Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: 4/5ths
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Carolyn Bloede, Director of Office of Sustainability
Subject: Resolution Authorizing Acceptance of Grant Funds from the United States Environmental Protection Agency for the Athlone Full Trash Capture and Youth Education Project
RECOMMENDATION:
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Recommendation to:
A) Adopt a resolution authorizing the County of San Mateo to accept a $404,400 grant from the United States Environmental Protection Agency and enter into a grant agreement to fund the Athlone Full Trash Capture and Youth Education Project; and
B) Approve an Appropriation Transfer Request (ATR) recognizing $404,400 in grant funds from the United States Environmental Protection Agency to fund the project.
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BACKGROUND:
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) San Francisco Bay Water Quality Improvement Fund is a competitive grant program to protect and restore San Francisco Bay and its watersheds by improving water quality and restoring aquatic habitat. The program gives preference to proposals benefitting disadvantaged communities and where a 50 percent funding match is provided by the grantee.
The County of San Mateo received a US EPA San Francisco Water Quality Improvement Fund award in the amount of $404,400 to be spent within five years of the award. The grant funds will be leveraged by the County’s Department of Public Works (DPW) and will support the installation of a trash capture device in the North Fair Oaks (NFO) community to reduce trash from entering the San Francisco Bay. This project (Project) also includes direct outreach to youth in the NFO community, providing students with much needed opportunities for environmental science education that has clear connections to local sustainability issues.
Additionally, Project completion supports the County’s Stormwater Program compliance efforts, including trash reduction and improved water quality reported towards the California Regional Water Quality Control Board, San Francisco Bay Region Municipal Regional Stormwater National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Permit (MRP) requirement of 100 percent trash capture by 2025. This grant will leverage existing County investments ensuring clean local waterways and regulatory compliance.
DISCUSSION:
The Office of Sustainability (OOS) and DPW will collaborate to install and maintain a full trash capture device at the Athlone Terrace Pump Station located at Bay Road and Spring Street in North Fair Oaks. Engineered design plans of the trash capture device are complete and installation is set to begin once SamTrans permit approvals are finalized.
This Project builds upon existing and ongoing efforts by the County to reduce trash from entering waterways. The Project is strategically placed in a high trash generation area and as such will provide significant credit towards meeting state regulated trash reduction milestones by preventing approximately 3,500 gallons of trash per year from reaching San Francisco Bay. The full trash capture device is designed to capture other pollutants in addition to trash such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), mercury, and sediment loads, all pollutants of concern, from reaching the San Francisco Bay.
An education and outreach effort in the community will be launched leveraging existing OOS youth engagement programs and resources to engage local youth on a range of sustainability issues, including curriculum around stormwater pollution prevention and trash reduction. The hope is that by pairing education with the opportunity to see sustainability at work in their local community, the Project will inspire youth to become the next generation of environmental stewards. The Project will be completed by June 2025.
The County Attorney’s Office has reviewed and approved the agreement and resolutions as to form.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The total project cost is $826,549. Approval of the Appropriation Transfer Request will recognize grant funds in the amount of $404,400 from the US EPA. These funds are included in the OOS FY 2023-24 Approved Recommended Budget. The DPW FY 2023-24 Approved Recommended Budget includes $337,719 and the DPW FY 2024-25 Recommended Budget includes $84,430. The grant requires a 50% match which is met through the DPW budget amounts and OOS and DPW staff time. There is no new Net County Cost associated with this project.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Resolution authorizing the County of San Mateo to accept a $404,400 grant from the United States Environmental Protection Agency
2. United States Environmental Protection Agency Notice of Award