97T31701

Description: This agreement provides funding under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) to the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians.

Specifically, the project aims to enhance climate resilience, environmental sustainability and community capacity along California's Gaviota Coast.

The work includes restoring 214 acres of degraded land through regenerative farming, native plant restoration, and composting while implementing green infrastructure to reduce pollution and manage stormwater.

A solar microgrid and a community resilience hub will be developed to ensure energy independence and provide a central space for education, disaster preparedness, and resource distribution.

Through workshops, workforce training, community engagement, as well as the aspects previously mentioned, the project integrates traditional Chumash ecological knowledge to address environmental challenges, such as greenhouse gas emissions, other air pollutants, water quality, and building long-term resilience for disadvantaged communities.

This assistance agreement provides full federal funding in the amount of $19,993,324.00.

See terms and conditions.

Activities: The activities include restoration of 214 acres of degraded land, including implementation of rain gardens, catch basins, and other water management infrastructure, development of regenerative farming on up to 20 acres, adapt portions of the land for culturally relevant agriculture, installation of up to 0.5 MW of solar panels, installation of battery backup, grid interconnection and smart metering system, installation of charging units for emergency and participant use.

Activities will also include construction of sustainable hub building surrounded by green infrastructure, hosting community education events (SYBCI monthly, nearby community monthly), hosting workforce development courses, training of community emergency leaders, training community environmental advocate, providing emergency services.

Subrecipient: The sub-awardee will perform restoration of 214 acres of degraded land on the ranch site, including development of regenerative agriculture on 20 acres.

This work will also include construction of green infrastructure such as rain gardens, catch basins and other water management infrastructure.

Dos Pueblos Institute, the sub-awardee, will also install a micro-grid on the land, and create a community resilience hub.

Outcomes: The anticipated deliverables include water quality tests, educational materials from workforce development programs regarding agriculture, and disaster preparedness materials, as well as other environmental quality data.

The expected outcomes include reduction in water runoff, increased biodiversity, increase local food sources, increase resilience of water consumption and availability, increased access to spiritual and medical plant species, increased skills and awareness of regenerative agriculture and resilient ecosystems, reduction in grid electricity demand, increased reliability of local electrical systems, availability during electrical outages, increased community advocates present in resilience planning, increase access to shelter during extreme weather events, increase community preparedness training, distribute information and other resources for preparedness and developing green infrastructure at home.

The intended beneficiaries are disadvantaged communities along the Gaviota Coast.

It is also important to note that many Chumash people live in the specified area.

Santa Ynez Band Of Mission Indians

2 - TAKE DECISIVE ACTION TO ADVANCE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND CIVIL RIGHTS 2.1 - PROMOTE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND CIVIL RIGHTS AT THE FEDERAL, TRIBAL, STATE, AND LOCAL LEVELS 2 - TAKE DECISIVE ACTION TO ADVANCE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND CIVIL RIGHTS 2.2 - EMBED ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND CIVIL RIGHTS INTO EPA’S PROGRAMS, POLICIES, AND ACTIVITIES 4 - ENSURE CLEAN AND HEALTHY AIR FOR ALL COMMUNITIES 4.1 - IMPROVE AIR QUALITY AND REDUCE LOCALIZED POLLUTION AND HEALTH IMPACTS 6 - SAFEGUARD AND REVITALIZE COMMUNITIES 6.2 - REDUCE WASTE AND PREVENT ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION 1 - TACKLE THE CLIMATE CRISIS 1.1 - REDUCE EMISSIONS THAT CAUSE CLIMATE CHANGE 1 - CORE MISSION 1.1 - IMPROVE AIR QUALITY 2 - TAKE DECISIVE ACTION TO ADVANCE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND CIVIL RIGHTS 2.1 - PROMOTE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND CIVIL RIGHTS AT THE FEDERAL, TRIBAL, STATE, AND LOCAL LEVELS

66.616 - Environmental and Climate Justice Block Grant Program

EPA Region 9: San Francisco [EPA - RO]

Goleta, California 93117 United States

Single Zip Code

Environmental and Climate Justice Community Change Grants Program (EPA-R-OEJECR-OCS-23-04)

Termination This project grant was reported as terminated by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) in July 2025. See All
Amendment Since initial award the End Date has been shortened from 02/28/28 to 05/01/25.