TO: Board of Supervisors
FROM: Minh C. Tran - County Executive Office
REPORT BY: Kendra Bowyer - Emergency Services Officer
SUBJECT: Bay Area Air Quality Management District Grant Opportunities
RECOMMENDATION
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County Executive Officer/Director of Emergency Services requests the following related to the County’s grant application submittal to the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) for a maximum amount of approximately $235,000:
1. Authorization to submit a grant application to BAAQMD for the purpose of purchasing air filter machines and filters to deploy to locations around the community to create clean air facilities in the event of a wildfire and other smoke events;
2. Approval and authorization for the Chair to sign the Wildfire Preparedness Program Agreement; and
3. Approval and authorization for the County Executive Officer/Director of Emergency Services to sign the associated grant funding documents and serve as the authorized representative for signing invoices and other administrative documents.
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Office of Emergency Services is seeking a grant to fund portable air filtration units and air filters. The BAAQMD is offering two grant opportunities via two separate programs: 1) Wildfire Preparedness Program (WPP) and 2) Assembly Bill 836 - Clean Air Centers (AB 836). These grants will cover 100% of the cost for the units and filters. The purpose of the clean air centers are to create a network of clean air facilities across the Bay Area in order to mitigate the adverse public health impacts due to wildfires and other smoke events.
FISCAL & STRATEGIC PLAN IMPACT
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Is there a Fiscal Impact? |
No |
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County Strategic Plan pillar addressed: |
Healthy, Safe, and Welcoming Place to Live, Work, and Visit |
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION: The proposed action is not a project as defined by 14 California Code of Regulations 15378 (State CEQA Guidelines) and therefore CEQA is not applicable.
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION
The Office of Emergency Services is seeking a grant to fund portable air filtration units and air filters. The Bay Area Air Quality Management District is offering two grant opportunities via two separate programs:
1) Wildfire Preparedness Program (WPP) and 2) Assembly Bill 836 - Clean Air Centers (AB 836). The grants will cover 100% of the cost for the units and filters. The purpose of the clean air centers are to create a network of clean air facilities across the Bay Area in order to mitigate the adverse public health impacts due to wildfires and other smoke events. The amount may change based on other Bay Area counties participation.
The clean air centers are locations where the community may gather, including, but not limited to, evacuations shelters, libraries, community centers, and public meeting locations such as the board chambers. The center will provide the community a location where they can receive clean air refuge when necessary. It also allows for continuity of government by allowing jurisdictions the ability to hold their regularly scheduled meetings. The Office of Emergency Services will determine when the clean air centers should be activated. This decision will be made by monitoring the Air Quality Index (AQI) across the County. Based on Health and Safety Industry standards, a clean air facility may be stood up if the AQI reaches over 150, which is considered the “Unhealthy” level. Over the last five (5) years Napa County has ranked fourth (4th) in the Bay Area for the number of day’s air quality has reached an AQI of over 150.
The County will be required to store and maintain the units for the duration of the grant period which is five (5) years for the AB 836 grant and two (2) years for the WPP grant. These grants are offered in differing amounts to counties across the Bay Area.
The County will be required to report to the BAAQMD when the portable units are deployed and how many community members the facilities served.
In order to complete the application for the Wildfire Preparedness Program grant, the County must submit a letter of agreement with the BAAQMD designating a County Liaison, agreeing to notify the Air District when air filtration units are deployed, submitting semi-annual reporting to the Air District, agree to take ownership of air filtration units upon receipt, safely store air filtration units, maintain inventory and asset-tag all air filtration units, train County staff on how to operate and maintain air filtration units per manufacturer specifications and conduct such maintenance pursuant to manufacturer specifications. The County must deploy air filtration units for wildfire purposes to sheltering and evacuation centers and/or other congregate locations open to the public.
In order to complete the applications for the AB 836 grant, the County must submit a completed application which includes providing the BAAQMD a list of facilities to potentially be used for clean air centers, which includes their location, size, hours of operation, specifications for, quantity and total cost of units and filters requested, delivery location and each facilities’ operations plan.
The letter, if so authorized by the Board, will be signed by the County Executive Officer/Director of Emergency Services. Throughout the application, grant award, and reporting processes, additional documents may need to be signed. With this action, the Board authorizes the Director of Emergency Services to act as the County's representative and signatory for all invoices and other administrative documents. This action is not acceptance of the grant nor will it require any expense at this time. It is authorization to proceed and a commitment, if approved, for funding that is subsequently accepted by the County, to abide by the above listed conditions.