A
Administering Agency
A State agency that has been appropriated moneys for California Climate Investments from the GGRF. The term “agency” may refer to an agency, authority, board, commission, department, office, university, or other unit of State government.
Annual Report to the Legislature (Annual Report)
AB 1532 requires the Department of Finance to submit an Annual Report to the Legislature on the status and outcomes of projects funded from the GGRF. CARB posts these reports on the California Climate Investments website.
Appropriation
Authorization for an administering agency to make expenditures or legal commitments of payment from a specific fund for a specific purpose. Administering agencies typically receive appropriations of GGRF moneys through a budget bill.
Attestation Memorandum
After an administering agency completes an Expenditure Record, the Agency Secretary and Department Director (or equivalent) sign an Attestation Memorandum affirming that the Expenditure Record was prepared according to the requirements of SB 1018. The final Expenditure Record and administering agency Attestation Memorandum are posted on the CARB website.
B
Benefit Criteria Table
CARB provides tables, by project type, that include criteria for administering agencies to use to determine whether a project provides direct, meaningful, and assured benefits to priority populations; meets an important community need; and is eligible to be counted toward statutory investment minimums. CARB posts the benefit criteria tables on the CARB website.
C
CalEnviroScreen
CalEnviroScreen is a tool that can be used to assess areas that are disproportionately affected by multiple types of pollution and areas with vulnerable populations. CalEPA has used this tool in its statutory role of identifying disadvantaged communities for the purpose of California Climate Investments.
California Air Resources Board (CARB)
The lead agency implementing AB 32, including the Cap-and-Trade Program. CARB also administers the GGRF; develops Funding Guidelines and quantification methodologies; and is an administering agency.
California Climate Investments
An umbrella term and associated logo developed for the purpose of communication with funding recipients and the general public to identify programs or projects funded in whole or in part by the GGRF.
California Climate Investments Reporting and Tracking System (CCIRTS)
An online system for administering agencies to track and report on projects to improve consistency across programs, allow for more frequent reporting, and support greater public access to data.
Co-benefit
Economic, environmental, or public health benefit, other than GHG emissions reductions, that results from California Climate Investments.
Co-benefit Assessment Methodology
Describes the approaches that administering agencies, funding recipients, or other entities use to quantitatively or qualitatively assess the magnitude or presence of a co-benefit.
Continuous Appropriation
An amount, specific or estimated, available each year under a permanent constitutional or statutory expenditure authorization that exists from year to year without further legislative action. The amount available for expenditure each year may be: a specific recurring sum each year; all, or a specified portion of, the proceeds of specified revenues which have been dedicated permanently to a certain purpose; or whatever amount is designated for the purpose as determined by formula.
D
Disadvantaged Communities
Areas that are disproportionately affected by multiple types of pollution and areas with vulnerable populations. Per SB 535, CalEPA is responsible for identifying disadvantaged communities for the purpose of California Climate Investments.
E
Expenditure Record
A document that details how projects funded by GGRF moneys will facilitate GHG emissions and further the purposes of AB 32 and related statutes. SB 1018 requires all administering agencies to prepare an Expenditure Record prior to expending those moneys.
F
Fiscal Year
A 12-month period during which fiscal transactions are recognized. In California State government, the fiscal year begins July 1 and ends the following June 30.
Funding Recipient
Those that receive GGRF moneys or loans for directly implementing projects. Funding recipients covers a broad group and may include, but are not limited to: businesses, individuals, homeowners, non‑profits, research organizations, universities, local/regional agencies, transit agencies, State agencies, federal agencies, and tribal entities. Funding recipients may also include those who provide services or distribute incentives to end users (e.g., local providers that install weatherization / renewable energy upgrades for low‑income households).
G
Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF)
Established by SB 1018 to receive the State’s portion of proceeds from the quarterly Cap‑and‑Trade auctions.
