BOARD AGENDA MEMORANDUM
SUBJECT:
Title
Adopt a Resolution Declaring May 1, 8, 15, 22 and 29, 2021 as National River Cleanup Days in Santa Clara County.
End
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
Adopt the Resolution DECLARING MAY 1, 8, 15, 22 AND 29, 2021 AS NATIONAL RIVER CLEANUP DAYS IN SANTA CLARA COUNTY.
Body
SUMMARY:
Trash in and along creeks and waterways has a significant impact on stream water quality and contributes to potential flood risks in Santa Clara County. Consequently, each year a consortium of public agencies known as the Creek Connections Actions Group (CCAG), of which Valley Water is a member, undertakes efforts to educate the community about these impacts, and encourage agencies and volunteers alike to remove trash from the creeks, with the goal of protecting Santa Clara County’s waterways. Last year, the CCAG’s efforts resulted in the removal of a total of 46,359 pounds of trash from the waterways in Santa Clara County.
Since 1995, Valley Water has been working with the CCAG to coordinate the annual National River Cleanup Day event in in Santa Clara County to keep creeks and rivers clean. In addition to Valley Water, members of CCAG include the cities of San Jose, Milpitas, Palo Alto, Gilroy, Santa Clara, as well as Santa Clara County Parks and Recreation and the West Valley Clean Water Authority. Valley Water’s role in the CCAG is to serve as Chair and provide countywide coordination, outreach and supplies for volunteers, such as gloves, trash bags and litter sticks.
National River Cleanup continues to serve as an opportunity to partner with cities, non-profits and various community groups to raise pollution prevention awareness and organize volunteers to help remove trash from the county’s waterways. This year, as we continue to adhere to the Santa Clara County Public Health Order in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Valley Water and the CCAG will host a socially-distanced National River Cleanup event every Saturday during the month of May. Volunteers will be encouraged to conduct socially-distanced, cleanups in their neighborhoods and around their local natural areas. Valley Water and its partners in the CCAG will host various supply pick-ups at sites located throughout the county for volunteers who register.
Staff recommends the Board of Directors adopt the resolution (attachment 1) to declare May 1, 8, 15, 22 and 29 as National River Cleanup Days in Santa Clara County to further encourage the community and Valley Water employees to volunteer to help keep our local waterways clean. Following adoption of the resolution, staff will promote the event using a variety of social media and other channels, and recruit volunteers for each cleanup day in May.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
$52,000 is available for services and supplies to support this event in the FY 2021-22 budget for the Support Volunteer Cleanup project #00061019. No additional funding is requested.
CEQA:
The recommended action does not constitute a project under CEQA because it does not have the potential for resulting in direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment.
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment 1: Resolution
UNCLASSIFIED MANAGER:
Manager
Marta Lugo, 408-630-2237