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U.S. Rep. Nikki Budzinski, D-Springfield, will hold a town hall meeting at 9 a.m. Friday at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5691, 1234 Vandalia Street in Collinsville.

Budzinski, whose district includes parts of St. Clair and Madison counties, will speak about her work on the House Veterans Affairs Committee.

Although she plans to address veterans' issues at her visit, Budzinski has been spending a lot of time recently making sure that the green, as in money, stays green, as in getting used for climate-friendly programs.

Budzinski recently urged the House Agricultural Committee to use millions of dollars from the Inflation Reduction Act to fund climate-conscious programs.

Budzinski and two other Democratic members on the committee wrote to the committee chair, urging that those funds ā€” almost $20 billion ā€”Ā not be diverted to other uses in the 2023 farm bill.

ā€œAt a time when farmers are facing a torrent of climate related disasters, it is more important than ever to provide the resources that enable farmers to remain profitable and resilient,ā€ Budzinski wrote.

The law provides $19.5 billion over five years to support USDAā€™s conservation programs that yield climate change mitigation benefits.

Some of the measures includeĀ fire and brush management to preserve grasslands; irrigation practices that save water; landscaping that reduces nutrient runoff; and manure management that help withĀ environmental regulations.Ģż

Along with protecting the land, Budzinski is also keeping an eye to the sky.

The first-term congresswoman has secured $500,000 from the Environmental Protection Agency to begin an air-pollution monitoring project in the Metro East.

Budzinski said the money ā€œwill be headed to the United Congregations of Metro East to monitor our local air quality and gain better insight into pollution in this region.ā€

The funds come from an EPA program that aids disadvantaged communities which have suffered from polluted air and contaminated water.