REGULAR MEETING OF THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE WEDNESDAY, July 22th, 2026, AT 6 PM CITY HALL, COUNCIL CHAMBERS 301 W 2ND ST AUSTIN, TEXAS 78701 Some members of the Joint Sustainability Committee may be participating by videoconference. The meeting may be viewed online at: http://www.austintexas.gov/page/watch-atxn-live 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 remotely, contact Amanda Mortl (amanda.mortl@austintexas.gov or 512-974-2651). telephone. To to speak register CURRENT JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE MEMBERS Home Commission Member Alternate Electric Utility Commission Kaiba White (Chair) Al Braden Resource Management Commission Charlotte Davis (Vice-Chair) GeNell Gary Urban Transportation Commission Varun Prasad Justin Jacobson Environmental Commission Haris Qureshi Zero Waste Advisory Commission Iris Suddaby Community Development Commission Vacant Vacant Vacant Vacant Austin Travis County Food Policy Board Andrew Smith Marissa Bell Economic Prosperity Commission Aaron Gonzales Zain Pleuthner Water & Wastewater Commission Chris Maxwell-Gaines Amanda Marzullo Parks & Recreation Board Luai Abou-Emara Shelby Orme Jon Salinas Josh Hiller Evgenia Murkes Peter Breton Chris Crookham Vacant Design Commission Planning Commission Austin/Travis County Public Health Commission City Council Mayor’s Representative Mayor’s Representative Vacant Rodrigo Leal Anna Scott Mayor’s Representative Mridula Madipakkam Mayor’s Representative Christopher Campbell Mayor’s Representative Diana Wheeler CALL TO ORDER PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL AGENDA Vacant N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 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. Approve the minutes of the Joint Sustainability Committee Special Called Meeting on June 25th, 2026. STAFF BRIEFINGS 2. Staff briefing regarding Rain to River. Presentation by Erin Wood, Environmental Conservation Program Manager, Austin Watershed Protection DISCUSSION ITEMS 3. 4. Presentation by Bobby Levinski, Senior Staff Attorney for Save Our Springs Alliance regarding impacts of data centers. Discussion of policies regarding data centers. STAFF BRIEFINGS 5. Staff briefing regarding proposed Austin Climate Action and Resilience budget for fiscal year 2027. Presentation by Braden Latham-Jones, Climate Program Manager, Austin Climate Action and Resilience DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 6. 7. 8. Approve a recommendation to Council regarding Austin Climate Action and Resilience budget for fiscal year 2027. Approve a …
Rain to River: Austin Watershed Protection Strategic Plan Joint Sustainability Committee Austin Watershed Protection | July 22, 2026 What is Rain to River? Austin Watershed Protection’s Strategic Plan to Protect Austin’s Creeks and Communities Guiding Blueprint for Department Communication Resource – Establishes our mission, – Helps explain our vision, and values – Sets strategies and direction for the next 10 years work and priorities to staff, policymakers, and the community Note: Rain to River will update and replace the current Watershed Protection Strategic Plan 2 Guiding Principles for the Plan • • • • • • Center the needs of vulnerable populations Engage the community through clear and open communication Align our aspirations with community priorities Strengthen partnerships for greater impact Empower our leaders to advocate for our mission Create a dynamic and inclusive framework 3 Plan Highlights • Our mission remains unchanged to reduce the impacts of flooding, erosion, and water pollution • Reflects how we will strengthen and adapt our work to center community and build resilience • Expands our focus to include community voices, lived experience, and shared stewardship as essential components of our infrastructure • Holistic and proactive approach that balances immediate needs with our long-term vision • Equity not as a one-time initiative, but as an ongoing practice rooted in accountability and trust 4 Our Challenges • Climate change is driving more extreme weather, including more intense storms and prolonged drought • Historic inequities have left some neighborhoods more exposed to flooding and degraded waterways • Urbanization and development add pressure to our natural environment and infrastructure • Housing costs are driving displacement of residents and an increase in people experiencing homelessness 5 Community Engagement • Robust and inclusive process that spanned multiple years • We identified stakeholder groups that have been historically underrepresented in our past planning efforts and worked to engage with them more directly • We partnered with local organizations, community ambassadors, and advocacy groups to reach residents in every district • Engagement took many forms—surveys, interviews, focus groups, neighborhood meetings, and community events 6 Community Activation Group The Community Activation Group (CAG) helped shape the content of the plan and ensured that the diverse voices of our community are integral to the Rain to River planning process and Austin Watershed Protection’s work. • Diverse community leaders with expertise in the environment, community health, and disaster preparedness and recovery • Helped shape …
