The California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) is putting into action one of the boldest Environmental Justice budget initiatives in California history. Governor Gavin Newsom and the State Legislature have set aside $500 million for the Cleanup in Vulnerable Communities Initiative (CVCI), a multi-year investment in communities that suffer from multiple sources of contamination.

Along with key governance and fiscal reforms to improve DTSC’s transparency, accountability, and fiscal stability, the budget initiative funds DTSC’s discovery, investigation, and cleanup of contaminated properties; a grant program to fund response actions at brownfield sites; and a work development and training program to promote public health, community engagement, and equity, while supporting local economies.

The allotted $500M includes the following core CVCI programs:

• Equitable Community Revitalization Grant (ECRG) – more than $250 million in grants to incentivize cleanup and investment in disadvantaged areas of California. The ECRG funding is available to help California public entities, nonprofit organizations, and Tribes conduct community-wide assessments, site-specific investigations, and site-specific cleanups. The application period for Round 2 has closed and decisions announcements are expected in early 2024. For more information on DTSC’s Office of Brownfields grant program, please visit the ECRG webpage.
• Discovery and Enforcement (D&E) – more than $152 million is available to fund investigation into a prevalent and ubiquitous potential source of contamination: from up to 7,500 current or former dry cleaners.
• Workforce Development (WFD)  – more than $4 million to provide education, training, and certification to community members in regions where work will be conducted. They will gain a pathway toward significant employment in cleanups of their communities.
• Technical Assistance Grants (TAG) – $2.5 million available to provide grants for community organizations to engage in the cleanup process of contaminated properties in their communities. Community groups will be able to hire a technical advisor who can help them become more involved in Cleanup sites. This could include assistance with review of technical documents and/or implementation of community science (including community confirmation sampling). For more information, please visit the TAG webpage and/or sign up to be included on our mailing list.
• Community Benefits Agreements – $800,000 to develop a policy for facilitating Community Benefits Agreements (CBAs) between Responsible Parties of cleanup sites and impacted communities. These CBAs will promote benefits beyond the traditional scope of site mitigation and restoration beginning with vulnerable communities affected by high cumulative environmental burdens.
• Orphan Sites – $40 million to accelerate cleanups at 21 existing orphan sites across the state.  See the Discovery and Enforcement page for more information.

As other programs and services are implemented, more information will be made available.

Events

The Cleanup in Vulnerable Communities Initiative events are shared in the section below.

Past Events:

• February 27, 2024: Technical Assistance Grant Application Webinar Meeting Video 
• December 6, 2023: Technical Assistance Grant Introduction Webinar Meeting Video
• August 15, 2023: ECRGenius Webinar 4: FLUXX and Application Walkthrough Meeting Video
• August 8, 2023: ECRGenius Webinar 3: Engagement and Reuse Meeting Video
• August 1, 2023: ECRGenius Webinar 2: Eligibility, Ownership and Access Meeting Video
• July 25, 2023: ECRGenius Webinar 1: Round 2 Overview Meeting Video
• June 22, 2022: Informative Polling Session for the Technical Assistance Grants Program Polling Session Recording
• June 9, 2022: Roll-out of D&E Year 1 Sites and Petition Application Process Webinar Meeting Video
• November 16, 2021: Roundtable Forum on the Discovery and Enforcement Program Meeting Video
• November 9, 2021: Roundtable Forum for the Equitable Community Revitalization Grant program Meeting Video
• April 2021: DTSC Listening Sessions on the Governor’s Clean-Up Proposal for Vulnerable Communities

Past News

• CVCI Newsletter, Vol. 3, Summer 2024
• CVCI Newsletter, Vol. 2 Spring 2024
• CVCI Newsletter, Vol.1  Winter 2024
• CVCI Quarterly Newsletter, July 2022
• CVCI Community Update – Encouraging Environmental Equity – December 2021
• DTSC Listening Sessions on Governor’s Clean-Up Proposal for Vulnerable Communities
• Cleanup In Vulnerable Communities Frequently Asked Questions – Spring 2022