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BACKGROUND <br />As part of the settlement of litigation over the expansion of the Altamont Landfill, the <br />parties to the litigation agreement (Alameda County, Waste Management of Alameda <br />County, the cities of Livermore and Pleasanton, and various environmental groups) <br />agreed that the County would impose a fee totaling $1.25 per ton at the Altamont Landfill <br />and Resource Recovery Facility effective January 2001. Each January thereafter, the <br />fee would be adjusted to reflect the change in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the <br />most recent 12 month period. The portion of the fee ($0.25 cents per ton) that funds the <br />Education Account increased to $0.28 cents per ton effective January 1, 2006. The <br />jurisdictions currently paying this fee are Oakland, San Francisco, Alameda, San <br />Leandro, Castro Valley, Oro Loma, Albany, Hayward, and Dublin. <br />The Altamont Settlement Agreement Education Advisory Board meets approximately <br />once a month. The Education Advisory Board consists of five voting members including <br />two members from the Northern California Recycling Association, one member from the <br />City of Pleasanton, one member from the City of Livermore, and one member from the <br />Alameda County Recycling Board. <br />The Education Advisory Board can propose the allocation of funds in the Education <br />Account to support diversion education programs, job training in the field of waste <br />diversion and recycling, and mitigate the impacts of the Altamont Landfill on the affected <br />neighboring community. The balance in the Education Account as of December 1, 2006 <br />was $921,551.16. <br />DISCUSSION <br />The Altamont Settlement Agreement requires the Education Advisory Board to submit a <br />proposed allocation of funds on an annual basis by April 1 S~. In accordance with the <br />Altamont Settlement Agreement, concurrence by the Northern California Recycling <br />Association (NCRA), the cities of Pleasanton and Livermore, and Alameda County is <br />necessary to fund any proposed allocation from the Education Account. <br />This is the fourth request for annual authorization of the expenditure plan from the <br />Education Advisory Board. On January 22, 2007, the Education Advisory Board <br />unanimously agreed to propose the 2007-08 Expenditure Plan to the authorizing <br />entities. The attached expenditure plan outlines a process for funding mini-grants, <br />annual competitive grants, and Board initiated projects and sets funding goals for each <br />grant category. For Fiscal year 2007-08, the Board is proposing to award a maximum <br />of $20,000 in mini-grants, $230,000 in project grants, $50,000 for Board initiated <br />projects, $10,000 for landfill mitigation projects and $15,000 for administrative support <br />to the City of Livermore. It is expected that the majority of grant applications will come <br />from environmental educators and programs. Additional mini-grants may be awarded <br />from unexpended funds allocated for the 2004-05, 2005-06, and 2006-07 fiscal years, <br />held in stewardship by the City of Livermore. <br />Page 2 of 3 <br />