Title
Environmental Management Department recommending the Board adopt and authorize the Chair to sign the following Resolutions authorizing the submittal of applications to the State of California, Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery:
1) Resolution 067-2020, for all eligible Individual Grants;
2) Resolution 068-2020, for all eligible Regional Grants;
3) Resolution 069-2020, for all eligible Individual Payment Programs; and
4) Resolution 070-2020, for all eligible Regional Payment Programs.
FUNDING: Non-General Fund / Various Grants and Payment Programs Awarded by the State of California, Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery.
Body
DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
The State of California, Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle), administers various Grants and Payment Programs, which are managed at the local level by cities and counties (jurisdictions). CalRecycle’s procedures for administering grant and payment program applications require the applicant’s governing body to declare by resolution certain authorizations related to the administration of these funds.
CalRecycle’s various grant and payment programs offer funding opportunities authorized by State legislation to assist public and private entities in the safe and effective management of multiple waste streams, thereby preserving landfill capacity throughout the State as well as protecting public health and safety, and the environment. Further, these programs encourage recycling, reuse, and reduction of waste. The approval of these resolutions will ensure that the Environmental Management Department (Environmental Management) is able to apply for all eligible grant and payment program opportunities funded by and awarded by CalRecycle as they become available.
On October 10, 2017 (Item No. 25, File No. 17-0961), the Board adopted Resolution 151-2017 authorizing the submittal of applications to CalRecycle for all eligible payment programs, and Resolution 152-2017 authorizing the submittal of applications to CalRecycle for all eligible grants. Copies of these Resolutions, as applicable, are uploaded as part of the application process for each CalRecycle grant or payment program. Upon Environmental Management’s application submittal for the current Local Government Waste Tire Enforcement Grant, Cycle 27, staff were notified by CalRecycle that the current resolution for grants, Resolution 152-2017, is no longer appropriate to use as this grant is not open to regional applicants and is an individual grant. Though Resolution 152-2017 authorizes the submittal of both individual and regional grant applications, CalRecycle has indicated that separate resolutions are now necessary and should be prepared in accordance with CalRecycle’s resolution templates. CalRecycle did accept Resolution 152-2017 with this grant application, but advised that new resolutions would need to be approved by the Board for future application submittals.
As such, Environmental Management has prepared separate resolutions for individual and regional grants, which will supersede Resolution 152-2017. Additionally, though not indicated yet by CalRecycle, Environmental Management has also prepared separate resolutions for individual and regional payment programs, which will supersede Resolution 151-2017. This will also allow the proposed resolutions to be on the same term renewal as all four resolutions would remain in effect for a period of five years from the date of the Board's approval.
Environmental Management applies for various grant funds as they are offered by CalRecycle, the majority of which are offered on an annual basis with a two year grant cycle. Examples of CalRecycle grant programs that Environmental Management has recently been awarded funding under include the following:
• Local Government Waste Tire Amnesty Grant, which provides funding to local jurisdictions to hold collection events for the public to recycle their waste tires free of charge. During the 2017/18 grant cycle, Environmental Management contracted with El Dorado Disposal and South Tahoe Refuse in order to collect waste tires from residents at their respective Material Recovery Facilities on a daily basis for approximately 14 months. Additionally, Environmental Management conducted two temporary collection events in remote areas of the County. Overall, this resulted in the collection of 21,441 waste tires that were recycled.
• Local Government Waste Tire Enforcement Grant, which provides funding to local governments to investigate illegal waste tire disposal activities and perform waste tire inspections of applicable businesses to ensure compliance with all applicable laws and regulations.
• Local Government Food Waste Prevention and Rescue Grant Program, which provides funding to local governments to lower overall greenhouse gas emissions by establishing new, or by expanding existing, food waste prevention projects (source reduction or food rescue for people) in California to reduce the amount of food disposed of in landfills. Environmental Management is currently working with the Food Bank of El Dorado County to purchase various vehicles and equipment to increase the ability to collect recoverable food for distribution to the community.
• Local Government Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Grant, which provides funding to local governments to expand or implement HHW programs for the collection of HHW. Environmental Management is currently using this funding for staffing temporary HHW collection events as well as to resurface the flooring at its permanent HHW collection facility at the Bass Lake Fire Station.
Additionally, Environmental Management applies for various payment program funds as they are offered by CalRecycle, the majority of which are offered on an annual basis with a two year grant cycle. Examples of CalRecycle payment programs that Environmental Management has recently been awarded funding under include the following:
• Beverage Container Recycling City/County Payment Program, which provides funding to local governments for the furtherance of beverage container recycling and litter clean-up activities, and includes projects such as public education and the placement of recycling bins for qualifying beverage containers. Environmental Management is currently using the majority of this funding for education outreach performances at local elementary schools with the remaining funds used to purchase recycling bins.
• Used Oil Payment Program, which provides funding to local governments for implementation of local used oil and oil filter collection programs, and includes programs such as establishing, maintaining, and/or enhancing used oil and oil filter collection/recycling programs, development and distribution of educational materials, personnel costs for staffing and training, and purchasing used oil collection program materials. Environmental Management uses the majority of funding under this payment program for staffing costs for collection events, public outreach and advertising, and purchasing collection materials for residents of the County. During the previous payment program cycle, this resulted in the successful collection and recycling of 32,961gallons of used oil and 12,296 pounds of used oil filters at no cost to County residents.
ALTERNATIVES
The Board may choose not to adopt the four proposed Resolutions. This would result in Environmental Management’s forfeiture of potential funding opportunities from various CalRecycle grants and payment programs. As indicated above, CalRecycle has indicated that the current Resolutions in effect are no longer compliant with CalRecycle’s requirements and would not be accepted for certain grants and payment programs going forward. These funding opportunities provide an avenue in which Environmental Management can increase solid and other waste diversion services and provide recycling opportunities at no cost to the residents of the County.
PRIOR BOARD ACTION
See Discussion/Background above.
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
County Counsel has approved the proposed Resolutions.
CAO RECOMMENDATION / COMMENTS
It is recommended that the Board approve this item.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
There is no change to Net County cost associated with this item. No matching contributions are required for the above mentioned CalRecycle grants and payment programs.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
1) The Clerk of the Board will obtain the Chair’s signature on each of the original Resolutions for grants and payment programs.
2) The Clerk of the Board will forward a copy of each fully-executed Resolution to Environmental Management for further processing.
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
Healthy Communities
CONTACT
Greg Stanton, REHS, Director
Environmental Management Department