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HomeMy WebLinkAboutBOARD STANDING COMMITTEES - 06222020 - Sustainability Cte Min PktSustainability Commission Mtg. Agenda Packet - Pg.1 of 13 CONTRA COSTA COUNTY SUSTAINABILITY COMMISSION An Advisory Body to the Board of Supervisors June 22, 2020, 5:00 P.M. To slow the spread of COVID-19, the Health Officer’s Shelter Order of April 29, 2020, prevents public gatherings (Health Officer Order). In lieu of a public gathering, the Sustainability Commission will be meeting via remote access per Governor’s Executive Order N29-20. Howdy Goudey, Chair, At-Large, Community Group Nick Despota, Vice-Chair, Member, District 1 Shoshana Wechsler, Alternate, District 1 Victoria Smith, Member, District 2 Ryan Buckley, Alternate, District 2 John Sierra, Member, District 3 Mike Moore, Alternate, District 3 Wes Sullens, Member, District 4 Travis Curran, Alternate, District 4 Charles Davidson, Member, District 5 Reneé Fernandez-Lipp, Alternate, District 5 Harry Thurston, At-Large, Community Group Russell Driver, At-Large, Business Nicholas Snyder, At-Large, Business Doria Robinson, At-Large, Environmental Justice Sarah Foster, At-Large, Environmental Justice Kim Hazard, At-Large, Education Agenda Items: Items may be taken out of order based on the business of the day and preference of the Committee JOIN VIA WEB OR TELEPHONE: Audio will be played over your device’s speakers. If you will not have access to a computer or mobile device and require telephone access, you may dial-in. Please click the link to join the webinar: https://zoom.us/j/95922047200 Meeting ID: 959-2204-7200 Or Telephone, Dial: USA 214 765 0478 USA 8882780254 (US Toll Free) Conference code: 198675 1. Call to Order and Introductions 2. Public Comment 3. APPROVE Record of Action for February 24, 2020 meeting. 4. ELECT OFFICERS for the Sustainability Commission for 2020. 5. PROVIDE INPUT to Climate Emergency Resolution. 6. DISCUSS nominations for Sustainable Contra Costa Leadership in Sustainability Award and Green Buildings Award and PROVIDE DIRECTION, if needed 7. DISCUSS County Policy on Oil Drilling in Contra Costa County and PROVIDE DIRECTION, if needed. 8. RECEIVE Reports from Sustainability Commission members and alternates, and PROVIDE DIRECTION as needed. Sustainability Commission Mtg. Agenda Packet - Pg.2 of 13 9. RECEIVE Report from Sustainability Coordinator. 10. RECEIVE Report from Sustainability Commission Chair and IDENTIFY TOPICS for next report to Ad Hoc Committee on Sustainability. 11. The next meeting is currently scheduled for August 24, 2020. 12. Adjourn The Sustainability Commission will provide reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities planning to attend Commission meetings. Contact the staff person listed below at least 72 hours before the meeting. Any disclosable public records related to an open session item on a regular meeting agenda and distributed by the County to a majority of members of the Commission less than 96 hours prior to that meeting are available for public inspection at 30 Muir Road, Martinez, CA during normal business hours. Staff reports related to items on the agenda are also accessible on line at www.co.contra-costa.ca.us. Public comment may be submitted via electronic mail on agenda items at least one full work day prior to the published meeting time. For Additional Information Contact: Jody London, Commission Staff jody.london@dcd.cccounty.us Phone (925) 674-7871 · Fax (925) 674-7250 Sustainability Commission Mtg. Agenda Packet - Pg.3 of 13 Glossary of Acronyms, Abbreviations, and other Terms (in alphabetical order): Contra Costa County has a policy of making limited use of acronyms, abbreviations, and industry-specific language in meetings of its Board of Supervisors and Committees. Following is a list of commonly used abbreviations that may appear in presentations and written materials at meetings of the Ad Hoc Sustainability Committee: AB Assembly Bill ABAG Association of Bay Area Governments ACA Assembly Constitutional Amendment ADA Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 BAAQMD Bay Area Air Quality Management District BART Bay Area Rapid Transit District BAYREN Bay Area Regional Energy Network BGO Better Government Ordinance (Contra Costa County) BOS Board of Supervisors CALTRANS California Department of Transportation AO County Administrative Officer or Office CAP Climate Action Plan CARB California Air Resources Board CCA Community Choice CCE Community Choice Energy Aggregation CCWD Contra Costa Water District CEQA California Environmental Quality Act CSA County Service Area CSAC California State Association of Counties DCC Delta Counties Coalition DCD Contra Costa County Dept. of Conservation & Development DPC Delta Protection Commission DSC Delta Stewardship Council DWR California Department of Water Resources EBEW East Bay Energy Watch EBMUD East Bay Municipal Utility District EIR Environmental Impact Report (a state requirement) EIS Environmental Impact Statement (a federal requirement) FTE Full Time Equivalent FY Fiscal Year GHG Greenhouse Gas GGRF Greenhouse Gas Reduction Funds GIS Geographic Information System HSD Contra Costa County Health Services Department IPM Integrated Pest Management JPA/JEPA Joint (Exercise of) Powers Authority or Agreement LAMORINDA Area of Lafayette-Moraga-Orinda MAC Municipal Advisory Council MBE Minority Business Enterprise MOA Memorandum of Agreement MOE Maintenance of Effort MOU Memorandum of Understanding MTC Metropolitan Transportation Commission NACo National Association of Counties NEPA National Environmental Protection Act PDA Priority Development Area PV Photovoltaic PWD Contra Costa County Public Works Department RDA Redevelopment Agency or Area RFI Request For Information RFP Request For Proposals RFQ Request For Qualifications SB Senate Bill SGC Strategic Growth Council SR2S Safe Routes to Schools TWIC Transportation, Water, and Infrastructure Committee U.S. EPA United States Environmental Protection Agency WBE Women-Owned Business Enterprise Sustainability Commission Mtg. Agenda Packet - Pg.4 of 13 Contra Costa County Sustainability Commission 3. Meeting Date: 6/22/2020 Subject: APPROVE Record of Action for February 24, 20209, Sustainability Commission Meeting. Department: Conservation & Development Presenter: Jody London, DCD Contact: Jody London, (925) 674-7871 Referral History: County Ordinance (Better Government Ordinance 95-6, Article 25-205, [d]) requires that each County Body keep a record of its meetings. Though the record need not be verbatim, it must accurately reflect the agenda and the decisions made in the meeting. Referral Update: Any handouts or printed copies of testimony distributed at the meeting will be attached to this meeting record. Links to the agenda and minutes will be available at the Committee web page, to be announced. Recommendation(s)/Next Step(s): Staff recommends approval of the attached Record of Action for the February 24, 2020, Sustainability Commission Meeting with any necessary corrections. Fiscal Impact (if any): N/A ATTACHMENT(S) February 24, 2020 Draft Record of Action Sustainability Commission Mtg. Agenda Packet - Pg.5 of 13 DRAFT Record of Action CONTRA COSTA COUNTY SUSTAINABILITY COMMISSION An Advisory Body to the Board of Supervisors February 24, 2020 5:00 P.M. 30 Muir Road, Martinez Howdy Goudey, Chair, At-Large, Community Group Nick Despota, Vice-Chair, Member, District 1 Shoshana Wechsler, Alternate, District 1 Victoria Smith, Member, District 2 Ryan Buckley, Alternate, District 2 John Sierra, Member, District 3 Mike Moore, Alternate, District 3 Wes Sullens, Member, District 4 Travis Curran, Alternate, District 4 Charles Davidson, Member, District 5 Reneé Fernandez-Lipp, Alternate, District 5 Harry Thurston, At-Large, Community Group Russell Driver, At-Large, Business Nicholas Snyder, At-Large, Business Doria Robinson, At-Large, Environmental Justice Sarah Foster, At-Large, Environmental Justice Kim Hazard, At-Large, Education Agenda Items: Items may be taken out of order based on the business of the day and preference of the Committee Present: Howdy Goudey, Chair, At-Large, Community Group Nick Despota, Vice-Chair, Member, District 1 Shoshana Wechsler, Alternate, District 1 Victoria Smith, Member, District 2 John Sierra, Member, District 3 Mike Moore, Alternate, District 3 Charles Davidson, Member, District 5 Reneé Fernandez-Lipp, Alternate, District 5 Harry Thurston, At-Large, Community Group Sarah Foster, At-Large, Environmental Justice Nicholas Snyder, At-Large, Business Kim Hazard, At-Large, Education Absent: Ryan Buckley, Alternate, District 2 Doria Robinson, At-Large, Environmental Justice Wes Sullens, Member, District 4 Travis Curran, Alternate, District 4 Russell Driver, At-Large, Business Staff Present: Demian Hardman, Senior Energy Planner, Dept. of Conservation and Development Jody London, Sustainability Coordinator, Dept. of Conservation and Development Cindy Cortez, Climate Corps Fellow, Dept. of Conservation and Development Jamar Stamps, Senior Transportation Planner, Dept. of Conservation and Development Dom Pruett, Field Representative, Supervisor Candace Andersen Attendees: Sustainability Commission Mtg. Agenda Packet - Pg.6 of 13 1. Call to Order and Introductions 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. Public Comment There was no Public comment. 4. APPROVE Record of Action for December 9, 2019 meeting. Nick Despota made a motion to approve the December 9, 2019 meeting minutes, with a correction to Item 9 clarifying that the focus of the item is to change County building codes to require the use of low-carbon concrete.. Motion: Despota Second: Sierra 5. ELECT OFFICERS for the Sustainability Commission for 2020. The Commission unanimously agreed to postpone the election of officers to its next meeting. Motion: Foster Second: Davidson 6. ADOPT CALENDAR for 2020. Nick Despota commented that it is preferable for the calendar to be open later in the year to leave room for change and flexibility. Motion: Despota Second: Snyder 7. RECEIVE UPDATE on Development of Building Electrification Reach Code. Demian Hardman, Senior Planner, reported on the process of developing a building electrification reach code in the County. He provided an overview on reach code ordinances that have been adopted by different jurisdictions in the Bay area. The Sustainability Committee has provide direction to DCD staff to move forward with an analysis to adopt a potential reach code ordinance for Contra Costa County. Hardman reported that he would provide a full staff report including cost effectiveness studies for reach codes to the next Committee meeting scheduled for March 27th. The Commission discussed the significance of adopting a reach code in Contra Costa County and provided resources for cost effectiveness studies to Hardman. Sarah Foster commented that power storage infrastructure would need to be in place before considering an electrification reach code, foreseeing PG&E blackouts. The Commission discussed options for engaging further on a possible electrification reach code. 8. PROVIDE INPUT to Climate Emergency Resolution. Jody London provided a report on Climate Emergency resolutions that have been adopted by different jurisdictions. The Commission considered potential measures that could be included in the emergency declaration. These include: • Carbon neutrality, net zero goals • Decommission of large industrial facilities • Emergency preparedness strategies • Transition strategies for the phase out of fossil fuels • Environmental justice • Composition of a carbon transition advisory group • Escalating climate emergency to higher levels of government • Reconsider County financial investments • Provide advice to the State on Contra Costa County’s needs • Increase County sustainability staff Sustainability Commission Mtg. Agenda Packet - Pg.7 of 13 Staff expects to present a draft Climate Emergency resolution at the next Sustainability Committee meeting. 