Report to Mayor and City Council
Tuesday, August 06, 2024
Consent
SUBJECT:
Title
CONSIDER ADOPTION OF RESOLUTION 24-078, APPROVING THE SUBAWARD AGREEMENT BETWEEN GREEN LATINOS AND THE CITY OF CARSON, ACCEPTING USDA FEDERAL GRANT FUNDS IN THE AMOUNT OF $1,000,000.00 FOR URBAN FOREST MASTER PLAN AND IMPLEMENTATION (CITY COUNCIL)
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I. SUMMARY
To align with sustainability and climate adaption goals as well as aesthetic expectations, the City of Carson plans to create an Urban Forestry Master Plan. In 2023, the City received a grant from USDA Forest Service in the amount of $1,000,000.00. The USDA has selected the non-profit GreenLatinos as its national pass-through partner to administer the grant to all recipients. The USDA and Green Latinos require the execution of the Subaward Agreement between GreenLatinos and the City. Staff is now seeking City Council approval of the same to fund the Urban Forestry Master Plan.
II. RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
TAKE the following actions:
1. ACCEPT the USDA grant funds in the amount of $1,000,000.00.
2. WAIVE further reading and ADOPT Resolution 24-078, “A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CARSON, CALIFORNIA, APPROVING SUBAWARD AGREEMENT WITH GREEN LATINOS TO ACCEPT USDA FOREST SERVICE URBAN & COMMUNITY FORESTRY INFLATION REDUCTION ACT GRANT FUNDS FOR THE URBAN FORESTRY MASTER PLAN & IMPLEMENTATION”
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III. ALTERNATIVES
DO NOT APPROVE the Subaward Agreement, however, the City must execute this agreement in order to receive grant funds for this project.
IV. BACKGROUND
In 2023, the USDA through its Urban and Community Forestry division and Inflation Reduction Act, awarded $1 billion nationwide to increase equitable access to trees and help communities combat climate change by increasing resiliency. The City of Carson was selected as a grant recipient and awarded $1,000,000. The USDA Forest Service selected GreenLatinos as the national pass-through partner that subawards funding and acts as the grant administrative and programmatic overseer. GreenLatinos is an organization dedicated to environmental justice and conservation, committed to advocating for more efficient, equitable, environmentally sustainable places to live, work, play, and learn. They work to build momentum for creating equitable policy that addresses and makes reparations for barriers faced by marginalized and underserved communities, both historically and in the present day.
The City plans to use the grant funds to create and implement an urban forestry master plan (UFMP). The UFMP will enhance the City’s urban forest by developing long-term urban forest planning, assessment, and management, which will in turn provide a multitude of benefits to residents such as improved air quality, positive effect on health and mental wellness, and lower demand on energy usage.
The USDA Forest Service requires grant recipients to enter into a subaward agreement with its pass-through partner GreenLatinos. Staff is requesting Council to accept the grant award and approve the subaward agreement with GreenLatinos.
V. FISCAL IMPACT
The Subaward Agreement under consideration will provide the opportunity for the City of Carson to be reimbursed for an amount not-to-exceed $1,000,000.00 from the USDA through GreenLatinos for the Urban Forest Master Plan and Implementation.
The USDA grant will be active for the current fiscal year (FY 24-25) and three subsequent fiscal years (FY 25-26, FY 26-27, and FY 27-28). Funds utilized this fiscal year will be incorporated into the FY 2024-2025 special revenue funds budget, using revenue account 220-99-999-999-4511 and expenditure account 220-80-820-904-8012.
VI. EXHIBITS
1. Resolution No. 24-078 (pgs. 3-96)
Prepared by: Dr. Arlington Rodgers,Jr. Public Works Director