Joint Sustainability Committee Recommendation on Austin Climate Action and Resilience Budget 20260722-006 Date: July 22, 2026 Subject: 2027 Budget Recommendation on Austin Climate Action and Resilience FY Motioned By: Seconded By: Recommendation Recommendation to retain $75,000 Food and Climate Equity (FACE) Grants as part of the Austin Climate Action and Resilience budget for FY 2027 Description of Recommendation to Council The Joint Sustainability Committee recommends that the City Council keep $75,000 Food and Climate Equity Grants as part of the Austin Climate Action and Resilience budget for FY 2027. Rationale: “The Food and Climate Equity (FACE) Grant program supports a more just and resilient Austin by providing direct funding for community-led solutions that enable transformative change in the areas of food, climate, and resilience. The program aims to uplift the experience of those most impacted by systemic and structural inequities, eliminate disparities in health outcomes, and improve quality of life for all.” FACE grants are up to $3,000 to support community organizations that represent and/or serve racially and economically diverse Austinites and have unique insight into their communities' needs. In 2024, $150,000 was allocated to FACE grants, providing funding for 50 different community projects. Projects included food delivery services to a variety of vulnerable populations, support for community gardens, nutrition education programs and more. The program leverages significant community capital in the form of volunteer hours. The program has since been cut to $75,000, but is still making a meaningful impact and should be maintained at that level for FY 2027. Vote For: Against: Abstain: Absent: Attest: [Staff or board member can sign]
Joint Sustainability Committee Recommendation on Austin Energy Rates 20260722-007 Date: July 22, 2026 Subject: Recommendation on Austin Energy Rates Motioned By: Seconded By: Recommendation Recommendation to delay any Austin Energy rate increase until after a rate case process that includes a consumer advocate and full opportunity for customers to formally engage in the process. Description of Recommendation to Council The Joint Sustainability Committee recommends that the City Council refrain from increasing Austin Energy rates until after a rate case process, similar to the process implemented in 2016 and 2022. The Austin City Council should begin the public portion of Austin Energy’s rate case process in 2027 to better keep Austin Energy budgets aligned with costs, while ensuring that rates are justified for all customer classes and that rate design aligns with established policy priorities. In preparation, the Austin City Council should ensure that Austin Energy conducts an assessment of its costs and revenues. The City Council should direct the City Manager to initiate the process of hiring a consumer advocate to represent residential customers in the rate case and should initiate the hiring of an independent hearing examiner to preside over the rate case in 2027, with the goal of approving new rates in 2027 that are fair for all customers. Rationale: Following a challenge of Austin Energy rates to the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) in 2012, the City Council established a process for evaluating proposed rate changes that is similar in many ways to the process used by the PUCT. The purpose of utilizing this rate case process is to ensure that rate increases are justified, demonstrate that Austin Energy is operating with sufficient oversight and in the best interests of customers, and better ensure that rates will hold up to scrutiny by the PUCT and state lawmakers. Austin Energy has requested and received base rate increases outside of the established rate case process, has now requested another 5% increase and has stated that it plans to request 5% increases for the coming four years. These significant rate increases each year are a threat to affordability. It is also possible that any rate increase that is needed is being caused more by one customer class than another, which would make the 5% increase applied to all customer classes unfair. The appropriate amount for the monthly Customer Charge for residential customers, the break points for the residential rate …
