WRCOG AR 24-25

WESTERN RIVERSIDE COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS

ANNUAL REPORT 2024-2025

Annual Rep o r t d e s ig n e d by P ro m e l i M e di a, L LC w w w.p ro melivid e owo r k s .c o m

TABLE OF CONTENTS ABOUT WRCOG

1

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

2

BUDGET AT A GLANCE

3

STRATEGIC PLAN

4

TUMF

5

PLANNING TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE

7

CLEAN CITIES

9

GRANT WRITING 10 SOLID WASTE PROGRAMS 11 REGIONAL STREETLIGHTS 13 ENERGY RESILIENCE PLAN 14 SOCALGAS REGIONAL ENERGY 15 PATHWAYS AMBASSADOR RESILIENT IE 16 COMMERICAL PACE 17 ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION 19 FELLOWSHIP 20 RCHCA 21 I-REN 23

WESTERN RIVERSIDE COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS JURUPA VALLEY CALIMESA

EASTVALE NORCO

RIVERSIDE

MORENO VALLEY

BEAUMONT BANNING

CORONA PERRIS

SAN JACINTO

HEMET CANYON LAKE MENIFEE

LAKE ELSINORE WILDOMAR

MURRIETA

RIVERSIDE COUNTY

TEMECULA

This year, WRCOG was honored as a finalist for the National Civic League’s All-America City Award and recognized by the Press-Enterprise as one of the Inland Empire’s Top Workplaces and one of the Best Places to Work in California.

Together, we continue to deliver programs that are both nationally recognized and deeply rooted in the needs of our region.

1 | WRCOG ANNUAL REPORT 2024-2025

For more than 30 years, the Western Riverside Council of Governments (WRCOG) has worked to make the region more sustainable, safe, and economically strong. Each year, WRCOG brings together local elected and senior appointed officials nearly 100 times to collaborate on issues that cross city and agency lines. Our mission is to plan, support, and find funding for key infrastructure projects and programs that improve quality of life across our member communities. WRCOG represents 18 cities, the County of Riverside, two water districts, the March Joint Powers Authority, and the Riverside County Superintendent of Schools.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE The purpose of WRCOG is to unify Western Riverside County so that it can speak with a collective voice on important issues that affect its members.

BRENDA DENNSTEDT (Chair) Director, Western Water

JACQUE CASILLAS (Vice-Chair) Vice Mayor, City of Corona

CHRIS BARAJAS (Past Chair) Mayor Pro Tem, City of Jurupa Valley

SHERRI FLYNN Council Member, City of Banning

MIKE LARA Mayor, City of Beaumont

JEFF CERVANTEZ Mayor Pro Tem, City of Calimesa

MARK TERRY Mayor, City of Canyon Lake

CHRISTIAN DINCO Council Member, City of Eastvale

JOE MALES Mayor Pro Tem, City of Hemet

BRIAN TISDALE Mayor, City of Lake Elsinore

BOB KARWIN Mayor Pro Tem, City of Menifee

ELENA BACA-SANTA CRUZ Mayor Pro Tem, City of Moreno Valley

LORI STONE Council Member, City of Murrieta

KEVIN BASH Council Member, City of Norco

MICHAEL VARGAS Mayor, City of Perris

CHUCK CONDER Council Member, City of Riverside

CRYSTAL RUIZ

JOSEPH MORABITO Council Member, City of Wildomar

JOSE MEDINA Supervisor, County of Riverside, District 1

KAREN SPIEGEL Supervisor, County of Riverside, District 2

CHUCK WASHINGTON Supervisor, County of Riverside, District 3

YXSTIAN GUTIERREZ Supervisor, County of Riverside District 5

DAVID J. SLAWSON Vice President, Eastern Municipal Water District

DR. EDWIN GOMEZ Superintendent of Schools, Riverside County Office of Education

Mayor Pro Tem, City of San Jacinto

JESSICA ALEXANDER Mayor Pro Tem, City of Temecula

WRCOG ANNUAL REPORT 2023 | 2

FISCAL YEAR 25/26

BUDGET AT A GLANCE AGENCY FISCAL GOALS

Ensure fiscal solvency and stability of the Western Riverside Council of Governments

TOTAL BUDGET* $25,677,989 REVENUES

1

2

3

Develop a process to vet fiscal impacts and potential risks for all new programs and projects.

