* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.
          [00:00:03]
          ALL RIGHT. 
          I'LL CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER. 
          THE TIME IS 6:03 PM. 
          [CALL MEETING TO ORDER]
UH, AND ATTENDANCE, UH, COMMISSIONER BLACKBURN, COMMISSIONER WHITE COMMISSIONER. 
          CHEVERIA MR. BRENNAMAN. 
          I'M SURE. 
          ANN GORRIE, COMMISSIONER SMITH AND COMMISSIONER DAVIS HERE IN PERSON. 
          UH, DID I MISS ANYONE? OKAY. 
          ALL RIGHT. 
          ALL RIGHT, SO WE'LL GO AHEAD AND JUMP RIGHT IN FIRST ITEM. 
          SO WE HAVE NO CITIZEN COMMUNICATION AND THAT'S, IS THAT CORRECT, NATASHA? YES, THAT'S CORRECT. 
          ALL RIGHT, SO WE'LL JUMP INTO, HE, HE IS NOT SIGNED UP FOR CITIZEN COMMUNICATION, BUT DOES HAVE AN AGENDA ITEM AND HE'S HERE IN THE ROOM. 
          ALL RIGHT. 
          SO LET'S JUMP INTO, UH, I REMEMBER ONE 
          [1. Approve minutes of the January 24, 2022 Special Called Meeting of the Resource Management Commission.]
PROVED MINUTES OF THE JANUARY 24TH, UH, 2020 SECONDS, UH, SPECIAL CALLED MEETING OF THE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT COMMISSION. 
          UH, DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY CORRECTIONS TO THAT ITEM UH, HEARING NOTHING ELSE? UH, THAT ITEM IS APPROVED, UH, JUST AS A RECAP IN CASE, UH, YOU GUYS DIDN'T IN CASE ANYONE DIDN'T SEE THE OUTCOME OF THAT. 
          UH, SO THE, THE COUNCIL DID TAKE UP THE CENTER POINT, UM, EFFICIENCY PROGRAM, UH, AT THAT MEETING LATER THAT WEEK, UH, THEY ADOPTED, UH, THAT THE PILOT PROGRAM, UH, WITH OUR RECOMMENDATIONS, UH, IN, IN PLACE, ALONG WITH IT. 
          UH, SO, UH, WE DID HAVE AN IMPACT ON, ON THE PROGRAM THERE. 
          SO, UH, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU FOR EVERYONE THAT ATTENDED AND HAD SOME INPUT ON, ON THAT RESOLUTION. 
          UH, NEXT UP ITEM TWO 
          [2. Presentation from citizen Paul Robbins regarding toxic materials in buildings.]
PRESENTATION FROM CITIZEN PAUL ROBBINS REGARDING TOXIC MATERIALS AND BUILDINGS. 
          UH, PAUL. 
          YEAH, YOU'LL BE AT THE PODIUM. 
          UH, THIS IS MY PROMPT AND PRESS THE ARROW FORWARD. 
          WE READY? CAN YOU GUYS HEAR PAUL SOMEBODY ONLINE? GIVE ME A THUMBS UP. 
          GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS. 
          I AM PAUL ROBBINS, AN ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVIST AND CONSUMER ADVOCATE. 
          I'M SPEAKING TONIGHT TO YOUR COMMISSION, ASKING YOU TO BECOME INVOLVED IN AN IMPORTANT ISSUE RELATED TO AUSTIN ENERGY SCREEN BUILDING PROGRAM, BUT ONE RELATIVELY NEW TO SOME MEMBERS HERE, TOXIC BUILDING MATERIALS. 
          OUR SOCIETY SPENDS UPWARDS OF 90% OF OUR TIME INSIDE BUILDINGS, MANY BUILDING PRODUCTS THAT SURROUND US ARE DIRECTLY MANUFACTURED USING TOXIC CHEMICALS, UH, OR THESE CHEMICALS COAT AND SATURATE THEM. 
          MOST OF MY PRESENTATION WE'LL DISCUSS THE PATHWAYS THAT EXPOSE PEOPLE IN THE ENVIRONMENT TO THESE TOXINS AND SPECIFIC EXAMPLES IN MATERIALS AND PRODUCTS. 
          THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT AUSTIN HAS AN ALTERNATIVE TO THESE PROBLEMS, WHICH IS TO REVISE STANDARDS FOR ITS GREEN BUILDING PROGRAMS. AND I WILL DISCUSS THIS TOWARDS THE END OF MY SPEECH. 