9. RECEIVE REPORT on update to the County’s Tree Ordinance. Jamar Stamps provided a report on the County’s tree ordinance. The updated ordinance will provide a code that is easier to understand and simplifies the process of tree removal and planting. Stamps described that DCD is in the process of implementing a tree restitution program, where a fee would be paid to plant a tree in another place. Current code regarding trees on private property does not have a mechanism to mitigate tree protection on private property. Commission members provided input on the draft tree ordinance, particularly ideas for how to use the mitigation fund. 10. RECEIVE UPDATE on Climate Action Plan Goals and Strategies. Jody London provided and overview of the updated Climate Action Plan goals and strategies. London described the CAP Implementation Plan, intended to be used as a roadmap to implement the measures included in the CAP and to hold County departments accountable for actions to which they have. 11. RECEIVE Reports from Sustainability Commission members and alternates, and PROVIDE DIRECTION as needed. None. 12. RECEIVE Report from Sustainability Coordinator. Jody London summarized the written report published with the agenda. 13. RECEIVE Report from Sustainability Commission Chair and IDENTIFY TOPICS for next report to Ad Hoc Committee on Sustainability. Howdy Goudey, Chair, reported on an issue that is coming before the MCE Board, regarding exit fees that PG&E assesses on community choice aggregators (CCAs). 14. The next meeting is currently scheduled for April 27, 2020. 15. Adjourn Meeting was adjourned at 7:11 pm. Sustainability Commission Mtg. Agenda Packet - Pg.8 of 13 Contra Costa County Sustainability Commission 4. Meeting Date: 6/22/2020 Subject: ELECT OFFICERS for the Sustainability Commission for 2020 Department: Conservation and Development Presenter: Jody London, Department of Conservation and Development Contact: Jody London, Department of Conservation and Development Referral History: On August 28, 2017, the Sustainability Commission adopted Bylaws which were approved by the Board of Supervisors on September 26, 2017. Section IV.A of the Bylaws regarding Organization states: “The Commission shall annually at its first meeting in the calendar year elect its Chair and Vice-Chair.” The duties of the Chair are defined in the Bylaws as conducting meetings, developing agenda, and serving as the official spokesperson for the Commission. The duties of the Vice-Chair are defined as acting for the Chair in the Chair’s absence. Referral Update: The February 24, 2020, meeting is the first meeting in the calendar year of the Sustainability Commission. At the February meeting, the Commission did not elect new officers, opting instead to take this matter up again at its next meeting. Recommendation(s)/Next Step(s): ELECT OFFICERS for the Sustainability Commission for 2020. Fiscal Impact (if any): N/A. ATTACHMENT(S) N/A Sustainability Commission Mtg. Agenda Packet - Pg.9 of 13 Contra Costa County Sustainability Commission 5. Meeting Date: 6/22/2020 Subject: PROVIDE INPUT to Climate Emergency Resolution Department: Conservation & Development Presenter: Jody London, Sustainability Coordinator Contact: Jody London, DCD Referral History: At the October 21, 2019, Sustainability Commission meeting, the Commission recommended that the Board of Supervisors adopt a Climate Emergency Resolution. At its November 19, 2019 meeting, the Board referred this issue to the Sustainability Committee. On December 9, 2019, the Sustainability Committee discussed options for structuring a climate emergency resolution. Supervisors expressed their opinion that resolutions have greater value when they identify tangible actions we can take. They cited to the recent State Executive Order N-19-19 on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and mitigating impacts of climate change in State government as an example. The Committee expressed interest in seeing the County take action on those issues where it can have the greatest impact. The Committee recognized that the County must balance priorities, it cannot invest in everything people might want at this time. Community members offered many ideas for a climate emergency resolution. They stressed that this is an emergency and the County should provide bold leadership and action. Community members urged the Board include in any resolution deadlines or dates by which action can be expected. Community members expressed interest in the Board taxing the refineries located in Contra Costa County and determining how the County should plan for a situation where the refineries and other fossil-fuel based industries are not viable. The Committee directed the Sustainability Coordinator to develop a draft climate emergency resolution in consultation with the Sustainability Commission, and come back to the Committee. Referral Update: The Sustainability Commission at its February 24, 2020 meeting considered potential measures that could be included in the emergency declaration. These include: • Carbon neutrality, net zero goals • Decommission of large industrial facilities • Emergency preparedness strategies • Transition strategies for the phase out of fossil fuels Sustainability Commission Mtg. Agenda Packet - Pg.10 of • Environmental justice • Composition of a carbon transition advisory group • Escalating climate emergency to higher levels of government • Reconsider County financial investments • Provide advice to the State on Contra Costa County’s needs • Increase County sustainability staff Staff revised the climate emergency resolution, including the new realities of the COVID-19 pandemic, and presented it to the Sustainability Committee at its May 29, 2020 meeting. Supervisor Gioia provided context around what the climate emergency resolution could do and its limitations. He mentioned the importance of understanding that the resolution should identify the framework of actions that are within the County’s control. He commented on the environmental actions occurring at all levels of government – at the state, regional, and county level – and emphasized that the climate emergency resolution’s intent is to identify things that are specific to the County’s jurisdiction. Supervisor Gioia highlighted the areas under discussion where climate change issues are relevant. He mentioned that the County’s General Plan is currently in process of being updated for the first time in decades and noted that this presents an opportunity to change land use policy and reflect policies on sustainability and climate change. Supervisor Glover noted it is advisable to reference the County’s Climate Action Plan because that is where the details of many actions will be captured. Members of the community offered comments on the draft resolution. Some indicated strong support for the resolution and concern about the financial impact of a future fossil fuel phase out. Others commented that the actions included in the resolution should not be symbolic, and recommended that the climate emergency resolution should include a statement of leadership from the County with accountability and specific details from the County on proposed actions, as well as stronger language on environmental justice. Subsequent to the May 29 meeting, the Committee has received additional written comments. The written comments received to date are attached. The Committee directed staff to revise the resolution in certain areas and further consult with the Sustainability Commission before bringing the resolution back for consideration. The Committee suggested that there should be more linkage to the County’s Climate Action Plan (CAP), strengthening the “Be it resolved” section, calling on all levels of government to declare a climate emergency, and acknowledging food systems. The revised draft resolution is attached in redline and clean versions. Recommendation(s)/Next Step(s): PROVIDE INPUT to Climate Emergency Resolution. Fiscal Impact (if any): As written, the tasks directed in the draft revised resolution could be accomplished with existing staff. The County has imposed a hiring freeze as of June 1, 2020, in response to the economic downturn resulting from the ongoing global pandemic. County departments are likely to Sustainability Commission Mtg. Agenda Packet - Pg.11 of experience cuts to their staffing budgets in the coming fiscal year. ATTACHMENT(S) Revised Draft Climate Emergency Resolution Correspondence from community members regarding Climate Emergency Resolution 1 RESOLUTION NO. ____ CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, STATE OF CALIFORNIA * * * * * * RESOLUTION ENDORSING THE DECLARATION OF A CLIMATE EMERGENCY IN CONTRA COSTA COUNTY THAT DEMANDS ACCELERATED ACTIONS ON THE CLIMATE CRISIS AND CALLS ON LOCAL AND REGIONAL PARTNERS TO JOIN TOGETHER TO ADDRESS CLIMATE CHANGE. RESOLVED, by the Board of Supervisors of the County of Contra Costa, State of California, that: WHEREAS, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), increasing emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) will cause global temperatures to rise 1.5 degrees Celsius by as early as 2030; and WHEREAS, on June 24, 2019, more than 70 health organizations including the American Medical Association and the American Public Health Association declared climate change to be a health emergency and issued a call to action for government, business, and civil society leaders to recognize climate change as a health emergency; and WHEREAS, California’s Governor Gavin Newsom in Executive Order N-19-19 has committed state agencies to immediate and bold actions that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, curb the impacts from climate change, and develop a Climate Investment Framework; and WHEREAS, the State of California has established goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2030, provide 100 percent of the State’s electricity from clean energy sources by 2045, reduce methane emissions and hydrofluorocarbon gases by 40 percent, and add five million zero-emission vehicles to California’s roads by 2030 and these goals imply a zero emissions target date of around 2060; and WHEREAS, the State of California has recognized the need for careful study and planning to decrease demand and supply of fossil fuels, while managing the decline in a way that is economically responsible and sustainable; and WHEREAS, for Contra Costa County, rising global temperatures will cause sea levels to rise (up to six feet or more by year 2100 under certain scenarios), contribute to increasingly extreme weather, including intense rainfall, storms, and heat events, and heightened risk of wildfires; and 2 WHEREAS, the consequences of climate change pose risks to life, safety and critical infrastructure in Contra Costa County and throughout the world, and threaten physical, social, and economic well-being; and WHEREAS, climate change impacts in Contra Costa County will be most acutely felt by children, seniors, low income populations, communities of color, and residents with unstable economic or housing situations; and WHEREAS, the Vulnerability Assessment developed for the Envision Contra Costa 2040 General Plan indicates that the most vulnerable County residents, including households in poverty, low-income households, and persons experiencing homelessness, are more likely to be severely impacted by a changing climate, including flooding, wildfires, extreme heat, and poor air quality; and WHEREAS, the Vulnerability Assessment also indicates that there is severe vulnerability in the County’s agriculture sector, industrial and manufacturing centers, including oil refineries, rangelands, and the Delta due to climate impacts, as well as infrastructure including major roads and highways, flood control, parks and open space, railroads and BART, and wastewater treatment plants and infrastructure; and WHEREAS, fossil fuels are recognized as a primary contributor to the rapidly changing climate; and WHEREAS, seven of the ten largest industrial pollution sources in the San Francisco Bay Area are located in Contra Costa County; and WHEREAS, twenty-five census tracts in Contra Costa County are recognized by the State of California as being in the top twenty-five percent of “disadvantaged” or “frontline” communities” or “communities of concern” that are disproportionately burdened by sources of pollution; and WHEREAS, rates of asthma, obesity, and breast, colorectal, lung, and