Maintain sound, responsible fiscal policies.

Provide detailed financial statements for public review online.

$24,769,895

WRCOG’S STRATEGY

EXPENDITURES

In addition to the Strategic Plan Goals, the Executive Committee directed a longerterm look at the Agency’s finances to better identify and mitigate potential risks. This resulted in a fiscal modeling exercise that demonstrated the long-term fiscal health of each fund based on current activity, recessions, and other scenarios.

* Excluding TUMF project revenue Streetlights - $137K (.5%)

Legal - $448K

Used Oil - $213K (.8%) Solid Waste - $495K (1.9%)

General Fund - $9.21M (35.9%)

Clean Cities - $1.50M (5.9%)

I-REN - $12.89M (50.2%)

LTF - $1.22M (4.8%)

General Operations - $4.65M Salaries - $8.14M Consulting - $11.54M

FISCAL YEAR 25/26

BUDGET

BUDGETING PRINCIPLES

TUMF PROGRAM

This year’s budget was built on a set of guiding principles: • Ensuring the fair distribution of funds and funding requests, • requiring non-comprehensive programs (those which do not benefit the entirety of the member agencies) to be self-sustaining, • focusing on the long-term health of each fund, and • moving toward these goals in an incremental way when full scale immediate changes are impractical.

One of WRCOG’s largest Programs and provides funding for transportation projects.

Since its inception, over $1 billion in TUMF projects has been funded.

ANTICIPATED FUNDS FOR FY 25/26:

$77.5 MILLION

WRCOG

STRATEGIC PLAN WRCOG’s Strategic Plan was first adopted in 2022 and now serves as a shared vision that reflects community priorities and needs across our member agencies. The Strategic Plan implements seven goals areas, and eight core values which serve as a foundation to WRCOG’s efforts to achieve and maintain a high quality of life in Western Riverside County.

OUR CORE VALUES INCLUDE:

OUR APPROACH

INTEGRITY DIVERSITY TRANSPARENCY ACCOUNTABILITY COLLABORATION SUSTAINABILITY INNOVATION AND INCLUSION

1. We serve as an advocate at the regional, state, and federal level for Western Riverside County.

2. We identify and help secure grants and other potential funding for projects and programs that benefit member agencies.

3. We ensure fiscal solvency and stability of the Council of Governments.

4. We communicate proactively about the role and activities of the Council of Governments.

5. We develop projects and programs that improve the infrastructure in our region.

6. We develop and implement programs that support energy resilience for our region.

7. We provide a safe, inclusive environment that values employees.

Among WRCOG’s many accomplishments over the past year, several are highlighted within this document. They each strive to benefit member agencies and the communities they serve, utilizing the Strategic Plan as its guiding framework.

WRCOG ANNUAL REPORT 2023 | 4

TUMF The Transportation Uniform Mitigation Fee (TUMF) Program is a creative initiative to fund critical transportation infrastructure to accommodate the traffic created by population growth and development throughout Western Riverside County.

THE TUMF PROGRAM HAS PROVIDED

$949.7 MILLION IN FUNDING TO OUR MEMBERS

152 PROJECTS COMPLETED

75 ACTIVE PROJECTS

7 BRIDGES 5 GRADE SEPARATIONS 92 ROAD IMPROVEMENTS 17 TRANSIT IMPROVEMENTS 31 INTERCHANGE PROJECTS

6 BRIDGES 3 GRADE SEPARATIONS 48 ROAD IMPROVEMENTS 1 TRANSIT IMPROVEMENTS 17 INTERCHANGE PROJECTS

AND COUNTING SINCE 2003

5 | WRCOG ANNUAL REPORT 2024-2025

FISCAL YEAR HIGHLIGHT HOLLAND ROAD BRIDGES (HOLLAND ROAD/I-215 OVERPASS) The Holland Road Overcrossing Project is located on Holland Road between Haun Road and Hanover Road in the City of Menifee. The project will construct a four-lane bridge over the I-215 which will include dedicated bike lanes, sidewalks, traffic signals at Haun Road and Hannover Road, lighting, signing, and striping. The project is needed due to the increase in residential and commercial development on both sides of the I-215 which creates traffic congestion at the existing Newport Road and Scott Road interchanges. In addition, the project will create a needed east-west connection for motorists and pedestrians.

