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C. 98

To:	Board of Supervisors
From:	John Kopchik, Director, Conservation & Development Department
Date:	September 7, 2021

Contra

Costa

County

Subject:

Interagency agreement with the Regents of the University of California

APPROVE	OTHER
RECOMMENDATION OF CNTY ADMINISTRATOR	RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE

Action of Board On: 09/07/2021

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 - 925-655-2815

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: September 7, 2021
Monica Nino, County Administrator

BY:	, Deputy

RECOMMENDATION(S):

APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the Conservation and Development Director, or designee, to execute an interagency agreement with The Regents of the University of California, including modified indemnification language, in an amount not to exceed $58,235 to conduct a carbon sequestration feasibility study being developed by the Department of Conservation and Development through a grant from the California Strategic Growth Council.

FISCAL IMPACT:

The cost of this interagency agreement will be paid from the Sustainable Agricultural Lands Conservation grant from the California Strategic Growth Council. (90% grant funds; 5% local match funds; 5% local in-kind match)

BACKGROUND:

On August 11, 2020, the Board of Supervisors authorized the Director of the Department of Conservation and Development (DCD), 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 of the different land uses in Contra Costa County, as recommended by the Sustainability Committee. The Board also authorized the DCD Director, or designee, to execute a Sustainable Agricultural Lands Conservation grant agreement with the State of California, Department of Conservation, and related

documents in connection with the grant agreement to accept Sustainable Agricultural Lands Conservation grant funds. The Board further authorized DCD to pay the $12,500 local match from the General Fund revenues allocated to the Sustainability function, in accordance with the requirements of the grant agreement.

On January 21, 2021, DCD received notification from the California Department of Conservation that our grant application was approved. Our project – Healthy Lands, Healthy People: A Carbon Sequestration Feasibility Study – includes as partners the Contra Costa Resource Conservation District and the University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE). The three partner agencies will each perform a portion of the work to implement the grant and will spend a proportionate share of the funds.

The County will serve as the fiscal agent and will receive $16,330. The County will submit all invoices and quarterly and final reports to the State and will serve as the primary contact with the State for purposes of this project. The County will enter into agreements with the partners and contractors for the work that will occur under this project. As described in the Grant Agreement between the State and the County, the County will ensure that project partners are on time and on task for their commitments to this project.

The Resource Conservation District will receive $52,060. CCRCD will participate on the steering team conducting outreach efforts as part of the project. CCRCD will identify and analyze the carbon sequestration potential of all applicable Contra Costa County agricultural lands as identified by the County, including the potential to support a range of carbon sequestering management practices. Additionally, CCRCD will develop an urban farm carbon sequestration plan.

The UC Cooperative Extension will receive $58,235. UCCE will play a lead role in engaging the community and enhancing local understanding of the importance of carbon sequestration through urban and peri-urban farms and gardens, and what practices can promote improved soil health in the process. UCCE will produce a video explaining carbon sequestration, in both English and Spanish. UCCE will work closely with other agencies, land trusts, park districts, and community-based groups and will make significant attempts to reach historically underserved communities. UCCE will contribute to the preparation of the feasibility study report.

A contractor will also be retained to perform work on the project. The consultant is budgeted for $135,875, of which $12,500 will be covered by the matching funds from DCD.

The DCD Director has executed the grant agreement with the State, as authorized by the Board, as well as an interagency agreement with the Resource Conservation District.

The proposed agreement includes a mutual indemnification provision which provides that each party will defend and indemnify the other for injuries or losses arising out of the performance of the agreement.

CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:

Failure to authorize the contract with the modified indemnification language would result in the County not being able to meet its commitments to the State that are part of the SALC grant.