JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE REGULAR MEETING MEETING MINUTES May 22, 2024 The Joint Sustainability Committee convened in a hybrid meeting via videoconferencing and City Hall. Board Members in Attendance in Person: Chris Maxwell-Gaines, Charlotte Davis, Alice Woods, Christopher Campbell, Haris Qureshi Board Members in Attendance Remotely: Melissa Rothrock, Diana Wheeler, Kaiba White, Yure Suarez, Rodrigo Leal, Anna Scott, Jon Salinas, Amy Noel Board Members Absent: Larry Franklin, Heather Houser, Stephanie Bazan City Staff in Attendance: Rohan Lilauwala and Zach Baumer CALL TO ORDER Vice-Chair Charlotte Davis called the meeting to order at 6:06 pm. PUBLIC COMMUNICATION 1. Kayla Reese – speaking in support of parks being added to Environmental Investment 2. Mike Cannatti – speaking in support of parks being added to Environmental Investment Plan recommendations. Plan recommendations. 3. Scott Johnson – speaking in support of battery electric technology. 1. Approval of minutes from the April 30th special called meeting of the Joint Sustainability Committee. • Maxwell-Gaines motions to approve, Campbell seconds, passes 12-0 with Woods abstaining. 3. Staff update to the response to the council resolution 20240215-025 ‘Environmental Investment Plan’ – Zach Baumer and Rohan Lilauwala, Office of Sustainability • Qureshi asks how to disseminate info to the public? o Share memo. • What could be funding mechanism for climate fee? o Need council support to even have direction, then come up with options • White: Questioning Decker infrastructure as setting stage for new thermal generation • Leal: Question around why “other” category o A gap now, but TPW will seek funding in the future. • Campbell: Is there going to be discussion around priorities? o Next steps from council • Noel: What did we learn? o Hard to compare projects that meet different goals. i.e. water vs carbon o Most funding comes down in silos. In this case – we did things a different way. E.g. land acquisition, city facilities; would require departmental collaborations + thinking beyond budget cycles. • White: Where is ARR fleet electrification. Should take advantage of if funding is available. o Charging network needed first, not enough time to assess fleet cost. • Davis: Estimates – did they line up with JSC? o Not really. Very rough estimates. More work needed to be refined. 2. Recommendation in support of staff response to council resolution 20240215-025 ‘Environmental Investment Plan’. • No 4. Update from the Electric Utility Commission on the Austin Energy Resource Planning Process – …
JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE HYBRID MEETING FORMAT June 26th, 2024 at 6pm Room 1407, Permitting and Development Center 6310 Wilhelmina Delco Dr, Austin, TX 78752 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, email or call Rohan Lilauwala at (Rohan.lilauwala@austintexas.gov or 512-974-9394). CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS: Kaiba White, Chair (Electric Utility Commission) Charlotte Davis, Vice Chair (Resource Mgmt. Commission) Diana Wheeler (Urban Transportation Commission) Haris Qureshi (Environmental Commission) Melissa Rothrock (Zero Waste Advisory Commission) Vacant (Community Development Commission) Larry Franklin (Austin Travis County Food Policy Board) Amy Noel (Economic Prosperity Commission) Chris Maxwell-Gaines (Water & Wastewater 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) Vacant (Austin/Travis County Public Health Commission) 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. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approval of minutes from the May 22, 2024 meeting of the Joint Sustainability Committee. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 2. Recommendation of investments the City should fund as part of council resolution 20240215-025 ‘Environmental Investment Plan’. 3. Recommendation in support of a ‘Climate Fee’ as outlined in the staff response to council resolution 20240215-025 ‘Environmental Investment Plan’. DISCUSSION 4. Update on regional climate planning efforts as part of the EPA’s Climate Pollution Reduction Grant Program – Mali Calvo and Rohan Lilauwala, Office of Sustainability 5. Climate Fee Best Practices and Case Studies – Rohan Lilauwala, Office of Sustainability 6. Joint Sustainability Committee Annual Report – Kaiba White 7. Update from the Resource Management Commission on amendments to bylaws to include advising Council on natural gas utility matters – Charlotte Davis FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS ADJOURNMENT The City of Austin is committed to compliance with the American with Disabilities Act. Reasonable modifications and equal access to …