CONSTRUCTION COMPLETED IN 2024 TUMF FUNDING: $11,255,000

TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROJECT PROJECTION OVER THE NEXT 20 YEARS, THE TUMF PROGRAM WILL PROVIDE: $3 BILLION towards improving mobility in Western Riverside County by building critical transportation infrastructure $92 MILLION to regional transit enhancements $43 MILLION to open space preservation

Over the past, year, TUMF revenue has seen an overall increase with strong growth occurring in the Cities of San Jacinto, Hemet and Eastvale.

This funding is providing capital to projects throughout the County such as I-15/Nichols Rd Interchange, Esplanade Avenue Widening, Limonite Ave Bridge, SR-60/Redlands Blvd Interchange, I-10/Highland Springs Interchange, and many others.

The TUMF fees are collected and returned directly back into the program for project development.

WRCOG ANNUAL REPORT 2024-2025 | 6

PLANNING TECHNICAL

ASSISTANCE

WRCOG started providing technical assistance to member agencies through the Regional Early Action Planning grant funding.

The technical assistance created impactful local housing and planning initiatives within the subregion. Technical assistance has included nine specific projects requested by member agencies, including support tools for cities, grant assistance, and feasibility studies to help our community make strides in advancing community development. The technical assistance continues with WRCOG resources and additional REAP funding.

OVER $2 MILLION

30+ 7 | WRCOG ANNUAL REPORT 2024-2025

INVESTED INTO LOCAL JURISDICTIONS

RESOURCES CREATED FOR ALL MEMBER AGENCY USE

PROJECT SPOTLIGHTS AFFORDABLE HOUSING PIPELINE: The Pipeline was created, in coordination with the Housing Authority of Riverside County, as a tool for member agencies and developers to identify existing affordable housing projects and improve competitiveness for funding opportunities. To enhance the Pipeline, the Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities Grant Program criteria was integrated into the Pipeline to provide members and developers a means to conduct due diligence on how a potential project/application meets the Program’s criteria.

TRAVEL BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS WRCOG commenced a travel behavior analysis utilizing big data to assist its members in better understanding the travel patterns and behaviors of trips in its area. The analysis looked into items such as the origin and destination of trips, commute trip distances, trip type, and the trip distribution to-and-from each member agency.

These assessments have been summarized in an infographic for each member jurisdiction.

RESIDENT/WORKER AND COMMUTE PATTERN ANALYSES WRCOG compiled information for all cities in the WRCOG sub-region in order to compare jobs by industry located in the city to jobs held by city residents. The study also provides a summary of daily travel which illustrates the number of workers who travel to the City for work, those workers who both live and work in the city, and residents who travel outside of the City for work.

WRCOG ANNUAL REPORT 2024-2025 | 8

GRANT FUNDING

CLEAN CITIES

The Coalition began implementation of programs supported by more than $3 million in state grant funds supporting the deployment of zero-emission vehicle and infrastructure technology

The Western Riverside County Clean Cities Coalition helps advance the subregion’s economic, environmental, and energy security by supporting local actions to reduce transportation petroleum use. Participating jurisdictions include the Cities of Banning, Calimesa, Corona, Eastvale, Hemet, Lake Elsinore, Moreno Valley, Perris, San Jacinto, Temecula, Wildomar and the County of Riverside.

Projects include funding for deployment of light to heavy-duty zero emission vehicles (ZEV) in member agency fleets, technician training to support ZEV operations, and deployment of a zeroemissions community car share service.

PETROLEUM AND GHG REDUCTIONS Coalition members and stakeholders accomplish reductions each year with the support of Clean Cities.