          THERE ARE GENERALLY SEVEN PATHWAYS THAT EXPOSE THESE TOXINS TO BUILDING OCCUPANTS OR THE GENERAL ENVIRONMENT. 
          THE FIRST IS THAT SOME OF THESE CHEMICALS EVAPORATE DIRECTLY INTO THE AIR AS A VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS, UH, SOME TOXIC CHEMICALS THAT HAVE SOLIDIFIED EVENTUALLY FRAGMENT AND TURN INTO DUST, WHICH IS EITHER INHALED OR INGESTED. 
          THESE CHEMICALS ARE ALSO RELEASED INTO THE ENVIRONMENT THROUGH EMERGENCY FIRE AND FLOOD EVENTS. 
          WHILE THIS OFTEN EFFECTS BUILDING UP GIBBONS NEAR THE SCENE. 
          SOME OF THE PEOPLE MOST DIRECTLY AFFECTED BY TOXINS IN BUILDING MATERIALS ARE FIRST RESPONDERS WHO OFTEN HAVE AN INCREASED CHANCE OF ADVERSE HEALTH EFFECTS FROM EXPOSURE. 
          THE 
          [00:05:01]
FOURTH PATHWAY IS FROM DIRECT EXPOSURE. 
          AS A RULE, PEOPLE DO NOT EAT OR CHEW ON BUILDING MATERIALS, BUT SOME PEOPLE WILL COME IN, CONTACT THEM WITH THEM DIRECTLY, EITHER ORALLY OR BY TOUCHING THEM WITH THEIR HANDS AND PLACING THEIR HANDS IN THEIR MOUTH. 
          THIS IS PARTICULARLY TRUE WITH SMALL CHILDREN WHO SPEND THEIR TIME CLOSE TO THE GROUND FREQUENTLY, PUT THEIR HANDS IN THEIR MOUSE AND ARE MORE PRONE TO ACCIDENTAL INGESTION OF POISONOUS BUILDING PRODUCTS, SUCH AS PAINTS. 
          ANOTHER PATH FOR EXPOSURE IS WATER. 
          SOMETIMES TOXICS ARE WASHED FROM TOXIC MATERIALS, SUCH AS PAINT INTO THE GENERAL ENVIRONMENT. 
          SOMETIMES TOXICS IN MATERIALS ARE MADE SIZEABLE WHEN THE MATERIAL IS WASHED AND THERE ARE STUDIES THAT HAVE DETECTED TOXINS IN POTABLE WATER PIPE REACHING THE TAB. 
          ANOTHER PATHWAY TO EXPOSURE IS LANDFILL FIRES. 
          THERE ARE ABOUT 8,000 OF THEM A YEAR IN THE UNITED STATES AND DO NOT OVERLOOK THE ULTIMATE PATHWAY FOR TOXIC RELEASES. 
          THE FACTORY THEMSELVES. 
          I DOUBT ANY OF YOU WOULD WANT TO LIVE IN A FENCE LINE COMMUNITY CLOSE TO A FACTORY OR PETROLEUM DRILLING SITE THAT PROVIDE MANY OF THE RAW MATERIALS. 
          THIS CANNOT BE UNDERSTATED. 
          EVIDENCE OF TOXINS IN BILLING MATERIALS. 
          HASN'T BEEN DETECTED AT THE FAR ENDS OF THE GLOBE. 
          THESE CAN BE FOUND IN THE BLOOD OF ESKIMOS AND POLAR BEARS. 
          THEY SURELY CAN BE FOUND IN OUR OWN SYSTEMS. NOW I'M GOING TO DISCUSS, I'M GOING TO DISCUSS THREE GENERAL CLASSES OF BILLING MATERIALS TO SHOW THEIR PERVASIVE ILLNESS AND DANGERS. 
          THE FIRST IS POLYVINYL CHLORIDE. 
          IT IS AN ORGANO CORRINE PART OF THE SAME CHEMICAL FAMILY AS DDT BY ITSELF. 
          THE CHEMICAL IS A DEVELOPMENTAL AND RESPIRATORY TOXIN AND CAN ADVERSELY AFFECT INTERNAL ORGANS. 
          IF IT BURNS, IT CAN CREATE CANCER CAUSING DIOXINS AND ENDOCRINE DISRUPTING CHEMICALS. 