Joint Sustainability Committee Resolution on Climate Fee June 26, 2024 WHEREAS, it is the Joint Sustainability Committee’s responsibility to advise “on matters related to conservation and sustainability and review City policies and procedures relevant to the Austin Community Climate Plan and the Austin Climate Equity Plan, including planning, implementation, community engagement, goal setting, and progress monitoring”, and WHEREAS, the greenhouse gas emissions reduction goal established by the Austin City Council in the Climate Equity Plan is to achieve “net-zero community-wide greenhouse gas emissions by 2040, utilizing a steep decline path followed by negative emissions” that translates to approximately 75% reduction in emission by 2030; and WHEREAS the Joint Sustainability Committee identified over $2.24 billion in one time costs and $96.14 million in ongoing expenses for implementing the Austin Climate Equity Plan and associated city plans; and WHEREAS increasing pressures on the city budget and utility rates will make funding the identified sustainability needs very difficult without a new source of revenue; and WHEREAS other cities have implemented dedicated fees to fund sustainability needs; and WHEREAS the City of Austin already utilizes dedicated fees to fund certain sustainability needs, including at Austin Energy, Austin Water and Austin Resource Recovery; and WHEREAS funding from existing fees is insufficient in magnitude to fund all existing need and existing fees can only be used to fund certain programs; NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Joint Sustainability Committee recommends that the Austin City Council and the City Manager actively pursue establishing a new Green Fee to help fill the funding gap for implementing the Austin Climate Equity Plan and associated city plans, including: ● Austin Energy Resource, Generation and Climate Protection Plan ● Austin Strategic Mobility Plan ● Austin Resource Recovery Master Plan ● Water Forward ● Watershed Protection Strategic Plan ● Austin/Travis County Food Plan ● One Austin: Climate Resilience Action Plan ● Central Texas Regional Air Quality Plan ● Urban Forest Plan This new fee should be structured to provide predictable revenue and should be paid by both residents and businesses.
Climate Pollution Reduction Grant Joint Sustainability Committee Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown MSA June 26, 2024 Agenda Program Information Priority Climate Action Plan ● Emissions Inventory ● Implementation Grant Comprehensive Climate Action Plan ● Process ● Timeline ● How to Get Involved Climate Pollution Reduction Grant ● Funding across the US for regional and state climate planning our region’s efforts ● City of Austin Office of Sustainability leading ● Several deliverables due over four years ● Planning covers the 5 county region: Travis, Williamson, Hays, Bastrop, Caldwell 3 Climate Pollution Reduction Grant March 2024 ● Deliverable 1: Priority Climate Action Plan ○ Completed March 1, a quick sprint ○ Focused list of near-term, high-priority, implementation-ready measures to reduce GHGs August 2025 Priority Climate Action Plan ● Submitted Mar 1 ● Regional GHG inventory ● GHG reduction measures ○ GHG analysis ○ Benefit/co-pollutant analysis ○ LIDAC benefits analysis ○ Workforce analysis ○ Funding analysis ○ Review of authority 2022 GHG Emissions in the Region Comprehensive methodology, results are representative of real emissions in the region Relatively low compared to others in Texas and even nationally ● Houston-Galveston - 31.5 MT CO2e ● Dallas-Fort Worth - 12.9 MT CO2e ● San Francisco Bay Area - 10.9 MT CO2e 2022 GHG Emissions in the Region GHG Emissions by County Legend Per Capita Emissions Greenhouse Gas Reduction Measures ● Key part of deliverable - identification of near-term, implementation-ready greenhouse gas reduction measures + analyses on each ● Input from staff in the region every two weeks ● Workshop, staff intake form, public survey ● Input from Community and Stakeholder