NEWS GLEAMS | Hundreds of Words Flagged by Federal Government to Limit; Limited Time for Heat Pump Rebates

The Trump administration has signaled a number of words to avoid, limit, or remove, as reported by The New York Times, which compiled a number of federal documents to arrive at the list. Some federal agencies have been asked to remove the words from their websites or educational curriculum, and it has been suggested that use of such words in grants or contracts may affect the likelihood that organizations will receive federal funding.

The words, which show up in official and unofficial documentation, include: activism, anti-racism, belong, biased, BIPOC, Black, climate crisis, cultural heritage, disability, discrimination, diversity, gender, immigrants, inclusion, inequality, LGBTQ, minority, multicultural, Native American, political, pollution, racism, sexuality, women, and more than 150 additional terms. Read the full list on The New York Times.

Time is running out for residents of Seattle to receive rebates offered by the City of Seattle's Office of Sustainability & Environment for transitioning away from oil heat toward heat pumps. Heat pumps — a technology found in refrigerators and air conditioners — is a heat-transfer technology that moves heat from where it is created to where it is needed, as opposed to generating it in the way boilers and electric heaters might.

As a result of how efficient heat pumps are, those heat pumps can be three to five times more energy-efficient than gas boilers and save individuals using oil heat more than 50% on their heating bills.

The City of Seattle's available rebates for heat pumps include:

• City of Seattle Clean Heat Program: Seattle households can save up to $8,000 transitioning from an oil furnace to a qualified heat pump. The available rebates include a $2,000 instant rebate, an instant $4,000 bonus rebate for qualifying moderate-income households, and a $2,000 federal tax credit for qualified heat pumps. Bonus rebates are funded by Washington State's Climate Commitment Act, which charges large carbon-emitting companies for their emissions and then reinvests those funds back into climate change solutions. These rebates are available through May 2025 unless the Washington State Legislature extends the offer.

• City of Seattle Low-Income Weatherization Program: Households below a particular income threshold may be eligible to replace their electric baseboard or oil furnace and replace a heat pump for free.

• Seattle City Light Rebates: Customers who do not qualify for the other two offers may be able to save between $300 and $600 on qualified heat pump systems.

The Port of Seattle is accepting proposals for its annual granting cycle for the South King County Community Impact Fund (SKCCIF) Economic Opportunities for Communities (EOC) Program. Established in 2019, the SKCCIF offers $10 million in investments to "develop equity-based partnerships and provide resources and support to historically underserved near-airport communities, addressing noise mitigation, environmental health, and sustainability."

The services and program supported by EOC, in particular, include those that connect historically underrepresented groups to jobs in port-related industries, including aviation, construction, green jobs, and maritime. Proposals must include three core components of being related to port-related industries, having a scope of career prep and career readiness, and a commitment to equity.

In this current funding cycle, $2 million is available. Funding duration and amounts include a single year of funding, ranging from $65,000 to $115,000, or multiyear funding of up to three years, for $100,000 to $275,000.

Eligible communities are near-airport cities and South King County, extending up to Duwamish Valley and Beacon Hill in Seattle. 

Applications for the SKCCIF are open through April 10 and are available on the Port of Seattle's website.

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