Gasoline Gallon Equivalents (GGE’s) Reduced:

5,876,365 GALLONS

9 | WRCOG ANNUAL REPORT 2024-2025

these

Greenhouse Gas Emissions (GHG) Reduced:

86,571 TONS

INLAND ZERO-EMISSION VEHICLE NETWORK The goal of the network is to increase participants' understanding of ZEV needs, challenges, and opportunities of ZEV technology adoption, and facilitate sharing high-quality resources among participants to aid in adopting and deploying ZEV ZEV technologies through information sharing and partnership building.

Membership consists of a diverse group of stakeholders including public and private fleets, manufacturers and fuel providers, utilities, state and local regulators, educators, community groups , and more.

The project is a joint venture between Western Riverside and Southern California Clean Cities Coalitions.

KEY LEGISLATION AND FUNDING PROGRAMS:

California Clean Transportation Program:

CARB Advanced Clean Fleets Rules:

Scan the QR code to access links to the programs.

GRANT WRITING

The Grant Writing Assistance Program continues its success in providing constant updates of grant opportunities and connecting member jurisdictions with experienced grant writing professionals to support the preparation of competitive grant applications to spread local dollars further, having been successful in bringing over $80M dollar to the subregion.

The City of Riverside was awarded $7.4 million through the Safe Streets for All (SS4A) program. With assistance from the Western Riverside Council of Governments (WRCOG), the City secured funding to implement safety improvements at four of the six intersections identified in its high-injury network. The project will include the construction of 0.6 miles of new sidewalk to close pedestrian gaps, the addition of 16 miles of new bike lanes, and various intersection upgrades.

WRCOG's technical assistance program helps its member agencies secure grants to improve their communities. Over the past seven years, WRCOG has supported the development, submission, and acquisition of 27 grants and over $80M for cities, counties, and member agencies. In addition, WRCOG conducts regional studies to provide data and research that strengthen grant applications.

Bi-weekly dissemination of grant opportunities table to provide summaries and advance notice of opportunities.

WRCOG ANNUAL REPORT 2023 | 10

SOLID WASTE PROGRAMS WRCOG’s Solid Waste Committee helps member jurisdictions achieve state-mandated waste diversion and recycling goals, supporting reduction strategies of Short-Lived Climate Pollutants in partnership with the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery.

KEY LEGISLATION & WRCOG'S FOOD RESCUE PROGRAM Senate Bill (SB) 1383, enacted in 2016, targets greenhouse gas reduction by limiting organic waste disposal. To assist jurisdictions in meeting SB 1383 mandates, WRCOG conducted the Organic Capacity study, helping cities manage organic materials, assess processing needs, and explore food donation options. Building on this, WRCOG implemented the Food Rescue Program, which is now being used in five of the member agency jusrisdictions, including Jurupa Valley, Murrieta, Moreno Valley, Perris and San Jacinto.

In 2024/25, WRCOG advanced its Regional Food Recovery Program, developed in response to Senate Bill 1383 (SB 1383).

The program has made significant strides by integrating technology, using the Careit food donation platform to connect donors with food recovery organizations and to track compliance data such as donation volumes and inspection records.

The initiative also included on-site inspections, stakeholders workshops and customized outreach to support both

11 | WRCOG ANNUAL REPORT 2024-2025

jurisdictions and food generators in meeting their regulatory responsibilities. In 2024/25, the program successfully diverted over 2,194 tons of edible food from landfills-supporting both climate action and community food security.

In recognition of its innovation and impact, WRCOG's program was honored with the Polaris Award from the Public Relations Society of America - Inland Empire Chapter for excellence in public outreach.

LOVE YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD PROGRAM Promoting pollution prevention is paramount for maintaining the health of our environment and communities. The Love Your Neighborhood Program stands as a robust initiative for Riverside County, extending across 27 cities and encompassing three vital watersheds: the Middle Santa Ana River, Santa Margarita River, and Whitewater River. This collaborative effort is facilitated by WRCOG in partnership with the Riverside County Flood Control & Water Conservation District.

To enhance public engagement and support, the www. loveyourneighborhood.us platform serves as a hub for program information and allows communities to register their cleanup efforts. In 2023/24, the program participated in 19 events, with over 1,726 participants and removed over 13 tons of trash. The Love Your Neighborhood Program synergizes with resident initiatives and city coordination to amplify its impact.