Advisory group (30+ members) monthly Project Ideas Scoped Projects Community & Stakeholder Input Analysis ‘Long List’ of Measures GHG Reduction Impact Regional Scope LIDAC benefits Quick to Implement Not covered by other govts In PCAP Implementation Grant Application Advance to ‘Short List’ Priority GHG Reduction Measures Emission Reduction (MT CO2e) 2025-2030 2031-2050 TRANSPOR- TATION BUILDINGS AND ENERGY WATER AND LAND Implement Transportation Demand Management programs 860,806 725,426 Encourage and subsidize Renewable Diesel fuel (R99) availability 705,137 1,127,532 Install community solar and battery storage 50,357 132,429 Implement holistic building-wide upgrades to municipal buildings 27,214 47,236 Implement water conservation programs 34,224 99,379 Implement community-driven tree planting and forest restoration program 41,068 115,854 Cumulative Emissions Avoided by GHG Reduction Measure CPRG Implementation Grants Transportation Demand Management ● COA Transportation and Public Works + TxDOT, CapMetro, CARTS ● $47.85 million ● Mobility …
Climate Fee Joint Sustainability Committee Rohan Lilauwala, Climate Project Manager Office of Sustainability June 26, 2024 1 What are we really trying to achieve? ● Austin is a leader in climate action, one of only four major US Cities with the most aggressive climate goal (net-zero by 2040), and one only five that centers equity. ● Community members, organizations, activists, stakeholders, and City Council are pushing to make progress on climate and environmental goals. ● Creating and passing plans (like the Austin Climate Equity Plan) with no budget and funding plan sets us up for failure. ● Council Resolution No. 20240215-025 forced us to have a conversation around what projects should be priorities and how could pay for them. 2 What are we really trying to achieve? Status Quo: Identify Projects, then Find Money ● Too many projects, hard to prioritize, hard to categorize ● Maybe we find money, maybe we don’t ● No matter how much money is found, stakeholders are unhappy because everything won’t be funded and the process is unclear 3 What are we really trying to achieve? Status Quo: Identify Projects, then Find Money Climate Fee: Have Money, then Identify and Spend on Projects ● Too many projects, hard to prioritize, hard to categorize ● Maybe we find money, maybe we don’t ● No matter how much money is found, stakeholders are unhappy because everything won’t be funded and the process is unclear ● We have a set $ amount to spend and that’s clear to everyone ● Generate project ideas, analyze them, ● prioritize and fit into the budget allowed Some don’t get what they want, but stakeholders feel heard, spending and process is transparent 4 Portland Clean Energy Fund ● Funded by a 1% gross receipts tax on large retailers, approved by voters in 2018 with 65% in support, with support of community-based organizations. ● Portland Clean Energy Fund supports clean energy projects and job training, rooted in climate and environmental justice. ● Guided by the PCEF committee,charged with evaluating the effectiveness of the program in achieving the goals laid out in the Climate Investment Plan. 5 Portland Clean Energy Fund ● Expects to raise $750 million by 2028, spending plan passed in 2023, and features: ○ Planting 25,000 trees in heat-vulnerable neighborhoods to increase tree canopy. ○ Adding energy-efficient and renewable energy technologies in new and redeveloped affordable multifamily housing. ○ Making schools …
Annual Internal Review This report covers the time period of 7/1/2023 to 6/30/2024 __________Joint Sustainability Committee_____________ (Official Name of Board or Commission) The Board/Commission mission statement (per the City Code) is: 1. Describe the board’s actions supporting their mission during the previous calendar year. Address all elements of the board’s mission statement as provided in the relevant sections of the City Code. The JSC passed the following recommendations over the last year: - July 26, 2023 o 20230726-7 Recommendation of Proposal to Preserve the Independence of the Offices of Sustainability, Resilience, Equity, and Civil Rights o 20230823-6 Recommendation on Multifamily Composting Ordinance o 20230927-010 Recommendation for accelerating implementation of the Austin - August 23, 2023 - September 27, 2023 Climate Equity Plan - December 13, 2023 - January 