prostate cancer are higher in Contra Costa County than in the rest of California, and in some cases, the nation, particularly in census tracts that are located near large industrial facilities; and WHEREAS, the world is facing an unprecedented crisis with the COVID-19 pandemic, which has swept across the world causing global human tragedy and an historical economic setback, forcing a rebuild of our economy and a need to introduce the necessary recovery plans to restore sustainable progress and prosperity to the citizens of Contra Costa; and 3 WHEREAS, long-term exposure to air pollution increases vulnerability to experiencing the most severe COVID-19 outcomes, further burdening the disproportionately affected communities that traditionally carry the brunt of the negative impacts of climate change, particularly in census tracts recognized as disadvantaged communities; and WHEREAS, PBF Energy, which purchased the former Shell Martinez refinery in February 2020, on March 30, 2020, during a period of rapid decrease in fossil fuel usage announced that it plans to sell two hydrogen plants at the Martinez facility “as part of a strategic plan for PBF to navigate current extraordinary and volatile markets,” creating economic uncertainty for Contra Costa County; and WHEREAS, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District on June 17, 2020, adopted a Resolution Condemning Racism and Injustice and Affirming Commitment to Diversity, Equity, Access and Inclusion, which among other things notes that “studies have shown that racial discrimination takes a tremendous toll on the physical and mental health of Black people in the U.S. Racial discrimination is now recognized as a public health crisis,” “These higher death rates are not a random coincidence; but, instead, is the result of systemic racism and a consequential lack of social, economic and political opportunities,” and “community proximity to sources of air pollution is one of these systemic issues,” and resolves “We affirm our commitment to fighting for racial justice and changing the systems that continue to perpetuate racial disparities, especially as they contribute to disproportionate exposure to hazardous air pollution. We vow to use our voice and resources as an ally to the Black community to affect the meaningful and measurable changes that are so urgently needed in the Bay Area;” and WHEREAS, the COVID-19 crisis could mark a turning point in progress on climate change and there will be a need for a resilient recovery after the pandemic, and Contra Costa County’s capacity to act depends largely on our ability to work together in solidarity to build the bridge between fighting CovidCOVID-19, biodiversity loss, and climate change; and WHEREAS, the County has taken a number of actions to address climate change, some of which include: adopting and implementing the 2015 Climate Action Plan; selecting MCE as the electricity provider for unincorporated Contra Costa County, in large part because of the higher clean energy content MCE offers; investing in clean energy, efficient building technologies, and alternative fuels for County operations; providing opportunities to generate more clean energy in Contra Costa County; developing an electric vehicle readiness 4 blueprint; providing energy efficiency programs to County residents; increasing composting and recycling in County facilities; and WHEREAS, the County is in the process of updating its General Plan, Climate Action Plan, and zoning codes, which provide an opportunity to follow the State’s guidance outlined in the California Air Resources Board 2017 Climate Change Scoping Plan by taking action to strengthen policies for the unincorporated County and County operations to better reflect state policies on land use, transportation, energy, natural and working lands, agriculture, conservation, waste management, short-lived climate pollutants, and the built environment; and WHEREAS, the Climate Action Plan includes goals and specific actions the County will take to address the climate emergency, including future policy direction; and WHEREAS, County residents in 2019 and 2020 community meetings related to the ongoing update of the County’s Climate Action Plan and General Plan have expressed interest in having better access to locally grown fresh food; and WHEREAS, the current pace of climate actions may still fall short of reducing the projected harm to people and places and accelerated actions need to be taken to reduce our GHG emissions and implement solutions to prepare and protect our communities; and WHEREAS, by declaring a climate emergency, Contra Costa County will join the over 1,000 national, international and local jurisdictions, including many in the Bay Area, that have made similar declarations that commit to reducing GHG emissions and planning for climate change; and. WHEREAS, the County invites all Contra Costa cities and agencies to also approve a Climate Emergency Declaration to create a unified Countywide voice around climate change and to strengthen the call for state and federal actions and funds to address the economic, social, public health, and national security threats posed by the climate crisis. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Supervisors of the County of Contra Costa declares a climate emergency that threatens the long-term economic and social well-being, health, safety, and security of the County. , and that urgent action by all levels of government is needed to immediately address this climate emergency. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that theContra Costa County Departmentsupports the State of ConservationCalifornia goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2030, provide 100 percent of the State’s electricity 5 from clean energy sources by 2045, reduce methane emissions and Development work with the hydrofluorocarbon gases by 40 percent, and add five million zero-emission vehicles to California’s roads by 2030, and intends to take actions to help achieve these goals. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Contra Costa County Administrator and other departments to establish an interdepartmental task force of all Department heads, or their immediatesenior deputies, that will focus on urgently implementing the County’s Climate Action Plan – as currently adopted and as it may be amended by the Board – and identifying additional actions, policies, and programs the County can undertake to reduce and adapt to the impacts of a changing climate. This task force should report to the Board of Supervisors through the Board’s Sustainability Committee and to the County Sustainability Commission on a bi-annual basis starting in November 2020. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the County Sustainability Commission seek input from the community (with a special focus on highly impacted Environmental Justice communities) to help the County anticipate and plan for an economy that is less dependent on fossil fuels, helps plan for a transition“Just Transition” away from a fossil-fuel dependent economy, and considers how the County’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic can incorporate the County’s climate goals. As the State of California adopts policies and goals for reducing pollution and addressing climate change, the County will consider withdevelop strategies to improve the assistance of the Sustainability Commission what this will mean for County revenues, jobs, health, andsafety, infrastructure including, job opportunities and revenue opportunities during the shift to a zero emission economy. The County will provide special attention to helping develop new opportunities andfor how frontline and impacted communities will realize economic, health and other benefits. The Commission will include this topic in its ongoing advice to the Board of Supervisors. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Contra Costa County should develop policies to require new residential construction to be fully electric through the adoption of reach building codes; BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Contra Costa County will prioritize the implementation of its Climate Action Plan in order to achieve greenhouse gas reductions as soon as possible and will consider equity and social justice issues in the implementation of the plan. 6 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that health, socio-economic, and racial equity considerations shouldmust be included in policymaking and climate solutions at all levels and across all sectors as the consequences of climate change have significant impacts on all County residents, especially the young, the elderly, low-income or communities of color, and other vulnerable populations. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Board of Supervisors of Contra Costa County calls for all Contra Costa cities and agencies, as well as regional agencies, to also approve a Climate Emergency Declaration to create a unified Countywide voice around climate change and strengthen the call for state and federal actions and funds to address the economic, social, public health, and national security threats posed by the climate crisis. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the General Plan and Climate Action Plan as updated should include land use policies and actions that will facilitate greater availability of fresh food to County residents by creating more opportunities for community gardens, urban gardens, farmers markets, and related policies and programs. 1 RESOLUTION NO. ____ CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, STATE OF CALIFORNIA * * * * * * RESOLUTION ENDORSING THE DECLARATION OF A CLIMATE EMERGENCY IN CONTRA COSTA COUNTY THAT DEMANDS ACCELERATED ACTIONS ON THE CLIMATE CRISIS AND CALLS ON LOCAL AND REGIONAL PARTNERS TO JOIN TOGETHER TO ADDRESS CLIMATE CHANGE. RESOLVED, by the Board of Supervisors of the County of Contra Costa, State of California, that: WHEREAS, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), increasing emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) will cause global temperatures to rise 1.5 degrees Celsius by as early as 2030; and WHEREAS, on June 24, 2019, more than 70 health organizations including the American Medical Association and the American Public Health Association declared climate change to be a health emergency and issued a call to action for government, business, and civil society leaders to recognize climate change as a health emergency; and WHEREAS, California’s Governor Gavin Newsom in Executive Order N-19-19 has committed state agencies to immediate and bold actions that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, curb the impacts from climate change, and develop a Climate Investment Framework; and WHEREAS, the State of California has established goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2030, provide 100 percent of the State’s electricity from clean energy sources by 2045, reduce methane emissions and hydrofluorocarbon gases by 40 percent, and add five million zero-emission vehicles to California’s roads by 2030 and these goals imply a zero emissions target date of around 2060; and WHEREAS, the State of California has recognized the need for careful study and planning to decrease demand and supply of fossil fuels, while managing the decline in a way that is economically responsible and sustainable; and WHEREAS, for Contra Costa County, rising global temperatures will cause sea levels to rise (up to six feet or more by year 2100 under certain scenarios), contribute to increasingly extreme weather, including intense rainfall, storms, and heat events, and heightened risk of wildfires; and 2 WHEREAS, the consequences of climate change pose risks to life, safety and critical infrastructure in Contra Costa County and throughout the world, and threaten physical, social, and economic well-being; and WHEREAS, climate change impacts in Contra Costa County will be most acutely felt by children, seniors, low income populations, communities of color, and residents with unstable economic or housing situations; and WHEREAS, the Vulnerability Assessment developed for the Envision Contra Costa 2040 General Plan