Environmental Justice Small Grant Program.

Existing law establishes the Environmental Justice Small Grant Program under the jurisdiction of the California Environmental Protection Agency, and prescribes specific criteria and procedures for the implementation of the program. Existing law requires that grants be awarded on a competitive basis for projects that are based in communities with the most significant exposure to pollution, and limits grants to be used for specified purposes relating to, among other things, resolving environmental problems, promoting coordination among public agencies and stakeholders, developing guidance on environmental risks, and facilitating and encouraging community understanding and decisionmaking that affects the environment of a community. This bill would additionally include physical projects, including planning, engineering, and construction, monitoring or filtering technology, and environmental assessments that improve the environment or the environmental health of the community, or that address a specific environmental justice need, among the purposes for which a grant may be awarded. Existing law provides that the maximum amount of a grant shall not exceed $50,000, and authorizes the Secretary for Environmental Protection to expend up to $1,500,000 per year for the grant program. This bill would require the secretary to expend at least $5,000,000 per year for the grant program, upon appropriation by the Legislature, and each board, department, or office within the agency to allocate appropriated funds from special funds, settlements, and penalties to implement the grant program.