JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE HYBRID MEETING FORMAT January 24th, 2024 at 6pm Council Chambers, City Hall 301 W 2nd St, Austin, TX 78701 Some members of the Committee may be participating by videoconference Public comment will be allowed in-person or remotely via telephone. Speakers may only register to speak on an item once either in-person or remotely and will be allowed up to three minutes to provide their comments. Registration no later than noon the day before the meeting is required for remote participation by telephone. To register to speak remotely, call or email Rohan Lilauwala at (rohan.lilauwala@austintexas.gov or 512-974-9394). CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS: Kaiba White, Chair (Electric Utility Commission) Diana Wheeler, Vice Chair (Urban Transportation Commission) Charlotte Davis (Resource Mgmt. Commission) Haris Qureshi (Environmental Commission) Melissa Rothrock (Zero Waste Advisory Commission) Bertha Delgado (Community Development Commission) Larry Franklin (Austin Travis County Food Policy Board) Chris Maxwell-Gaines (Water & Wastewater Commission) Amy Noel (Economic Prosperity Commission) Stephanie Bazan (Parks & Recreation Board) Jon Salinas (Design Commission) Vacant (City Council) Alice Woods (Planning Commission) Rodrigo Leal (Mayor’s Representative) Anna Scott (Mayor’s Representative) Heather Houser (Mayor’s Representative) Yureisly Suarez (Mayor’s Representative) Christopher Campbell (Mayor’s Representative) For more information, please visit: www.austintexas.gov/jsc AGENDA CALL TO ORDER PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL The first 10 speakers signed up prior to the meeting being called to order will each be allowed a three-minute allotment to address their concerns regarding items not posted on the agenda. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 1. Approval of minutes from the December 13th meeting of the Joint Sustainability Committee. 2. Discussion and action to approve recommendations to amend the Austin Climate Equity Plan spurred by City Council action. 3. Discussion and action to approve recommendations regarding the proposed updates to the Austin Energy Resource, Generation and Climate Protection Plan. 4. Discussion and action to approve Joint Sustainability Committee recommendations for the FY25 City Budget. 5. Discussion and action to approve a recommendation amend the Joint Sustainability bylaws, including to include representation from the Austin Travis County Public Health Commission on the Joint Sustainability Committee. 6. Discussion and action on encouraging low-carbon foods in the Austin-Travis County Food Plan. DISCUSSION 7. Proposed plan to transition to Low-Carbon Concrete in support of Council Resolution (Ed Poppit and Angela Johnson, Office of the City Engineer). 8. 2023 JSC Strategic Plan review 9. Update from Water and Wastewater Commission 10. Update from Electric Utility Commission 11. Update from Environmental …
JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE REGULAR MEETING MEETING MINUTES Dec 13, 2023 The Joint Sustainability Committee convened in a hybrid meeting via videoconferencing and at Permitting and Development Center. Chair Kaiba White called the Board Meeting to order at 6:11 pm. Board Members in Attendance in Person: Chris Maxwell-Gaines, Kaiba White Board Members in Attendance Remotely: Heather Houser, Melissa Rothrock, Chris Campbell, Jon Salinas, Rodrigo Leal, Haris Qureshi, Anna Scott, Charlotte Davis, Diana Wheeler, Amy Noel, Yure Suarez Board Members Absent: Larry Franklin, Bertha Delgado, Alice Woods, Stephanie Bazan City Staff in Attendance: Rohan Lilauwala, Amanda Mortl, Tasnuva Udita CALL TO ORDER PUBLIC COMMUNICATION N/A 6. Approval of minutes from the October 25th meeting of the Joint Sustainability Committee. Need a correction on item 10. Should say ‘Leal motions, Wheeler seconds’ Wheeler motions to approve with correction, Leal seconds, passes on 11-0 vote (Noel and Suarez off Dais) 1. Sustainable Procurement Update – Amanda Mortl, Office of Sustainability Discussions around accuracy + relevance of spend-based inventory o Current work is estimate. When further analyses done are measurements, we can’t compare to estimate. We’re on the cutting edge, methods are still evolving. o Inflation factored in, uses EPA database These are cradle-to-purchase measurements, only uses production emissions 3. Air Quality in Austin – Scott Johnson Discussion on importance of air quality. 