24, 2024 o 20231213-007 Recommendation for support of Austin Energy Resource Planning o 20240124-002 Recommendations on amendments to the Ausitn Climate Equity Plan on telework and disposal rate goals - February 28, 2024 o 20240228-013 Recommendation on supporting Pro-Climate Food Choices in the Austin Food Plan o Approved amendment to bylaws to add a member from the Austin Travis County Public Health Commission to the Joint Sustainability Committee. o 20240228-015 Recommendation for Support of the goals of the Great Streets Initiative that contribute to the Green Infrastructure Resolution. o 20240228-017 Recommendation for Environmental Impact Study for Parking in Austin - March 27, 2024 - April 30, 2024 o 20240228-014 Recommendations for City of Austin FY25 Budget o 20240327-006 Recommendations on the FY 24-25 Budget o 20240430-002 Recommendation for Environmental Investment Plan Funding 2. Determine if the board’s actions throughout the year comply with the mission statement. (If any of the board’s actions were outside the scope of the mission statement, the report should explain the non-compliance issues.) All of the Joint Sustainability Committees actions complied with its mission statement. 3. List the board’s goals and objectives for the new calendar year. (Make sure the goals and objectives fall within the mission statement of the board/commission.) 1. Oversee and contribute to the implementation of the Austin Climate Equity Plan by working with all city departments, city management and the Austin City Council to evaluate and expand efforts to reduce emissions within City operations and in the community 2. Monitor and advise on effective communication of progress to implement the Austin Climate Equity Plan via the Dashboard, with an emphasis on increasing the level …
JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE REGULAR MEETING MEETING MINUTES June 26, 2024 The Joint Sustainability Committee convened in a hybrid meeting via videoconferencing and the Permitting and Development Center. Board Members in Attendance in Person: Charlotte Davis, Haris Qureshi, Jon Salinas, Chris Maxwell-Gaines Board Members in Attendance Remotely: Heather Houser, Anna Scott, Alice Woods, Rodrigo Leal, Diana Wheeler, Yure Suarez Board Members Absent: Larry Franklin, Amy Noel, Christopher Campbell, Kaiba White, Melissa Rothrock, Stephanie Bazan City Staff in Attendance: Rohan Lilauwala and Zach Baumer CALL TO ORDER Vice-Chair Charlotte Davis called the meeting to order at 6:16 pm. PUBLIC COMMUNICATION • Kathy Mitchell – On behalf Community Investment Budget. Includes support for Climate Equity Plan + Food Plan. Looking for JSC endorsement before August. 1. Approval of minutes from the May 22nd meeting of the Joint Sustainability Committee. • Davis correction – on item 2, reflect that no action was taken. • Maxwell-Gaines motions to approve, Qureshi second, passes 10-0. 2. Recommendation of investments the City should fund as part of council resolution 20240215-025 ‘Environmental Investment Plan’. • Item struck from agenda 4. Update on regional climate planning efforts as part of the EPA’s Climate Pollution Reduction Grant Program – Mali Calvo, Office of Sustainability • Qureshi - will we be doing county-specific workshops? Do we have ideas on how o We’re doing outreach to different municipal/county governments. • How are we pursuing funding for four measures not applied for a grant? o We’re opportunistic, looking for funding where available. Supporting EPA Community change grant for trees + AE Solar for all. 5. Climate Fee Best Practices – Rohan Lilauwala, Office of Sustainability • Qureshi – in support of progressive rather than regressive taxation • Salinas – what is the large retailer fee in Portland? o 1% surcharge on companies with more than $1 billion in annual revenue and more than $500,000 in revenue in Portland • Leal - Is Legal department looking into more comprehensive fee approaches? o Unclear at the moment • Woods – are these on utility bills? o Yes • Scott – could projects with revenue/savings be compatible with a climate fee? o Yes, but there could be other revenue streams (green bank, revolving funds) that those projects could fund • Maxwell-Gaines – could hotel tax fund this? Or other tourist taxes fund this? o Potential pushback from hospitality industry • Salinas – is there revenue from micromobility? …
