Caltrans Clean California Awards Nearly $115 Million to Transform Neighborhoods in Underserved Communities and Beautify Transit Stations

Funds Will Support 60 Projects Statewide

SACRAMENTO — Caltrans today awarded nearly $115 million in Clean California grants to cities and local agencies. The grants are a key part of Governor Gavin Newsom’s Clean California initiative, which is a sweeping $1.2 billion, multiyear commitment led by Caltrans to clean up trash, create thousands of jobs and help communities beautify their public spaces.

With today’s announcement, Clean California grants have funded nearly 300 projects statewide to revitalize and beautify underserved communities, some of which are already complete and now sources of community pride. The projects will improve public spaces, tribal lands, parks, neighborhoods, transit centers, walking paths, streets, roadsides, recreation fields, community gathering spots, and places of cultural importance or historical interest in underserved communities.

The 42 Clean California local grants announced today are in addition to the nearly $300 million in grants Governor Newsom announced in March 2022 to more than 100 local Clean California projects statewide.

In Inyo County:

A $1.48 million Diaz Lake Beautification Project will bring improvements to Diaz Lake facilities on the east side of the lake to include the following:

Improve the parking area with new asphalt, striping, a transit stop and shelter for dial-a ride access, and add new solar lighting at the restroom.

Enable heat island reduction through planting drought-tolerant shade trees, also adding shade structures, a picnic area, and BBQ facilities.

Build a new ADA-compliant playground, sand volleyball court, and dog park.

Install an aeration system in Diaz Lake to improve water quality for swimming, provide tule maintenance near swimming areas, install trash and recycling receptacles, add educational signage to promote proper waste disposal, and establish bi-annual community litter abatement events.

Following the positive community response to this first round of grants, Governor Newsom and the state legislature approved $100 million last year for a second round of local grant projects. The local grants awarded today range from $88,000 to $5 million, and all benefit underserved communities. In addition, today’s funding announcement includes $14.5 million to support 18 projects to clean up stations and other areas around public transit systems.

Since launching Clean California in July 2021, Caltrans and local partners have removed an estimated 1.86 million cubic yards of litter from state highways – a trash pile that would be more than 370 times taller than Mount Whitney (14,505 feet, the state’s highest peak). The program has created more than 4,000 jobs that have helped Californians overcome barriers to employment, including 357 people experiencing homelessness, and drawn more than 10,000 volunteers to events ranging from community cleanups to large debris collections for appliances, tires and mattresses.

As the Clean California effort moves forward, Caltrans and local communities will continue to draw attention to the negative impact litter has on natural resources, waterways, public safety and public health to create a cultural shift of shared responsibility for clean and vibrant public spaces.

Caltrans is also developing a program in which communities throughout the state can earn a special Clean California Community designation by meeting criteria centered around preventing and cleaning up litter, promoting recycling and greening or beautifying neighborhoods. To find out how to volunteer with Clean California, please visit Clean California.