Austin Climate Equity Plan | JSC Update September 28, 2022 1 Plan Implementation Updates ● Net Zero Section in the FY23 Budget proposal (pages 138-143) https://assets.austintexas.gov/budget/22-23/downloads/FY23_Proposed_Budge t.pdf ● 2nd quarterly briefing of the year just occurred yesterday ○ June - Overview of OOS approach and general implementation ○ September - Transportation Electrification ○ January - Sustainable Buildings ● Implementation Dashboard is live ● The 2nd Community Climate Ambassadors Cohort launched in August ● Starting this Fall, a new Climate Equity Plan Community Task Force, focused on measuring equity in implementation 2 3 Implementation Dashboard What’s in the dashboard now? Progress toward the Net-Zero by 2040 target ● ● Summary of efforts around the Overarching Strategies ● Work status snapshots for the 74 Strategies ● Coming next: metrics on the 17 quantitative goals 4 Implementation Dashboard ● Over 100 updates from internal and external partners on their work to implement the Plan ● About 70% of strategies are already Underway or Starting Soon ● ● This work will serve as a launchpad to focus next steps with partners The public can read all of this info and more live on the Dashboard now Climate Ambassadors! 6 Ambassador Highlights ● We have 9 ambassadors signed on ● They’ve gone through an Equity training and a Civic engagement workshop ● They’ve identified strategies from the Climate Equity Plan and have started working on Community Action Projects that relate to those strategies ● October’s ambassador meeting will include City staff and community partners to find areas to collaborate or provide guidance 7 Community Action Projects (by Section) Sustainable Buildings Transportation & Land Use Natural Systems Working with community orgs to conduct more accessible outreach around preparing for changing climate Conducting outreach in order to create recommendations for how to improve existing and planned transit stops Enhancing community engagement around affordable housing by surveying renters, first-time homebuyers, and folks living in co-ops Holding an event to offer youth a guided experience in nature that delves into their perceptions of green spaces and gentrification 8 Community Task Force - Project Concept 9 Where we’ve been Steering Committee for the plan, 2 years of work, Community Ownership Model Adoption of the plan supported by Staff, Community, Council in alignment Added 5 new members to the JSC for content / equity coverage Interest in creating a “working group” of the JSC, lack of focus, no dedicated support from …
BOARD/COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION Joint Sustainability Commission Recommendation No 20221026-7 Resolution on Texas Gas Service Conservation Programs Whereas, the City of Austin has mandated that Texas Gas Service (TGS) conduct energy conservation programs since 1985; and Whereas, the Austin City Council adopted the Austin Climate Equity Plan on September 30, 2021, which strengthens the city’s climate goal to “net zero carbon by 2040” and includes a focus area of Sustainable Buildings with goal that by 2030, “All new buildings are net-zero carbon, emissions from existing buildings are reduced by 25%, and all natural gas-related emissions are reduced by 30%; and Whereas, the TGS energy conservation programs are also expected to help achieve the goals of the Climate Equity Plan; and Whereas, the Joint Sustainability Commission is charged with providing feedback and recommendations regarding gas conservation efforts and to support the goals of the Austin Climate Equity Plan; and Whereas, the Resource Management Commission passed a resolution on June 20, 2017 that put a focus on reducing actual use of natural gas on site, calling for “at least 4.5% site natural gas savings” over 5 years, starting in 2018; and Whereas, incentives to install natural gas appliances in situations where there isn’t already an existing natural gas appliance, such as for new construction or replacing an electric appliance with a natural gas appliance, increase, instead of decrease, actual use of natural gas on site; and Whereas, Texas Gas has continued using a large portion of its energy conservation budget to provide incentives to install natural gas appliance where none previously existed, thus increasing use of on-site natural gas; Whereas, research by the Rocky Mountain Institute and other organizations shows that gas stoves are a large source of toxic air pollution that can make indoor air more polluted than outdoor air and that lowincome households are most likely to suffer from this harmful pollution; and Whereas, incentives that increase the use of natural gas appliances are not compatible with the Austin Climate Equity Plan or public health; and Whereas, on January 24, 2022, the Resource Management Commission passed a resolution that recommended against CenterPoint Energy incentives for natural gas appliances in new construction, as well as incentives for central furnaces and water heaters; and Whereas, the TGS conservation program tariff that governs the program was adopted in December 2021 and is on a 3-year cycle, ending December of 2024. However, Austin City Council may …
