The Spring 2023 Climate Action Seed Funds solicitation was issued in January 2023. Twenty-three proposals were received, requesting a total of $12,925,522. These were of high quality and underwent two rounds of comprehensive review. ORED awarded nine, three small (up to $50K) and six large (up to $1M), projects (listed below) for a total of $4,096,197. These projects are synergistic with the State of California’s climate action priorities outlined in the California Climate Adaptation Strategy.
|
Application |
Applicant |
Co-Pis |
Community Partners |
$ Awarded |
CA Climate Priorities Addressed |
|
Electrochemical drinking water treatment for climate adaptation |
James Palko, SOE |
Min Hwan Lee, SOE Colleen Naughton, SO, Thomas Harmon, SOE |
N/A |
$524,151 |
The research addresses the specific California Climate Adaptation Strategy goal to protect public health by increasing reliable access to safe, affordable drinking water and sanitation. Research goals include making water treatment methods targeting problematic pollutants accessible to disadvantaged populations throughout California. The project takes electrochemical approaches to destroy TCP in an efficient and cost-effective manner. |
|
Shijia Pan, SOE |
Asa Bradman, SSHA Wan Du, SOE Xuan Zhang, SNS |
Central California Asthma Collaborative, SocioEnvironmental Education Network (SEEN) |
$648,466 |
In response to the California Climate Adaptation Strategy — Priorities and Actions on “Reduce health impacts of wildfire smoke” and Improve wildfire smoke guidance for schools, children, and other vulnerable populations”, this project will develop a low-cost AI-based sensor network to address a major challenge faced by disadvantaged communities in Merced, Fresno, and Tulare County: limited access to smoke hazard forecasts. |
|
|
YangQuan Chen, SOE |
Gerardo Diaz, SOE, Xuan Zhang, SNS, Sarah Kurtz, SOE |
Moomilk |
$1,000,000 |
The proposed Center for Methane Emission Research and Innovation (CMERI) takes the closed-loop thinking (sensing/actuation) for taking climate actions against methane emissions due to both environmental and anthropogenic emissions. CMERI addresses all 6 CA Climate Adaptation Priorities. CMERI aims to develop actionable information from methane emission sensing and quantification for emission reduction and mitigation actions, and to contribute to education, outreach and workforce development for disadvantaged communities by partnering with federal agencies (e.g. USGS, NASA JPL), state agencies (e.g. CARB, CDFA etc.), California Dairy Research Foundation, local dairy farms and industries. |
|
|
Fighting Organic Waste and Greenhouse Gas Emissions with Black Soldier Flies |
Mike Cleary, SNS |
Gordon Bennett, SNS Gerardo Diaz, SOE |
UC ANR 4-H |
$49,970 |
This project addresses SB 1383 mandates and will help establish equitable access to an effective composting method. This project also aligns with Cal EPA’s “Short Lived Climate Pollutant Reduction Strategy” and its prioritization of systems that reduce greenhouse gases while generating beneficial products like soil amendments. Finally, this project addresses the “Build a Climate resilient Economy” priority of the California Climate Adaptation Strategy, particularly the goal of “climate resilience in the agricultural sector." |
|
Ashlie Martini, SOE |
N/A |
N/A |
$50,000 |
The project directly addresses the CA climate priority to Accelerate Nature-Based Climate Solutions and Strengthen Climate Resilience of Natural Systems by minimizing adverse environmental impacts of the transportation system. The project also addresses the priority to Partner and Collaborate to Leverage Resources by coordinating with universities to share climate adaptation and resilience research and training opportunities. |
|
|
Adeyemi Adebiyi, SNS |
John Abatzoglou, SOE Sandie Ha, SSHA Joshua Viers, SOE |
N/A |
$298,224 |
The project directly aligns with the several priorities and goals of the 2021 California Climate Adaptation Strategy, including (1) "strengthen protections for climate vulnerable communities", (2) "bolster public health and safety to protect against increasing climate risks", and (3) "make decisions based on the best available climate science". |
|
|
Equity-Aware Management of Electric Vehicles Charging Stations |
Ricardo Pinto de Castro, SOE |
Samuel Markolf, SOE Sarah Kurtz, SOE YangQuan Chen, SOE |
CalStart |
$475,386 |
The project directly addresses several California climate priorities including (but not limited to) the widespread adoption of zero-emission vehicles (e.g., Executive Order N-79-20), establishing a robust network of publicly available EV charging infrastructure (e.g., Executive Order B-48-18, Assembly Bill 2127), and emphasizing equitable outcomes while addressing climate change (e.g., California Air Resources Board 2022 Scoping Plan). |
|
Compost as an Equitable Climate Solution in the San Joaquin Valley |
Rebecca Ryals, SNS |
Teamrat Ghezzehei, SNS Camila Alvarez, SSHA Chelsea Arnold, SNS |
Central California Enviormental Justice network
Food Link for Tulare County
Wukchummni Farms
Central Valley Agoecology |
$1,000,000 |
Develops a pilot Compost Climate Action Plan in San Joaquin Valley (SJV) that achieves greenhouse gas reduction, fosters adaptive agroecosystems, and is centered on social justice. |
|
CO2 Incorporation into Polymers: From Greenhouse Gas to Useful Materials |
Michael Findlater, SNS |
N/A |
N/A |
$50,000 |
This research plan directly addresses the goals of the California Air Resources Board 2022 Scoping plan by proposing the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions through conversion of CO2 directly into valuable polymer materials. |
|
Total |
$4,096,197 |
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