          IT APPEARS IN ALL MANNER OF PRODUCTS, INCLUDING CARPET, SHEET, FLOORING, WALLPAPER, AND WINDOWS, DOORS, AND WATER PIPE BY ITSELF. 
          IT IS BRITTLE. 
          SO IT IS ALMOST ALWAYS USED WITH VALET PLASTICIZERS AND OR METAL STABILIZERS, WHICH ARE THEMSELVES OFTEN TOXIC. 
          THE PLASTICIZERS ARE GENERALLY NOT EMBEDDED OVER TIME. 
          THAT CAN DISLODGE FROM THE PRODUCT AND CAUSE HARM TO PEOPLE, PARTICULARLY FROM SOFTWARE PROJECT PRODUCTS, SUCH AS SHEEP FLOORING AND SHOWER CURTAINS, HOUSEHOLD PVC PIPE CAN ALSO LEACH HARMFUL CHEMICALS INTO POTABLE WATER VINYL WINDOWS WITHOUT SOFTENERS, EXCUSE ME, ARE ACTUALLY ENCOURAGED BY AUSTIN'S ENERGY CODE. 
          MANUFACTURING. 
          CHLORINE IS AMONG THE MOST POLLUTING INDUSTRIAL PROCESSES IN THE WORLD INVOLVING THE FIENDISHLY TOXIC SUBSTANCES, MERCURY ASBESTOSIS, AND THOSE IN THE PERTH FLUORO CARBON FAMILY, ALSO LESS FORMALLY KNOWN AS TEFLON PRODIGIOUS AMOUNTS OF ELECTRICITY AND COAL ARE ALSO ASSOCIATED WITH CHLORINE PRODUCTION. 
          A WIDE RANGE OF POLLUTANTS, INCLUDING DIOXINS, PCBS, AND CARBON TETRACHLORIDE ARE ALSO A SHOW STATED WITH PVC PRODUCTION. 
          PERFLUOROCARBONS ALSO CAN CAUSE HEALTH PROBLEMS. THIS CHEMICAL CLASS, ALONG WITH PBC ARE CALLED FOREVER CHEMICALS BECAUSE IT CAN TAKE HUNDREDS OF YEARS FOR THEM TO BIODEGRADE HEALTH EFFECTS ASSOCIATED WITH EXPOSURE TO CERTAIN OF THESE CHEMICALS INCLUDE HIGH CHOLESTEROL, INCREASED LIVER, ENZYMES, DECREASED VACCINATION RESPONSE, THYROID DISORDERS, PREGNANCY INDUCED, HYPERTENSION, AND TESTICULAR AND KIDNEY CANCER. 
          YOU SEE THE FRYING PAN HERE AND WONDER IF THE CHEMICALS WILL WEAR OFF AND HARM PEOPLE. 
          THE MANSION, THE MANUFACTURER CLAIMS IT IS A INERT YET THESE PANS CAN CAUSE ACUTE FLU LIKE SYMPTOMS FROM FUMES THAT THEY EMIT. 
          IF THEY OVERHEAT USE FOR THESE PRODUCTS INCLUDE STAIN RESISTORS 
          [00:10:01]
FOR CARPETS AND STONE COUNTERTOPS. 
          UH, EXCUSE ME, STAIN RESISTORS FOR CARPETS AND STONE COUNTERTOP SEALANTS IN BOTH CASES, WASH WATER CAN CAUSE THESE CHEMICALS TO FLOW INTO THE SEWER SYSTEM. 
          AND EVENTUALLY THE GENERAL ENVIRONMENT TEFLON IS EVEN USED IN COATINGS FOR SOME SOLAR MODULES USES FOR THESE PCB, EXCUSE ME, ANTI-MICROBIALS THE THIRD, UH, CHEMICAL CLASS ARE DISINFECTANTS EMBEDDED IN ALL MANNER OF INDOOR BUILDING MATERIAL, SUCH AS CARPET COUNTERTOPS, LIGHT SWITCH PLATES, AND EVEN TOILETS. 
          THE CHEMICALS THEMSELVES ALSO HAVE ADVERSE EFFECTS ON PEOPLE. 
          AND EVEN THOUGH A PREMIUM IS PAID FOR THESE PRODUCTS, THERE IS NO PROOF THAT THEY ARE EFFECTIVE. 
          HOWEVER, THE BUILDING MATERIALS ARE REPEATEDLY WASHED AND THE CHEMICALS CAN GET INTO THE SEWER SYSTEM THROUGH THE WASH WATER. 
