Title
El Dorado County Air Quality Management District (AQMD) recommending the Board of Supervisors, acting as the Board of Directors of the AQMD, authorize AQMD's Air Pollution Control Officer to execute a funding agreement with the El Dorado County Fire Safe Council (Fire Safe Council) providing funding for a biomass chipping program for residents within the Sacramento Federal PM2.5 Nonattainment Area which includes most communities in western El Dorado County.
FUNDING: Federal EPA Targeted Airshed Grant funding.
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DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
The federal Targeted Airshed Grant (TAG) program assists local, state, and tribal air pollution control agencies with developing plans and conducting projects to reduce air pollution in nonattainment areas that the United States Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) has determined are the top five most polluted areas relative to ozone, annual average fine particulate matter (PM2.5), or 24-hour PM2.5 National Ambient Air Quality Standards. On June 16, 2022, the EPA awarded Targeted Airshed Grant 98T36001 (“TAG Grant”) with the Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District (“SMAQMD”), in which AQMD was named a subrecipient. On August 16, 2022, the El Dorado County Air Quality Management District Board authorized the acceptance of TAG Grant funding for work on residential biomass chipping and unpaved roadway paving in the western portion of El Dorado County that lies within the SFNA. On September 15, 2022, AQMD and SMAQMD entered into Memorandum of Understanding (“MOU”) 2022-00000038, which defined each party’s role in the performance and administration of the work approved by the TAG Grant.
The biomass chipping will be conducted at private residences located within the SFNA portion of El Dorado County. Residents who wish to participate will be required to contribute to the program by cutting and stacking the biomass in an area that can easily be accessed by the Fire Safe Council chippers.
The total amount of funding is $355,000 and it will be available through December 31, 2026. This funding agreement would allow the Fire Safe Council to utilize TAG funding to implement the program and then request reimbursement from AQMD at the end of each quarter. The Fire Safe Council has requested that AQMD provide an initial advance payment of $150,000 in order to initially fund their biomass chipping expenditures until the funds from the quarterly TAG Grant reimbursements are distributed (approximately 2 months after the end of the calendar quarter). AQMD staff has determined that there is sufficient funding in AQMD discretionary funds to provide this advance. The advance would be re-paid by holding the last $150,000 in the Fire Safe Council's TAG Grant reimbursements and depositing these funds back into the AQMD account.
ALTERNATIVES
Board could opt to not approve AQMD entering into this funding agreement with the Fire Safe Council and not provide TAG funding for biomass chipping for residents inside the SFNA portion of the County.
PRIOR BOARD ACTION
On August 16, 2022, the Board approved AQMD's acceptance of up to $971,890 of TAG funding for biomass chipping and road paving projects and for the APCO to execute a Memorandum of Understanding with the SMAQMD.
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
County Counsel
CAO RECOMMENDATION / COMMENTS
Approve as recommended
FINANCIAL IMPACT
No General Fund impact, all funding comes from a federal EPA TAG grant, with an advance from AQMD discretionary funds.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
Clerk of the Board shall forward a certified copy of the Board's Minute Order to AQMD.
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
Healthy Communities
CONTACT
Dave Johnston, Air Pollution Control Officer