EAST PALO ALTO
CITY COUNCIL
STAFF REPORT
DATE: February 15, 2022
TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
VIA: Jaime M. Fontes, City Manager
BY: Batool Zaro, Assistant Civil Engineer
Humza Javed, City Engineer
SUBJECT: CalRecycle Grant Applications
Recommendation
Adopt a Resolution authorizing the Public Works Director to:
1. Submit Application(s) for CalRecycle grants for which the City of East Palo Alto is eligible.
2. Execute all grant documents, including but not limited to, applications, agreements, amendments and requests for payment, necessary to secure grant funds and implement the approved grant project.
Alignment with City Council Strategic Plan
This recommendation is primarily aligned with:
Priority No. 6: Create a Healthy and Safe Community
Background
The Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) is offering the SB 1383 Local Assistance Grant Program pursuant to Chapter 395, Statutes of 2016. This noncompetitive grant program will provide one-time funding to local jurisdictions to assist with the implementation of regulation requirements associated with SB 1383.
Analysis
$57,000,000 is available for this grant cycle, fiscal year 2021–22, subject to funding availability. $20,000 base award is available for each eligible applicant. CalRecycle will distribute remaining funds to eligible entities based on per capita calculations using the Department of Finance’s January 2021 population statistics.
The City of East Palo Alto grant funds will be used to participate in two San Mateo County led programs:
• Compost Quality Improvement Public Education Campaign • Resource Conservations District’s Compost Broker Program The Compost Quality Improvement Public Education Campaign project will assemble a crossjurisdictional task force, analyze the current compost collection education efforts of all the jurisdictions and waste haulers within the county, conduct focus/stakeholder (residential and commercial) interviews, and propose and pilot a common education and outreach plan for the entire county. Compost feedstock will improve by improving our compost collection outreach and education message to our communities.
The Resource Conservation District Compost Broker Project is a collaboration between every city and town within San Mateo County, the County of San Mateo, and the San Mateo Resource Conservation District (RCD) to help meet SB 1383 recovered organic waste product procurement targets. RCD will procure compost and apply it to farm and rangeland in San Mateo County, identify and develop additional partnership opportunities with the county’s agricultural communities to support our long-term SB 1383 compliance, and assess innovative compost procurement and application funding strategies to build capacity for the long-term.
A City Council Resolution is required in order to apply for the CalRecyle grant. Because there may be multiple grant cycles, it is recommended that the City Council pass a Resolution that isn’t specific to a single CalRecycle application.
Fiscal Impact
No fiscal impact associated with this action.
Public Notice
The public was provided notice of this agenda item by posting the City Council agenda on the City’s official bulletin board outside City Hall and making the agenda and report available at the City’s website and at the San Mateo County Library located at 2415 University Avenue, East Palo Alto.
Environmental
The action being considered does not constitute a “Project” within the meaning of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), pursuant to CEQA Guideline section 15378 (b)(5), in that it is a government administrative activity that will not result in direct or indirect changes in the environment.
Attachments
1. SB1383 Draft Grant Reso-