Vice Chairman Mark Hughes sought assurances that the Community Sustainability Commission’s funding recommendations met the spirit and letter of the letter of the Valero-Good Neighbor Steering Committee settlement agreement, but joined the rest of the Council in approving grants to several nonprofit organizations’ projects.

His sticking point Tuesday night was the agreement’s emphasis on water conservation, and the most favored project, residential solar panel incentives, saves energy but doesn’t directly save water.

Conventional energy generation uses water, Commission Vice Chairperson Sharon Maher told the Council, and Good Neighbor Steering Committee attorney Dana Dean, who drafted the agreement, said the pact has a provision for funding projects that are considered even more valuable than water saving efforts.

However, the Commission should have stated that observation, she added.

In the past, the Commission’s share of the Valero-GNSC settlement has underwritten art projects and puppet shows that have conservation themes. It also was essential in buying additional land near the Water Treatment Plant so additional solar panels could be installed to reduce the city’s dependency on conventional power sources.

From March to May, the sustainability commission received seven grant applications for a combined $401,264. With $299,805 left in its coffers to award, the panel analyzed the applications.

It trim awards to some and deciding not to fund the Benicia Tree Foundation because of the state’s severe drought and because the organization hasn’t spent previously-awarded money.

At its special meeting July 13, the sustainability commission heard applicants’ presentations, and made its recommendation at a second meeting July 20 to spend $294,400.

The largest portion, $99,400, will continue funding Benicia’s continuing Home Efficiency Program, submitted by the established contractor, WattzOn, that analyzes water and power use in homes and recommends changes the homeowner could make to save water and power.

Another $60,000 will go to Benicia Public Works, which had asked for $100,000 for its residential turf replacement rebates that supplements Solano County’s reimbursements. The city’s Community Development Department will get its entire $50,000 request for its residential solar project.

Benicia Public Works will use $45,000 for its Water Smart project that monitors individual homes’ water consumption and makes comparisons with other consumers, including a control group.

Arts Benicia will recieve $30,000 for educational art projects and two conservation-themed juried shows, which members said become an outreach, communicating to the public in ways other methods can’t.

While the tree foundation didn’t get funding, despite a report by Steve Goetz on the organization’s accomplishments, another project received double its request. The sustainability commission will get that money to celebrate and promote Drive Electric Week, a push for electric vehicles that ties into a national celebration.

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