CARB Environmental Justice Blog

  CARB is working to revise and update the 2018 Program Blueprint , the statewide strategy to reduce emissions of criteria air pollutants and toxic air contaminants in communities affected by a high cumulative exposure burden , with an updated five year strategy , also known as Blueprint 2.0 . Per AB 617, the Blueprint must be updated every five years. Blueprint 2.0 consists of two parts. Part One is a strategic plan to grow the Program over the next five years. Part Two of BP 2.0 offers practical guidance for partners to actively engage in improving air quality at the local level.   We have updated our timeline for the Blueprint 2.0 revision to allow more time to incorporate comments that we have heard as part of our public process. The CARB Governing Board will now consider for approval the final draft of the Blueprint 2.0 at the October 26, 2023 Board Hearing . The Board will also hear an informational update on staff’s efforts in working on updates to the Community Air Protecti

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: To protect kids from extreme heat, California distributed another $73 million for schoolyard greening – for a total of $120 million – to transform schoolyards. SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom announced another $73 million from CAL FIRE for schools to replace asphalt with green spaces, trees and vegetation to provide more protection against extreme heat for our kids. Adding to the $47 Million that was announced in July , California has distributed $120 million for these projects. Here’s a before and after example of schoolyard greening: WHAT GOVERNOR NEWSOM SAID: “You can cook an egg on the asphalt of schools in certain parts of our state. These projects will use nature to cool our schools and make it safer for kids to be active outside.” The Green Schoolyard Grant program helps schools convert pavement to green spaces, create drought-tolerant natural areas on school grounds, and other activities to help children connect to nature. The program is part of the G

On August 1st the Bay Area Council Foundation will release a Request for Proposals for the 2023 California Resilience Challenge. Since 2020, the Challenge has awarded over $5 million to 32 communities—non-profits, cities, counties, special districts, and tribes—to conduct early-stage climate adaptation planning projects with grants up to $200,000. To learn more about this opportunity, please visit  resilientcal.org  and sign up to receive updates. The RFP was released on August 1, 2023 and closes on September 29, 2023.

 

 The Health Effects Institute (HEI) recently released a Request for Applications (RFA) 23-2: Assessing Changes in Exposures and Health Outcomes in Historically Marginalized and Environmentally Overburdened Communities from Air Quality Actions, Programs, or Other Interventions. The focus of this funding opportunity is to evaluate whether air quality actions have the potential to affect ambient or indoor air quality, exposure, health outcomes, or all the above in historically marginalized and environmentally overburdened urban or rural communities. Between $2 and $3 million will be available for this RFA and HEI expects to fund a small number of studies that are 2 to 3 years in duration. More information about the RFA and how to apply can be found on their  website . The deadline for Preliminary Applications is September 29, 2023. HEI is also hosting a webinar to help guide attendees through the application process and answer any questions. Interested applicants are encouraged to join th

  Please join Physicians for Social Responsibility-Los Angeles for a critical discussion on the health and safety risks and unanswered questions about carbon pipelines in California and beyond. Thursday, August 17, 11:30am-1pm. Register  here .

The surge of federal funding opportunities to benefit disadvantaged communities continues, as does our goal to ensure that ALL disadvantaged communities are ready for these opportunities. If you are interested, please fill out this  survey for community organizations and other under-resourced entities interested in receiving pro bono assistance to create/envision projects for federal funding opportunities, particularly the  Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Grantmaking (EJ TCGM) Program  grants that will be available in mid-2024. As promising federal funding opportunities are announced, we will continue to create and distribute specific  federal funding application guidance and support. Here are some funding opportunities to consider now: 1. The EPA recently announced the $7 billion Solar for All competition, created by the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF). This competition will award up to 60 grants to states, territories, Tribal governments, municipalities, and eligible