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AD HOC COMMITTEE ON SUSTAINABILITY

Meeting Date:	08/22/2016
Subject: PROVIDE direction regarding strategies for pursuing funds to support Climate Action Plan implementation and other sustainability programs and projects
Submitted For:	John Kopchik, Director, Conservation & Development Department
Department:	Conservation & Development
Referral No.:
Referral Name:	RECEIVE update on funding opportunities associated with the Climate Action Plan and Sustainability.
Presenter:	Jody London, Sustainability Coordinator, DCD	Contact:	Jody London (925)674-7871

Information

Referral History:

There is no referral history for this item.

Referral Update:

BACKGROUND:
In June, the County hired its first Sustainability Coordinator, Jody London, to oversee implementation of the Climate Action Plan the County adopted in December 2015. One of the expectations for the Sustainability Coordinator is to “Lead efforts to acquire new funding to support and expand the county’s sustainability efforts (especially focusing on the new Cap and Trade funding stream).” Ms. London, in collaboration with staff from several departments, has identified several grant opportunities, described below. The deadlines for Cap and Trade funds in most sectors were earlier this year.

Future of the Cap and Trade Program

There is debate at the State level about the future of the Cap and Trade program, which is administered by the California Air Resources Board. The scope of regulatory authority provided by AB 32 to require emissions reductions substantially below the 2020 limit is unclear after 2020. The law is clear the 2020 limit remains in effect indefinitely. The Cap and Trade program is not liked by all, and the state Chamber of Commerce is challenging the program in court, while other groups continue to complain about it. The California Chamber of Commerce is claiming that Cap and Trade is basically a tax, and should have been passed by a 2/3 vote of the Legislature, rather than a simple majority.

This issue is anticipated to be a major topic in the final weeks of this legislative session, as some legislators push to pass legislation that would extend the program. The Governor on August 4 announced the possibility of putting the question of extending the Cap and Trade program before the voters, rather than resolving it in the Legislature.

Further complicating the picture, the May Cap and Trade auction yielded significantly less activity, and revenue, than prior auctions. The June auction of reserve allowances was cancelled. The next scheduled auction is August 16. It is not clear when Cap and Trade grant funds will next be available. The Sustainability Coordinator and other staff will continue to monitor Cap and Trade developments.

Cap and Trade Funds In Contra Costa County

According to the California Air Resources Board, nearly $27.5 million in Greenhouse Gas Reduction Funds have been awarded to 2,778 projects or vouchers in Contra Costa County. This is 1.9 percent of all Greenhouse Gas Reduction funds awarded in California. The projects or vouchers in Contra Costa County include a large number of rebates through the clean vehicle rebate program for personal and fleet vehicles, weatherization of low income homes, and solar installations on low income housing. $12.3 million has benefitted “disadvantaged communities” as defined by the California Environmental Protection Agency (738 projects), and $10.5 million of that amount has been awarded to projects located in those disadvantaged communities (145 projects). Attachment A is a table of all Cap and Trade funds awarded in Contra Costa County through December 2015, as reported by the California Air Resources Board.

As a reminder, the table below shows the different programs that the County has been tracking, along with staff leads:

Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund Program	County Staff Leads
Low Carbon Transit Operations Program	John Cunningham, DCD
Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities	Kara Douglas, DCD
	Maureen Toms, DCD
	John Cunningham, DCD
	Jerry Fahy, PW
Low Carbon Transportation	Joe Yee, PW
Weatherization Upgrades/Renewable Energy	Laura Glass, DCD
Energy Efficiency in Public Buildings	Brian Balbas, PW
	Andy Green, PW
Agricultural Energy and Operational Efficiency	Chad Godoy, Agriculture
Water Action Plan - Wetlands & Watershed Restoration	Abby Fateman, DCD
	Mike Carlson, PW
Sustainable Forests	George Laing, CCCFPD
Waste Diversion	Deidra Dingman, DCD

DCD = Dept. of Conservation and Development PW = Dept. of Public Works CCCFPD = Contra Costa County Fire Protection District

Grant Opportunities

Below is a summary of grant opportunities with which the Sustainability Coordinator has assisted to date:

Grant	Granting Entity	Amount, Deadline	Purpose	Lead Department	Status
Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities	Strategic Growth Council	$12 million, June 20, 2016	Heritage Point housing, North Richmond	Conservation and Public Works	Awaiting determination of whether proposal will be granted.
Recycled Carpet Product Placement	CA Carpet Stewardship Program	$50,000. Deadline 9/30.	Test recycled content carpets and floor coverings.	Public Works	Application being prepared.
Targeted Site Investigation Program	CA Dept of Toxic Substances and Control	$45,000. Deadline 7/11.	Clean up brownfields sites.	Conservation and Development	Not pursuing. Lead staff report all the sites have been investigated, County has no need for this grant.
Brownfields Area-Wide Planning	U.S. EPA	Up to $200,000. Deadline 8/10.	Planning grants for brownfields re-development.	Conservation and Development	Preparing application helped staff realize the project will be more viable for this type of grant funding when there is stronger linkage between community benefits and reuse opportunities. Guidance from Committee and/or Board would be helpful in this regard. No proposal submitted at this time.
Partners for Places	Urban Sustainability Directors Network, Funders’ Network.	$25,000 - $75,000 with a 1:1 match required by one or more local, place-based foundations. Bi-yearly application process.	Increase collaboration between local government sustainability programs and local philanthropy.	Conservation and Development	Conservation and Development Director, Deputy Director, and Sustainability Coordinator and Supervisor Gioia met July 22, 2016, with East Bay Community Foundation Executive Director and Interim Director of Community Partnerships to discuss opportunities for potential collaboration. Goal will be to identify a project for next round of Partners for Places.
Statewide Water Efficiency And Enhancement Program	CA Dept of Food and Agriculture	Up to $200,000. Deadline 8/5.	On-farm projects that provide water savings and reduce greenhouse gas emissions	Applications come from farmers.	Sustainability Coordinator notified Agriculture Department of opportunity.

Recommendation(s)/Next Step(s):

PROVIDE direction regarding strategies for pursuing funds to support Climate Action Plan implementation and other sustainability programs and projects.

Fiscal Impact (if any):

Unknown. Fiscal Impact is dependent on grants and other funds awarded.

Attachments
Attachment A to Sustainability Coordinator Funding Report