Independent Consumer Advocate (ICA)- John B. Coffman The City of Austin utility rate-making procedure for Austin Energy rate cases provides for an ICA to represent residential and small business interests. ICA Technical Team: Clarence Johnson, David Effron Utility Rate-making Steps The ICA Examined the following Rate Case Issues: 1. Revenue Requirement (Overall Increase) 2. Allocation of Cost to Customer Classes 3. Spreading Increase to Customer Classes 4. Residential Rate Design 1. Overall Rate Increase • Independent Hearing Examiner (IHE) Proposal • AE Revised Revenue Increase Proposal is currently $35.7 Million Overall • $43 Million to Residential Class $31 Million $6.5 Million • ICA Recommended Revenue Increase 2 & 3: Allocation of Costs and Distribution of Cost to Various Customer Classes • AE and the IHE recommend a rate design that puts more cost onto residential and small business consumers • ICA Proposed Class Allocation More Favorable to Residential Customers • Large Commercial Customers proposes a much worse allocation for Residential Customers 4. Residential Rate Design Current: $10 fixed customer charge with 5 Tier inclining usage Rates AE Proposed: $25 fixed customer charge (150% increase) with 3 Tiers and stated intent to flatten inclining usage rates. ICA Proposed: Keep charge at $10, or increase it no more than the overall increase percentage, with 4 tiers. Fixed Customer Charge • ICA Opposes AE’s 150% increase in customer charge as excessive and regressive. AE’s current $10.00 customer charge is not unreasonable compared to Texas PUC average allowed customer charge of $7.44. • AE’s current $10.00 customer charge is approximately the same as the other two large municipal electric utilities in Texas (San Antonio and Lubbock). • High customer charges are detrimental to low usage customers and reduce the ability of customers to control their bills. • High customer charges inhibit energy efficiency because charges are incurred without regard to usage. Comparison of AE v. ICA rate design impacts for Residential customers at varying usage levels kWh Increase Percent Increase Percent ICA-Proposed Rate Design 375 $ 0.59 625 $ 1.24 875 $ 2.30 1,625 $ 0.88 3,250 $ 4.34 Average Usage AE Rate Design IHE Rev 1.56% 17.71 2.07% 16.73 2.67% $ 11.95 0.49% (14.4) 1.04% (105.1) 46.9% 27.9% 18.9% -8.1% -25.3%
JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE REGULAR MEETING - HYBRID MEETING FORMAT September 28th at 6pm Austin City Hall – Council Chambers 301 W. 2nd Street, 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 Zach Baumer at (zach.baumer@austintexas.gov or 415-694-3111). CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS: Kaiba White, Chair (Resource Mgmt. Commission) Haris Qureshi (Environmental Commission) Melissa Rothrock (Zero Waste Advisory Commission) Diana Wheeler (Urban Transportation Commission) Fisayo Fadelu (Community Development Commission) Frances Deviney (Austin Travis County Food Policy Board) Vacant - (Water & Wastewater Commission) Vacant - (Economic Prosperity Commission) Richard DePalma - (Parks & Recreation Board) David Carroll (Design Commission) Alberta Phillips (City Council) Karen Hadden (Electric Utility Commission) Robert Schneider (Planning 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. Approve the minutes of the regular meeting of the Joint Sustainability Committee on June 2. Approve the minutes of the regular meeting of the Joint Sustainability Committee on August 22nd, 2022. 24th, 2022. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 3. Austin Transportation Department Implementation of the Climate Equity Plan – Austin Transportation Department (Discussion and/or possible action) 4. Housing and Planning Department Implementation of the Climate Equity Plan – Housing and Planning Department (Discussion and/or possible action) 5. Update on Austin Climate Equity Plan Implementation –Zach Baumer, Office of Sustainability (Discussion and/or possible action) 6. Resolution on Texas Gas Service Conservation Programs from Resource Management Commission (No. 20220816-005) (Discussion and/or possible action) 7. Commission members report back on any relevant discussions from their respective boards and commissions – (Discussion and/or possible action) FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS 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 …
JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES Item 1 JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE REGULAR MEETING MEETING MINUTES June 22, 2022 The Joint Sustainability Committee convened in a regular hybrid meeting on June 22, 2022 via videoconferencing and at City Hall, Council Chambers, 301 West 2nd Street, Austin, Texas Chair Kaiba White called the Board Meeting to order at 6:10 pm. Board Members in Attendance: Diana Wheeler Vice Chair, Richard DePalma, David Carroll Board Members in Attendance Remotely: Kaiba White Chair, Melissa Rothrock, Karen Hadden, Alexis Taylor, Frances Deviney, Fisayo Fadelu, Haris Qureshi Board Members Absent: Alberta Phillips, Christy Williams, Solveij Rosa Praxis City Staff in Attendance: Phoebe Romero PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL • Carlos Soto – Community Advancement Network o Provided overview of the community work at CAN, and opportunities for collaboration 1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES a) May 25th, 2022, meeting of the Joint Sustainability Committee • Motion to approve (Commissioner DePalma), second (Commissioner Carroll). Record of the vote: 10 approved, 0 opposed, 0 abstained. JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES 2. NEW BUSINESS and/or possible action) a) Rain to River Presentation –Andrea Bates, Watershed Protection Department (Discussion • Rain to River is a strategic plan to protect Austin’s creek and communities • Presentation provided insights on goals and metrics, community engagement phases, and projected timeline impacted groups, etc. • Overview of priority stakeholders, including historically underrepresented groups, • To get involved, community members can take the Community Vision Survey, which includes a mapping component b) Zero Waste and Circular Economy Presentation – Ken Snipes, Austin Resource Recovery (Discussion and/or possible action) • Provided presentation on current work that relates back to Food and Product Consumption goals in the Austin Climate Equity Plan • Will be developing a per capita waste diversion rate goal, and working on Circular Cities initiative to work with departments on transforming operations and procurement to a circular economy model; expanding new program offerings and promoting existing programs; trying out on-call bulk pickup program • Discussed difficulty with electrifying fleet to meet route distances needed due to limited waste transfer facilities c) Austin Regional Food Plan Presentation– Amanda Rohlich, Office of Sustainability (Discussion and/or possible action) • Overview of what constitutes a food system and disparities in food insecurity • Collaborating with HSEM to have an emergency operations plan • Food plan can comprehensively develop goals and strategies to address aspects of food system; created in response to a 2021 Council …
Item 1 JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE REGULAR MEETING MEETING MINUTES August 24, 2022 The Joint Sustainability Committee convened in a hybrid meeting on August 24, 2022 via videoconferencing and at City Hall, Council Chambers, 301 West 2nd Street, Austin, Texas Vice Chair Diana Wheeler called the Board Meeting to order at 6:32 pm. Board Members in Attendance: Kaiba White, Diana Wheeler, Richard DePalma, David Carroll, Melissa Rothrock, Fisayo Fedulu, Haris Qureshi, Karen Hadden, Alberta Phillips, Solveij Rosa Praxis, Frances Deviney Board Members Absent: none City Staff in Attendance: Zach Baumer, Phillip Duran CALL TO ORDER PUBLIC COMMUNICATION The speakers who registered in advance for public comment have three minutes each to address items on the agenda at this time. • None 1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES a) Austin 24th, 2022, meeting of the Joint Sustainability Committee • Postponed due to rules of order. 2. NEW BUSINESS a) Austin Water Implementation of the Climate Equity Plan – Sherri Kuhl, Kevin Critendon, Heather Dalrymple, Kevin Kluge, Marisa Flores Gonzalez Austin Water • A presentation overview of Austin Water’s services and their role in Austin Climate Equity Plan implementation to meet water demand goal (152,000 acre-feet by 2030) • Near-term goals from Water Forward plan are in implementation phase • Updating Water Forward 2024 Equity Initiatives • Increasing access to Water Conservation Program through added language access and focus on underserved areas. Also increasing equitable access to all programs by reducing barriers of use (e.g. instant savings pilot program) • Commissioners questions to be