Agenda

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C. 18

To:	Board of Supervisors
From:	John Kopchik, Director, Conservation & Development Department
Date:	August 11, 2020

Contra

Costa

County

Subject:

Sustainable Agricultural Lands Conservation Grant Application

APPROVE	OTHER
RECOMMENDATION OF CNTY ADMINISTRATOR	RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE

Action of Board On: 08/11/2020

APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED

OTHER

Clerks Notes:

VOTE OF SUPERVISORS

AYE:

John Gioia, District I Supervisor
Candace Andersen, District II Supervisor
Diane Burgis, District III Supervisor
Karen Mitchoff, District IV Supervisor
Federal D. Glover, District V Supervisor

Contact:

Jody London, 925-674-7871

I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of an action taken and entered on the minutes of the Board of Supervisors on the date shown.
ATTESTED: August 11, 2020
David Twa,

BY:	, Deputy

RECOMMENDATION(S):

ADOPT Resolution No. 2020/209 authorizing the Director of Conservation and Development, or designee, to apply for and accept a $250,000 State of California Department of Conservation Sustainable Agricultural Lands Conservation grant to fund a carbon sequestration feasibility study, as recommended by the Sustainability Committee.

AUTHORIZE the Director of Conservation and Development, or designee, to expend $25,000 to meet the match requirements of the grant, with $12,500 of this amount to be spent on in-kind (staff) expenses.

FISCAL IMPACT:

The Sustainable Agricultural Lands Conservation grant program requires all grant recipients to provide a 10 percent match. Half of this match amount can be an in-kind contribution, including staff time. Staff anticipates submitting a grant application for $250,000. The County would need to contribute a total of $25,000. The Department proposes to rely on existing General Fund revenues allocated to the Sustainability function.

BACKGROUND:

Contra Costa County is in the process of updating its Climate Action Plan. A strategy that is recognized as an effective way to reduce the impacts of greenhouse gas emissions is carbon sequestration. Carbon sequestration refers to practices that pull carbon from the atmosphere and sequester it deep in the soil. Carbon sequestration can take form of increasing the ability of plants and the soil to absorb carbon. This approach to carbon sequestration also increases water-holding capacity, reduces erosion, and creates healthier soil ecosystems, making it one of the most cost-effective carbon capture strategies available. Carbon sequestration can be used in a variety of land uses. The attached fact sheet provides more information.

The draft goals and strategies for the Climate Action Plan update, which the Sustainability Committee has reviewed, include studying the feasibility of carbon sequestration. At the May 29, 2020 meeting, the Sustainability Committee recommended that the Board authorize the Director of the Department of Conservation and Development, or his designee, to apply for the California Department of Conservation Sustainable Agricultural Lands Conservation (SALC) planning grant for funding to support a carbon sequestration feasibility study for the different land use types in Contra Costa County.

The SALC grant is a component of the California Strategic Growth Council's Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities Program. The California Department of Conservation, in conjunction with the Natural Resources Agency, administers SALC on behalf of the Strategic Growth Council. The SALC program supports California's greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction goals by making strategic investments to protect agricultural lands from conversion to more GHG-intensive uses. Other State planning priorities addressed by the SALC program focus on supporting new development that uses land efficiently, is built adjacent to existing developed areas, is located in areas appropriately planned for growth, is served by adequate transportation and other essential utilities and services, and minimizes ongoing costs to taxpayers (CA Government Code 65041-65051).

The application deadline for this grant is August 28, 2020. Staff submitted a pre-proposal on July 1, 2020 and are revising the proposal to incorporate feedback received from the State. The application template is attached, as well as the State’s required grant agreement. The State’s required grant agreement requires the County to indemnify the State; DCD is amicable to accepting funds the County may receive, subject to this requirement.

Staff anticipates collaborating with a range of stakeholders for this study, including the Contra Costa Resource Conservation District, University of California Agricultural Extension, County Integrated Pest Management Program, urban agriculture organizations, the East Bay Regional Park District, Save Mount Diablo, East Contra Costa County Habitat Conservancy, and others as appropriate.

The grant requires a 10% local match. Half of this can be an in-kind contribution. The 5% local match funds will come from the Department of Conservation and Development's existing operating budget. The 5% local in-kind match will be staff time, mainly the time of the Sustainability Coordinator to administer the grant and plan and implement stakeholder engagement for each land use type.

The grant will fund a feasibility study for potential future carbon sequestration projects. Any project would be considered for approval at a later date and the County would comply with any applicable project-related CEQA requirements at that time.

CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:

Failure to authorize pursuit of the grant would result in the County losing an opportunity to leverage a small investment with significant State funds toward achieving the County's climate goals.