North Bay Challenges Trump Administration Over 'Unconstitutional' Fed Grant Requirements

SONOMA COUNTY, CA — Petaluma and Santa Rosa are suing the government over "unlawful attempts" by the Trump administration to force local governments receiving federal grants to impose federal policies using local funds.

Petaluma, Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, Sonoma Water are among a dozen public agencies joining a lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and the heads of those agencies.

The lawsuit, County of Santa Clara v. Noem, challenges unlawful attempts by the Trump administration to require local governments receiving DHS and FEMA grants to use local resources to implement federal policies, according to a statement from the City of Santa Rosa.

“The federal administration continues to exercise powers it does not have,” Santa Rosa City Attorney Teresa Stricker said in the statement. “Now through threats of eliminating critical federal disaster and emergency funding, the federal administration is trying to force local governments to implement the President’s policy agenda in violation of the U.S. Constitution and the Administrative Procedures Act.”

At the core of the decision to join this lawsuit is the City’s ability to apply for future federal funding for disaster response and recovery, and acquire more than $20 million through four FEMA grants currently in process, city officials said. Funding currently at risk includes:

• $3.6 million for vegetation management activities to prevent future wildfire disasters
• $200,000 for specialized equipment for firefighters
• $2.36 million for 12 firefighter positions
• $14.2 million for construction of a floodwall at the Laguna wastewater treatment plant

“Santa Rosa is joining this lawsuit to make sure we have the opportunity to obtain federal funding after a disaster, just like we’ve done after recent fires and floods,” Mayor Mark Stapp said. “We also want to protect anticipated federal funding for critical disaster mitigation projects that are making our city infrastructure more resilient."