Newsletter | September 2021 Questions? 800.757.2907 In This Edition...Announcements and Updates
Opportunities for Funding and Resources
California Climate Investments in Action
ANNOUNCEMENTS AND UPDATES
The California Air Resources Board is holding a virtual workshop on the Draft Cap-and-Trade Auction Proceeds Fourth Investment Plan on September 2nd from 2:30 to 5:00 p.m. The Investment Plan is submitted to the Legislature every three years to guide the investment of Cap-and-Trade auction proceeds. The Fourth Investment Plan will cover Fiscal Years 2022–23 through 2024–25. This workshop is an opportunity for the public to learn more about and comment on the Draft Fourth Investment Plan. The Draft Fourth Investment Plan is now posted for public comment. (link) Visit the Fourth Investment Plan website to learn more and register for the workshop. Subscribe to CARB’s California Climate Investments listserv to receive updates and contact ggrfprogram@arb.ca.gov if you have any questions. 
The California Air Resources Board has released the 2021 California Climate Investments Mid-Year Data Update, reporting implementation of over $728 million from December 2020 through May 2021, a cumulative total of just over $9 billion. This includes 53,800 new projects, nearly 700 new affordable housing units under contract, and nearly 51,000 new rebates for zero-emission and plug-in hybrid vehicles. Cumulatively, 542,000 projects have reduced an estimated 70 Million Metric Tons carbon dioxide equivalent, not including expected GHG reductions attributable to High-Speed Rail. To date, $4.5 billion in California Climate Investments funds have benefitted priority populations — 51 percent of all project investments. To see the full 2021 Mid-Year Data Update, visit the California Climate Investments Annual Report webpage. 
California Climate Investments has invested almost $650 million towards wildfire prevention work throughout the state. In Ukiah, the Forest Health Program funded a prescribed fire as a safeguard against potential uncontrolled wildfire. Prescribed fire practices benefit from knowledge long held by California’s Tribes and leverage that expertise towards the safety of communities in high fire-risk areas in California. Learn more about the Ukiah prescribed fire below, read the project profile highlighting this effort, and visit CAL FIRE’s website to learn more about the program. 
California Climate Investments recently concluded its series of seven audience-tailored webinars, with the last webinar, Funding for Tribal Governments, held on July 27th. Each webinar offered an opportunity for attendees to hear from past grantees and agency staff as they shared pathways to success and resources available to their applicant type. The seven audiences the series focused on were:
View webinar recordings and download the PowerPoint slides for past webinars on the California Climate Investments website. 
Community Connections is a tool to help organizations and agencies find partners interested in California Climate Investments. Partnerships ensure that project proposals reflect the perspectives needed to build resilient communities and implement meaningful investment. We invite you to join and use this directory to connect and build relationships across the state, as well as within your community. Sign up to join the directory and find partnerships online, through the California Climate Investments website. OPPORTUNITIES FOR FUNDING AND RESOURCES
SGC Releases the BOOST Program Application SurveyThe California Strategic Growth Council (SGC) released an application survey for the BOOST Program, a statewide program tailored to help California cities and towns advance their climate action, resilience, and equity objectives. This technical assistance program supports under-resourced cities and towns in building capacity, optimizing existing resources, strengthening community partnerships, and transforming their approach to address and fund climate activities. The application will be open until September 10th, 2021. Visit SGC’s YouTube page (link) to view an informational webinar recording. Learn more and apply. 
SGC/DOC: Sustainable Agricultural Lands Conservation, Round 7 Planning and Acquisition Grants Solicitation DeadlineThe Department of Conservation and Strategic Growth Council’s Sustainable Agricultural Lands Conservation Program Round 7, applications are due by September 10th, 2021, for those applicants notified as eligible based on their pre-application submittals. SALC supports land conservation and agricultural resilience with the purchase of agricultural conservation easements, development of agricultural land strategy plans, and other land use management mechanisms. 
Community Air Grants: Open Request for ApplicationsThe application period is now open for the Community Air Grants Program. Community Air Grants provide funding to community-based organizations to support participation in the AB 617 Community Air Protection Program and to partner with government to identify, evaluate, and ultimately reduce air pollution and exposure to harmful emissions in their communities. Program staff have hosted two virtual events about the program and have published recordings of one of the events as well as an FAQ. Check out the program timeline and explore the event materials below. Applications are due October 1st, 2021. 
The Healthy Soils Program Receives $50 million for Drought Relief; Upcoming Application PeriodThe Healthy Soils Program supports conservation management implementation on California's farmlands and ranchlands that improves soil health, sequesters carbon, and reduces greenhouse gas emissions. An application submission period is expected in fall 2021. Visit the program web page to see the application timeline, including an upcoming public comment period on draft program guidelines. 
