Benicia Sustainability Commission will hear seven presentations Monday from organizations seeking grants of Valero-Good Neighbor Steering Committee Settlement Agreement money.

Three applications have come from the city of Benicia; one comes from a contractor that provides the city with utility audits for homeowners seeking to reduce consumption and expenses; and another comes from the commission itself, which wants to participate in National Drive Electric Week.

Applications also have been made by Arts Benicia and Benicia Tree Foundation.

Recommendations on the applications will be made at the commission’s July 20 meeting, and the City Council will hear the panel’s recommendations in August.

Arts Benicia will be the first organization to describe its request, a two-year, $48,300 project, “Doing Our pART,” which consists of two juried exhibitions in 2016 and 2017 that focus on how visual artists contribute to public awareness of the strategies proposed in the Benicia Climate Action Plan.

The art shows will have panel discussions, school tours, descriptions of environmental issues illustrated in the art, Family Art Day activities and youth hands-on activities.

The project also will promote water conservation by commissioning artists to paint rain barrels and murals that illustrate water conservation and sustainable use of natural resources.

Benicia Tree Foundation will ask for a one-year grant of $28,675 to continue planting trees on Benicia Unified School District sites and to inform the public about the benefits of trees.

City employees will ask for $50,000 for another phase of Benicia’s residential solar incentive program of offering rebates for systems installed by residents; $69,889 for a two-year extension of its WaterSmart software and Home Water Reports project; and $200,000 for a water-efficient landscaping rebate program.

The CSC itself is seeking a $5,000 one-time grant to pay for publicity, signs and supplies for Drive Electric Week, Sept. 12 to 20.

WattzOn, Benicia’s home efficiency program contractor, will ask for $198,800 during two years to continue performing analyses of homes and making recommendations of ways residents can cut their power and water consumption. It also plans to provide other types of public education.

Benicia Community Sustainability Commission will meet at 5:30 a.m. Monday in the Council Chambers of City Hall, 250 East L St.

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