Greenhouse Gas (GHG)
A gas that absorbs infrared radiation, including but not limited to: carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs), and sulfur hexafluoride (SF6). The GHGs quantified for each project or investment will be specified in the relevant quantification methodology.
GHG Emissions Reductions
Net decreases in GHG emissions including GHG emissions reductions and carbon sequestration. GHG emissions reductions are quantified using CARB quantification methodologies.
GHG Quantification Methodology
Describes the methods and approaches that administering agencies, funding recipients, or other entities must use to calculate estimated GHG emissions reductions.
I
Investment Plan
AB 1532 requires the Department of Finance, in conjunction with CARB and other relevant State entities, to develop and submit to the Legislature a three-year Investment Plan for the investment of GGRF moneys. The Investment Plan must identify GHG emissions reduction goals, identify gaps in current State strategies to meeting the emissions reduction goals of AB 32, and identify priority programmatic investments that facilitate achievement of the goals. In 2016, SB 1464 amended statute to require additional analyses for the Investment Plan.
L
Leverage
Use of one source of funds to obtain a commitment from another funding source. Leveraging may involve cash commitments or non‑cash commitments, such as volunteer labor or in-kind goods and services.
Low-income Communities
For the purposes of California Climate Investments, low-income communities are defined in AB 1550 as census tracts with median household incomes at or below 80 percent of the statewide median income or with median household incomes at or below the threshold designated as low-income by the Department of Housing and Community Development’s list of State income limits adopted pursuant to Section 50093. CARB maps of low-income communities on the priority populations map.
Low-income Households
For the purposes of California Climate Investments, low-income households are defined in AB 1550 as those with household incomes at or below 80 percent of the statewide median income or with household incomes at or below the threshold designated as low-income by the Department of Housing and Community Development’s list of State income limits adopted pursuant to Section 50093. CARB maps of low-income households on the priority populations map.
P
Priority Populations
Priority Populations include: disadvantaged communities, low‑income communities, and
low-income households.
Program
All related projects or activities that an administering agency funds and implements as a part of a single appropriation. A program comprises individual projects and may include multiple project types, technical assistance and outreach to applicants, coordinated research, and other implementation activities.
Program Targets
Targets for each program to drive investments that achieve direct, meaningful, and assured benefits to priority populations and help ensure that overall statutory investment minimums are met. CARB develops and posts program targets as needed for each fiscal year.
Project
Activities that are funded, in whole or in part, by the GGRF. The definition of project varies for the different administering agencies and California Climate Investments programs. Examples of a project include, but are not limited to:
A grant, loan, or direct funding of construction activities, equipment upgrades, or equipment purchases.
A grant for an incentive program (e.g., rebates, vouchers).
Transit improvements implemented by a transit agency.
A grant that funds demonstration activities focused on advanced technology.
A grant for climate research.
Project Outcome Reporting
Tracking and reporting of outcomes for a subset of operational projects. The start, duration, frequency, metrics, and methods of project outcome reporting vary by program and project type and are specified in the reporting templates.
Project Type
A general description of the kinds of projects being funded by California Climate Investments programs. Examples include, but are not limited to: Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities; Low Carbon Transportation Incentives; Transit and Active Transportation Projects; Building Energy Upgrades; Agricultural Water Use and Energy Efficiency, Wetland Restoration; Waste Diversion and Manure Management. Both the benefit criteria tables and reporting templates are organized according to project type.
Q
Quantification Period
Typically covers the period of time during which GHG reductions are reasonably expected to occur, or the period over which GHG reductions can be calculated and validated. The quantification period varies for the different programs and is defined in each of CARB’s quantification methodologies for estimating GHG emissions reductions.
R
Reporting Cycle
Administering agencies submit data periodically on the activities that occurred within that period. Beginning in 2018, administering agencies will report data semi‑annually for the periods covering December 1 through May 31 and June 1 through November 30.
Reporting Templates
CARB provides a formatted template that includes all required and optional reporting fields that are specific to each project type and each stage of reporting. Administering agencies upload the completed template within CCIRTS.