Approved Minutes — original pdf

Approved Minutes

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 – “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."  Passes 13-0 as amended 1. 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. Joint Sustainability Committee budget recommendations  Discussions on proposed budget recommendations  Plan to vote on recommendations at Feb meeting Discussion and action to amend the Joint Sustainability bylaws, including to include 5. representation from the Austin Travis County Public Health Commission on the Joint Sustainability Committee.  Discussions of other ways JSC bylaws could be amended.  Decision to proceed with only amending to add a rep from the Austin Travis County Public Health Commission on the Joint Sustainability Committee.  Davis motions to amend bylaws, Leal seconds, passes 12-0 (Houser off dais).   6. Discussion and action on encouraging low-carbon foods in the Austin-Travis County Food Plan.  Qureshi motions to approve, Campbell to second, passes 11-0 (Davis recuses, Houser off  White is hoping to include ARR disposal rate goal while ACEP is being updated. dais) JSC strategic plan 8.  Postponed to feb. 9. Update from Water and Wastewater Commission  AW update on winter preparedness plan  Water availability after recent rains 10. Update from Electric Utility Commission  Working on resource plan updates – developed 4 different portfolios  Recommendations to be finalized soon. 11. Update from Environmental Commission  Exploring rerouting trucks on SH130 instead of I-35 12. Update from Design Commission  Working on updating design guidelines FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS  Zero Waste Advisory Committee update  Urban Transportation Committee update  Planning Commission update  Economic Prosperity Commission update  Electric Utility commission update  Environmental Commission update Wheeler adjourns meeting at 9:28 pm with no objections. 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 with the Office of Sustainability at 512-974-2836, for additional information; TTY users route through Relay Texas at 711. For more information on the Joint Sustainability Committee, please contact Zach Baumer at (zach.baumer@austintexas.gov or 512-974-2836). Approved at the Feb 28, 2024 meeting of the Joint Sustainability Committee on a 13-0 vote (Qureshi motion, Davis second, with Franklin and Phillips off the dais)