Farm and Ranch Solid Waste Cleanup and Abatement Grant

The Farm and Ranch Solid Waste Cleanup and Abatement Grant, administered by the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle), is designed to support the cleanup of illegally disposed solid waste on agricultural and rangeland properties across the state. This grant program is authorized under Section 48100 of the Public Resources Code and has been active for multiple cycles, with funding made available each fiscal year. For FY 2025–26, CalRecycle has allocated $1,000,000 in funding under cycles 87, 88, 89, and 90. This grant plays a critical role in addressing public health, environmental hazards, and nuisances caused by unauthorized waste disposal on properties used for commercial livestock and crop production, aquaculture, floriculture, and related agricultural activities. Eligible applicants include cities, counties, Resource Conservation Districts, and Federally Recognized Tribes. Private property owners cannot apply directly but may request that an eligible local agency submit on their behalf. Project eligibility hinges on the property being appropriately zoned or authorized for agricultural use and having experienced unauthorized disposal for which the responsible party cannot be located, identified, or made to pay for remediation. Grants are limited to sites where neither the applicant nor any related parties brought or permitted the waste on the land, and the property must meet specific criteria defining it as an illegal disposal site not permitted or exempt under California regulations. Each grant award may not exceed $200,000, with a cap of $50,000 per individual cleanup site. Cleanup activities may include removal of waste materials, transportation, fencing, educational outreach, and site restoration. Sites requiring more than $50,000 must be supplemented with in-kind or external funding. The grant does not require a matching fund contribution, but applications are evaluated based on threat level to public health and the environment. Reimbursement is also available for previously remediated sites, subject to specific documentation and ownership requirements. Applicants must submit their applications through CalRecycle’s online Grants Management System (GMS) by the relevant due dates: July 8, 2025; October 7, 2025; January 6, 2026; or April 7, 2026, depending on the cycle. The fourth cycle introduces a Pilot Program option for applicants needing additional time to complete required documentation. Under this program, only a resolution and expense estimate are required at submission, with remaining documents due by August 5, 2026, prior to the start of cleanup activities. Applications are reviewed by CalRecycle for completeness and eligibility, and awards are conditionally approved by the Director or their designee based on public health risk and program criteria. Notification of awards is expected in October 2025 (Cycle 87), January 2026 (Cycle 88), April 2026 (Cycle 89), and July 2026 (Cycle 90). Grant terms extend from the issuance of a Notice to Proceed through April 4, 2028. All grantees must implement an Environmentally Preferable Purchasing and Practices Policy as a prerequisite for application.

Submit all required documents before deadlines; incomplete or unsigned documents will result in disqualification; follow eligibility and zoning requirements strictly; use GMS submission system