To: Sonoma County Board of Supervisors
Department or Agency Name(s): County Executive’s Office
Staff Name and Phone Number: M. Christina Rivera, Christel Querijero, Yvonne Shu, Katharine Gabor 707-565-2431
Vote Requirement: 4/5th
Supervisorial District(s): All
Title:
Title
Update on the County’s Climate Action Plan
End
Recommended Action:
Recommended action
A) Receive an update on implementation of the County’s Climate Resiliency Climate Action Plan (Climate Plan) near-term measures.
B) Accept staff recommendation to continue progress on County near-term measures and to conduct an analysis of existing engagement efforts to refine the scope for development of community measures.
C) Receive a final update on Climate Resilience Fund (CRF) projects.
D) Adopt a Budget Resolution that increases Sonoma Public Infrastructure’s FY 2025-26 Transit budget by $55,102, plus internal transfers, to fully expend Climate Resilience Fund monies allocated for a two-year Fare-free Transit for Youth program.
(4/5th Vote Required)
end
Executive Summary:
In September 2024, the Board of Supervisors adopted the County’s Climate Resiliency Climate Action Plan (Climate Plan). The Board also approved funding to support near-term measures related to County operations and an engagement plan to elicit climate resilience concerns from the community. This item provides an update on progress of near-term measures of the Climate Plan and proposes a more measured approach to the community engagement plan than what was originally proposed. This item also includes a final update of Climate Resilience Fund (CRF) projects and seeks approval of a budget resolution to fully expend CRF monies allocated for a two-year Fare-free Transit for Youth program.
Discussion:
The Board of Supervisors adopted the County’s Climate Plan on September 10, 2024 <https://sonoma-county.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=6847082&GUID=2FDE916D-FA11-41CA-85EF-862A1FA994DE>. The Board also approved $1,807,000 to support certain near-term actions of the plan and $459,300 to fund a community climate engagement plan.
This funding commitment builds on the Board’s previous climate investments, including support for the Climate Action and Resiliency pillar of the County’s 5-year Strategic Plan, adopted in 2021. Investments in the Climate Resilience Fund (CRF) dedicated $9 million in funding to short-term projects and to leveraging additional grants and incentives. The Board has also awarded $13.5 million in community vegetation management grants, as well as roughly $6 million of investments in technical support, infrastructure and tools. In August 2024, the Board approved $28 million in financing to upgrade energy and water efficiency at County facilities and to install solar generation and storage.
The County’s Climate Plan proposes actions to increase resilience through County operations, used in this context as the day-to-day work conducted at County facilities. The Plan acknowledges existing regional climate efforts and corresponding climate work that is being done in County departments and agencies. The Climate Plan was intended to serve as a road map for how the County could strive to reach carbon neutrality by 2030; it is focused on actions related to County operations, from energy use in County buildings to identifying vegetation treatment areas on County lands. The Plan’s 54 measures are organized into near-, mid-, and long-term groups, and further organized into six sectors: energy, transportation, waste, water, wildfire, and natural and working lands. Per the Plan, the goal of carbon neutrality by 2030 could potentially be achieved through implementation of all 22 near-term measures and certain mid-term measures.
Progress. Through actions set in motion independent of the Climate Plan, County departments and agencies are making progress on climate resilience in their everyday work, demonstrating the County’s commitment to climate resilience. For instance, Sonoma Water has successfully trained 46 landscape professionals through its Qualified Water Efficient Landscaper program, and Sonoma Public Infrastructure (SPI) received a grant to launch a Bike Library, enabling SPI and Regional Parks staff to borrow an e-bike before potentially investing in one. Ag + Open Space District has various conservation grant applications in progress, and Permit Sonoma is working on a sea level rise adaptation planning grant. Efforts originally launched with support from the Strategic Plan or Climate Resilience Fund monies have advanced, and County departments and agencies continue to prioritize resilience in the course of their everyday work.
Update on near-term measures. The Climate Plan has 22 proposed near-term measures involving County Operations. “Near-term” is defined in the plan as those actions that were anticipated to have been completed in the 2024-2026 timeframe.
The near-term measures span a wide range of sustainability and climate resilience initiatives across energy, transportation, waste, water, wildfire, and natural lands. Key energy-related projects include major upgrades to County facilities, transitioning to 100% renewable electricity through Sonoma Clean Power Evergreen, and LED lighting retrofits. Transportation efforts focus on electrifying the County’s light-duty fleet, expanding EV charging infrastructure, and reducing emissions from off-road engines and employee commutes. Waste reduction measures aim to establish a Zero Waste program and improve compliance with SB 1383 through increased organic waste diversion.
