WASHINGTON (Reuters) –

President Donald Trump’s administration has placed holds on U.S. government grants to states and local communities as part of its drive to significantly reduce federal spending.

Environmental Clean-Up

Around $130 million of funding is currently paused for a group of Ohio projects aimed at replacing a coal plant from 1888 with a solar power installation and battery backup system, along with updating brownfields and landfills in Cleveland.

Long Bridge Rail

A $2.3 billion project is underway to add two railroad tracks to the existing ones linking Virginia to Washington, D.C. This bridge services 1.3 million Amtrak passengers and 4.5 million Virginia Railway Express commuters, operating at 98% capacity during peak hours.

Farmer Conservation

More than $3 billion was allocated in the Inflation Reduction Act to promote conservation practices among agricultural producers and forest landowners. Thousands of farmers have applied for this U.S. Agriculture Department program, which reimburses costs for soil maintenance activities like planting cover crops or restoring wetlands.

Microporous in Danville

A $1.35 billion plant by Microporous aims to produce battery separators, potentially revitalizing Danville, which has faced significant losses in tobacco and textile industries over the past decades. This project could create over 2,000 new jobs in the industrial park anchored by Microporous, according to City Manager Ken Larking.