indicates that the most vulnerable County residents, including households in poverty, low-income households, and persons experiencing homelessness, are more likely to be severely impacted by a changing climate, including flooding, wildfires, extreme heat, and poor air quality; and WHEREAS, the Vulnerability Assessment also indicates that there is severe vulnerability in the County’s agriculture sector, industrial and manufacturing centers, including oil refineries, rangelands, and the Delta due to climate impacts, as well as infrastructure including major roads and highways, flood control, parks and open space, railroads and BART, and wastewater treatment plants and infrastructure; and WHEREAS, fossil fuels are recognized as a primary contributor to the rapidly changing climate; and WHEREAS, seven of the ten largest industrial pollution sources in the San Francisco Bay Area are located in Contra Costa County; and WHEREAS, twenty-five census tracts in Contra Costa County are recognized by the State of California as being in the top twenty-five percent of “disadvantaged communities” or “communities of concern” that are disproportionately burdened by sources of pollution; and WHEREAS, rates of asthma, obesity, and breast, colorectal, lung, and prostate cancer are higher in Contra Costa County than in the rest of California, and in some cases, the nation, particularly in census tracts that are located near large industrial facilities; and WHEREAS, the world is facing an unprecedented crisis with the COVID-19 pandemic, which has swept across the world causing global human tragedy and an historical economic setback, forcing a rebuild of our economy and a need to introduce the necessary recovery plans to restore sustainable progress and prosperity to the citizens of Contra Costa; and 3 WHEREAS, long-term exposure to air pollution increases vulnerability to experiencing the most severe COVID-19 outcomes, further burdening the disproportionately affected communities that traditionally carry the brunt of the negative impacts of climate change, particularly in census tracts recognized as disadvantaged communities; and WHEREAS, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District on June 17, 2020, adopted a Resolution Condemning Racism and Injustice and Affirming Commitment to Diversity, Equity, Access and Inclusion, which among other things notes that “studies have shown that racial discrimination takes a tremendous toll on the physical and mental health of Black people in the U.S. Racial discrimination is now recognized as a public health crisis,” “These higher death rates are not a random coincidence; but, instead, is the result of systemic racism and a consequential lack of social, economic and political opportunities,” and “community proximity to sources of air pollution is one of these systemic issues,” and resolves “We affirm our commitment to fighting for racial justice and changing the systems that continue to perpetuate racial disparities, especially as they contribute to disproportionate exposure to hazardous air pollution. We vow to use our voice and resources as an ally to the Black community to affect the meaningful and measurable changes that are so urgently needed in the Bay Area;” and WHEREAS, the COVID-19 crisis could mark a turning point in progress on climate change and there will be a need for a resilient recovery after the pandemic, and Contra Costa County’s capacity to act depends largely on our ability to work together in solidarity to build the bridge between fighting COVID-19, biodiversity loss, and climate change; and WHEREAS, the County has taken a number of actions to address climate change, some of which include: adopting and implementing the 2015 Climate Action Plan; selecting MCE as the electricity provider for unincorporated Contra Costa County, in large part because of the higher clean energy content MCE offers; investing in clean energy, efficient building technologies, and alternative fuels for County operations; providing opportunities to generate more clean energy in Contra Costa County; developing an electric vehicle readiness blueprint; providing energy efficiency programs to County residents; increasing composting and recycling in County facilities; and WHEREAS, the County is in the process of updating its General Plan, Climate Action Plan, and zoning codes, which provide an opportunity to follow the State’s guidance outlined in the California Air Resources Board 2017 Climate Change Scoping Plan by taking action to 4 strengthen policies for the unincorporated County and County operations to better reflect state policies on land use, transportation, energy, natural and working lands, agriculture, conservation, waste management, short-lived climate pollutants, and the built environment; and WHEREAS, the Climate Action Plan includes goals and specific actions the County will take to address the climate emergency, including future policy direction; and WHEREAS, County residents in 2019 and 2020 community meetings related to the ongoing update of the County’s Climate Action Plan and General Plan have expressed interest in having better access to locally grown fresh food; and WHEREAS, the current pace of climate actions may still fall short of reducing the projected harm to people and places and accelerated actions need to be taken to reduce our GHG emissions and implement solutions to prepare and protect our communities; and WHEREAS, by declaring a climate emergency, Contra Costa County will join the over 1,000 national, international and local jurisdictions, including many in the Bay Area, that have made similar declarations that commit to reducing GHG emissions and planning for climate change. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Supervisors of the County of Contra Costa declares a climate emergency that threatens the long-term economic and social well-being, health, safety, and security of the County, and that urgent action by all levels of government is needed to immediately address this climate emergency. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Contra Costa County supports the State of California goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2030, provide 100 percent of the State’s electricity from clean energy sources by 2045, reduce methane emissions and hydrofluorocarbon gases by 40 percent, and add five million zero-emission vehicles to California’s roads by 2030, and intends to take actions to help achieve these goals. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Contra Costa County establish an interdepartmental task force of all Department heads, or their senior deputies, that will focus on urgently implementing the County’s Climate Action Plan – as currently adopted and as it may be amended by the Board – and identifying additional actions, policies, and programs the County can undertake to reduce and adapt to the impacts of a changing climate. This task force should 5 report to the Board of Supervisors through the Board’s Sustainability Committee and to the County Sustainability Commission on a bi-annual basis starting in November 2020. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the County Sustainability Commission seek input from the community (with a special focus on highly impacted Environmental Justice communities) to help the County anticipate and plan for an economy that is less dependent on fossil fuels, helps plan for a “Just Transition” away from a fossil-fuel dependent economy, and considers how the County’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic can incorporate the County’s climate goals. As the State of California adopts policies and goals for reducing pollution and addressing climate change, the County will develop strategies to improve the health, safety, infrastructure, job opportunities and revenue opportunities during the shift to a zero emission economy. The County will provide special attention to helping develop new opportunities for how frontline and impacted communities will realize economic, health and other benefits. The Commission will include this topic in its ongoing advice to the Board of Supervisors. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Contra Costa County should develop policies to require new residential construction to be fully electric through the adoption of reach building codes; BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Contra Costa County will prioritize the implementation of its Climate Action Plan in order to achieve greenhouse gas reductions as soon as possible and will consider equity and social justice issues in the implementation of the plan. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that health, socio-economic, and racial equity considerations must be included in policymaking and climate solutions at all levels and across all sectors as the consequences of climate change have significant impacts on all County residents, especially the young, the elderly, low-income or communities of color, and other vulnerable populations. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Board of Supervisors of Contra Costa County calls for all Contra Costa cities and agencies, as well as regional agencies, to also approve a Climate Emergency Declaration to create a unified Countywide voice around climate change and strengthen the call for state and federal actions and funds to address the economic, social, public health, and national security threats posed by the climate crisis. 6 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the General Plan and Climate Action Plan as updated should include land use policies and actions that will facilitate greater availability of fresh food to County residents by creating more opportunities for community gardens, urban gardens, farmers markets, and related policies and programs. From:DAVE CASEY To:John_Gioia; District5; Jody London Cc:Amanda C-Cell Subject:Contra Costa Climate Emergency Resolution Date:Monday, June 15, 2020 1:51:05 PM Attachments:DRAFT Climate Emergency Resolution_Clean.docx DRAFT Climate Emergency Resolution_trackchanges.docx Dear Supervisor Gioia, Supervisor Glover, and Ms London, Thank you for the opportunity to speak on Contra Costa County’s proposed Climate Emergency Resolution (CER) at the May 29th Sustainability Committee meeting and thank you for providing an opportunity for residents of Contra Costa to review and make suggestions for the CER. A group of residents from Sustainable Rossmoor have been reviewing the draft CER and have made several revisions and additions to hopefully improve the effectiveness of the Resolution in the face of the of the looming climate emergency and California’s commitment to reduce greenhouse gases by 2030. Attached are two version of the Committee’s draft CER with Sustainable Rossmoor’s revisions. One copy has revisions and additions as “Tracked Changes” and the other copy is a “Clean” version with all tracked changes accepted. Please let us know if you have any questions or how our team can assist in this process. Thank you Dave Casey, for Sustainable Rossmoor Planet Friendly Eating Cleaner Contra Costa Challenge 1 RESOLUTION NO. _ CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, STATE OF CALIFORNIA * * * * * * RESOLUTION ENDORSING THE DECLARATION OF A CLIMATE EMERGENCY IN CONTRA COSTA COUNTY THAT DEMANDS ACCELERATED ACTIONS ON THE CLIMATE CRISIS AND CALLS ON LOCAL AND REGIONAL PARTNERS TO JOIN TOGETHER TO ADDRESS CLIMATE CHANGE. RESOLVED, by the Board of Supervisors of the County of Contra Costa, State of California, that: WHEREAS, according to the 2018 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5 Degrees C(1) describes a 20 year window (until 2038) to reach carbon neutrality in order to have a “two-thirds chance of limiting warming to 1.5 Degrees C;” which is the consensus opinion of the world’s leading climate scientists and has been reviewed and approved by over 100 nations prior to publication; and, increasing emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) will cause global temperatures to rise 1.5 degrees Celsius by as early as 2030; and WHEREAS, according to the 2018 IPCC Report, increasing emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) will cause global