          AND THIS ADVERSELY AFFECTS THE AQUATIC LIFE EXPOSED TO THE CHEMICALS FROM THE TREE TO WASTEWATER REPEATEDLY EXPOSING BACTERIA TO THESE ANTIMICROBIALS CAN CONTRIBUTE TO THE PHENOMENON OF ANTIBIOTIC OTIC RESISTANT VARIETIES. 
          OFTEN DEEMED SUPERBUGS. 
          THEY HAVE GENETICALLY LEARNED HOW TO SURVIVE THESE CHEMICALS AND PROVIDING THEM WITH MORE CHEMICALS WILL PROVIDE THEM WITH MORE CHANCES TO LEARN HOW TO SURVIVE THEM. 
          UH, COMMISSIONERS, ARE YOU HAVING FUN YET? UM, NOW I'M GOING TO SHOW YOU THREE PRODUCT CLASSES WHERE YOU WILL FIND THESE DANGEROUS CHEMICALS. 
          WALLBOARD IS OFTEN MADE OF SYNTHETIC GYPSON, WHICH IS A EUPHEMISM FOR COAL ASH RECYCLED FROM COAL PLANT SCRUBBERS. 
          IT'S IRONIC THAT HAS SCRUBBERS HAVE GOTTEN MORE EFFICIENT AT SCREENING HEAVY METALS, SUCH AS MERCURY. 
          THEY END UP IN HOMES MORE THAN 70% OF FLOORING IS CARPET AND SHEET VINYL. 
          WITH THE USUAL LIST OF CHEMICAL SUSPECTS, ANTI-MICROBIALS PVC OR STYRENE BACKING COAL ASH FILLERS WITH HEAVY METALS, FLAME RETARDANTS, VALET, PLASTICIZERS ORGANO TIN STABILIZERS, POC EMISSIONS, AND TEFLON, STAIN RESISTORS, EVEN IMPORTED GLAZED TILE MIGHT HAVE LED PIGMENTS CAULKING AMONG ALL CAULKING ON THE MARKET TODAY. 
          THERE'S ALMOST NONE WITHOUT PETROCHEMICALS. 
          THEY ALL ADMIT THE OCS. 
          VARIOUS PRODUCTS CONTAIN TOXIC SOLVENTS, BIOCIDES, DILATE PLASTICIZERS, ORGANIC TIN CATALYST, ISO SIGN H AND A FREEZE AND FLAME RETARDANTS. 
          SOME EVEN INCLUDE PVC FOR 40 YEARS. 
          AUSTIN'S WEATHERIZATION PROGRAMS HAVE SPECKED CAULKING TO STOP AREA INFILTRATION, BUT THEY'VE NEVER REQUIRED SPECS TO LIMIT TOXICS AND EMISSIONS FROM THE MATERIAL AUSTIN CREATED. 
          WHAT MANY BELIEVE IS THE FIRST GREEN BUILDING PROGRAM IN THE WORLD, BUT I BELIEVE WE'VE LOST OUR LEADERSHIP ROLE. 
          IN ONE REASON IS IGNORING TECH, CHEMICAL DANGERS TO GIVE YOU ONE EXAMPLE OF HOW FAR AUSTIN HAS LAGGED BEHIND LOOK NO FURTHER THAN YOUR LOCAL CHAIN HARDWARE STORES, HOME DEPOT, AND LOWE'S HAVE BANNED TEFLON, STAIN RESISTORS FROM CARPET AND TOXIC PLASTIC SOFTENERS IN VINYL FLOORING. 
          AUSTIN ENERGY IS SO FAR BEHIND THAT. 
          IT CANNOT EVEN ADAPT TO STANDARDS THAT 3,700 STORES IN AMERICA HAVE ALREADY ADOPTED TO A GREAT DEGREE. 
          GREEN BUILDING STAFF HAVE BEEN RESISTANT TO SEC SUGGESTIONS TO LIMIT CHEMICALS. 
          AND I HAVE BEEN GIVEN TWO REASONS. 
          THE FIRST WAS THAT A NEW STATE LAW PRECLUDED CITIES FROM MANDATING BUILDING MATERIALS IN THEIR BUILDING CODE. 
          THIS IS AN INVALID EXCUSE BECAUSE GREEN BUILDING IS A PROGRAM IN ALMOST ALL CASES. 