USED OIL WRCOG’S Used Oil Recycling Program is designed to promote the proper recycling and disposal of used oil, oil filters, and Household Hazardous Waste through events and community outreach activities. The program is funded by CalRecycle.

1,845

USED OIL FILTERS RECYCLED IN 2024-25

WRCOG ANNUAL REPORT 2023 | 12

REGIONAL STREETLIGHTS WRCOG’s Streetlight Program assisted eleven local government agencies to purchase utility-owned streetlights and retrofit them to LED lighting, saving energy and millions of dollars in operating and utility costs. In 2022, WRCOG completed its Smart Streetlight Implementation Plan and Broadband Assessment.

BY THE NUMBERS KEY RETROFITS FROM 2024 Murrieta • 198 retrofitted decorative streetlights • 53,925.66 kWh saved per year • $10,927.41 saved per year San Jacinto • 36 retrofitted streetlights • 11,528 kWh saved per year • $2,325.53 saved per year

13 | WRCOG ANNUAL REPORT 2024-2025

SERVICE 1,069 STREETLIGHT CALLS POLE 62 REPAIRED KNOCKDOWNS

ENERGY RESILIENCE PLAN Over the past few years, millions of Californians have lost power due to environmental hazards either directly impacting local infrastructure or necessitating power shutoffs to reduce risk for further damage. In response to these power outages, WRCOG developed an Energy Resilience Plan which serves as a resource for developing and implementing energy resilience solutions at critical facilities and infrastructure in the subregion.

The Plan will serve as a handbook to guide local government decision-making related to the identification of and prioritization for investment into energy efficiency upgrades, local energy generation, microgrids, and energy storage systems to increase facility and community resilience.

THE PLAN COMPLETES THIS IN TWO WAYS: Identifying and prioritizing critical facilities and infrastructure.

ENERGY RESILIENCE PLAN 2.0: This plan, which WRCOG received a $470,000 grant from Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation will enhance the resilience of member agencies' facilities and communities against power outages and climate hazards through feasibility studies for microgrids and community resilience centers. Over the year, WRCOG will collaborate with its member agencies to identify critical facilities and optimal sites for these studies.

Assessing energy resilience solutions via feasibility studies.

FACILTIES REVIEWED FOR FEASIBILITY STUDY:

98

Considerations when prioritizing critical facilities and infrastructure: FACILITY OVERVIEW SOCIAL VULNERABILITY HAZARD SENSITIVITY CRITICAL ENERGY NEEDS

NEXT STEPS 1 2 3 4

CREATE INTEGRATION FRAMEWORK ASSESS COMMUNITY TRAITS EQUITABLY MICROGRID & RESILIENCE HUB STUDIES COMPLETE REPORT BY 2026

WRCOG ANNUAL REPORT 2024-2025 | 14

SOCALGAS REGIONAL ENERGY PATHWAYS AMBASSADOR SoCalGas continues to support public sector customers that previously participated in Local Government Partnerships through the Regional Energy Pathways (REP) Program. The objective of this model is to maintain and allow for more flexible engagement with all public sector customers that demonstrates the value of regional partnering while maintaining the direct relationships with existing partners as well as developing new relationships with public agencies.

One aspect of the REP Program is that SoCalGas contracts with regional agencies, known as REP Ambassadors, who will serve as an extension of staff to SoCalGas' REP team, ensuring public sector customers have a local "go-to" resource that supports their agencies' ability to increase energy efficiency. As the REP Ambassador for Riverside and San Bernardino Counties, WRCOG will be collaborating with SoCalGas to create awareness of SoCalGas' energy efficiency programs, assist public sector customers with developing and implementing gas energy efficiency projects through SoCalGas' programs, provide technical assistance, and promote long term energy efficiency practices.

