Title
a. Receive a presentation on the Regional Climate Project Working Group’s grant funded project titled Advancing Equitable, Shared Governance for Monterey Bay Regional Climate Investment Decision-Making; and,
b. Appoint a member of the Board of Supervisors to participate in three meetings to complete the scope of this grant award and to champion future environmental justice initiatives that come before the Board of Supervisors; and,
c. Provide direction to staff.
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Board of Supervisors:
a. Receive a presentation on the Regional Climate Project Working Group’s grant funded project titled Advancing Equitable, Shared Governance for Monterey Bay Regional Climate Investment Decision-Making; and,
b. Appoint a member of the Board of Supervisors to participate in three meetings to complete the scope of this grant award and to champion future environmental justice initiatives that come before the Board of Supervisors; and,
c. Provide direction to staff.
SUMMARY:
To advance County interests, the Sustainability Program has helped found the Monterey Bay Area Regional Climate Project Working Group (RCPWG), a chartered group of staff representatives from the counties of Monterey, Santa Cruz, and San Benito and the cities of Santa Cruz and Watsonville. The RCPWG mission is to collaborate among groups and organizations in the Monterey Bay Area region, including Santa Cruz, San Benito, and Monterey Counties, to develop, prioritize, secure funding for, and effectively and equitably advocate for and implement regionally beneficial climate mitigation and adaptation projects and programs. The RCPWG has been awarded a planning grant, titled Advancing Equitable, Shared Governance for Monterey Bay Regional Climate Investment Decision-Making, by the Urban Sustainability Director’s Network to increase equitable engagement in the RCPWG and to bring frontline and disadvantaged community members to the table to have a voice in how planning for climate change can shape our communities in the coming decades.
The RCPWG is seeking a member of this Board to participate in the completion of this short-term project to achieve the following three outcomes: develop best practice guidance for equitable decision-making and the inclusion of environmental justice groups (EJ) in climate action planning, secure funding for the RCPWG’s work, and build trust with EJ groups by cultivating elected representative “champions” for environmental justice issues.
DISCUSSION:
To advance County interests, the Sustainability Program has helped found the Monterey Bay Area Regional Climate Project Working Group (RCPWG), a chartered group of staff representatives from the counties of Monterey, Santa Cruz, and San Benito and the cities of Santa Cruz and Watsonville. The RCPWG mission is to collaborate among groups and organizations in the Monterey Bay Area region, including Santa Cruz, San Benito, and Monterey Counties, to develop, prioritize, secure funding for, and effectively and equitably advocate for and implement regionally beneficial climate mitigation and adaptation projects and programs. For more information, please see the RCPWG Governance Report attached to this staff report, which includes an Appendix C that summarizes RCPWG efforts as of August 30, 2023. The RCPWG has been awarded a planning grant, titled Advancing Equitable, Shared Governance for Monterey Bay Regional Climate Investment Decision-Making, by the Urban Sustainability Director’s Network to increase equitable engagement in the RCPWG and to bring frontline and disadvantaged community members to the table to have a voice in how planning for climate change can shape our communities in the coming decades.
The RCPWG is seeking a member of this Board to participate in the completion of this short-term project to achieve the following three outcomes: develop best practice guidance for equitable decision-making and the inclusion of environmental justice groups (EJ) in climate action planning, secure funding for the RCPWG’s work, and build trust with EJ groups by cultivating elected representative “champions” for environmental justice issues.
Through this process, the RCPWG aims to redefine local government and environmental justice groups’ roles and relationships in the Monterey Bay RCPWG by developing meaningful pathways for the emerging Monterey Bay Area Climate Justice Collaborative (MBACJC) in project development and decision-making around funding priority climate work in the region, focusing on a bottom-up approach to defining those roles. This will lead to more inclusive and competitive grant proposals, which in turn leads to more resources for climate work in the region. Staff recommends the continued support of both this project and the RCPWG because of the increased focus on regional collaboration and equity centered programming in major sources of funding from the State and federal governments.
PROJECT DETAILS:
To complete this project, staff and elected officials from the RCPWG jurisdictions and up to 8 EJ group representatives will each contribute 10 hours of time over the project’s duration preparing for and participating in 3 virtual workshops and 1 elected body meeting as detailed below.
Additionally, Farallon Strategies is a consulting firm that has facilitated the RCPWG and prepared its governance charter; they will serve as workshop facilitators and prepare the best practice and governance options resulting from the workshops. Ecology Action is the fiscal sponsor of the project and will provide compensation for EJ group representatives at a rate of $100/hour. Regeneración of Pajaro Valley will recruit environmental justice representatives to participate in the project. Potential EJ groups participating in this project include but are not limited to SC County groups: Community Bridges, Community Action Board, Regeneración, Central Coast Energy Services, MILPA, Mujeres en Accion, and the Center for Community Advocacy.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
NA
FINANCING:
This project is grant funded and has no budgetary implications at this time.
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS STRATEGIC INITIATIVES:
This project will support the County’s climate action planning and the upcoming Community Climate Action and Adaptation Plan.
Mark a check to the related Board of Supervisors Strategic Initiatives
_X_ Economic Development
_X_ Administration
__ Health & Human Services
_X_ Infrastructure
_X_ Public Safety
Prepared by: Cora Panturad, Sustainability Program Analyst, x5338
Approved by: Deborah Paolinelli, Assistant County Administrative Officer, x5309
Attachments:
Monterey Bay Area RCPWG Governance Report
Project Timeline
USDN Grant Agreement City of Santa Cruz Fully Executed