use elements that mimic natural systems by planting 288 trees along Grapefruit Boulevard to constitute a valuable urban and community forest resource that contributes significantly human health and quality of life. Beyond aesthetic value and social well-being, the trees provide essential ecosystem services to clean the air, protect and clean water, support biodiversity, shelter businesses from the blistering summer heat while assisting in conserving energy. The trees and plants will soften the city streetscape's harsh lines and help moderate temperatures and solar radiation for pedestrians and bicyclists.

“I am thrilled to see our concerted regional efforts and persistence in Sacramento pay off in millions of dollars of new public health and infrastructure investments for our community. This Urban Greening grant is a result of years of legislative advocacy to increase our district’s competitiveness and ensure

that underserved, environmentally vulnerable areas like ours receive our fair share of California Climate Investments,” said Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia. “I commend Mayor Hernandez and City of Coachella leaders for their focused pursuit of these state grants towards achieving their bold and strategic vision for a healthier, improved, and more sustainable downtown.”