WORK COMPLETED IN 2024-25: 3 ENERGY AUDITS

CITY OF CALIMESA

CITY OF BEAUMONT

CITY OF CORONA

1 COMPLETED PROJECT: City of Calimesa

Water 2 Tankless Heaters Installed

15 | WRCOG ANNUAL REPORT 2024-2025

Saved per 800 Therms Year

$788 Saved per Year

RESILIENT IE

Resilient Inland Empire is a collaborative effort between WRCOG and the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority (SBCTA), which works to support regional and local efforts to prepare for and mitigate risks associated with climate adaptation and transportation infrastructure. The Resilient IE efforts have been supported by Caltrans Sustainable Transportation Planning grants totaling over $2.5 million.

PHASE 1

KEY COMPONENTS

2024-2025 EFFORTS

Revised WRCOG’s community vulnerability assessment to a comprehensive resource

Emergency Evacuation Network Resilience Study – efforts commenced on an Emergency Evacuation Network Resilience Study that will conduct local-level evacuation compliance assessments and a high-level evacuation route capacity, safety, and viability analysis. Analyses will be completed by December 2025.

Created a regional climate adaptation and resiliency template general plan element Formed a climate resilient transportation infrastructure guidebook Developed city-level evacuation maps

PHASE 2

KEY COMPONENTS Conducted risk analysis for transportation projects throughout the subregion that provides local jurisdictions with tools, methods, and resources to incorporate asset risk management into planning processes for sound transportation project prioritization and investment.

WRCOG ANNUAL REPORT 2023 | 16

COMMERCIAL PACE Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (C-PACE) Programs offer property owners financing options for energy efficiency, water conservation, and seismic strengthening improvements to businesses. WRCOG's C-PACE program is offered in WRCOG's subregion as well as 40 states across 384 jurisdiction in California. WRCOG's C-PACE Program expanded to include Direct Capital Provider (DCP) opportunities.

WHAT KIND OF PROJECTS CAN C-PACE FINANCING SUPPORT?

Renewable Energy Systems

Solar

Energy Efficiency

Seismic Strengthening

Fire Hardening

Water Conservation (Landscaping)

EV Charging Infrastructure

Battery Storage

(HVAC, Windows/ Doors, Roof, Lighting, and Automated Building Controls)

FISCAL YEAR 2017/2025

BY THE NUMBERS

SINCE INCEPTION

NUMBER OF PROJECTS: 46 DOLLAR VALUE: $266,117,980.43

THE FUTURE OF C-PACE On March 4, 2024, the WRCOG Executive Committee approved the addition of Direct Capital Providers within the boundaries of both the WRCOG Energy Efficiency and Water Conservation Program for Western Riverside County and the California HERO Program to the Commercial PACE Program. This creates a new pathway to partner directly with investment and commercial banks and other financial institutions.

To become an authorized WRCOG C-PACE DCP Provider Please visit WRCOG’s online portal service(s) at https://westernriversidecogca.portal.opengov.com.

17 | WRCOG ANNUAL REPORT 2024-2025

CITY OF CORONA:

AT A GLANCE:

EVERHOMES SUITES

$5.7 MILLION NEW CONSTRUCTION

WRCOG C-PACE SUBREGIONAL PROJECTS

Improvements Include: • •

CITY OF MURRIETA:

HVAC Plumbing

•

Building Envelope

CITY OF HEMET:

WEST COAST EXOTIC CARS

CASA DEL SOL RV

$2.9 MILLION RETROFIT

$500,000 RETROFIT

Improvements Include:

Improvements Include:

• • •

HVAC Electrical Lighting

• •

Plumbing Roofing

CITY OF TEMECULA:

•

Solar

CITY OF MURRIETA:

HENDO’S BREWING AND SPIRITS, LLC

CALVARY CHRISTIAN CENTER

$2.1 MILLION RETROFIT

$1.2 MILLION RETROFIT

Improvements Include:

Improvements Include:

• •

HVAC Insulation

•

Building Envelope

CITY OF TEMECULA:

• • •

HVAC Roofing Solar

CITY OF TEMECULA:

SENIOR LIVING CENTER

EVERHOMES SUITES

$12.5 MILLION NEW CONSTRUCTION

$4 MILLION NEW CONSTRUCTION

Improvements Include:

Improvements Include:

• • •

HVAC Lighting Electrical

• • •

Plumbing Soft Cost Building Envelope

• • •

Concrete Steel Windows

• •

Lightning Building Envelope

WRCOG ANNUAL REPORT 2024-2025 | 18

ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

The WRCOG Active Transportation Plan (ATP), adopted in 2018, is a roadmap to enhance the built environment for people who walk, bike, and/or use other non-motorized modes of transportation.