The State Water Efficiency and Enhancement Program Receives $40 million for Drought Relief; Upcoming Application PeriodThe State Water Efficiency and Enhancement Program (SWEEP) provides financial assistance in the form of grants to implement irrigation systems that reduce greenhouse gases and save water on California agricultural operations. A tentative application submission period is expected in September 2021. Visit the program web page to see the application timeline, including an upcoming public comment period on draft program guidelines. Sign up to stay up to date. 
Workforce Training and Workforce Support Available Through the California Conservation CorpsThe California Conservation Corps (CCC) offers workforce support for climate projects through their Forest Health and Energy Corps programs. Additionally, the CCC offers workforce training development to adults ages 18-25 (or up to 29 for US veterans). California Conservation Corps members are compensated to serve in a wide range of fields, and are at the frontlines of wildfire prevention, energy efficiency, emergency response and natural resource conservation. CALIFORNIA CLIMATE INVESTMENTS IN ACTION
White House National Climate Adviser, Energy Secretary, and Commerce Secretary Take a Ride on California Climate Investments-Funded Zero-Emission TrucksNational climate adviser Gina McCarthy and Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm celebrated progress on President Biden's infrastructure package by discussing the bipartisan infrastructure framework while riding a Kenworth fuel-cell, zero-emissions truck funded through the Zero and Near Zero Emission Freight Facility Projects. They were joined by Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo who rode a battery-electric Peterbilt truck funded through the Advanced Technology Drayage Truck Demonstration Project. Check out the drive and discussion. Learn more about these and other projects on the Moving California website. 
Groundbreaking Ceremony Celebrates New Transit-Oriented DevelopmentNational Community Renaissance (National CORE), the Santa Ana United Methodist Church, Mercy House, the County of Orange, and the City of Santa Ana celebrated the much-anticipated groundbreaking of Legacy Square, a transit-oriented affordable housing development in the heart of Santa Ana. Upon completion, Legacy Square will provide 93 apartment homes for families and individuals with household incomes between 30 and 60 percent of the area median income. The Strategic Growth Council awarded National CORE a $25.4 million grant through the Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities Program for the development, with $15 million directed toward the affordable housing community and the remainder allocated toward transportation and public improvements, including street trees and a small park. 
Caltrans approves the latest set of LCTOP ProjectsOn August 5th, Caltrans announced almost $82 million in awards through the Low Carbon Transit Operations Program. The funding covers 134 public transportation projects that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase available transportation options for communities across the state. Most projects provide direct benefits to disadvantaged and low-income communities. Check out StreetsBlog’s article for a breakdown of the project types and locations. 
Free Bus Rides for Youth Under 18 Starting in Orange County this SeptemberOrange County youth will soon be able to board the OC bus for free under a promotional program approved by the Orange County Transportation Authority’s board of directors and funded by Caltrans’ Low Carbon Transit Operations Program. “By allowing young people in Orange County to ride OC buses for free, a new generation of riders will know how convenient and affordable the bus system is,” said the County District 1 Director. This program is one of a collection of efforts to respond to public needs during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The pass program begins in September and will run until the end of February 2022. 
Bay Area Air Quality Management District Funds 7 Zero-Emission TractorsThe Bay Area Air Quality Management District announced the deployment of seven zero-emission tractors at Bay Area farms as part of an approximately $1 million grant through the California Climate Investments’ Funding Agricultural Reduction Measures for Emission Reductions (FARMER) Program to demonstrate zero-emission technology in Bay Area agricultural operations. The program is the first-of-its-kind in California, where moving from diesel-powered to zero-emission equipment across all sectors of the economy is a priority to achieve significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, criteria pollutants, and toxic emissions. 
CTE Wins Grant to Complete Largest Commercial Deployment of Class 8 Fuel C Cell Electric Trucks in North AmericaThe Center for Transportation and the Environment was recently awarded a grant to support the deployment of 30 Hyundai XCIENT Class 8 hydrogen fuel cell electric trucks (FCET) in Northern California. This project will be the largest commercial deployment of Class 8 hydrogen FCETs in North America. The grant is partially funded by California Climate Investments and was awarded by the California Air Resources Board and the California Energy Commission’s Clean Transportation Program. INVESTING IN COMMUNITIES FOR A BETTER FUTURE California Climate Investments is a statewide initiative that puts billions of Cap-and-Trade dollars to work reducing greenhouse gas emissions, strengthening the economy, and improving public health and the environment. These investments support projects in communities throughout California, specifically focusing on disadvantaged communities and low-income residents. Questions? 800.757.2907 Hablamos Español    |
September Newsletter 2021