temperatures to rise 1.5 degrees Celsius by as early as 2030; and WHEREAS, on June 24, 2019, more than 70 health organizations including the American Medical Association and the American Public Health Association declared climate change to be a health emergency and issued a call to action for government, business, and civil society leaders to recognize climate change as a health emergency; and WHEREAS, California’s Governor Gavin Newsom in Executive Order N-19-19 has committed state agencies to immediate and bold actions that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, curb the impacts from climate change, and develop a Climate Investment Framework; and WHEREAS, the State of California has established goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2030, provide 100 percent of the State’s electricity from clean energy sources by 2045, reduce methane emissions and hydrofluorocarbon gases by 40 percent, and add five million zero-emission vehicles to California’s roads by 2030 and these goals imply a zero emissions target date of around 2060; and WHEREAS, the State of California has recognized the need for careful study and 2 planning to decrease demand and supply of fossil fuels, while managing the decline in a way that is economically responsible and sustainable; and WHEREAS, for Contra Costa County, rising global temperatures will cause sea levels to rise (up to six feet or more by year 2100 under certain scenarios), contribute to increasingly extreme weather, including intense rainfall, storms, and heat events, and heightened risk of wildfires; and WHEREAS, the consequences of climate change pose risks to life, safety and critical infrastructure in Contra Costa County and throughout the world, and threaten physical, social, and economic well-being; and WHEREAS, climate change impacts in Contra Costa County will be most acutely felt by children, seniors, low income populations, communities of color, and residents with unstable economic or housing situations; and WHEREAS, the Vulnerability Assessment developed for the Envision Contra Costa 2040 General Plan indicates that the most vulnerable County residents, including households in poverty, low-income households, and persons experiencing homelessness, are more likely to be severely impacted by a changing climate, including flooding, wildfires, extreme heat, and poor air quality; and WHEREAS, the Vulnerability Assessment also indicates that there is severe vulnerability in the County’s agriculture sector, industrial and manufacturing centers, including oil refineries, rangelands, and the Delta due to climate impacts, as well as infrastructure including major roads and highways, flood control, parks and open space, railroads and BART, and wastewater treatment plants and infrastructure; and WHEREAS, fossil fuels are recognized as a primary contributor to the rapidly changing climate; and WHEREAS, seven of the ten largest industrial pollution sources in the San Francisco Bay Area are located in Contra Costa County; and WHEREAS, twenty-five census tracts in Contra Costa County are recognized by the State of California as being in the top twenty-five percent of “disadvantaged” or “frontline” communities that are disproportionately burdened by sources of pollution; and WHEREAS, rates of asthma, obesity, and breast, colorectal, lung, and prostate cancer are higher in Contra Costa County than in the rest of California, and in some cases, the nation, particularly in census tracts that are located near large industrial facilities; and 3 WHEREAS, the world is facing an unprecedented crisis with the COVID-19 pandemic, which has swept across the world causing global human tragedy and an historical economic setback, forcing a rebuild of our economy and a need to introduce the necessary recovery plans to restore sustainable progress and prosperity to the citizens of Contra Costa; and WHEREAS, long-term exposure to air pollution increases vulnerability to experiencing the most severe COVID-19 outcomes, further burdening the disproportionately affected communities that traditionally carry the brunt of the negative impacts of climate change, particularly in census tracts recognized as disadvantaged communities; and WHEREAS, PBF Energy, which purchased the former Shell Martinez refinery in February 2020, on March 30, 2020, during a period of rapid decrease in fossil fuel usage announced that it plans to sell two hydrogen plants at the Martinez facility “as part of a strategic plan for PBF to navigate current extraordinary and volatile markets,” creating economic uncertainty for Contra Costa County; and WHEREAS, the COVID-19 crisis could mark a turning point in progress on climate change and there will be a need for a resilient recovery after the pandemic, and Contra Costa County’s capacity to act depends largely on our ability to work together in solidarity to build the bridge between fighting Covid-19, biodiversity loss, and climate change; and WHEREAS, the County has taken a number of actions to address climate change, some of which include: adopting and implementing the 2015 Climate Action Plan; selecting MCE as the electricity provider for unincorporated Contra Costa County, in large part because of the higher clean energy content MCE offers; investing in clean energy, efficient building technologies, and alternative fuels for County operations; providing opportunities to generate more clean energy in Contra Costa County; developing an electric vehicle readiness blueprint; providing energy efficiency programs to County residents; increasing composting and recycling in County facilities; and WHEREAS, per a June 10, 2020, McKinsey & Company report, government spending on renewables creates fifty more jobs per $10 million invested than spending on fossil fuels; and WHEREAS, the current pace of climate actions may still fall short of reducing the projected harm to people and places and accelerated actions need to be taken to reduce our GHG emissions and implement solutions to prepare and protect our communities; and WHEREAS, by declaring a climate emergency, Contra Costa County will join the over 1,000 national, international and local jurisdictions, including many in the Bay Area, that have 4 made similar declarations that commit to reducing GHG emissions and planning for climate change; and WHEREAS, the County invites all Contra Costa cities and agencies to also approve a Climate Emergency Declaration to create a unified Countywide voice around climate change and to strengthen the call for state and federal actions and funds to address the economic, social, public health, and national security threats posed by the climate crisis. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Supervisors (BOS) of the County of Contra Costa (County) declares a climate emergency that threatens the long-term economic and social well-being, health, safety, and security of the our County, state, nation, civilization, humanity and the natural world. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the BOS of the County commits to a county-wide mobilization effort to reverse global warming and the ecological crisis, which reduces county- wide greenhouse gas emissions as quickly as possible and no later than 2030. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the County immediately initiates an effort to safely draw down carbon from the atmosphere. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the County ensures a just transition for workers and residents. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the County accelerates adaptation and resilience strategies in preparation for intensifying local climate impacts. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the BOS of the County shall direct the creation of a County Climate Task Force comprised of the head of the Department of Conservation and Development work with ,the County Administrator, and other County department heads, agency heads, and heads of special districts, to establish an interdepartmental task force of Department heads, or their immediate deputies, the Sustainability Coordinator and two Sustainability Commissioners with the purpose of initiating a county-wide mobilization effort to reverse global warming and the ecological crisis, and reduce county-wide greenhouse gas emissions as quickly as possible and no later than 2030. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the Climate Task Force members will arrange for all- staff meetings to educate Contra Costa County staff on the latest climate science and current actions, policies and programs and their anticipated outcome. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the Climate Task Force members will prepare written reports and submit them to the Sustainability Commission and the Sustainability Committee, at least twice per year, that will focus on: implementing the County’s Climate Action Plan and 5 • identifying additional actions, policies, and programs the County can undertake to reduce and adapt to the impacts of a changing climate • opportunities for radical greenhouse gas and co-pollutant emissions reductions and greenhouse gas drawdown opportunities through updates to the County’s General Plan and Climate Action Plan, including metrics that prioritize the decrease of fossil fuel use and climate adaptive land use planning • on the maximum emergency reductions in greenhouse gas emissions from their operations by 2030. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the Climate Task Force to report back to the Sustainability Commission and the Sustainability Committee, within its first 90 days, on the feasibility for the phase out of fossil fuel extraction, including immediate changes to land use regulations, on opportunities for radical greenhouse gas and co-pollutant emissions reductions and greenhouse gas drawdown opportunities through updates to the County’s General Plan and Climate Action Plan, including metrics that prioritize the decrease of fossil fuel use and climate adaptive land use planning. of new or expansion of existing fossil fuel infrastructure. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the BOS of the County directs the Sustainability Coordinator to include greenhouse gas and co-pollutant impact statements, greenhouse gas and co-pollutant reduction and greenhouse gas drawdown statements in all relevant Board motions, much as it currently includes fiscal impact statements. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the County Sustainability Commission seek inputcommits to engaging county residents in public deliberations on the climate emergency and mobilization declaration and to seek input from the community to help the County anticipate and plan for an economy that is less not dependent on fossil fuels, helps plan for a just transition from a fossil-fuel dependent economy, and considers how the County’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic can incorporate the County’s climate goals. As the State of California adopts policies and goals for reducing pollution and addressing climate change, the County will consider with the assistance of the Sustainability Commission what this will mean for County health, safety, infrastructure, jobs, and revenues, jobs, health, and infrastructure including new opportunities and how frontline communities will realize economic and otherthese benefits. The Commission will include this topic in its ongoing advice to the Board of Supervisors. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that health, socio-economic, and racial equity considerations should will be included in policymaking and climate solutions at all 6 levels and across all sectors as the consequences of climate change have significant impacts on all County residents, especially the young, the elderly, low-income or, communities of color, the elderly, the young, and other vulnerable populations. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the County recognizes that the full participation, inclusion, support, and leadership of community organizations, faith communities, youth, labor organizations, academic institutions, indigenous groups, homeowners associations, business and business associations, recreational and health care facilities, and racial, gender, family, immigrant and disability justice organizations and other allies are integral to the climate emergency response and mobilization efforts. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the BOS of the County joins a nationwide call for a regional, national and international climate emergency mobilization effort focused on rapidly catalyzing a mobilization at all levels of government to reverse global warming and the ecological crisis, and provide maximum protection for all people and species of the world. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, in furtherance of this resolution, the BOS of the County shall submit a certified copy of this resolution to all cities in the County, to the State of California and to all relevant agencies. (1) IPCC Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5 degrees C, Chapter 2, p. 96 From:Contra Costa County Climate Leaders (4CL) To:Jody London Cc:Contra Costa County Climate Leaders Subject:Fwd: CCC Climate Emergency Date:Thursday, May 28, 2020 12:10:57 PM Dear Jodi, I will try to attend the 10 am meeting tomorrow. if you have a call in number could you please provide it? Zoom is not working for me right now. So in the meantime, the call in option would be great. If i am unable to attend, I kindly request that you read these comments into the minutes regarding the emergency climate resolution agenda item xxxxxxxxxx Dear Sustainability Commissioners, Contra Costa County Climate Leaders (4CL) appreciates your focus on joining thousands of communities demanding our local leaders do two things (1) acknowledge the Climate Emergency and (2) mobilize immediately. The draft resolution you have before you sets a very good base and clearly does an excellent job of 'acknowledging the Climate Emergency' in the "whereas" section. However, in order to achieve the second goal 'to mobilize immediately', please include clear, specific, measurable directives in the "Be it resolved" actions. The items that are currently included, lack the robustness necessary to take on the clearly layed out crisis we face. Our organization provides links to best practices on this and other local governmenr climate policy topics. Please consider some of the language in these climate emergency resolutions passed in other cities.. Here: www.cccclimateleaders.org/issues/climateemergency We request that you consider the following examples of language we pulled from those other local government Resolutions: A. BE IT RESOLVED, the county shall implement a Climate Action and Resiliency Plan in 2020, that includes a baseline greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions inventory for both community wide and county operations, that is reviewed and adjusted on an annual basis to ensure 100% reduction of municipal greenhouse gas emissions and to become 100% fossil-free as quickly as possible and no later than 2030. And the CAP shall specify clear time-lines, benchmarks, and accountability with annual review B. BE IT RESOLVED, the county shall add a new section to all staff reports that reviews the impact of any actions ( or notes if there is no impact) on ghg emissions. sustainability, and resiliency, and any mitigation measures to drawdown emissions C. BE IT RESOLVED, the county shall revise the general plan in 2020 to incorporate agressive ghg reduction practices, and require annual reporting on general plan progress be posted on the front page of the county website with a clear dashboard that indicates progress on climate goal implementation plans. Along with clear visuals of how the county is meeting its greenhouse gas reduction goals. D. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: the county commits to establish a staff climate Emergency Commissioner who will oversee and ensure progress on adressing the climate crisis. BE IT ALSO RESOLVED: the county commits to deliberative democracy, which underscores the need for full community involvement, and commits to involve and inform residents, Businesses and non profit groups, about the climate emergency, through Town Hall meetings, messaging, staff training, and other processes in which citizen deliberation is central to decision-making; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: the County calls on the State of California and the United States as a whole to initiate an emergency mobilization to mitigate climate change, and end greenhouse gas emissions, and immediately draw down carbon from the atmosphere. These statemenrs are more commensurate with the acknowledged emergency; and puts the climate crisis front and center to be addressed as an emergency priority, and to provide opportunity for immediate mobilization to address that emergency. Thank you for your consideration! Lynda Lynda Deschambault Environmental Scientist and Educator Executive Director www.cccclimateleaders.org May 28, 2020 Dear Supervisor Glover and Supervisor Gioia, RE Climate Emergency Resolution It was surprising for me to learn of the Climate Emergency Resolution in a passing email. To my knowledge, there was not public announcement of this draft and I could not find it independently on the Ad Hoc Committee site as recently as a few days ago. The process for moving this forward disappoints me. Both of you have seen growing resident interest over the past two years in the work of your committee. How is it we are not informed or invited to have input on this resolution? It is also odd to me that it did not go before the Sustainability Commission for discussion prior to its arrival on your agenda. What is the role of the Commission in reviewing and commenting on a resolution like this, so closely allied to their work? The content of this resolution also disappoints me. I know many communities have jumped on the band wagon of passing such a resolution, regardless of any real intent to do more than sign the resolution. That is not what I want for my County. Nor do I want my County providing that example to cities in my county, who might think this a meaningful act. If we are in a climate emergency, we need to recognize the reduction targets are now higher than what is mentioned. Governor Jerry Brown’s executive ordered (echoed by many scientific bodies) is that we have to achieve carbon neutrality by 2045, if not sooner. I would support a resolution with a clearer declaration of intent for the Board of Supervisors to act on this emergency. An emergency, as our dictionary reminds us, implies that we prioritize some things over other things, and we set clear accountability and metrics for addressing the emergency. COVID-19 has shown that our emergency and public health responses are vulnerable. We are not prepared for what is coming. So, a commitment to naming a climate emergency would recognize that accelerated emissions reduction and much more creative resiliency planning is essential and has to start now. If this Resolution’s “Resolve statements” reveal the level of political will to address this emergency, we are in trouble. With respect and a desire to find other places where we can continue to accelerate progress addressing this threat multiplier that is climate change. Marti Roach (for affiliation only: 350 Contra Costa, 350 Bay Area Action, Contra Costa Climate Action Network) Comments from the Just Transition Levin Richmond Terminal Working Group RESOLUTION NO. ____ CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, STATE OF CALIFORNIA * * * * * * RESOLUTION ENDORSING THE DECLARATION OF A CLIMATE EMERGENCY IN CONTRA COSTA COUNTY THAT DEMANDS ACCELERATED ACTIONS ON THE CLIMATE CRISIS AND CALLS ON LOCAL AND REGIONAL PARTNERS TO JOIN TOGETHER TO ADDRESS CLIMATE CHANGE. RESOLVED, by the Board of Supervisors of the County of Contra Costa, State of California, that WHEREAS, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), increasing emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) will cause global temperatures to rise 1.5 degrees Celsius by as early as 2030; and WHEREAS, on June 24, 2019, more than 70 health organizations including the American Medical Association and the American Public Health Association declared climate change to be a health emergency and issued a call to action for government, business, and civil society leaders to recognize climate change as a health emergency; and WHEREAS, California’s Governor Gavin Newsom in Executive Order N-19-19 has committed state agencies to immediate and bold actions that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, curb the impacts from climate change, and develop a Climate Investment Framework; and WHEREAS, the State of California has established goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2030, provide 100 percent of the State’s electricity from clean energy sources by 2045, reduce methane emissions and hydrofluorocarbon gases by 40 percent, and add five million zero-emission vehicles to California’s roads by 2030; and WHEREAS, the State of California has recognized the need for careful study and planning to decrease demand and supply of fossil fuels, while managing the decline in a way that is economically responsible and sustainable; and WHEREAS, for Contra Costa County, rising global temperatures will cause sea levels to rise (up to six feet or more by year 2100 under certain scenarios), contribute to increasingly extreme weather, including intense rainfall, storms, and heat events, and heightened risk of wildfires; and WHEREAS, the consequences of climate change pose risks to life, safety and critical infrastructure in Contra Costa County and throughout the world, and threaten physical, social, and economic well-being; and WHEREAS, climate change impacts in Contra Costa County will be most acutely felt by children, seniors, low income populations, communities of color, and residents with unstable economic or housing situations; and WHEREAS, the Vulnerability Assessment developed for the Envision Contra Costa 2040 General Plan indicates that the most vulnerable County residents, including households in poverty, low-income households, and persons experiencing homelessness, are more likely to be severely impacted by a changing climate, including flooding, wildfires, extreme heat, and poor air quality; and WHEREAS, the Vulnerability Assessment also indicates that there is severe vulnerability in the County’s agricultural sector, industrial and manufacturing centers, including oil refineries, rangelands, and the Delta due to climate impacts, as well as infrastructure including major roads and highways, flood control, parks and open space, railroads and BART, and wastewater treatment plants and infrastructure; and WHEREAS, fossil fuels are recognized as a primary contributor to the rapidly changing climate; and WHEREAS, seven of the ten largest industrial pollution sources in the San Francisco Bay Area are located in Contra Costa County; WHEREAS, twenty-five census tracts in Contra Costa County are recognized by the State of California as being in the top twenty-five percent of “disadvantaged” or “frontline” communities that are disproportionately burdened by sources of pollution; and WHEREAS, rates of asthma, obesity, and breast, colorectal, lung, and prostate cancer are higher in Contra Costa County than in the rest of California, and in some cases, the nation, particularly in census tracts that are located near large industrial facilities; and WHEREAS, the world is facing an unprecedented crisis with the COVID-19 pandemic, which has swept across the world causing global human tragedy and an historical economic setback, forcing a rebuild of our economy and a need to introduce the necessary recovery plans to restore sustainable progress and prosperity to the citizens of Contra Costa; and WHEREAS, long-term exposure to air pollution increases vulnerability to experiencing the most severe COVID-19 outcomes, further burdening the disproportionately affected communities that traditionally carry the brunt of the negative impacts of climate change, particularly in census tracts recognized as disadvantaged communities; and WHEREAS, PBF Energy, which purchased the former Shell Martinez refinery in February 2020, on March 30, 2020, during a period of rapid decrease in fossil fuel