submitted via email in the interest of time b) Resilient Austin – Laura Patiño, Chief Resilience Officer • An overview presentation on resilience in Austin • Resilience is referenced in existing City plans and efforts • Resilience is systems thinking that looks at elements before, during and after major events • Resilience across multiple scales: people, communities, City, Region • Pilot program of six Resilience Hubs to be established by the end of CY 2022. Physical place of refuge (heating/cooling, food, water), services, programming, and information available • Qureshi: Will there be medical services provided at the Resilience Hubs? • Patiño: Main focus for the 6 pilot sites is disaster preparedness. This work must complement HSEM efforts. What services will be provided is under consideration • DePalma: When will the cross departmental plan alignment assessment with resilience efforts be available? Who will be performing that work? • Patiño: Work is underway, …
JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE REGULAR MEETING - HYBRID MEETING FORMAT August 24th at 6pm Austin City Hall – Council Chambers 301 W. 2nd Street, 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 Zach Baumer at (zach.baumer@austintexas.gov or 415-694-3111). CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS: Kaiba White, Chair (Resource Mgmt. Commission) Haris Qureshi (Environmental Commission) Melissa Rothrock (Zero Waste Advisory Commission) Diana Wheeler (Urban Transportation Commission) Fisayo Fadelu (Community Development Commission) Frances Deviney (Austin Travis County Food Policy Board) Vacant - (Water & Wastewater Commission) Vacant - (Economic Prosperity Commission) Richard DePalma - (Parks & Recreation Board) David Carroll (Design Commission) Alberta Phillips (City Council) Karen Hadden (Electric Utility Commission) Solveij Praxis (Planning 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. Approve the minutes of the regular meeting of the Joint Sustainability Committee on June 22nd, 2022. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 2. Austin Water Implementation of the Climate Equity Plan – Sherri Kuhl, Austin Water (Discussion and/or possible action) 3. Resilient Austin – Laura Patino, Chief Resilience Officer (Discussion and/or possible action) 4. Commission members report back on any relevant discussions from their respective boards and commissions – (Discussion and/or possible action) FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS 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 at the Office of Sustainability at 415-694-3111, for additional information; TTY users’ route through Relay Texas at 711. For more information on the Joint Sustainability Committee, please call or email Zach Baumer at (zach.baumer@austintexas.gov or 415-694-3111).
JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE REGULAR MEETING - HYBRID MEETING FORMAT July 27th at 6pm Austin Energy Headquarters 4815 Mueller Blvd. Room 1111 1st Floor Austin, TX 78723 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 Zach Baumer at (zach.baumer@austintexas.gov or 415-694-3111). CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS: Kaiba White, Chair (Resource Mgmt. Commission) Haris Qureshi (Environmental Commission) Melissa Rothrock (Zero Waste Advisory Commission) Diana Wheeler (Urban Transportation Commission) Fisayo Fadelu (Community Development Commission) Frances Deviney (Austin Travis County Food Policy Board) Christy Williams (Water & Wastewater Commission) Alexis Taylor (Economic Prosperity Commission) Richard DePalma - (Parks & Recreation Board) David Carroll (Design Commission) Alberta Phillips (City Council) Karen Hadden (Electric Utility Commission) Solveij Praxis (Planning 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. Approve the minutes of the regular meeting of the Joint Sustainability Committee on June 22nd, 2022. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 2. Austin Strategic Mobility Plan Update –Cole Kitten, Austin Transportation (Discussion and/or possible action) 3. Update on Austin Climate Equity Plan Implementation –Zach Baumer, Office of Sustainability (Discussion and/or possible action) 4. Commission members report back on any relevant discussions from their respective boards and commissions – (Discussion and/or possible action) FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS 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 at the Office of Sustainability at 415-694-3111, for additional information; TTY users’ route through Relay Texas at 711. For more information on the Joint Sustainability Committee, please call or email Zach Baumer at (zach.baumer@austintexas.gov or 415-694-3111).
JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE REGULAR MEETING - HYBRID MEETING FORMAT June 22nd at 6pm City Hall, Council Chambers 301 West 2nd Street, Austin, Texas 78701 Some members of the Board may be participating by videoconference Public comment will be allowed in-person or remotely by 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. To register: Please email Phoebe Romero (phoebe.romero@austintexas.gov). The information required is the speaker’s name, item number(s) they wish to speak on if applicable, email address and telephone number (must be the same number that will be used to call into the meeting). CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS: Kaiba White, Chair (Resource Mgmt. Commission) Haris Qureshi (Environmental Commission) Melissa Rothrock (Zero Waste Advisory Commission) Diana Wheeler (Urban Transportation Commission) Fisayo Fadelu (Community Development Commission) Frances Deviney (Austin Travis County Food Policy Board) Christy Williams (Water & Wastewater Commission) Alexis Taylor (Economic Prosperity Commission) Richard DePalma - (Parks & Recreation Board) David Carroll (Design Commission) Alberta Phillips (City Council) Karen Hadden (Electric Utility Commission) Solveij Praxis (Planning 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. 1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 2. NEW BUSINESS a) May 25th, 2022, regular meeting of the Joint Sustainability Committee a) Rain to River Presentation – Nick Kincaid, Watershed Protection Department (Discussion and/or possible action) b) Zero Waste and Circular Economy Presentation – Ken Snipes, Austin Resource Recovery (Discussion and/or possible action) c) Austin Regional Food Plan – Edwin Marty, Office of Sustainability (Discussion and/or possible action) d) Fayette Power Plant Recommendation (Discussion and/or possible action) e) Commission members report back on any relevant discussions from their respective boards and commissions – (Discussion and/or possible action) FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS • Ongoing updates on Austin Climate Equity Plan implementation • Ongoing updates on community and climate resilience 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, …
N I T S U A F O Y T I C A Strategic Plan to Protect Austin’s Creeks and Communities Joint Sustainability Committee June 22, 2022 W A T E R S H E D P R O T E C T I O N D E P A R T M E N T Watershed Protection Department 2 MISSION The Watershed Protection Department (WPD) protects lives, property, and the environment of our community by reducing the impact of flooding, erosion, and water pollution. N I T S U A F O Y T I C W A T E R S H E D P R O T E C T I O N D E P A R T M E N T 3 What is the Strategic Plan? N I T S U A F O Y T I C GUIDING BLUEPRINT FOR DEPARTMENT – Sets goals and objectives – Establishes method to prioritize problems – Creates a process for evaluating solutions EVALUATION FRAMEWORK Provides framework for evaluating future programs, projects, and regulations and measuring success of current portfolio COMMUNICATION TOOL Helps explain WPD’s work and priorities to staff, City executives, policymakers, and Austin community W A T E R S H E D P R O T E C T I O N D E P A R T M E N T N I T S U A F O Y T I C 4 Why are we updating the plan? • Watershed Protection Master Plan was originally adopted by City Council in 2001 The previous planning effort did not prioritize gathering input from the full diversity of Austin’s residents • Revisions have been ad-hoc and focused on updates to technical information without public input The plan does not address major challenges like climate change, population growth, and racial inequities The plan does not sufficiently capture the knowledge and experience our staff have gained over the last 20 years The plan does not reflect the findings and recommendations of other City plans The plan does not set time-specific targets or objectives to demonstrate we are making measurable progress • • • • • W A T E R S H E D P R O T E C T I O N D E P A R T M E N T N I T S U A F O Y T I C …
