City Council Memorandum
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL DATE: JULY 14, 2026 FROM: PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT WARDS: ALL
SUBJECT: CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF RESOURCES RECYCLING AND RECOVERY (CALRECYCLE) SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL AND CO-DISPOSAL GRANT PROGRAM, LEGACY DISPOSAL SITE ABATEMENT PARTIAL GRANT PROGRAM CYCLE 107 FISCAL YEAR 2025-26 AWARD FOR THE TEQUESQUITE LANDFILL, IN THE AMOUNT OF $750,000 AND IN-KIND MATCH OF CITY FUNDS IN THE AMOUNT OF $750,000 – SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATION ISSUE:
Accept a grant award from Solid Waste Disposal and Co-Disposal, Legacy Disposal Site Abatement Partial Grant Cycle 107 in the amount of $750,000 to assist the City in its compliance with the remediation of decommissioned Tequesquite Landfill, with an in-kind match of City funds in the amount of $750,000.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
That the City Council:
Accept the FY25/26 Solid Waste Disposal and Co-Disposal, Legacy Disposal Site Abatement Partial Grant Cycle 107 award in the amount of $750,000 in its compliance with the remediation of decommissioned Tequesquite Landfill, with an in-kind match of City funds in the amount of $750,000; With at least five affirmative votes and upon grant award, authorize the Chief Financial Officer, or designee, to record an increase in revenues in the amount of $750,000, or the actual amount awarded, and appropriate expenditures in the same amount, in the Grants and Restricted Programs Fund, Legacy Disposal Site Abatement Partial Grant Program Cycle 107 revenue and expenditure accounts; and Authorize the City Manager, or designee, to execute all necessary documents, including but not limited to future applications, future funding requests, payment requests, agreements, amendments, and grant funding purchasing documents, including making minor and non-substantive changes.
BACKGROUND:
According to CalRecycle, public agencies are responsible for the longterm maintenance of closed landfill sites to ensure compliance with state regulatory standards. Even after closure, these facilities continue to present potential risks—including groundwater contamination, methane migration, and structural instability—which require ongoing monitoring and maintenance to safeguard public health and the environment. Failure to properly maintain these sites could result in costly remediation efforts, regulatory violations, and increased hazards for surrounding communities. The City currently spends approximately $1.8 million annually on regulatory compliance and maintenance activities for the landfill.
The Tequesquite landfill is managed under a Closure/Postclosure Maintenance Plan approved by CalRecycle, the Riverside County Department of Environmental Health, and the California Regional Water Quality Control Board. This plan ensures compliance with Titles 14 and 23 of the California Code of Regulations and Title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations, safeguarding the site for decades to come.
To meet these requirements, the City must conduct ongoing activities such as landfill gas collection and migration control, methane monitoring and reporting, and groundwater quality monitoring. Additional essential work includes waste removal, installation of security measures to prevent illegal dumping, site grading and drainage improvements, slope and foundation stabilization, excavation and capping of waste areas, installation of landfill gas and leachate control systems, required health and safety measures, and maintenance of well heads. As the landfill continues to age, these needs become increasingly critical, making grant funding vital to sustaining safe, compliant, and environmentally responsible operations.
The Legacy Disposal Site Abatement Partial Grant Program helps the City to manage these obligations by providing financial support for cleanup, restoration, and longterm compliance efforts that safeguard both environmental and public safety.
The City’s grant application was strengthened by the City Council and Public Works Wastewater Division’s support. Additional letters of support were received from the County of Riverside’s First District Supervisor and the State Senate District.
DISCUSSION:
The City of Riverside is eligible to receive $750,000 from the Fiscal Year 2025/26 Solid Waste Disposal and CoDisposal Site Cleanup Grant Program, allocated through the State’s percapita distribution formula. These funds will support the City’s compliance efforts related to the remediation of legacy disposal sites that were closed under local regulations prior to the State’s current landfill permitting and closure standards.
This is a reimbursementbased grant, requiring the City to initially fund all project expenditures. Once costs are incurred, the City may submit eligible expenses to the State for reimbursement, which will be issued upon verification that all documentation and grant requirements have been met.
On March 3, 2026, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 24359, authorizing the City Manager, or designee, to execute and submit all documents necessary to apply for any grant programs offered and administered by the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) for a period of five years from the date of adoption.
On May 15, 2026, the City staff received the grant award along with the Notice to Proceed, with the grant term extending through June 30, 2028.
Over the twoyear grant period, funds will support a range of activities as listed below:
Enhancement of security measures such as fencing, barriers, warning signs, and other actions to prevent recurring illegal dumping at the remediated sites.
Site grading and drainage controls to reduce erosion, as well as to address ongoing subsidence issues.
Improvements to the landfill gas and leachate control systems.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The fiscal impact of this action is $1,500,000, consisting of a $750,000 grant award and a $750,000 City match, which will be provided as an inkind contribution. The in-kind contribution consists primarily of personnel support dedicated to the project shown in Attachment 3.
Upon Council approval, an increase in revenue and an appropriation of expenditures in the amount of $750,000 will be recorded in the Grants & Restricted Programs Fund, Legacy Disposal Site Abatement Partial Grant Cycle 107, revenue account number 9356500-334100 and expenditure account number 9356500-440210.
Prepared by: Christina Navaratnam, Principal Management Analyst Approved by: Nathan Mustafa, Public Works Director
Certified as to
availability of funds: Julie Nemes, Interim Finance Director Approved by: Kris Martinez, Assistant City Manager
Approved as to form: Rebecca McKee-Reimbold, Interim City Attorney Attachments:
Resolution No. 24359
Award Email Notification
Source of Matching Funds
Application: Solid Waste Disposal and Co-Disposal Grant Program, Legacy Disposal Site Abatement Partial Grant Program FY25/26 Application CalRecycle Legacy Disposal Site Abatement Grant ● Page 2