2. Regional Air Quality – Anton Cox, CAPCOG Discussion on top sources of air pollution and opportunities to improve air quality No budget for incentives, requires voluntary action Request for Anton to provide NOx inventory and detailed list of measures taken High impact thing Austin could do – replace high emitting generation facilities (Decker, Fayette) would make a big difference 4. Updates from the Electric Utility Commission on Austin Energy Generation Plan Updates – Kaiba White 7. Resolution on Austin Energy Resource Planning. Discussion around issues with AE proposal for natural gas/hydrogen plant, including lack of transition plan, identified source, green hydrogen standard, assumption that hydrogen will be same price as natural gas, lack of delivery clarity. Assumption that transition to hydrogen would happen in 2027-2028. Qureshi motions to approve recommendation, Scott seconds, passes on a 11-0 vote (Campbell abstains, Suarez off dais). 5. action. Discussion of amendments to the Austin Climate Equity Plan spurred by council White is hoping to include ARR disposal rate goal while ACEP is …
Joint Sustainability Committee RECOMMENDATION 20240124-XXX Date: January 24, 2024 Subject: Recommendations on amendments to the Ausitn Climate Equity Plan on telework and disposal rate goals Motioned By: Seconded By: Recommendation: The Joint Sustainability Committee recommends and supports the following updates to the Austin Climate Equity Plan: 1. Adding language to explicitly support telework policies as outlined in City Council Resolution No. 20231109-029. 2. Amend Food and Production Consumption Goal 3 on page 75 to reflect the disposal rate goals in the 2023 Austin Resource Recovery Comprehensive Plan adopted by Council Resolution No. 20231102-002. a. Current language: “Aggressively pursue waste reduction, organics composting, and recycling to achieve a new zero-waste goal following adoption of the new Austin Resource Recovery Zero Waste Plan*. *The new community-wide per capita disposal rate goal will be added as an amendment to this plan when available.” b. Recommended language: “Aggressively pursue waste reduction, organics composting, and recycling and maintain a per capita disposal rate of 4 pounds disposed per ARR-serviced household per day in the near-term and work to achieve 1 pound disposed per ARR-serviced household per day over time.” Rationale: 1. The Joint Sustainability Committee supports expanded support and encouragement for telework for the reasons described in Joint Sustainability Committee Recommendation 20230628-4. 2. The Joint Sustainability Committee recognizes that product consumption is a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions. The addition of the disposal rate goals reflects this fact and was envisioned in the drafting of the Austin Climate Equity Plan. Page 75 of the Plan states “*The new community-wide per capita disposal rate goal will be added as an amendment to this plan when available.”
Recommendation to amend Austin City Code Chapter 2-1-206 to include Austin Travis County Public Health Commission on the Joint Sustainability Committee WHEREAS, degraded air quality from climate-related factors like increased particulate matter, ground-level ozone and wildfire smoke is linked to higher rates of respiratory illnesses including asthma and lung cancer, a leading cause of death in Travis County; and WHEREAS, heightened temperatures and recurrent heatwaves in Austin have escalated the risk of heat-related illnesses, particularly impacting vulnerable populations, including elderly residents, children, and the unhoused population; and WHEREAS, erratic weather patterns, including more extreme winter storms and thunderstorms, have posed challenges to healthcare services, caused infrastructure damage, and raised the potential for injuries, impacting the health and safety of Austin's residents; and WHEREAS, low-income communities and communities of color are the most impacted by extreme weather and pollution, leading to unjust quality of life outcomes and health disparities; and WHEREAS, according to the World Health Organization, “By 2030, climate change is projected to cause an additional 250,000 deaths per year, with mental health disorders accounting for a significant portion due to increased stress, anxiety, and trauma from climate-related events”; and WHEREAS, City Code directs the Joint Sustainability Committee to “promote close cooperation between the council, City management, City boards, commissions, committees, and task forces... with the goal of coordinating all similar activities within the City and the community in order to secure the greatest public benefit;” NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Joint Sustainability Committee of the City of Austin hereby recommends that City Code Chapter 2-1-206 and the bylaws of the Joint Sustainability Committee be amended to add the Austin Travis County Public Health Commission to the membership of the Joint Sustainability Committee to foster collaboration and address the critical intersection of climate change and public health for the betterment of the Austin community. .
