Earlier today Governor Gavin Newsom signed legislation outlining a $15 billion climate package, the largest such investment in state history, to combat the climate crisis, tackle catastrophic wildfires and help build a resilient California of the future. Included in the climate budget is a $819 million funding package for community resilience to support community-based, local and regional approaches to economic development and recovery, climate resilience, and capacity building.
Join the Governor's Office of Planning and Research (OPR) and the California Strategic Growth Council (SGC) tomorrow, September 24, from 1:00 p.m. -- 2:30 p.m. for a stakeholder webinar, during which leaders and staff experts will discuss the investments and answer your questions.
What: Climate Funding Announcement - Community Resilience Stakeholder Webinar
When: Friday, September 24, 1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.
How to Join:
Register in advance for the webinar at: https://governorca.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_2M9zwvEGTk6II_kUicZFow.
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing further information about how to join the webinar.
The webinar will cover investments in OPR and SGC's community resilience-focused programs, including:
· The Integrated Climate Adaptation and Resilience Program (ICARP) including funding for Regional Climate Resilience Planning and Implementation, Climate Adaptation and Resilience Planning Grants, Actionable Climate Science, and California’s Fifth Climate Change Assessment
· Transformative Climate Communities
· Regional Climate Collaboratives
· Community Resilience Centers
· Community Economic Resilience Fund
· Regional Early Action Planning Grants 2.0
Collectively, this multi-year package worth over $15 billion will protect Californians from the impacts of climate change and build our climate resilient future:
$1.5 BILLION WILDFIRE AND FOREST RESILIENCE PLAN Committing $1.5 billion to support a statewide strategy to bolster forest and wildfire resilience – the largest such investment in state history – to increase the pace and scale of fuels management measures, including:
● $825 million to create more resilient forests and landscapes through forest health and improvement programs and state land stewardship.
● $494 million for wildfire fuel break and fuel reduction projects, fuel reduction and prescribed fire hand crews, and local fire prevention grants.
● $47 million in funding for home hardening in vulnerable communities, CAL FIRE defensible space inspectors, and public education and outreach efforts.
● $82 million for science-based solutions to scale up fuel treatment and forest restoration.
$5.2 BILLION WATER AND DROUGHT RESILIENCE PACKAGE An unprecedented $5.2 billion over three years to support immediate drought response and long-term water resilience to help fund relief projects and build up the necessary infrastructure, including:
● Over $3 billion to improve water supply security and reduce flood risk, including investments in drinking water and wastewater infrastructure, with a focus on small and disadvantaged communities; groundwater cleanup and water recycling projects; Sustainable Groundwater Management Act implementation; and multi-benefit flood-risk reduction projects.
● $815 million for emergency drought relief projects that help secure and expand water supplies; small supplier and rural community drought contingency planning and preparedness projects; and multi-benefit land repurposing to provide long-term, flexible support for water users.
● Over $1 billion for nature-based solutions such as habitat restoration to protect and conserve California’s diverse ecosystems and wildlife corridor and fish passage projects to improve the ability of wildlife to migrate safely.
$3.7 BILLION CLIMATE RESILIENCE PACKAGE Providing $3.7 billion over three years to build resilience against the state's multi-faceted climate risks in the communities bearing the brunt of climate change, helping prepare communities for extreme heat, sea level rise, and the other effects of climate change:
● $800 million to address the impacts of extreme heat through programs including urban greening, funding to enable low-income families to reduce their energy bills by making their homes more energy efficient, community resilience centers to provide cooling and other services and funding to advance the Extreme Heat Framework as part of the state’s Climate Adaptation Strategy.
● $819 million to bolster community resilience through programs such as the California Climate Action Corps; the Transformative Climate Communities Program to fund community-led development and infrastructure projects that achieve environmental, health and economic benefits in disadvantaged areas; and the Environmental Justice Small Grants Program to support nonprofits and tribal governments to address issues like extreme heat and air pollution.
● $612 million to protect against sea level rise, including funding for the Ocean Protection Council and State Coastal Conservancy to implement coastal protection measures and for the Department of Parks and Recreation to advance a sea level rise adaptation strategy to protect state parks.
$3.9 BILLION ZERO EMISSION VEHICLE PACKAGE Nation-leading zero emission vehicle (ZEV) agenda that invests $3.9 billion to hit fast forward on California’s ZEV goals, continuing leading the transition to ZEVs on a global scale and preventing emissions:
● Over $1 billion to put 1,000 zero-emission school buses, 1,000 zero-emission transit buses, and 1,000 zero-emission drayage trucks on the roads, as well as building the necessary infrastructure on California roads.
● $925 million to invest in consumer adoption of ZEVs, with a focus on priority populations. This includes an expansion of Clean Cars 4 All that incentivizes low-income Californians to scrap their old car and replace it with a new or used advanced technology car, and funding for consumer rebates for new ZEV purchases through the Clean Vehicle Rebate Project.
● $500 million for clean trucks, buses, and off-road equipment programs that support the equitable transition of the transportation sector to zero-emission and provide critical air quality and health benefits to communities.
● $407 million for zero-emission rail and transit equipment purchases and infrastructure, and leasing state-of-the-art clean bus and rail equipment that helps eliminate fossil fuel emissions and increase intercity rail and intercity bus frequencies.
$1.1 BILLION TO SUPPORT CLIMATE-SMART AGRICULTURE California is committing $1.1 billion over two years to support sustainable agriculture practices and create a resilient and equitable food system amid climate-driven drought and extreme heat challenges.
● Over $127 million to bolster more resilient and equitable food systems, including funding for the California Farm to School Incubator Grant Program that expands healthy food access in schools while supporting farmers; the Farm to Community Food Hubs Program to facilitate the distribution of local, farm-fresh food to the public institutions and non-profit organizations; and assistance for urban farmers and community-based organizations.
● $916 million to promote climate smart agriculture, including funding for cleaner agricultural vehicles and engines, grants for alternative manure management and dairy digester projects to reduce methane emissions, incentives for alternatives to agricultural burning in the San Joaquin Valley, and technical assistance for the development of farm conservation management plans and groundwater management.
● $57 million to support economic recovery and high-road job growth in agricultural communities, including funding for beginning farmer training and apprenticeship programs and technical assistance to underserved farmers.
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