Mitigation and Remediation Grant Program

Through the Commercial Cannabis Land Use Ordinance (CCLUO) Mitigation and Remediation Fund, the County is now accepting applications for grant funding to assist commercial cannabis cultivators with road improvement projects that are expected to improve water quality, targeting projects that yield the most benefits to priority impacted and refuge watersheds. This is the second year of funding, of the five year grant program, with approximately $500,000 available this year.  The Mitigation and Remediation Program Guidelines are located in the Resources links in the left column.  ersion OptionsMitigation and Remediation Grant ProgramHeadlineApplications for this year will be accepted from October 1, 2022 through October 31, 2022.

Program Description

This  program  seeks to improve water quality in watersheds impacted by cannabis cultivation.  Funding from fines and penalties of cannabis civil enforcement actions will be used for sediment reduction on public and private roads for the specific purpose of protecting and enhancing water quality in streams, creeks, and rivers. 

Applicant Eligibility

Applicants eligible to apply are those that hold a permit from Humboldt County for commercial cannabis cultivation (or who are in the permitting process), and are not currently involved in the abatement process may apply for improvements to public or private roads serving cannabis cultivation sites. 

Application Priority and Ranking Criteria

The Program prioritizes awards of grant money to cannabis cultivators and road maintenance associations based upon the expected water quality benefits that would result from the road improvement projects.  Highest priority will be given to projects with one or more stream crossings, corrective grading within and/or close to a stream channel, as well as those that are in identified within impacted and refuge watersheds.  A map showing impacted and refuge watersheds can be found in Resources links in the left column.  Other criteria for evaluating grant proposals include roads in areas with highly erodible soils, steep slopes, in close proximity to watercourses, and the presence of impacted fisheries. 

Application Process and Deadlines

Applications are available now and the county will be taking proposals until Monday October 31, 2021 at 5:00 pm.  Application Guidelines can be found in Resources links in the left column .

Once received, the applications will be evaluated for completeness using a checklist, and complete applications will be referred to the Department of Public Works, the Current and Cannabis Planning Divisions, Code Enforcement Division, and State Resource Agencies including the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board for comment.  There will be opportunity at this stage of review for the proposals to be modified based on comments from the reviewing agencies to make these projects more competitive by improving their effectiveness in providing water quality benefits.

Recommended projects will be taken to the Board of Supervisors in February 2023 for review and selection.