Joint Sustainability Committee RECOMMENDATION 20240124-002 Date: January 24, 2024 Subject: Recommendations on amendments to the Ausitn Climate Equity Plan on telework and disposal rate goals Motioned By: Haris Qureshi Seconded By: Anna Scott Recommendation: The Joint Sustainability Committee recommends and supports the following updates to the Austin Climate Equity Plan: 1. Adding language to explicitly support telework policies as outlined in City Council Resolution No. 20231109-029, including ensuring that, whenever appropriate, all new City of Austin telework and remote work policies contribute towards the goal of achieving 25% Austin residents working from home by 2039 and include a strategy to implement a City of Austin telework policy of no less than 85% of eligible City of Austin employees choose work from home. 2. Equity Plan a. The Joint Sustainability Committee further recommends that the Austin Climate 3. Amend Food and Production Consumption Goal 3 on page 75 to reflect the disposal rate goals in the 2023 Austin Resource Recovery Comprehensive Plan adopted by Council Resolution No. 20231102-002. a. Current language: “Aggressively pursue waste reduction, organics composting, and recycling to achieve a new zero-waste goal following adoption of the new Austin Resource Recovery Zero Waste Plan*. *The new community-wide per capita disposal rate goal will be added as an amendment to this plan when available.” b. Recommended language: “Aggressively pursue waste reduction, organics composting, and recycling and maintain a per capita disposal rate of 4 pounds disposed per ARR-serviced household per day in the near-term and work to achieve 1 pound disposed per ARR-serviced household per day over time.” c. The Joint Sustainability Committee further recommends the Austin Climate Equity Plan be updated in the near future to refine the disposal rate goal with clear target dates and more ambitious interim goals. Rationale: 1. The Joint Sustainability Committee supports expanded support and encouragement for telework for the reasons described in Joint Sustainability Committee Recommendation 20230628-4. 2. The Joint Sustainability Committee recognizes that product consumption is a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions. The addition of the disposal rate goals reflects this fact and was envisioned in the drafting of the Austin Climate Equity Plan. Page 75 of the Plan states “*The new community-wide per capita disposal rate goal will be added as an amendment to this plan when available.” Vote: 13-0 For: Kaiba White, Rodrigo Leal, Haris Qureshi, Chris Maxwell-Gaines Melissa Rothrock, Jon Salinas, Alice Woods, Amy Noel, Diana Wheeler, Christopher …
City of Austin Plan to Transition to Low – Embodied Carbon Concrete In Pursuit of a Carbon Neutral Austin Office of the City Engineer January 2024 Austin o The use of traditional cements and concretes and construction with concrete has a huge impact on the sustainability of most of our built environment and infrastructure. o We must work together to affect change to be successful developing a future in which we all want to live. o The City of Austin has an opportunity to take a leading role in the movement toward more sustainable infrastructure. o The Austin City Council has passed a Resolution that empowers us to begin walking the path toward more sustainable concrete. 2 Climate Change and CO2 Emissions Industry, 14% Electricity, 28% Agriculture, 9% Commercial & Residential, 12% Concrete, 8% Transportation 29% Year 1990 2005 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 33.5 46.2 40.3 39.0 40.9 40.7 41.3 33,484 46,194 40,324 38,971 40,896 40,888 41,312 MMT CO2 Eq. kt • Cement industry is responsible for about 8% of carbon dioxide emissions • Carbon dioxide emissions from cement production increased by 23.4% from 1990 through 2021. 