          THERE ARE CERTAIN PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENTS WHERE GREEN BUILDING STANDARDS ARE MANDATED, BUT EVEN 
          [00:15:01]
THEN THE DEVELOPERS CHOSE TO PARTICIPATE. 
          THE MORE VIABLE EXPLANATION THAT ONE STAFF MEMBER GAVE ME IS THAT THEY ASSUMED THE BUILDERS WOULD NOT LIKE IT. 
          AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THE BUILDERS WERE THEIR CLIENTS. 
          I DISAGREE. 
          THE PEOPLE OF AUSTIN ARE THEIR CLIENTS AND AUSTIN NEEDS TO DO WHAT IT CAN TO LIMIT THE TOXIC EXPOSURE TO ITS CITIZENS EVERY WAY THAT IT CAN. 
          I MIGHT ADD THAT THERE'S AN EQUITY COMPONENT OF THIS STRATEGY, APARTMENT BUILDERS AND TRACK HOME BUILDERS GENERALLY LOSE, GENERALLY USE CHEAPER, MORE TOXIC BUILDING MATERIALS THAN WEALTHIER HOMEOWNERS AND APARTMENT DWELLERS IN TRAVIS COUNTY HAVE HALF THE INCOME OF HOMEOWNERS. 
          NOW I HAVE DISTRIBUTED A COUPLE OF DRAFT RESOLUTIONS TO RMC, UM, WHICH I'M HOPING YOU ALL CAN USE AS A SPRINGBOARD. 
          I'M REQUESTING THAT RMC ADVISED THE CITY COUNCIL TO DIRECT AUSTIN ENERGY GREEN BUILDING TO REVISE ITS STANDARDS, TO BAN TOXIC BUILDING MATERIALS. 
          WHEN COST-EFFECTIVE ALTERNATIVES EXIST. 
          THIS COULD BE DONE IN TWO WAYS. 
          MY PREFERRED WAY IS TO MANDATE THAT CERTAIN CHEMICALS IN BILLING MATERIALS BE BANNED AS A PREREQUISITE TO GREEN BUILDING PARTICIPATION. 
          THE OTHER APPROACH IS TO CREATE A NEW CATEGORY IN THE GREEN BUILDING POINT SYSTEM FOR CHEMICALS FOR EACH HIGHER STAR, A PROGRESSIVE LEE HIGHER NUMBER OF POINTS WOULD BE AWARDED FOR EVER HIGHER LEVELS OF CHEMICAL AVOIDANCE. 
          AND I HAVE, UH, TODAY, UH, DISTRIBUTED, UH, VIA EMAIL SOME, UH, FIRST DRAFT SUGGESTION OF WHAT THIS MIGHT LOOK LIKE. 
          THIS IS ONLY A FIRST DRAFT. 
          IT WOULD HAVE TO GO THROUGH A LOT OF, UH, CONSIDERATION, UM, IN SOME, IF YOU WANT MORE INFORMATION, THE 2021 EDITION OF THE AUSTIN ENVIRONMENTAL DIRECTORY HAS A DETAILED ARTICLE ABOUT THE SAFETY OF BUILDING PRODUCTS, INCLUDING DANGERS OF CONVENTIONAL PRODUCTS, AS WELL AS MANY SPECIFIC ENGINEERING ALTERNATIVE PRODUCTS THAT ARE SAFER. 
          YOU CAN FIND THIS ARTICLE ON THE DIRECTORY WEBSITE, ENVIRONMENTAL DIRECTORY.INFO, THAT'S ENVIRONMENTAL DIRECTORY.INFO. 
          AND WITH THAT, I CONCLUDE MY PREPARED REMARKS. 
          UH, MY CONTACT INFORMATION IS HERE. 
          I HOPE I HAVEN'T STUTTERED TOO MUCH. 
          THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION, PAUL. 
          THANKS FOR THE, UM, VERY WELL-WRITTEN AND DELIVERED PRESENTATION, UH, COMMISSIONERS, UH, QUESTIONS FOR PAUL DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION? UM, THANK YOU, PAUL. 
          THIS IS A GREAT PRESENTATION AND THIS IS A TOPIC I DEFINITELY CARE A LOT ABOUT. 
          UM, I'M LOOKING AT YOUR, YOUR LIST THAT YOU SENT AROUND. 
          THANKS FOR PUTTING THOSE TOGETHER. 