In climate adaptation and resilience, the County is investing in wildfire vulnerability assessments, vegetation management, and sustainable landscape practices. Water-related actions include mapping riparian corridors and developing a sea level rise plan. Natural and working lands initiatives emphasize compost application planning and conservation of carbon-rich lands. Many of these projects are already underway or have secured partial funding, with several seeking grants or recommended for future funding to leverage broader impact.
Attachment A provides a description of the near-term measures and the status of each.
Highlights include:
§ The transition of all existing 473 Sonoma Clean Power-Clean Start electricity accounts to EverGreen <https://sonomacleanpower.org/evergreen>; 98% of County electricity accounts are now on EverGreen, which is 100% renewable, locally generated energy.
§ The extension of employee incentives and TripTracker software for the Clean Commute <https://sonomacounty.gov/administrative-support-and-fiscal-services/human-resources/divisions-and-units/benefits/employee-benefits/clean-commute/incentive-program> program. By promoting alternative forms of transportation since its launch, 1,919 County employees have logged 300,000 trips, resulting in an estimated 1,827 metric tons of CO₂ saved.
§ Ag + Open Space revised their evaluation process for acquisition of easements under the Vital Lands Initiative, <https://www.sonomaopenspace.org/wp-content/uploads/FINAL-VLI-FULL-REPORT-01.26.2021_-ADA-1.pdf> giving extra points to properties with high carbon stocks and landowners who implement carbon sequestration practices.
§ Sonoma Public Infrastructure reports that more than 90% of the 1,015 public streetlights managed by the County have been upgraded to energy-efficient LED fixtures.
Wildfire Resilience Project. Funded in January 2023 <https://sonoma-county.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=5985375&GUID=738AAB45-BC1C-4BA6-9721-C30F051E0821&Options=&Search=>, key elements of the Wildfire Resilience project were incorporated as part of the Climate Plan near-term measures. Because this effort was initiated earlier than other near-term measures, a more detailed update is included here.
In 2021, when the County was considering how to allocate PG&E settlement funding, a key recommendation from Berkeley’s Center for Law, Energy and Environment was to “centralize governance and stakeholder coordination” related to wildfire. The Wildfire Resilience project is an exploration of possible organizing frameworks and has two key objectives:
1. To create a near-term framework for improved coordination and collaboration within the “County family” of departments and agencies, which will also then improve coordination and collaboration between the County and other entities and organizations; and
2. To develop and propose to the Board of Supervisors a long-term framework for institutionalizing these efforts and how a proposed structure can best meet the needs of wildfire resiliency in Sonoma County.
Structured with four technical advisory committees comprised of community organizations and County staff, a small core team of County staff, and a Resilience Coordination Team comprised of leadership from eight departments and agencies, the discussion has been insightful and impassioned. Project work will continue through next March, with recommendations to the Board expected in April 2026, pending approval of the Board’s 2026 calendar.
Community Engagement. Accompanying the Climate Plan in September 2024 was a Community Engagement Strategy, intended to deepen engagement and solicit feedback of draft community climate resilience measures, for which the Board approved $459,300. With the recent adoption of the Environmental Justice Element of the County’s General Plan and ’Regional Parks new Climate Adaptation and Resiliency Plan <https://parks.sonomacounty.ca.gov/Microsites/Regional%20Parks/Documents/Learn/Natural-Resources/Climate%20Adaptation%20and%20Resilience%20Plan%20Final_Acc.pdf>, among others, an opportunity exists to leverage existing community engagement and identify gaps, thus informing a more measured approach to community engagement. Organizing the County’s approach to tribal engagement is also ongoing. An analysis of County climate-related engagement efforts may result in a more focused approach to soliciting feedback for development of community resilience measures. Staff recommends conducting an analysis of existing engagement efforts to refine the scope for development of the community measures.
Climate Resilience Fund (CRF). The Board created the Climate Resilience Fund (CRF) in May 2021 with $10 million from the PG&E settlement fund. With most projects complete or nearing completion, funding for 4 of the 21 projects has been rolled into FY 2025-26, with expected completion in 2026. Attachment B provides an update on these 4 remaining projects, which include: Bikeable Sonoma County; ARCs (autonomous renewable charger) in Parks; EV Park & Charge; and Promoting Prescribed Grazing. The completion of the CRF projects represents the successful culmination of actions that began in 2020, with the establishment of a Climate Action Ad Hoc and input from County staff, other public entities, and community members.
