In June 2021, the Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board (Central Coast Water Board) received approximately $5.9 million from the Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) as part of a settlement to resolve alleged water permit violations at its Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant. The Central Coast Water Board recently voted to allocate $1.2 million of the PG&E settlement to the Rose Foundation for the purpose of developing a grant program for large and small projects that meet the Board’s Supplemental Environmental Project priorities. The grant program will target projects that: 1) address the human right to water and Central Coast Water Board Resolution R3-2017-0004, 2) address environmental justice issues, 3) provide water quality benefits to underrepresented communities, 4) implement climate change mitigation or climate change adaptation strategies, 5) develop or implement activities to achieve sustainable water supplies, or 6) implement water quality monitoring and assessment projects. The grant program will also offer capacity assessments and technical assistance mini grants targeted towards smaller grantees to help organizations build capacity in specific areas.
The Rose Foundation will convene a third-party Funding Advisory Board to be made up of individuals with knowledge of the Central Coast Region’s watersheds, groundwater basins, and priority water quality issues to assist with proposal evaluation. The Central Coast Water Board has proposed a project ranking and selection criteria which is expected to be implemented in the proposal review process. A copy of the ranking and selection criteria can be found here. Grants will be awarded on a competitive basis, but eligible projects not recommended for funding may be placed on a list for potential future consideration.
Please sign up here to receive more information as it becomes available.
