Environmental Enhancement and Mitigation

Purpose

The EEM Program is an annual program established by legislation in 1989 and amended on September 26, 2013. It offers grants to local, state, and federal governmental agencies, and to nonprofit organizations for projects to mitigate the environmental impacts caused by new or modified public transportation facilities. There are three types of EEM project: Urban Forestry, Resource Lands, and Mitigation Projects Beyond the Scope of the Lead Agency.

Description

Introduction EEM projects must contribute to mitigation of the environmental effects of transportation facilities. The California Natural Resources Agency (Agency) prescribes procedures and criteria to evaluate grant project proposals and submits a list of projects recommended for funding to the California Transportation Commission (CTC). The CTC awards grants to projects from Agency’s list. Related Transportation Facility Every EEM project must mitigate, either directly or indirectly, the environmental impacts of the modification of an existing Transportation Facility or the environmental impacts of the construction of a new Transportation Facility (hereafter referred to as Related Transportation Facility or RTF). The EEM project can be the required mitigation for the RTF or enhancement to mitigation required for the RTF. Statewide Project Goals Agency grant programs assist state and local entities in developing more sustainable communities, increasing their adaptability to climate change, and protecting biodiversity while improving quality of life in those communities. EEM Projects that demonstrate the following multiple benefits will be more competitive: • Decreased air and/or water pollution. • Reduced consumption of natural resources and energy. • Increased reliability of local water supplies. • Increased adaptability to climate change. • Increased protection of biodiversity Examples of Eligible Projects The list below provides examples of project elements that meet statutory conditions. It is not a comprehensive list. Urban Forestry: • Planting of trees and other plants along urban streets and medians. • Greening existing public lands and structures, including school campuses and urban parks. • Greening vacant lots and abandoned sites. • Restoration of urban creeks. Resource Lands: • Removal of invasive and restoration of natural plant species. • Enhancement or restoration of natural areas such as inland wetlands, forests, oak woodlands, mountain meadows, creeks, and streams with riparian or riverine fish or wildlife habitat, wildlife corridors and fish passages, coastal estuaries, grazing land and grasslands. • Acquisitions in fee title or through conservation easements to safeguard regional water supplies, protect riparian and wildlife habitats, conserve agricultural lands for secure wildlife migration corridors, and provide public access for compatible wildlife/natureoriented recreation by the wider community. • Acquisitions to preserve in perpetuity Resource Lands for agricultural uses, open space, wetlands, biodiversity, etc. Mitigation Projects Beyond the Scope of the Lead Agency: Any of the project examples listed under Urban Forestry and Resource Lands categories may be eligible under the Mitigation Projects Beyond the Scope of the Lead Agency category, if the mitigation or enhancement measures for the RTF were either not feasible or beyond the jurisdiction and/or authority of the Lead Agency for the RTF. Project Criteria Questions Applicants must choose only one project category and provide responses to all the questions in the selected category. If a question does not apply to the project, indicate “Not Applicable” with a brief explanation.