Regional Alternative Compliance Exchange
This online platform, the Contra Costa County RAC System, creates an alternative pathway for C.3.b Regulated Projects to achieve compliance in accordance with MRP Section C.3.e. Instead of constructing Low Impact Development (LID)/Green Stormwater Infrastructure (GSI) facilities on-site, the Regulated Project (i.e., RAC System “buyer”) would make a compliance purchase that would cover capital costs for “Off-Site GSI Projects” that achieve C.3 compliance, and pay an annual ongoing Operations and Maintenance (O&M) fee for the long-term maintenance of the Off-Site GSI Projects. The O&M fee would be levied on the Regulated Project’s onsite parcel. Although the Contra Costa County RAC System has been designed to achieve alternative compliance for Regulated Projects, Permittees seeking purchase of GSI retrofits could also participate as RAC System buyers.
The collected compliance purchase payments (i.e., for capital costs) would be pooled to fund Off-Site GSI Projects located on public or private land in urban areas within Contra Costa County that are certified and maintained through the Contra Costa County RAC System. Collected O&M fees would fund Off-Site GSI Project maintenance. Implementation of the Contra Costa County RAC System is expected to produce TMDL pollutant load reduction benefits through these Off-Site GSI Projects, which are anticipated to be primarily located in older urban and industrial areas demonstrated to have higher levels of PCBs.
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