Fresno

Successes in Soil Stewardship: Funding Community Composting Across California 

Successes in Soil Stewardship: Funding Community Composting Across California 

California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery’s (CalRecycle) Community Composting for Green Spaces Grant Program is funding community composting at hundreds of sites across California. In the first cycle of funding, the grant program awarded $1.5 million to the People, Food, and Land Foundation, which supported community composting at 117 sites throughout California, planted 488 trees, created 4,418 cubic yards of compost, and reduced emissions by 2,508 MTCO2e of GHG emissions. An additional $4.2 million was awarded to the California Alliance for Community Composting and LA Compost in the second cycle of the program. Through the establishment or expansion of community composting sites, communities receive benefits such as part time jobs and training on composting practices, fresh produce from adjacent gardens, training on farming practices, an increase in shade from tree planting, and the development of green spaces.  

San Joaquin Valley's Agricultural Community Adopts Innovative Changes with FARMER

San Joaquin Valley's Agricultural Community Adopts Innovative Changes with FARMER

In the heart of California, the San Joaquin Valley is a region where agriculture is not just an industry but a way of life for many. CARB’s Funding Agricultural Replacement Measures Emissions Reductions (FARMER) Program funds transformative initiatives that foster the adoption of innovative farming techniques, integrating advanced agricultural technologies, and promote community engagement and has been making monumental steps towards more sustainable agriculture across the valley.

Funding ZEV Workforce Training and Career Development for Priority Populations

Funding ZEV Workforce Training and Career Development for Priority Populations

Through the Inclusive, Diverse, Equitable, Accessible, and Local (IDEAL) ZEV Workforce Pilot Project administered by the California Energy Commission and co‑funded by CARB, Fresno City College has offered three high schools in Fresno County the opportunity to introduce their automotive students to ZEV technology. Training was provided in December 2023 for high school teachers at each of the three schools, and they were provided with tools and equipment to offer the new ZEV curriculum starting in spring 2024.

San Joaquin Valley Community Air Monitoring Network Expands Access to Air Quality Data

San Joaquin Valley Community Air Monitoring Network Expands Access to Air Quality Data

California Air Resources Board

With funding from the Community Air Grants Program, community-led project SJVAir is providing accurate air quality data and real time alerts to residents in disadvantaged communities located up to 30 miles away from the nearest regulatory PM 2.5 monitor.

First of Its Kind Fuel Cell Project Generating Electricity from Dairy Waste

First of Its Kind Fuel Cell Project Generating Electricity from Dairy Waste

California Department of Food and Agriculture

Thanks to $3 million in funding from the Dairy Digester Research and Development Program (DDRDP), a California Bioenergy dairy digester and Bloom Energy fuel cell technology have been installed at the Bar 20 Dairy in Fresno County and are now capturing methane and generating renewable electricity without combustion. This innovative project was made possible through state incentive programs and private investors including the DDRDP administered by the California Department of Food and Agriculture, and the Self Generation Incentive Program, administered by the California Public Utilities Commission, and access to revenue generated by California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) credit.

Building the Capacity of a Food Rescue and Distribution Network in Fresno

Building the Capacity of a Food Rescue and Distribution Network in Fresno

California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery

The non-profit Fresno Metropolitan Ministry (Fresno Metro), in partnership with the Central California Food Bank, is using a $300,000 grant from the Food Waste Prevention and Rescue Grant Program to expand their capacity to rescue and distribute more edible food through their Food to Share program. Over the grant term, Fresno Metro will add 20 new food recovery school sites from Fresno Unified and Central Unified School Districts, set up 5 new food distribution sites at local community-based organizations, and increase direct food recoveries by adding 2 new retail locations and 6 urban gleaning sites.

Zero-Emission Truck and Bus Project Delivers Cleaner Air in San Joaquin Valley

Zero-Emission Truck and Bus Project Delivers Cleaner Air in San Joaquin Valley

The San Joaquin Valley Transit Electrification Project has deployed 15 zero-emission battery electric transit buses, and 15 charging stations, in disadvantaged communities throughout the San Joaquin Valley.

No-cost Energy Upgrades Serve Low-income Farmworker Households

No-cost Energy Upgrades Serve Low-income Farmworker Households

Mrs. Rojas and her family now have a solar photovoltaic system and energy efficiency upgrades in their home, including a high efficient air conditioning system, new windows that minimize heat transfer, a smart thermostat, and other measures that reduce energy costs while improving the comfort and livability of their home and its resiliency to climate change.