A FULLY IMPLEMENTED ATP WOULD RESULT IN:

56%

155

miles of new active transportation infrastructure

of the population served by new regional facilities

public locations connected within the proposed network

7

50%

109

connections to Metrolink stations in Riverside County

of all WRCOG-area households without a vehicle are connected

schools served within 1/4-mile of the proposed network

500

WRCOG continues to look for ways for member agencies to implement the ATP, especially by encouraging member agencies to apply for active transportation funding through the WRCOG Grant Writing Assistance Program.

19 | WRCOG ANNUAL REPORT 2024-2025

FELLOWSHIP The WRCOG Public Service Fellowship Program is a paid nine-month professional development opportunity that equips students to enter government careers. This Fellowship is a focused effort to allow participants to gain hands-on public sector experience in agencies in Western Riverside County while enriching the local community.

108

FELLOWS TRAINED

107,000

HOURS OF SERVICE

Since its inception, the Program has facilitated eight cohorts training 108 Fellows who have contributed over 107,000 hours of service in Western Riverside County. Their work ranges from economic development efforts to transportation infrastructure projects. Many Fellow alumni are gainfully employed throughout Western Riverside County, while others have pursued advanced degrees at prestigious universities, and much more.

FELLOW TESTIMONIALS "My time as a planning fellow with WRCOG has been an experience filled with professional and personal growth. I have enjoyed working on various planning related projects throughout the region, such as assisting with the Transportation Uniform Mitigation Fee (TUMF) program. I have strengthened my Excel skills, as I use the software daily in my work. I am able to connect the knowledge from my master's program to the projects I am working on, putting planning theory and skills into practice. This experience has solidified my goal to work in Riverside County as an urban planner. A highlight from this program has been being able to connect with other fellows and public service professionals."

SOPHIA HERNANDEZ, COUNTY OF RIVERSIDE

"The WRCOG Public Service Fellowship Program provided me with an essential learning opportunity to gain firsthand experience in the public sector. As a graduate student in public administration, I had the privilege to work with the City of Menifee's Engineering Department, where I learned about land development, water quality management plans, stormwater management, and regulations. Collaborating with an organization with outstanding leadership was both educational and inspiring. I am genuinely grateful for the opportunity to learn, grow, and benefit from such an invaluable experience."

TERESA DEAGUILERA, CITY OF MENIFEE

WRCOG ANNUAL REPORT 2023 | 20

RCHCA The Riverside Count Habitat Conservation Agency (RCHCA) is a Joint Powers Authority formed for the purpose of planning, acquiring, and managing habitat for the Stephen’s Kangaroo Rat (SKR), listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. RCHCA works to demonstrate recovery of the species.

52,000 ACRES OF CONSERVED HABITAT MANAGED BY RCHCA

CONSERVATION On February 17, 2022, the USFWS reclassified the Stephens' Kangaroo Rat from endangered to threatened under the Endangered Species Act. A concurrent 4(d) rule provides for additional management flexibility for landowners within the species’ range to conduct weed and fire management activities, and other beneficial actions outlined in approved management plans.

Reclassification of a species occurs when population levels are increased and the threats to the species are decreased.

This monumental milestone signifies species recovery through excellent land management practices as outlined in regional Habitat Conservation Plans (HCP).

RCHCA remains dedicated to the goal of full species recovery for SKR, and will continue conservation efforts unabated.

21 | WRCOG ANNUAL REPORT 2024-2025

COLLABORATION To support SKR recovery, RCHCA has partnered with the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance (SDZWA) to provide population modeling to develop translocation recommendations for the genetic management of SKR. By studying the genetic diversity of the species, SKR biologists can better address threats to the species, such as habitat fragmentation, which reduces the overall health of populations. Translocations introduced new genetic diversity, which improves the fitness and thus survivability of a species.