ARR Climate Equity Plan Activities Austin Resource Recovery Goals and Strategies • Goal 1 / Strategy 4: Conduct a food waste root cause analysis • Goal 2 / Strategy 4: Expand the City’s Circular Economy program • Goal 3 / Strategy 1: Promote waste reduction and reuse • Goal 3 / Strategy 2: Create Eco-hubs • Goal 3 / Strategy 5: Retool the bulk pick-up collection program Food & Product Consumption Aggressively pursue waste reduction, organics composting and recycling to achieve a new zero waste goal pending adoption of the new Austin Resource Recovery Zero Waste Plan. • Current study underway to provide update on community wide diversion rate and data to establish per capita disposal and capture rates. • Draft Plan update to be released for review in late summer 2022. Circular Economy Expansion • Circular Cities program education and buy in. • Look at the City of Austin’s internal operations including procurement, useful life and end of life of goods and services. Waste Reduction and Reuse • Work to develop new opportunities and programs • Promote existing programs • Fix it Clinics • Reuse Directory • MoveOutATX • Reverse Pitch • Circular Showcase Bulk Collection Program • Review and modify applicable policies/practices • On-call pilot has been completed • Facilitated better planning, increased efficiency Transportation Transportation - Electrification Goal 1 / Strategy 5: Electrify public sector fleet vehicles Transfer Station ARR Equity Tool Background • Began development early FY21 • Modeled after: • City of Seattle’s Racial Equity Tool • Circular Economy Team’s draft Equity Tool • Useful definitions: • Equity - Racial equity is the condition when race no longer predicts a person’s quality of life outcomes in our community. • Implicit bias – (a.k.a. unconscious or hidden bias) a negative association that people unknowingly hold expressed without conscious awareness. General Feedback • Feedback was provided by SID staff, ARR DMs, non- ARR City peers, and external subject matter experts • Positive feedback overall • Comments focused on: • ARR equity goals • Time needed to complete the tool • Providing a mechanism of accountability to the public • Language clarifications • Editorial recommendations Purpose of the Tool “This ARR Racial Equity Tool provides a process and questions to guide the development, implementation and evaluation of external ARR initiatives to identify and address impacts on racial equity. ” ARR Equity Goals To develop and invest in anti-racist …
A Food Plan for Austin Developing the City’s first-ever Food Plan What is a Food System? The Office of Sustainability defines the food systemas an interconnected networkthat includes everything that happens with food — where and how it is grown, distributed and sold, consumed, and ideally recovered. The food system is shaped by its stakeholders, practices, and the laws that regulate both. Post Consumption & Waste Diversion Processing & Distribution Production Food Justice Consumption & Access Markets & Retail Did you know? ● ● ● ● ● 14.7% food insecurity in Travis County 18 out of 47 zip codes in Travis County don’t have a full service grocery store 16.8 acres of farmland are lost every day in Travis County Less than 1% of food consumed in Travis County is locally produced 1.24 million pounds of food is wasted every day in Austin Disparities in food insecurity in U.S. Source: Feeding America, 2021 When disaster strikes ● Lack of supplies and limited organized means of distribution ● Road conditions can prevent people from getting what they need ● Support services closed ● Long lines and bare shelves ● Emergency supplies lack food that meets culture and dietary needs Disaster Food & Water Appendix ● Working with Homeland Security & Emergency Management (HSEM) and other departments ● Creating a plan to supplement the Emergency Operations Plan ● Will include learnings from Winter Storm Uri, COVID-19, boil water notices, and other possible scenarios Developing Austin’s first ever Food Plan Why do we need a Food Plan? ● The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic & Winter Storm Uri exposed and exacerbated deficiencies in our food system. ● A Food Plan will set clear Goals and Strategies to mitigate the impact of future crises, correct the system’s inequalities, and move toward a more equitable, sustainable & resilient food system that serves everyone. ● This will be Austin’s first ever Food Plan; when completed, it will provide a coordinating structure for all food related initiatives to work towards a shared vision and address key issues Resolution In June 2021, Austin City Council directed the City Manager to initiate a planning process and multilingual engagement strategy for the creation of the Austin Travis County Food System Plan, which shall convene experts and stakeholders to craft a 5-year plan. The Office Of Sustainability is the department in charge of overseeing the achievement of this goal. Source: Austin …
JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE REGULAR MEETING - HYBRID MEETING FORMAT May 25th at 6pm City Hall, Council Chambers 301 West 2nd Street, Austin, Texas 78701 Some members of the Board may be participating by videoconference Public comment will be allowed in-person or remotely by 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. To register: Please email Zach Baumer (zach.baumer@austintexas.gov). The information required is the speaker’s name, item number(s) they wish to speak on if applicable, email address and telephone number (must be the same number that will be used to call into the meeting). CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS: Kaiba White, Chair (Resource Mgmt. Commission) Haris Qureshi (Environmental Commission) Melissa Rothrock (Zero Waste Advisory Commission) Diana Wheeler (Urban Transportation Commission) Fisayo Fadelu (Community Development Commission) Frances Deviney (Austin Travis County Food Policy Board) Christy Williams (Water & Wastewater Commission) Alexis Taylor (Economic Prosperity Commission) Richard DePalma - (Parks & Recreation Board) David Carroll (Design Commission) Alberta Phillips (City Council) Karen Hadden (Electric Utility Commission) Solveij Praxis (Planning 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. 1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 2. NEW BUSINESS a) March 30th, 2022, special called meeting of the Joint Sustainability Committee a) Austin Bergstrom International Airport Presentation– Jennifer Williams, BJ Carpenter, Lyn Estabrook, and Kane Carpenter, ABIA (Discussion) b) Climate Ambassadors Update – Sydnee Landy, Office of Sustainability (Discussion) c) Signature Flight Support Presentation – Jeff Talbert, Signature Flight Support (Discussion) (Discussion) d) Fayette Coal Plant Presentation –Sunrise Movement (Discussion) e) Boards and Commissions Rules Refresher – Zach Baumer, Office of Sustainability f) Commission members report back on any relevant discussions from their respective boards and commissions – (Discussion and/or possible action) FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS • Ongoing updates on Austin Climate Equity Plan implementation • Ongoing updates on community and climate resilience 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 …
Airport Expansion Development Program Joint Sustainability Committee Meeting April 27, 2022 AUS Outreach AUS Overview AUS Master Plan Sustainability & Resiliency Overview Airport Expansion Development Program Overview Airport Fuel Facility Update 1 AUS Overview 2 AUS Service Area & Economic Impact 21+ Counties • The “Texas Triangle” contains 5 of the 20 largest cities in the United States • Home to 80% of all Texans • 6% of the U.S. population Source: Texas Aviation Economic Impact Study Technical Report 2018 (TxDOT) 3 AUS Campus and Facilities • 4,242 acres owned by the City • 2 wide spaced parallel runways simultaneous landings and takeoffs 18L-36R Length of 9,000 ft. • (CAT IIIb runway) • 18R-36L Length of 12,250 ft. • 34 Gate Passenger Terminal – 930,000+ s.f. • 1.6M S.F. Car Rental Facility • 18,250 Parking Spaces • Two FBOs: 200+ based aircraft • 25 acre cargo apron • Diverse base of carriers (11) – no major carrier and top two carriers account for 53% of traffic. • Hilton Hotel – 262 rooms • Hyatt Hotel – 139 rooms • 40 acre Texas national guard 4 AUS Strategic Aim Our Vision: Gateway to the world for all — the AUS way every day. Our Mission: To provide safe journeys to the world, economic opportunity to our community, and be the employer of choice. Our AUS Promise: We commit to put people first and provide a safe and enjoyable experience for all AUS guests, employees, and partners. City of Austin Strategic Direction 2023 (SD23) Getting us where we want to go, when we want to get there, safely and cost effectively. 5 PROGRAM PURPOSE: To meet demand to fly AUS. Welcoming gateway to the world for all • Reliable air service for Central Texas and global travelers • Reflect local food, music, art, technology, and the “Austin vibe Economic Opportunity and Community Benefit Economic vitality in our local community and communities of color with investment, jobs, and inclusive business opportunities Sustainable for years to come Safe, convenient travel experience Efficient design to provide “easy in-easy out” journey Increase connectivity for multi-modal options to and from airport • Minimize inconveniences during construction with enhanced customer care and wayfinding • • • • Historic Activity and Forecast Ensemble Historic Activity 8.3% Growth Return to Mean 5.5% 4.5% Growth Master Plan High: 4.5% Master Plan Base: 3.7% 29 MAP in 2030 24 MAP in …