3 4 Buy Clean Policies and Legislation Federal, State, and Local Initiatives White House Buy Clean Actions Announced September 15th, 2022. Administration Goal: Net-zero emissions by 2050 and a 50-52% reduction by 2030. Prioritize the Federal Government’s purchase of steel, concrete, asphalt and flat glass that have lower levels of emissions. Expand lower-carbon construction materials used in federally-funded projects. Convene states to partner on Buy Clean. Increase data transparency through supplier reporting to track and reduce emissions. Launch pilot programs to advance federal procurement of clean construction materials. Expand the Buy Clean Task Force to eight more federal agencies (total of 17 now). The US Department of Transportation policy statement (issued September 15th, 2022), “…the U.S. Department of Transportation will launch a Buy Clean Initiative that will assess and address the embodied carbon emissions that come from the engineering, design, construction, procurement, maintenance, and disposal of transportation projects" 1. The Department will explore the use of Environmental Product Declarations, which are transparent, verified reports used to communicate the environmental impacts of construction materials. Standardized reporting would help industry to confidently move forward in investing in the production of clean and reliable materials. 5 Concrete Sustainability Initiatives Material Transparency: Environmental Product Declarations Nutrition Label EPD 6 City of Austin City Council Resolution Resolution …
JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE REGULAR MEETING MEETING MINUTES Jan 24, 2024 The Joint Sustainability Committee convened in a hybrid meeting via videoconferencing and at Permitting and Development Center. Chair Kaiba White called the Board Meeting to order at 6:07 pm. Board Members in Attendance in Person: Kaiba White, Rodrigo Leal, Haris Qureshi, Chris Maxwell-Gaines Board Members in Attendance Remotely: Melissa Rothrock, Jon Salinas, Alice Woods, Amy Noel, Diana Wheeler, Heather Houser, Charlotte Davis, Christopher Campbell, Anna Scott Board Members Absent: Larry Franklin, Bertha Delgado, Stephanie Bazan, Yure Suarez City Staff in Attendance: Rohan Lilauwala, Angela Johnson, Ed Poppit, Zach Baumer CALL TO ORDER PUBLIC COMMUNICATION Santiago – volunteer at Festival Beach Food Forest Responding to TxDOT’s I-35 proposal o Regarding non-conforming uses and stormwater tunnel under Cesar Chavez 6. Approval of minutes from the December 13th meeting of the Joint Sustainability Committee. Qureshi motions to approve, Wheeler seconds, passes on 12-0 vote (Maxwell-Gaines off dais). 7. Low Carbon Concrete Presentation –Angela Johnson and Ed Poppit, Office of the City Engineer Presentation on approach taken in response to council resolution concrete Question on are they asking suppliers to disclose rather than requiring low carbon o Poppit – looking towards enhancements in the future. Pilots, testing (e.g. carbon injection in sidewalks), but not far down the road of action. Need more support to take more action. Taking small steps now – educating producers, etc. o Mix of fixes – no silver bullet. Changing processes, changing energy sources, changing component mixtures. o Johnson: Plan is evolving and shifting based on new knowledge advancements o Poppit: Old way was prescriptive, new path might be performance-based (meet certain important characteristics). Puts pressure on city staff to ensure performance meets needs. o This was supposed to go to council in November, no updates. o EPDs coming into effect Oct 2024 o White: need to move faster o Clarification from Campbell – CO2 impacts are in metric tons, not MMT 3. Recommendations to amend ACEP re: telework policies and AE zero waste goal Qureshi motions to approve, Scott seconds Does there need to be specificity in the time for a target? Is it aggressive enough? JSC members discuss at length. JSC ‘further recommends that ACEP be updated in near future to refine the disposal rate goal with clear target dates and set more ambitious interim goals’ Woods amendment – …
