City Could Spend Nearly $1 Million in Valero Settlement Money

Benicia officials on Tuesday could earmark uses for nearly $1 million in settlement money from Valero.

The Valero Improvement Project cash from the oil giant flows to the city and Benicia Unified School District for conservation uses, and on Tuesday the Benicia City Council will look for ways to spend it.

The city will stretch its spending, as the account only has about $227,000 now (another $600,000 is on its way from Valero, according to a city staff report). The proposal set to be discussed Tuesday includes spending as far ahead as 2015.

Here's how city staff are proposing to spend the money–in order of their priorities:

1. Hold a second Dominican University workshop: $9,000 
2. An additional work day each week for Climate Action Plan Coordinator Alex Porteshawver, who is working three days a week for the city until February 2014: $15,000 in 2013.
3. Spend remaining money from the $625,000 allocated in 2012 for the Business Resource Incentives Program: $300,000 in 2013; $205,000 in 2014 
4. Re-authorize money for a Residential Solar Incentives Program, which was created in 2010 but never used: $100,000 
5. Provide rebates and vouches for high-efficiency toilets, clothes washers and irrigation parts: $10,000 
6. A grant for "Recovering imbedded renewable energy in City’s water distribution lines": $25,000 
7. A grant for lighting and energy-efficiency upgrades at the Benicia Historical Museum: $35,130 
8. A grant for environment-themed exhibits at Arts Benicia – Green Gallery: $51,400 
9. A grant for a sustainable art exhibit called “Wind, Water, Energy” – Arts & Culture Commission – Public Art: $30,000 
10. A grant for sustainability education for preschoolers through third-graders – Arts & Culture Commission – Tangled Up in Trash: $12,000 
11. Extend Climate Action Plan Coordinator Alex Porteshawver's work contract through June 2015 – CAP Coordinator: $90,000 in 2014; $30,000 in 2015.

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Benicia City Council meeting
7 p.m. Tuesday
250 East L Street

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