2022 Climate Ambassador Program Sydnee Landry Overview ● Program Summary ● Program Overview ● Program Components ● Recruitment Strategy ● Recruitment Timeline Program summary: Supporting local climate initiatives through small-scale projects with engaged community members Engagement Project Design Workshops Meetings Program Overview Advance a local climate initiative in line with the strategies of the Climate Equity Plan Meet with stakeholders relevant to their projects & goals Create plans for the direction of their engagement and Community Action Project Develop group understanding of equity, civic engagement, and how to incorporate those practices into their work and projects Discuss their work, share ideas, collaborate, learn from their peers Estimated 60 hour time commitment over 6 months (August 2022 - January 2023) Monthly Meetings Estimated time commitment: 10 hours ● Opportunity to share their experiences as organizers, discuss their work, and learn from one another ● Occasional guest speakers to provide insight on specific topics of interest ● About 1.5 - 2 hours per meeting Intros, OOS staff, guest ambassador MONTH 1 MONTH 2 Project ideas & project management MONTH 3 Project management Guest speaker on grants MONTH 4 MONTH 5 Guest speaker on organizing MONTH 6 Check in, wrap up Example Meeting Topics Workshops Estimated time commitment: 6 hours Equity Workshop Facilitated by Susana Almanza ● TOPIC: Providing context for environmental racism in Austin Civic Engagement Workshop Facilitated by Austin Common ● TOPIC: Explaining different departments, entities, organizations, and processes that the ambassadors are likely to encounter Project Design Estimated time commitment: 6 hours ● With guidance, the ambassadors will complete project management assignments to track their progress throughout the program ● While completing these assignments, the ambassadors will have an opportunity to: ○ ○ ○ Reflect on the workshops Pinpoint the CEP strategy they want to focus on Identify specific stakeholders to approach in the engagement portion of the program ○ Outline their projects Example Project Management Template Engagement Estimated time commitment: 12 hours ● ● The ambassadors will network and do engagement with stakeholders that are relevant to the goals of their projects Flexibility in the types of engagement they do, so long as they meet the hours requirement ● Any of the following could count towards hours: ○ Attending committee, commission, or advisory group meetings ○ Meeting with community members ○ Meeting with other organizations and/or local businesses Prepping engagement materials Doing community outreach at an event ○ ○ …
WHO WE ARE SUNRISE MOVEMENT AUSTIN Jordyn What do we do? ● Fight for climate justice and a Green New Deal on a local and state level ● Climate strikes & direct actions (sit-ins, walk-outs, protests, teach-ins, and more!) ● Support other movements for social justice ● Endorse & throw down for candidates ● And more! Jordyn WHAT IS CLIMATE JUSTICE? ● Climate change affects vulnerable populations disproportionately ○ Increase volume of power outages in historically low-income/BIPOC neighborhoods during Winter Storm Uri Hanna on the Rio Grande Valley ○ Higher rates of asthma in Black and Brown communities, the effect of Hurricane ● This means that we cannot solve climate change without addressing all systems of oppression ○ Climate justice = racial justice, economic justice, an end to misogyny and the oppression of marginalized people ● “Climate justice insists on a shi(cid:550) from a discourse on greenhouse gases and melting ice caps into a civil rights movement with the people and communities most vulnerable to climate impacts at its heart.” -Mary Robinson WHAT IS THE FAYETTE POWER PROJECT? Cecily ● ● ● ● ● The Fayette Power Project is a coal-fired power plant in La Grange, TX. Began operating in 1979 and is co-owned by Austin Energy and the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA). The plant is responsible for 80% of Austin Energyʼs emissions and 28% of Austinʼs total emissions. In March 2020, Austin Energy promised that it would cease operating their portion of the plant by the end of 2022 as part of their “Resource, Generation, and Climate Protection Plan to 2030”. HOWEVER in November 2021, Austin Energy went back on that promise, citing inability to reach an agreement with the LCRA on how to cease operations as the reason. ● We are demanding that Austin City Counsel take action to hold Austin Energy accountable and transition the power plant. Cecily FPP CONTAMINATION & POLLUTION Throughout itʼs 4 decade tenure, the Fayette Power Project has been involved in numerous scandals surrounding its pollution and contamination. ● WATER CONTAMINATION A 2019 study found unsafe levels of contaminants in groundwater near all of Texasʼs 16 coal plants including the Fayette Power Plant ○ Water under the Fayette Power Plant was found to contain “unsafe levels of arsenic, cobalt, manganese, molybdenum, nickel, selenium, and sulfate.” ● VEGETATION DAMAGE About ten years ago a wave of dying vegetation in Hill Country near Austin …
