Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb joined mayors from two other midsized U.S. cities Monday on a press call to raise support for federal grants to improve the environment in the city.

It is unclear if the grants, which were awarded under the Biden administration, will be delivered to Cleveland and the other cities under the Trump administration, which froze federal grants. That freeze was temporarily blocked by the courts, but it is uncertain what grants will ultimately be awarded.

That’s created confusion over funding awarded by the Biden administration, said Bibb, chair emeritus of the Climate Mayors, a group of 350 mayors that hosted the press conference.

“There’s still a lot of uncertainty — a lot of questions about our… go-forward strategy as a city, but it remains clear that mayors in this moment have to protect and defend these investments and keep making the case on why these investments are important,” he said.

Bibb highlighted Cleveland’s effort to identify and address environmental issues like vacant lots, illegal dumping sites and homes contaminated with lead paint through the city’s Summer Safety Walks.

The mayor credits what he calls an “all-of-government” approach, which included staff members from public health, building and housing, economic development and other city departments, for a reduction in the number of homicides last year.

“That work has really allowed us to do a better job of making the connection for our residents on how the climate — how the built environment — really affects public safety,” Bibb said.

Cleveland’s drop in homicides mirrors a nationwide trend, according to data from the FBI. Violent crime in the United States spiked during the COVID-19 pandemic and has since fallen sharply across the country.

But Bibb says part of the drop in Cleveland is attributable to efforts to improve environments where people live.

“When you can tie it to making sure that abandoned house gets torn down, that’s progress,” he said. “When you can tie it to … planting more trees so kids aren’t struggling with asthma in a neighborhood, that’s progress. And so I think to me, that’s a really good framework for us as mayors to do this work moving forward.”

The possibility of federal cuts raises questions about the future of some local climate projects.

In July, the city kicked off its Community Forestry Corps Program, aiming to address urban forestry and stewardship, funded by a $3.4 million Inflation Reduction Action Grant.

In January, the city announced a $1 million comprehensive tree inventory to be funded by the same grant and several projects to expand solar power in Cuyahoga County were also approved.

That same month, the city was awarded nearly $70 million from the federal Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program to support its North Coast Connector Project.

Bibb says he is optimistic that Cleveland will still receive the funding it was previously awarded for its climate initiatives.

“We’re going to continue to make the case to our Northeast Ohio delegation in Washington to ensure they also see these investments through,” he said.