COORDINATION With funding from the Bureau of Land Management, RCHCA and the Conservation Biology Institute completed the first Rangewide Management and Monitoring Plan for SKR in 2021. RCHCA has since collected three out of five years of baseline data. By coordinating with diverse landowners and agencies throughout SKR's entire range, RCHCA is compiling comprehensive data to accurately determine future population density and trends.

EDUCATION Education is an integral part of habitat conservation that helps people of all ages understand and appreciate our area’s natural resources. RCHCA has a robust educational outreach program where hundreds of students from local school districts visit SKR-conserved lands each year to participate in NGSSbased programs, like the "Celebrating Endangered Species" Event, where they learn about endangered species and the importance of conserving natural resources. In 2024, RCHCA served over 330 students in NGSS-based programs.

WRCOG ANNUAL REPORT 2023 | 22

INLAND REGIONAL ENERGY NETWORK The Inland Regional Energy Network (I-REN) enhances energy efficiency in the Inland Empire by increasing local control and access to savings in Riverside and San Bernardino counties. We empower local governments, enable building industry compliance, and support workforce training to engage communities in state clean energy initiatives.

LAND REGIONALFISCAL ENERGY NETWOR YEAR HIGHLIGHTS PUBLIC SECTOR I-REN will build capacity and knowledge to enable local governments to effectively leverage energy efficiency services and to demonstrate best practices.

•

•

•

•

• •

23 | WRCOG ANNUAL REPORT 2024-2025

Held first public sector working group featuring the Statewide Best Practices Coordinator at the California Climate and Energy Collaborative, Angie Hacker. The working group was attended by more than 70 participants, including 41 in-person attendees across three locations and representatives from 29 underserved and/or hard-to-reach agencies.

I-REN helped 12 agencies secure over $1.8 million in EECBG funding through targeted support during the application process, which amounted to approximately 30% of all EECBG funds allocated to I-REN member agencies.

I-REN poster accepted to the American Council for an EnergyEfficient Economy Summer Study (ACEEE) conference highlighting Cash for Kilowatts' innovative incentive strategy design informed by member agency feedback.

I-REN conducted no-cost audits for 19 agencies at 44 facilities in the territory. I-REN identified potential lifetime savings of over 35 million kWh and 12,500 therms, as well as $8.5 million in utility bill savings and over $2.8 million in incentives for agencies within the region. 100% of I-REN’s current project pipeline will benefit equity communities.

The first Cash for Kilowatts project completed construction with a lighting project at a Colton Joint Unified School District middle school, which serves an underserved community.

36 Energy Resilience Roadmaps were developed to help agencies with strategic energy planning, 100% of which were for agencies that serve underserved and/or hard-to-reach communities.

CODES AND STANDARDS I-REN works closely with local building departments and the building industry to support, train, and enable long-term streamlining of energy code compliance.v • • • • • • • • • •

157 CEU certificates given out (94% increase from 2023) 13 trainings held 259 total attendees across all trainings 120 net individual attendees for 1 or more trainings 45 people attended at least two trainings 2 regional forums hosted with staff from 16 jurisdictions attending Hosted first training series held in the Spanish language by a REN Expanded technical assistance offerings to include permit guides 99% of training participants increased Energy Code knowledge through trainings 33 out of 55 incorporated jurisdictions in the I-REN region had staff attend I-REN C&S trainings (60%)

WORKFORCE EDUCATION & TRAINING I-REN supports various workforce and education programs to encourage and realize energy efficiency goals across sectors.

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25 Fellows Placed to date 14 Fellows placed in this cycle of Fellowship 13 Public Sector Agencies signed up for LGSEC membership and encouraged their participation in the energy policy landscape.

30 Job Fairs between 2024-2025 388 Interested job seeker slips collected 50 potential interested partner contact 10 tours, conferences, events, networking opportunities and educational opportunities related to the energy sector have been offered to the fellows in cycle 2 of our fellowship between 2024-2025.

WRCOG ANNUAL REPORT 2023 | 24

Western Riverside Council of Governments 1955 Chicago Ave Riverside, CA 92507 (951) 405-6700 www.wrcog.us