BOARD AGENDA MEMORANDUM
Government Code § 84308 Applies: Yes ☐ No ☐
(If “YES” Complete Attachment A – Gov. Code § 84308)
SUBJECT: Title
Adopt a Resolution Declaring September 20, 2025, as California Coastal Cleanup Day in Santa Clara County.
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RECOMMENDATION: Recommendation
Adopt the Resolution DECLARING SEPTEMBER 20, 2025, AS CALIFORNIA COASTAL CLEANUP DAY IN SANTA CLARA COUNTY.
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SUMMARY:
Trash in and along creeks and waterways significantly impacts stream water quality and contributes to potential flood risks in Santa Clara County. Santa Clara Valley Water District’s (Valley Water) Creek Stewardship Program allows community members to take an active role in protecting our local waterways through volunteerism. The Creek Stewardship Program provides cleanup opportunities through the year-round Adopt-A-Creek Program and single-day countywide creek cleanup events.
To implement the countywide creek cleanups, Valley Water participates in a consortium of Santa Clara County public agencies, known as the Creek Connections Action Group (CCAG), which was established in 1995. In addition to Valley Water, members of the CCAG include the cities of San Jose, Milpitas, Palo Alto, Gilroy, Morgan Hill, Cupertino, Mountain View, Sunnyvale, and Santa Clara, as well as Santa Clara County Parks and Recreation Department and the West Valley Stormwater Program Authority. Valley Water serves as the Chair and provides countywide coordination, outreach, and supplies for volunteers, such as gloves, trash bags, and litter sticks. In 2024, the CCAG coordinated two (2) countywide cleanup events, including California Coastal Cleanup Day. These events engaged a combined total of more than 1,600 volunteers who removed roughly 50,000 pounds of litter from over 120 miles of waterways and natural spaces in Santa Clara County.
The first California Coastal Cleanup Day was organized in 1985 by the California Coastal Commission who continues to serve as the state-wide coordinator for the event. Now in its 41st year, California Coastal Cleanup Day continues to serve as an opportunity to partner with the California Coastal Commission, local cities, nonprofits, and various community groups to raise pollution prevention awareness and organize volunteers to help remove litter from the County’s waterways. This year, Valley Water and the CCAG will encourage the community to participate in organized group cleanups throughout Santa Clara County. Valley Water and the CCAG will host a training and supply pick-up for group organizers.
The Creek Stewardship Program, including California Coastal Cleanup Day activities, is partially funded by the Safe, Clean Water and Natural Flood Protection Program's Project B4, which supports Volunteer Cleanup Activities, approved by voters in November 2020.
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE IMPACT:
California Coastal Cleanup Day offers creek cleanups for communities across Santa Clara County. As part of our community outreach efforts, we ensure that constituents with Limited English Proficiency are engaged and informed. This includes placing newspaper advertisements in multiple languages to reach and involve all members of our community.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
The Creek Stewardship Project, Project No. 00061019, has $25,000 in the FY 2025-26 Adopted Budget for services and supplies to support this event. No additional funding is requested.
CEQA:
The recommended action is exempt from CEQA under CEQA Guidelines Section 15301 (Existing Facilities). Valley Water prepared a Notice of Exemption covering various creek clean-up activities within Valley Water right-of-way, filed with the Santa Clara County Clerk-Recorder’s Office on March 16, 2022.
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment 1: Resolution
UNCLASSIFIED MANAGER: Manager
Rachael Gibson, 408-630-2884