Board approves package to accept more than $130 million in federal grants, including $55.4M for zero-emission ferries

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors on Jan. 14 approved a package of accept-and-expense resolutions that together commit the city to accept roughly $132 million in federal grant awards for projects across six departments. The board placed several awards in reserve pending Budget and Finance Committee review and required follow-up as staff completes fiscal-impact reporting.

The package includes a $55,380,000 award under the Environmental Protection Agency's Clean Ports Grants program to the Port of San Francisco, SF Bay Ferry and partner agencies to build a first-of-its-kind high-speed zero-emission ferry network. Port staff said the award funds four key components: Mission Bay ferry landing, electrification infrastructure at the downtown ferry terminal, a zero-emission 400-passenger high-speed ferry, and a maritime workforce development program.

Other major awards approved include: - $20,000,000 from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) program for the Bayview Connections project in District 10 (Public Works). - Approximately $19,900,000 from the U.S. Department of Energy for a joint building-performance standards project (Environment/Berkeley partnership). - $14,996,876 from the U.S. Department of Transportation for charging and fueling infrastructure to add roughly 300 publicly accessible Level 2 or DC fast chargers. - Grants for public-health and social services programs, including $13,635,302 for STD prevention and control (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), $1,600,000 from the Department of Justice for an overdose fatality review team, $223,673 for CalAIM justice-involved Medi-Cal supports, and $832,804 for refugee support services.

Director Tyrone Joo of the Department of the Environment described the effort as a cross-departmental, time-sensitive push: "This was a collaboration truly that began in November as we realized the clock was ticking," he said, noting federal programs were rapidly rolling out awards.

Board President Mandelmann credited the clerk and department staff for coordinating the expedited package and told members the board would preserve oversight by placing funds on board reserve where fiscal-impact materials remain incomplete. "Lots and lots of cats needed to be herded, and this was a big, big, big, big project," he said.

Procedural notes: Several items required an eight-member supermajority under board rules; the clerk read individual items and the board considered amendments that placed funds on reserve and delegated authority to the Budget and Finance Committee to review complete files and release funds. Supervisor Chan requested Item 10 (a $750,000 MTC pedestrian and bicycle safety grant for Visitation Avenue) be referred back to the Budget and Finance Committee; the mayor's office indicated support for that referral and the board voted to send the item to committee.

Why it matters: The awards fund a mix of climate, transportation, public-health and social-service programs affecting disadvantaged communities and city infrastructure. The $55.4 million Clean Ports award in particular would subsidize the city's largest single investment in zero-emission ferry infrastructure to date.

Next steps: Departments will finalize fiscal-impact reports, staffing impacts, and agreements; funds placed on board reserve must be reviewed by the Budget and Finance Committee before release. Several grants include required local matches; the Port reported match commitments (including $13.6 million from SFPUC for substation work) tied to the Clean Ports award.