City of Thomasville leaders recently traveled to Washington, D.C. to advocate for the reinstatement of their $19.8 million Community Change Grant that was terminated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on May 1, 2025. The Thomasville grant was one of nearly 800 grants canceled nationwide.
According to City Manager Chris White, the meetings were productive and allowed for discussion on the challenges Thomasville is facing. “During the trip, Mayor Todd Mobley and I met with Georgia Congressman Buddy Carter and Alabama Congressman Gary Palmer. Both were very accommodating and understanding of the impact the grant cancellation has had on our community and vowed to advocate on behalf of the City.”
Carter and Palmer both serve on the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, with Palmer serving as Chairman of the Subcommittee on Environment, which has oversight over the EPA.
Thomasville’s Community Change Grant, in partnership with the Thomasville Community Development Corporation (TCDC), was set to provide the following:
Replacement of aged infrastructure of the wastewater collection system.
Renovations by TCDC at the Douglass School gymnasium and ancillary buildings to serve as a community resilience hub for critical needs, including the construction of a federally qualified health clinic to serve area residents.
Funding for TCDC’s Home Improvement Grant program, providing upgrades to single-family and multi-family homes in the Dewey City, Fletcherville, and Stevens Street Historic Districts.
White said the trip also provided an opportunity for him and Mayor Mobley to meet with senior EPA officials, including Associate Deputy Administrator Travis Voyles and Principal Deputy Associate Administrator for Intergovernmental Affairs John Eunice. In addition to addressing the loss of the EPA grant, the group had extensive discussions concerning new federal and state discharge requirements affecting the City’s Wastewater Treatment Facility permit. This could result in more than $60 million in upgrades to meet the new requirements.
“This mandate will put a tremendous burden on customers and significantly impact the City’s overall financial position,” White said.
Despite these challenges, White emphasized the importance of the conversations that took place in Washington. “We are appreciative of the time that was afforded to us by the Congressmen and EPA staff and the efforts of John Crawford with our lobbying firm, Coleman Talley, for coordinating this visit. City leadership continues to take a positive approach to the grant appeals process, and we are hopeful that the work of many advocating on our behalf will benefit our community.”
For additional information or questions, please contact Ricky Zambrano, Public Information Manager, at 229-227-7041.