Funding. The Climate Plan was developed when federal funding for climate was more available. The September 2024 staff report indicated that $30.7 million of the estimated $38 million cost of the near-term measures could potentially be achieved through grants, but this characterization is no longer accurate. Grant freezes, program cancellations, and broader federal budget shifts have made funding less reliable for climate resilience efforts, including the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s cancelation of the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program, directly affecting Sonoma County. California’s FY 2025-26 budget preserved $2.7 billion in Proposition 4 climate bond funding, which will support a range of projects, from clean energy to coastal resilience. Competition is expected to be high for Prop 4 funding and the timing of program rollouts is still unknown.
The County Executive’s Office (CEO) Strategic Grants Program staff is tracking Prop 4 activity through ongoing conversations with County departments/agencies, and through involvement with the Sonoma County Transportation and Climate Authority (SCTCA) to support potential cross-jurisdictional collaboration. The Strategic Grants Program aims to facilitate greater coordination and awareness related to climate funding across County department and agencies and is actively tracking funding opportunities that support the Climate Plan.
Additionally, Energy and Sustainability staff (CEO Operations and Budget division), is preliminarily exploring innovative financing strategies to support climate-related actions.
Staffing. The CEO Strategic Initiatives division is responsible for coordinating and tracking actions in the Climate Plan and for implementation of certain actions. The expiration of time-limited positions and subsequent vacancies have decreased capacity to organize around the Climate Plan through much of 2025. However, staff capacity in the Strategic Initiatives division is regularly evaluated so that Climate Plan support can continue. For example, the Clean Water Analyst is expanding CEO climate capacity by staying close to water-related climate projects and issues at the Water Agency and Permit Sonoma. On a case-by-case basis, Strategic Initiatives analysts may also manage or implement Climate Plan projects.
However, the CEO has significantly less climate expertise than what previously existed. To bridge this gap, the Strategic Initiatives division is working with departments and agencies to develop a collaborative approach to coordinating and achieving actions in the Climate Plan. In July 2025, Strategic Initiatives organized an inaugural quarterly meeting of County department and agency climate partners, a useful first step in establishing connections and collaboration; staff expects that future climate convenings will be a forum to discuss climate-related priorities, funding and general coordination.
As with any extensive plan, staff expects that actions described in the Climate Plan will evolve to accommodate new realities, such as limited staff capacity or the changing federal funding landscape. There will be opportunities to refine and validate proposed actions, especially in collaboration with County departments and agencies.
Budget Resolution. The Fare-free Transit for Youth program was a two-year partnership among Sonoma County Transit, Santa Rosa CityBus and Petaluma Transit that was funded in round 2 of CRF funding. Described as way to introduce new riders to the county’s transit systems, the program doubled monthly youth ridership and provided over 429,000 fare-free rides. Approval of the associated budget resolution (Attachment C) will reimburse Sonoma Public Infrastructure the final program expenses of $55,102.45 that occurred in July and August 2025, outside of the project timeline.
Strategic Plan:
This item directly supports the County’s Five-year Strategic Plan and is aligned with the following pillar, goal, and objective.
Pillar: Climate Action and Resiliency
Goal: All
Objective: All
Racial Equity:
Was this item identified as an opportunity to apply the Racial Equity Toolkit?
No
Prior Board Actions:
9/23/25 Approved FY 25-26 roll forward re-budgets for climate projects.
2/9/25 Received an update on Climate Resilient Fund projects as part of the Strategic Plan update
9/10/24 Approval of Climate Plan
10/25/22 Allocated funding for Round 2 of the Climate Resilience Fund
2/1/22 Allocated funding for Round 1 of the Climate Resilience Fund
5/11/21 Created the Climate Resilience Fund with $10 million from the 2017 PG&E Settlement Funds
Fiscal Summary
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Expenditures |
FY25-26 Adopted |
FY26-27 Projected |
FY27-28 Projected |
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Budgeted Expenses |
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Additional Appropriation Requested |
$55,102.45 |
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Total Expenditures |
$55,102.45 |
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General Fund/WA GF |
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State/Federal |
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Fees/Other |
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Use of Fund Balance |
$55,102.45 |
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General Fund Contingencies |
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Total Sources |
$55,102.45 |
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Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
The budget resolution seeks authorization to increase Sonoma Public Infrastructure’s FY 2025-26 Transit budget by $55,102.45, plus internal transfers, to fully expend Climate Resilience Fund monies previously approved for a two-year Fare-free Transit for Youth program. These final expenditures were incurred in July and August 2025, outside of the approved project timeframe.
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Staffing Impacts: |
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Position Title (Payroll Classification) |
Monthly Salary Range (A-I Step) |
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Deletions (Number) |
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Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
There are no staffing impacts related to this item.
Attachments:
Attachment A - Near-term measures update
Attachment B -Climate Resilience Fund update
Attachment C - Budget resolution
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
None.