Visalia-Fresno Shuttle Serves Students, Travelers, and Residents

Visalia-Fresno Shuttle Serves Students, Travelers, and Residents

Deep in California’s Central Valley, the small City of Visalia took a big step when it started its Visalia-Fresno Shuttle Project in November 2015. The five-stop “V-line,” part of the Visalia Transit system, has a stop for everyone – students headed to Fresno State University, travelers bound for Fresno Yosemite International Airport, even visitors off to see Fresno’s leafy Courthouse Park.

High-Speed Rail Project Provides Job Training and Career Advancement Opportunities

High-Speed Rail Project Provides Job Training and Career Advancement Opportunities

Fernando Madrigal, Jr. personifies the opportunities associated with high-speed rail. After 12 years of service with the Marine Corps, Fernando found work as a security guard. He then signed up for a 10-week training program sponsored by PG&E to introduce workers to the various constructions trades.

Pre-Apprenticeship Training Student Lands Job on High-Speed Rail

Pre-Apprenticeship Training Student Lands Job on High-Speed Rail

Students continue to flock to classes and training that can lead to jobs on California’s High-Speed Rail project and other infrastructure projects. Two years ago, Yovani Moreno took Pre-Apprenticeship Training classes at the Construction and General Laborers’ Local 294 union hall in Fresno.

Closed-Loop Recycling Solutions for Irrigation in the Central Coast

Closed-Loop Recycling Solutions for Irrigation in the Central Coast

Netafim Irrigation, Inc. received a total of $2,011,647 from California Climate Investment through the Recycled Fiber, Plastic, and Glass Grant Program. This money supports its operations as a closed‑loop recycling solution for used irrigation tubing that serves commercial farming operations in the Central Coast region of California. Netafim’s grant is expanding an established and successful recycling operation. As a result of this expansion in Netafim’s operations, the project is estimated to divert 83,059 tons of material from landfills and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 66,447 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent.

Low-Emission Tractors Reduce Air Pollutants in the San Joaquin Valley

Low-Emission Tractors Reduce Air Pollutants in the San Joaquin Valley

FARMER is a statewide program that provides incentive funding through local air districts for agricultural harvesting equipment, heavy-duty trucks, agricultural pump engines, tractors, and other equipment used in agricultural operations.

California Conservation Corps Completes Critical Fuel Break Project in Auberry

California Conservation Corps Completes Critical Fuel Break Project in Auberry

Nestled along Little Sandy Creek along the northern edge of Fresno County sits the Town of Auberry. To prevent catastrophe from hitting the communities on the western edge of the Sierra National Forest, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection partnered with the California Conservation Corps to reduce the flammable woody material in the area.

Tailored Technical Assistance for Farmers and Ranchers

Tailored Technical Assistance for Farmers and Ranchers

In a partnership with the Strategic Growth Council and the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR) is providing outreach, education, and technical assistance to farmers and ranchers across California

Transform Fresno Initiative Brings Solar and Energy Efficiency Projects to Low-income Households

Transform Fresno Initiative Brings Solar and Energy Efficiency Projects to Low-income Households

The Transform Fresno initiative, with $66.5 million in Transformative Climate Communities (TCC) investments, allowed a broad group of stakeholders to collaborate on an integrated suite of projects meant to reduce disparities in these neighborhoods.

Community Members Lead Transformative Climate Solutions in Southwest Fresno

Community Members Lead Transformative Climate Solutions in Southwest Fresno

Three Fresno neighborhoods are about to undergo an economic and environmental transformation that promises to improve the quality of life for residents of Southwest, Chinatown and Downtown Fresno.

Enhanced Irrigation Tools and Solar PV System Bring Efficiency to Fresno Farm

Enhanced Irrigation Tools and Solar PV System Bring Efficiency to Fresno Farm

The investment of $150,000 in Cap-and-Trade proceeds into climate-smart technology on Navdip Badhesha’s 40-acres of grapes made a big difference in water use and carbon emissions for this farmer – and for California.

Advanced Composting Facility Diverts Organic Waste in Kerman

Advanced Composting Facility Diverts Organic Waste in Kerman

One of the most advanced composting operations in California is scaling up its operations in Fresno County. Early in 2017, Mid Valley Disposal is opening its new 10-acre, 68,000 square foot composting facility in Kerman, California. In addition to creating 47 new jobs in California’s agricultural heartland, the project serves as a model of sustainability in California’s innovative fight against climate change.