JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE HYBRID MEETING FORMAT August 28th, 2024 at 6 pm City Hall – Council Chambers 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, email or call Rohan Lilauwala at (Rohan.lilauwala@austintexas.gov or 512-974-9394). CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS: Home Commission Electric Utility Commission Resource Management Commission Urban Transportation Commission Environmental Commission Zero Waste Advisory Commission Community Development Commission Austin Travis County Food Policy Board Economic Prosperity Commission Water & Wastewater Commission Parks & Recreation Board Design Commission Planning Commission Austin/Travis County Public Health Commission City Council Mayor’s Representative Mayor’s Representative Mayor’s Representative Mayor’s Representative Mayor’s Representative Alternate Randall Chapman Member Kaiba White (Chair) Charlotte Davis (Vice-Chair) Genell Gary Diana Wheeler Haris Qureshi Melissa Rothrock Vacant Larry Franklin Amy Noel Chris Maxwell-Gaines Vacant Jon Salinas Vacant Natalie Poindexter Vacant Richard Brimer Craig Nazor Miriam Garcia Rosamaria Murillo Luis Osta Lugo Vacant Lane Becker Ben Luckens Alberta Phillips Vacant Vacant Rodrigo Leal Anna Scott Yure Suarez Christopher Campbell Heather Houser Vacant 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 July 8, 2024 special called meeting of the Joint Sustainability Committee. DISCUSSION 2. Sustainable Purchasing Update – Amanda Mortl, Office of Sustainability 3. Updates from Environmental Investment Plan effort and City Budget; JSC next steps. 4. Update from the Resource Management Commission on recommendations regarding advising on gas utility matters and support of progressive natural gas rates. – Charlotte Davis 5. Update from Urban Transportation Commission on recent recommendation to update the Urban Trails Plan map – Diana Wheeler 6. Update from the Electric Utility Commission on Austin Energy Resource Planning, solar program development, and Austin Internation Energy Conservation Code update – Kaiba White 7. Update from the Environmental Commission on the ATX / Travis County Food Plan, Cities Connecting Children …
JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE REGULAR MEETING SPECIAL CALLED MEETING MINUTES July 8, 2024 The Joint Sustainability Committee convened in a hybrid meeting via videoconferencing and at Austin Energy Headquarters. Board Members in Attendance in Person: Diana Wheeler Board Members in Attendance Remotely: Lane Becker, Kaiba White, Heather Houser, Jon Salinas, Alberta Philipps, Anna Scott, Rodrigo Leal, Melissa Rothrock, Chris Campbell, Haris Qureshi Board Members Absent: Larry Franklin, Chris Maxwell-Gaines, Yure Suarez, Amy Noel, Charlotte Davis City Staff in Attendance: Rohan Lilauwala CALL TO ORDER Acting Chair Diana Wheeler called the meeting to order at 7:07 pm. 1. Approval of minutes from the Jun 24th meeting of the Joint Sustainability Committee. • Salinas motions to approve with amendment to include all members absent, Scott seconds, passes 10-0 with Qureshi off dais. 2. Recommendation of investments the City should fund as part of council resolution 20240215-025 ‘Environmental Investment Plan’. • Leal – where did the $250-300 million number come from? o White – number discussed by council subquorum. Should be $250-350 million range. • Qureshi provides minor copy edits • Qureshi amendment to increase number to $250-300 million • Leal - What about water conservation? o White – city-owned solar can offset Austin Water’s energy costs to allow for reinvestments into water conservation. Conserving land improves source water quality. • Scott motions to approve as amended, Campbell seconds, passes 11-0. 3. Recommendation in support of a ‘Climate Fee’ as outlined in the staff response to council resolution 20240215-025 ‘Environmental Investment Plan’. • Discussion of progressive vs regressive nature of tax. Intention to steer options to reduce impact on low-income earners. • White amends last paragraph to “This new fee should be structured to be equitable and responsive to Austin’s wealth gaps and the fee should provide predictable revenue. A legal analysis of options that could be paid by residents, businesses, corporations and/or visitors should be conducted and presented to the City Council for consideration as soon as possible.” • Scott motions to approve as amended, Phillips seconds, passes 11-0. Meeting adjourned at 7:43 pm. ADJOURNMENT The City of Austin is committed to compliance with the American with Disabilities Act. Reasonable modifications and equal access to communications will be provided upon request. Meeting locations are planned with wheelchair access. If requiring Sign Language Interpreters or alternative formats, please give notice at least 2 days (48 hours) before the meeting date. Please call Zach Baumer …