usage announced that it plans to sell two hydrogen plants at the Martinez facility “as part of a strategic plan for PBF to navigate current extraordinary and volatile markets,” creating economic uncertainty for Contra Costa County; and potential job losses due to the volatility of the fossil fuel industry require the County to develop and implement a Just Transition Plan to create green jobs and transition these workers to stable employment and continued benefits; WHEREAS, the COVID-19 crisis could mark a turning point in progress on climate change and there will be a need for a resilient recovery after the pandemic, and Contra Costa County’s capacity to act depends largely on our ability to work together in solidarity to build the bridge between fighting Covid-19, biodiversity loss, and climate change; and WHEREAS, the County has taken a number of actions to address climate change, some of which include: adopting and implementing the 2015 Climate Action Plan; selecting MCE as the electricity provider for unincorporated Contra Costa County, in large part because of the higher clean-energy content MCE offers; investing in clean energy, efficient building technologies, and alternative fuels for County operations; providing opportunities to generate more clean energy in Contra Costa County; developing an electric vehicle readiness blueprint; providing energy efficiency programs to County residents; increasing composting and recycling in County facilities; and WHEREAS, the current pace of climate actions may still fall short of reducing the projected harm to people and places and accelerated actions need to be taken to reduce our GHG emissions and implement solutions to prepare and protect our communities; and WHEREAS, by declaring a climate emergency, Contra Costa County will join the over 1,000 national, international and local jurisdictions, including many in the Bay Area, that have made similar declarations that commit to reducing GHG emissions and planning for climate change; and WHEREAS, the County invites all Contra Costa cities and agencies to also approve a Climate Emergency Declaration to create a unified Countywide voice around climate change and to strengthen the call for state and federal actions and funds to address the economic, social, public health, and national security threats posed by the climate crisis. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Supervisors of the County of Contra Costa declares a climate emergency that threatens the long-term economic and social well-being, health, safety, and security of the County. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the County Department of Conservation and Development work with the County Administrator and other departments to establish an interdepartmental task force of Department heads, or their immediate deputies, that will focus on implementing the County’s Climate Action Plan and identifying additional actions, policies, and programs the County can undertake to reduce and adapt to the impacts of a changing climate. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the County Sustainability Commission seek input from the community to help the County anticipate and plan for an economy that is less dependent on fossil fuels, helps plan for a transition from a fossil-fuel dependent economy, and considers how the County’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic can incorporate the County’s climate goals. As the State of California adopts policies and goals for reducing pollution and addressing climate change, the County will consider with the assistance of the Sustainability Commission what this will mean for County revenues, jobs, health, and infrastructure including new opportunities and how frontline communities will realize economic and other benefits. The Commission will include this topic in its ongoing advice to the Board of Supervisors. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the County’s Climate Action Plan will be revised to include the creation of a Just Transition Commission of labor, community members and public officials that will develop a Just Transition Plan for transitioning fossil fuel workers and affected communities in the County. The Just Transition Plan will identify the timing and location of potential fossil fuel- related facility closures and job layoffs and their impact on affected workers, businesses, and the community; pathways to job training, apprenticeships, and alternative employment for transitioning workers; job counseling and placement services; and transitional benefits (e.g. wage differential benefit, pension protection, and healthcare insurance). The plan will further identify the projected short-term and long-term cost of each plan component; potential sources for sustainable short-term and long-term funding for just transition plan implementation; and the need for any further enabling legislation. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that health, socio-economic, and racial equity considerations should be included in policymaking and climate solutions at all levels and across all sectors as the consequences of climate change have significant impacts on all County residents, especially the young, the elderly, low-income or communities of color, and other vulnerable populations. 4 Sustainability Commission Mtg. Agenda Packet - Pg.12 of Contra Costa County Sustainability Commission 6. Meeting Date: 6/22/2020 Subject: DISCUSS nominations for Sustainable Contra Costa Leadership in Sustainability Award and Green Building Award and PROVIDE DIRECTION, if needed Department: Conservation and Development Presenter: Jody London, Sustainability Coordinator Contact: Jody London, DCD Referral History: In 2018, the Sustainability Commission submitted two nominations for the Sustainable Contra Costa Leadership in Sustainability Award. Both the Alhambra High School Public Health Academy and the North Richmond Watershed Connections Project won awards in their respective categories. Referral Update: July 1 is the deadline for the 2020 Leadership in Sustainability awards. Sustainable Contra Costa has asked if the Sustainability Commission would be interested in again making a nomination(s). Leadership in Sustainability Award nominees will be evaluated for how well they meet the One Planet Living principles: • Health and Happiness • Equity and Local Economy • Culture and Community • Land and Nature • Sustainable Water • Local and Sustainable Food • Travel and Transport • Materials and Products • Zero Waste • Zero Carbon Energy • Rising Star Award (18 and under) Sustainability Commission Mtg. Agenda Packet - Pg.13 of 13 The nomination form is attached. Green Building Award nominees will be evaluated in three categories: • Energy Conservation & Efficiency • Water Conservation & Efficiency • Sustainable Materials & Healthy Environment The nomination form is attached. Recommendation(s)/Next Step(s): DISCUSS nominations for Sustainable Contra Costa Leadership in Sustainability Award and Green Building Award and PROVIDE DIRECTION, if needed. Fiscal Impact (if any): N/A ATTACHMENT(S) Leadership in Sustainability Award Nomination Form Green Building Award Nomination Form Note: once you've clicked Submit below, please scroll back up to the top of the page.  Sustainability Commission Mtg. Agenda Packet - Pg.14 of 13 Contra Costa County Sustainability Commission 7. Meeting Date: 6/22/2020 Subject: DISCUSS County Policy on Oil and Gas Drilling in Contra Costa County and PROVIDE DIRECTION, if needed Department: Conservation & Development Presenter: Jody London, Sustainability Coordinator Contact: Jody London, DCD Referral History: The District 1 Alternate to the Sustainability Commission has requested that the Commission discuss the County’s policy on oil and gas drilling in Contra Costa County. Referral Update: The County is currently considering an application for a Land Use Permit to allow the establishment of a gas and oil well pad on an agriculturally zoned parcel. This application has created for some members of the community interest in the County’s policy on oil and gas drilling within its borders. The most relevant sections of the County’s current General Plan are attached. The County is currently in the process of updating its General Plan, Climate Action Plan and Zoning through the Envision Contra Costa 2040 process. The Sustainability Commission’s function is to: • Provide advice to staff and the Board on successful implementation of the Climate Action Plan, including suggestions on how that work can be performed more efficiently and effectively. • Advise the Board on opportunities to realize equity and fairness across the diverse communities of Contra Costa County in sustainability programs that support the Climate Action Plan. • Provide suggestions to staff and the Board on how to better engage Contra Costa County residents and businesses on sustainability issues and implementation of the Climate Action Plan. It is not the Commission’s role to advise on land use applications. Recommendation(s)/Next Step(s): DISCUSS County Policy on Oil and Gas Drilling in Contra Costa County and PROVIDE DIRECTION, if needed. Fiscal Impact (if any): N/A. ATTACHMENT(S) Contra Costa County Oil Drilling Policy Subject: Re: General Plan policies related to oil and gas drilling Chapter 3 Land Use Element: Policies for the Southeast County Area, Land Use policy 3-69 (f) allows oil and gas wells and (g) allows pipelines and transmission lines as generally consistent with planned agricultural areas. Chapter 9 Conservation Element: Section 8.11 Oil and Gas Resources, policy numbers 8-69 through 8-73: 8-69. The production of gas and oil resources shall be encouraged as a way to support the agricultural viability of rural areas. 8-70. New wells shall be reviewed and approved in a fashion to minimize noise, aesthetic and public safety problems. 8-71. The potential impacts of oil and gas extraction on the subsistence of land, especially land near bodies of water and in the Delta, should be investigated. If necessary, special regulations should be proposed and applied to existing operations. 8-72. New wells shall not be allowed to be drilled in wetland areas. 8-73. Where safety can be assured, the storage of gas in underground natural basins shall be considered preferable to above ground storage tanks. Section 8.11 Oil and Gas Resources, implementation Measures 8-cj through 8-cn: 8-cj. Develop standards for resolving conflicts between proposed wells and residences in terms of setbacks, allowable noise, etc. 8-ck. Review the need for impact fees for new well permits on area roads. 8-cl. Fund and monitor the subsidence studies currently underway to better understand the impacts of continued drilling of new wells and pumping of these resources. 8-cm. Review procedures for well abandonment to assure that the land is returned to its natural surface condition. 