RECOMMENDATION:
The Director of the Houston Health Department (HHD) recommends City Council approve an ordinance authorizing the Director to apply, accept, and expend a grant award from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for the Environmental and Climate Justice Community Change Grants Program. This Ordinance will cover the grant performance period from October 1, 2024 – September 30, 2027 with an anticipated award amount is $20,000,000.00. HHD will not be required to provide a cash or in-kind match distribution.
SPECIFIC EXPLANATION:
HHD received notification from EPA of a funding opportunity soliciting projects that support community environmental improvements dealing with air quality, green space infrastructure, and community resilience hubs. HHD projects to use the funds as follows: personnel and fringe benefits – 5%, travel and training – 0.015%, equipment and supplies – 0.021%, contractual – 93%, (which include city departments, academics, private and local COB’s) and indirect costs – 1%. This project will focus on the disadvantaged populations of the Greater Fifth Ward and Kashmere Gardens communities. This will encompass zip codes 77020 and 77026. HHD proposes to install a community solar energy system in the community along with nature-based infrastructure solutions, that will be supported by other activities to build resilience in the neighborhood.
This Community Change project titled “Vulnerable to Vibrant: Power for Change” seeks to address the lack of climate resiliency; detrimental pollution impacts; general environmental vulnerability; and the economic disadvantages prevalent throughout the community. The primary proposed activity is building a community solar energy system to support long-term resiliency ensuring that residents have consistent, clean energy especially during climate events (e.g., flooding, hurricanes, extreme heat or cold) and reduce emissions from traditional power sources, minimizing the carbon footprint of our community.
The next proposed project activity is to implement nature-based solutions providing ecosystem services. The nature-based solutions include constructing bioswales, and installing native grasses/trees, and vegetation to enhance phytoremediation (consistent with EPA guidance) to reduce pollution, flooding, heat, and contamination.
HHD also requests City Council authorize the Mayor to execute all related contracts, agreements, amendments, and documents with the approval as to form of the City Attorney in connection with the grant application and to authorize the Director or his designee to act as the City’s representative with the authority to apply for, accept and expend the grant funds as awarded, and to accept and expend all subsequent supplemental awards, if any, and to extend the term and/or budget and project without further Council action for a period not to exceed 5 years.
Grant Source:
The funding for this project is from a federal government grant through the Environmental Protection Agency.
Fiscal Note:
No fiscal note is required on grant items.
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Stephen L. Williams, M.Ed., MPA
Director - Houston Health Department