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The Environmental Oversight Committee

The Environmental Oversight Committee makes recommendations on the allocation of environmental freeway mitigation funds and monitors the execution of a master agreement between OCTA and state and federal wildlife agencies.

Funded by OC Go, Orange County's half-cent sales tax for transportation improvements, the Environmental Mitigation Program allocates funds to acquire land and fund habitat restoration projects to offset the environmental impacts of OC Go freeway projects. To date, OCTA has acquired more than 1,300 acres in Brea, Laguna Beach, Silverado Canyon, and Trabuco Canyon. Additionally, a total of 12 restoration projects have been funded throughout Orange County. Approximately $10 million has been allocated to restore about 350 acres of open space land.

Together, this effort ensures 13 sensitive species are protected in their native habitat.

Learn more about the Environmental Oversight Committee here.

Environmental Cleanup Allocation Committee

This committee makes recommendations on a competitive funding process to implement street- and highway-related water quality improvement projects.

The funds come from OC Go, Orange County's half-cent sales tax for transportation improvements, as part of the Environmental Cleanup Program that awards money on a competitive basis to cities and the county for projects that reduce the impacts of water pollution related to transportation.

Since the Environmental Cleanup Program began in 2011, OCTA has provided funding for 177 projects totaling just more than $25 million. It is estimated that more than 33 million gallons of trash has since been captured as a result of the installation of these devices.

Learn more about the Environmental Cleanup Allocation Committee here.

Additional Resources

FHA Case Study Profiles OCTA's Environmental Program
When Orange County taxpayers renewed the county half-cent sales tax for transportation improvements in 2006, they told OCTA they wanted some of the funds to go toward environmental efforts. Since then, funds from OC Go, also known as Measure M, have improved freeway project coordination and approval, reduced freeway project permitting process time and set aside and preserved 1,300 acres of land and restored more than 350 acres of native habitat in OC.
Endowment Fund on Track to Maintain Conservation Habitat
As part of its commitment to a balanced and sustainable transportation future for Orange County, OCTA developed a Natural Community Conservation Plan/Habitat Conservation Plan, acquired conservation properties, and funded habitat restoration projects to mitigate the impacts of Measure M2 freeway programs. Years in the making and requiring cooperation from multiple entities, the conservation plan ensures more than 1,300 acres of OCTA wilderness preserves will remain forever protected from development.
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