Cap and Trade Money Hits Rooftops

California Governor Jerry Brown’s budget revisions include spending more than $2 billion dollars from the state’s cap and trade program. But money from the greenhouse gas reduction program is already helping some homeowners this fiscal year.

Dave Walsh is installing solar panels on the roof of a home in a low-income neighborhood in Sacramento. This is one of the first homes to receive solar panels using money from the state’s cap and trade program.

By law, 25 percent of all the money raised must go to low income communities. Bill Magavern with the Coalition for Clean Air says many more projects will benefit.

“Public transit, is getting a big infusion of money, affordable housing, if it’s near transit, is getting a big infusion of money, urban forestry so that we can reduce the urban heat island effect,” says Magavern.

Sixty percent of the funds will go to transit, including high-speed rail. But the remaining 40 percent is up for debate in the Legislature…some of it Governor Jerry Brown wants to use this year for drought relief.