To: Board of Supervisors
From: John Kopchik, Director, Conservation and Development
Report Title: Grant application to the Bay Area Air District from their Local Community Benefits Fund for Richmond and Surrounding Communities
?Recommendation of the County Administrator ? Recommendation of Board Committee
RECOMMENDATIONS:
APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the Conservation and Development Director, or designee, to apply for and accept, if awarded, a grant of up to $15 million from the Bay Area Air District Reinvesting Penalties for Air Improvement and Resilience grant program to perform with partners a range of projects and programs to benefit the North Richmond community.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The Catalyst grant has a maximum award of $15,000,000. Funds will be allocated between the County and co-applicants as described in detail below. The allocation to the County is $2,827,021 and includes administrative costs, with the balance allocated among other partners. No County matching funds required.
BACKGROUND:
This grant application is largely modeled off the $19 million U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) community change grant the County was awarded during the Biden administration but which was effectively cancelled at the start of current Trump administration. The work invested by County staff and partner agencies to develop that grant has formed the foundation of this proposal.
The Bay Area Air District (Air District) adopted the Community Benefits Penalty Funds Policy to directly support communities disproportionately impacted by air pollution. Penalty funds and other funds from enforcement actions are administered through the Bay REPAIR (Reinvesting Penalties for Air Improvement and Resilience) program and are allocated to the Local Community Benefits Fund or the Regional Community Benefits Fund. The Local Community Benefits Fund reinvests back in the specific community affected by the air quality violations that led to the penalty. The Local Community Benefits...
Click here for full text