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By Mohamed Farghaly

In a significant reversal, New York City has allocated over $6 million to reinstate funding for its community composting program as part of the newly approved fiscal year 2025 budget. This move comes after Mayor Eric Adams initially slashed all funding for the initiative last fall, citing escalating costs and budgetary shortfalls amid increased service demands.

The restoration of funds marks a victory for advocates and city council members who rallied behind the program, emphasizing its environmental benefits and community impact. Under the revised budget, the City Council restructured the funding mechanism to safeguard it against future cuts, shifting control away from the Department of Sanitation to ensure stability.

Among the beneficiaries of the renewed funding are longstanding groups like GrowNYC, along with a broader spectrum of organizations including microhauler Bk Rot and The Brotherhood Sister Sol, which operates a community garden in Manhattan.

“We are never going to slash and burn our way to a green city,” Council Member Shaun Abreu, who chairs the sanitation committee, said in a statement. “Today, we celebrate these wins. Tomorrow, we continue the work toward a cleaner, safer, climate-resilient city.”