8-cn. Utilize the Nation Wetlands Inventory from the U.S. Department of Fish and Wildlife identifying areas subject to prohibition of oil and gas well drilling. Chapter 10, Safety Element (https://www.contracosta.ca.gov/DocumentCenter/View/30920/Ch10-Safety-Element?bidId=): Seismic Hazard Implementation Measure 10-e encourages the evaluation and upgrade of utility services including gas distribution in areas subject to seismic hazards. Water/Flooding: Page 29 discusses subsidence (mainly in East County, including the Delta, Bacon Island, and other areas susceptible to flooding): "There is also evidence that the pumping of groundwater, oil, or gas supplies from underneath several of the islands may be contributing to the natural consolidation and subsidence." Policy 10-50 regarding subsidence: The pumping of substantial quantities of water, oil, and gas in an area protected by levees is inconsistent with new major development approvals. Section 10.9 Hazardous Materials Uses discusses oil and gas wells, and natural gas pipelines (in addition to petroleum processing and chemical processing, airports, etc.): Page 10-34: "Hundreds of miles of pipelines for the transportation of natural gas, crude oil, and refined petroleum products traverse Contra Costa County, including residential and commercial areas. Such pipelines cross areas with active fault lines, landslide deposits, unstable slopes, and areas underlain by soft mud and peat. The risk presented to pipelines by geologic conditions has not been quantified. The public safety hazard from a pipeline break would depend on the proximity of the accident to populated areas as well as the nature of the event that produced it (e.g., the landslide or earthquake)." (See Figure 10-9b Hazardous Land Uses which shows Oil and Gas Wells and Natural Gas Pipelines within the County.) Page 10-37: "In general, natural gas is believed to be less hazardous to the public than petroleum products because it is transported at lower pressures and, when released, rises and dissipates into the atmosphere. Petroleum products are pumped at pressures up to 200 pounds per square inch and, when released, flow along the ground. Petroleum fires are also more likely to spread to nearby property than vertical-burning natural gas fires. Numerous active gas and oil wells are located in the County, most of which are far from populated areas. Although there is a risk of a well catching on fire, such incidents have been very few and the risk of such a fire causing a general disaster is remote. North and east of Brentwood, future parcel splits resulting in a dispersed but sizeable population could lead to a public safety hazard if rural residential areas are permitted to encroach on the gas producing area. Further, a concentrated population in proximity to the numerous wells in peat areas could expose persons and properties to peat fires which are difficult to control and may smolder for weeks or months before they are completely extinguished." Page 10-38: "In the case of land uses involving hazardous materials, the County Planning Agency can minimize public safety risks by ensuring that hazardous materials use areas and residential populations are separated to the extent that fire or explosions on industrial and military properties or in gas and oil well areas will not spread to homes or businesses. Preventing environmental releases of hazardous materials depends primarily on industrial safety requirements and procedures. By requiring that project proposals to construct tanks, pipelines, and other facilities be accompanied by thorough investigations of the natural and man-made hazards potentially affecting the proper functioning of these facilities, the County can be assured that risks are reduced to the minimum level that can be achieved by engineering technology." The Contra Costa County Hazardous Materials Area Plan, adopted January of 1988, provides further information about County regulatory and response agencies for managing, monitoring, containing, and removing hazardous materials. Hazardous Materials Policies: 10-66. To the greatest possible extent, new fuel pipelines should not be routed through centers of population nor should they cross major disaster evacuation routes. 10-67: In order to provide for public safety, urban and suburban development should not take place in areas where they would be subject to safety hazards from oil and gas wells. Development near oil and gas wells should meet recognized safety standards. There are other policies in the Hazardous Materials section that may apply, including policy 10- 69 which encourages the use of underground pipelines, rail, and water for transportation of hazardous materials to maintain greater separation from the general public; and those that seek to regulate the storage and processing of hazardous materials, emergency responses, containment, water releases, periodic examination of facilities, modernization of facilities. Sustainability Commission Mtg. Agenda Packet - Pg.15 of 13 Contra Costa County Sustainability Commission 8. Meeting Date: 6/22/2020 Subject: RECEIVE reports from Sustainability Commission members and alternates, and PROVIDE DIRECTION as needed Department: Conservation & Development Presenter: Jody London, DCD Contact: Jody London (925) 674-7871 Referral History: This is a standing item of the Commission. Referral Update: Commission members and alternates will provide updates to the full Commission. Recommendation(s)/Next Step(s): RECEIVE reports from Sustainability Commission members and alternates, and PROVIDE DIRECTION as needed. Fiscal Impact (if any): None. ATTACHMENT(S) No file(s) attached. Sustainability Commission Mtg. Agenda Packet - Pg.13 of 13 Contra Costa County Sustainability Commission 9. Meeting Date: 6/22/2020 Subject: RECEIVE Report from Sustainability Coordinator Department: Conservation & Development Presenter: Jody London, Sustainability Coordinator Contact: Jody London, DCD Referral History: This is a standing item of the Commission. Referral Update: As of March 17, sustainability staff have been working remotely, in compliance with orders from the County Health Officer. While there was an adjustment period as everyone established home work stations and figured out how to use online technology to continue collaboration, sustainability staff are now operating at a similar level as prior to the pandemic. Sustainability staff also assisted in the County’s Emergency Operations Center while it was operating from mid-March through early June. The update to the County’s General Plan has slowed due to the pandemic and other factors. Because the Climate Action Plan update will be covered under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) review for the General Plan, this means the Climate Action Plan is also on a slower track. Staff is working to develop a new land use map that will be the foundation for the CEQA review. Once the draft of that map is developed and preliminarily endorsed by the Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors, both the General Plan and the Climate Action Plan will get back on course. At this point the documents will not be adopted in 2020, as was the original goal. In the meantime, staff continues working to implement the 2015 Climate Action Plan, which remains in effect. Key activities during this period are listed below. • Sustainability staff continue to refine with staff from many departments the draft goals, tools, and measures for the Climate Action Plan. Sustainability staff are supporting the General Plan update and helped plan and facilitate the June 3 meeting on environmental justice, community health, and sustainability. • Sustainability staff continued working on the climate emergency resolution recommended by the Sustainability Commission to the Board of Supervisors. The Sustainability Committee reviewed the draft resolution at its May 29 meeting and directed staff to incorporate some revisions and review the resolution again with the Sustainability Commission (see earlier agenda item). • Participated in workshops to learn about opportunities to incorporate climate and sustainability goals in to COVID-19 relief and recovery work, and how other local governments across the country are facilitating this. Sustainability Commission Mtg. Agenda Packet - Pg.13 of 13 • Sustainability staff are researching carbon sequestration as a strategy to include in the Climate Action Plan, including researching grant opportunities to fund a feasibility study and initiating collaborative conversations with stakeholders. • The solar overlay zoning ordinance was adopted by the Board of Supervisors on February 25. Staff are now processing applications from two developers for projects in solar overlay areas in East County, and fielding inquiries from others. • The Bay Area Regional Energy Network (BayREN), in which Contra Costa County plays a leadership role, has shifted its outreach workshops to online formats. BayREN has been providing training opportunities to contractors. BayREN has published guidance for contractors and the public on COVID-19 program response packages, options for loans and rebates, and more. • Facilitated the shut down of the East Bay Energy Watch (EBEW), which will no longer be funded by PG&E after June 30, 2020. Staff are identifying which elements of EBEW can continue through other channels. • The County submitted a $500,000 grant for a three-year period to the Sierra Health Foundation for the Public Health Division and Contra Costa Health Plan to provide asthma home visiting services to support the implementation of the County’s Asthma Initiative Project through the County’s Green and Health Homes Initiative (GHHI). • Public Works energy staff are overseeing the installation of rooftop solar at 10 County facilities. 3 of those sites will include battery storage. Construction on the first tranche of projects is scheduled to begin this month. Public Works staff provided an update to the Sustainability Committee at its May 29 meeting. SunPower, the contractor on the solar project, helped the County receive a grant through the Equity Self-Generation Incentive Program (SGIP) authorized by the California Public Utilities Commission to support battery storage at one of the projects. This allows the County to leverage its funds. • Collaborated with MCE to identify potential sites for resilience centers that could operate during emergencies, as part of MCE’s newly established Resilience Fund. MCE is evaluating County locations that are in areas subject to public safety power shutoffs and near “disadvantaged communities” under the State’s CalEnviroScreen. MCE is also exploring how to access the SGIP programs to support battery storage. • Continued coordinating with the Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA) and MCE on an application to the California Energy Commission (CEC) for the CALeVIP program, which would fund electric vehicle charging infrastructure in the MCE service territory. MCE learned on June 15 that the full proposal from MCE is not likely to be funded for 2021. There is a chance that Napa and Solano counties would be funded under a 12-county region titled, California Valley Project. MCE was told by the CEC that the work put into the MCE application can be applied to Program Year 2022. • Hosted an online meeting of the Sustainability Exchange on April 1 for local government staff in Contra Costa County. Over 40 people participated and learned about the contribution of paving materials and practices to greenhouse gas emissions, and how local government can help reduce GHG and other environmental impacts. The meeting featured a presentation from Dr. John Harvey, UC Davis, Director of the City and County Pavement Improvement Center and Director of the UC Pavement Research Center. The next program on July 1 will focus on the mechanics of planning and building a microgrid. Sustainability Commission Mtg. Agenda Packet - Pg.13 of 13 • Continued to administer the Cleaner Contra Costa Challenge. • Participated in the Sustainable Contra Costa Virtual Earth Day celebration. • The Sustainability Commission did not meet in April, as staff could not support an online meeting. We are glad the Sustainability Commission is able to resume its meetings in June. • Collaborated with County staff working on topics including land use and transportation, hazardous materials, green business program, the County’s state and federal legislative platforms, economic development, health, codes, solid waste, energy, and related. • Participated in regional activities. Recommendation(s)/Next Step(s): RECEIVE report from Sustainability Coordinator. Fiscal Impact (if any): None. ATTACHMENT(S) No file(s) attached. Sustainability Commission Mtg. Agenda Packet - Pg.13 of 13 Contra Costa County Sustainability Commission 10. Meeting Date: 6/22/2020 Subject: RECEIVE Report from Sustainability Commission Chair and IDENTIFY TOPICS for next report to Ad Hoc Committee on Sustainability Department: Conservation & Development Presenter: Howdy Goudey, Chair Contact: Jody London, DCD Referral History: This is a standing item of the Commission. Referral Update: The Sustainability Commission Chair provides an update at each meeting to Commission members on the administration of the Commission, meetings of the Board of Supervisors Ad Hoc Committee on Sustainability, and other issues of interest to the Commission. Recommendation(s)/Next Step(s): RECEIVE report from Sustainability Commission Chair. Fiscal Impact (if any): None. ATTACHMENT(S) No file(s) attached.