Sustainable Procurement Program update to the JSC August, 2024 Agenda ○ Summary from last JSC update in December 2023 ○ February 2024 Resolution & August 2024 response ■ Sustainable Purchasing program development ■ Prioritized purchasing categories ○ Next Steps ■ Internal Share Platform pilot Summary from last JSC update in December 2023 ● 2022 Procurement Emissions inventory complete in Dec 2023 ○ 2022 Procurement emissions: 206,000 MT CO2e ○ Construction-related purchasing category represents highest spend and largest climate impact Resolution 20240229-058 Be it resolved that we… the City ● Develop a systemic approach for the procurement processes of ● Commence an initial pilot program: ○ concrete construction and ○ greenspace maintenance services and equipment. ● Include environmental impact information used for evaluation or tracking, such as Environmental Product Declarations, as a part of any request for Council action on a Council agenda related to these pilot areas. Program development systemic approach Sustainable Procurement Leadership Council Coaching ● Sustainable procurement program development action team meetings to develop: ○ Organizational inventory, ○ Strategy cycles/pilots for prioritized purchasing categories ● Includes quarterly check-ins with SPLC staff ● Outputs: ○ Program vision and charter, ○ Strategic program plan Landscape pilot: ● Preference policy to be added to greenspace solicitation documents, and a zero-emission requirement will be used on a case-by-case basis as the market expands ● Staff will identify active contracts and update solicitation documents to add environmental preferences and requirements as appropriate Concrete pilot The process of developing contracting contracting preferences requires: ● Collecting data on and understanding the life-cycle emissions from different concrete mixes; ● Testing new concrete mixes to ensure they meet performance ● Defining “lower carbon” concrete and establishing a regional baseline; requirements; and ● Adding a preference policy for concrete with emissions below a baseline carbon intensity (kg of CO2 per cubic meter of concrete). EPDs ● Environmental preferences and requirements for concrete are being developed in accordance with the Plan to Transition to Low-Embodied Carbon Concrete in pursuit of a Carbon Neutral Austin. ● This document, authored by the Transportation and Public Works Department’s (TPW) Office of the City Engineer, is meant to be a living document and lays out a plan and timeline for updates to low carbon concrete preferences and requirements. Next Steps: ● This resolution further directs additional data tracking, monitoring, data analysis and reporting as well as procedure development and regular contract review and …
Austin Climate Equity Plan “Environmental Investment Plan” Update August 29, 2024 1 Timeline of Events February 2024 - Resolution Directing staff to create the Environmental Investment Plan March - May - Staff creates 70 project proposals April - JSC Passes 33 EIP recommendations May 24 - Sub-quorum releases letter stating their priority projects May 28 - Presentation to Council Work Session on the Staff Response May 30 - “Public Hearing” on the EIP July 18 - Item 93 - IFC Directing the Creation of a Comprehensive Climate Implementation Program Aug 14 - Item 24 - Budget IFC Directing the Creation of a Land Acquisition Fund 2 Environmental Investment Plan - Resolution 20240215-025 Reaffirm commitment to net-zero by 2040 Prepare capital improvements or programs that would: 1. Reduce carbon emissions 2. Decrease water usage and improve water quality and detention 3. Advance the sustainability of City Operations 4. Improve Community Resilience Review funding sources: ● Utility rates and fees ● General Fund Expenditures ● Grants ● General Obligation Bonds Joint Sustainability Committee (JSC) public hearing and submit recommendations to Council 3 May 24 - Letter to City Manager from Fuentes, Alter, Alter, Ellis, Velasquez We have identified key priorities in the attached table that are far enough in their development to be considered for action this year, including a focused 2024 General Obligation Bond package. While some items within the comprehensive list will require additional development for the 2026 bond package... We are not proposing that every item attached ultimately be in a bond, but by focusing our efforts now, we will be in a better position to make a final decision on what items simply cannot wait for the future and need our attention now. A number of identified proposals are within the purview of our utilities, which can fund these programs through rates. Lastly, we would like to focus on a few priority general fund supported programs also identified below. However, given the limited general fund dollars currently available, we intend to explore how and to what magnitude the proposed climate fee could fund these priorities. 4 Resolution 20240718-093 The City Manager is directed to schedule and conduct public briefings as needed to be presented to Council to provide information regarding the City's current bonded indebtedness and bond ratings for the purpose of planning future bond proposals. The City Manager is directed to bring to Council two items: 1) …