          UM, I'M WONDERING IF YOU CAN SPEAK TO, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT, UH, I GUESS ARE FURTHER DOWN THE LIST KIND OF HIGHER NUMBERS, BUT REALLY ALL OF THESE, LIKE, ARE THERE, ARE THERE, I MEAN, SOME OF THESE ARE OBVIOUS THAT THEY CAN BE AVOIDED, YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T EVEN NEED CARPET, LET ALONE GET A CERTAIN TYPE OF CARPET, BUT FOR THINGS LIKE PLUMBING TAPE, AND YOU MENTIONED COCK, I'M NOT SURE IF THAT'S ON THIS LIST. 
          UM, CAN YOU JUST SPEAK TO HOW MANY OF THESE LIKE ARE POSSIBLE NOW, BUT, UM, AT VERSUS HOW MANY, YOU KNOW, ARE FUTURE LOOKING AND ARE THEY ORDERED ACCORDING TO IT IS MY OPINION THAT THE 50, UH, IDEAS ON THAT LIST THAT I CIRCULATED COULD ALL BE DONE. 
          NOW, THE VAST MAJORITY OF THEM IN MY OPINION, COULD BE MANDATED WITH A LITTLE, UH, LITTLE EXPENSE, POSSIBLY NO EXPENSE. 
          UM, THERE ARE, AND I'M GOING FROM MEMORY HERE. 
          SO FORGIVE ME. 
          UH, THERE ARE MAYBE 10 OF THEM, UH, THEY'RE IN GREEN 
          [00:20:02]
AND THEY'RE LISTED AS POINTS RATHER THAN, UM, THAN A MANDATE. 
          UH, I JUST FELT THAT IT WOULD BE TOO MUCH TO ACTUALLY, UM, UH, MANDATE SOME OF THESE THINGS, UH, AT LEAST RIGHT NOW, BUT THAT THEY COULD PROBABLY ALL BE DONE VOLUNTARILY. 
          THANK YOU. 
          WAS I SPECIFIC ENOUGH CAVA? YEAH. 
          YEAH. 
          SO IT SOUNDS LIKE ALL THE ONES IN BLACK ARE, OR THERE'S SOMETHING ON THE MARKET TODAY THAT WOULD THE REQUIREMENT USUALLY YOU'RE SUGGESTING. 
          UH, YEAH. 
          YEAH. 
          UH, THAT'S, THAT'S MY, UH, EDUCATED OPINION. 
          UM, UH, THERE W THERE WERE SOME THINGS, OKAY. 
          ONE THING THAT I THINK WOULD BE FUTURISTIC WOULD BE, UH, ELECTRIC WIRE WITHOUT PVC. 
          UM, I DON'T THINK THAT'S MADE FOR THE RESIDENTIAL SECTOR. 
          YOU CAN BUY IT FOR COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS, BUT NOT FOR RESIDENCES. 
          AND I THINK IT WOULD BE EASY FOR THEM TO MAKE, AND IT COULD BE DONE WITH ONLY A SLIGHT COST PREMIUM, BUT I DON'T THINK IT EXISTS IN THE MARKET TODAY THAT EVEN ON YOUR LIST, I'M NOT, NO, IT'S NOT IN MY LIST. 
          AND I'M TRYING TO SAY, THAT'S AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT ISN'T, UH, ON THAT 50 POINT LIST. 
          AND PAUL, COULD YOU RUN US THROUGH THE, UM, THE SAMPLE RESOLUTIONS AND IN PARTICULAR, THE ONE THAT, UM, WOULD REQUIRE ESSENTIALLY THIS TO BECOME A MANDATORY PART OF OUR PROCUREMENT? WELL, UM, I HAVE THEM BEFORE ME AND I WON'T BORE YOU BY READING IT ALL, BUT, UM, THERE'S A LOT THERE'S WAREHOUSES AND SO FORTH. 
          UM, ONE WOULD BASICALLY, UH, THE MANDATE WOULD BASICALLY HAVE PREREQUISITES FOR EACH STAR LEVEL AND YOU WOULD START OUT MODEST. 
          AND I CAN'T SAY EXACTLY HOW IT WOULD READ, BUT SAY T A STAR LEVEL ONE, AND YOU WOULD HAVE TO BAN, UM, UH, ANTI-MICROBIALS, WHICH IS ACTUALLY A MONEY SAVER AND A COUPLE OF OTHER THINGS LIKE, UH, UH, SHEET ROCK WITH LOW AMOUNTS OF, UH, FLUE GAS, UH, DIS SULFUR EYES, UM, UM, GYPSUM AND MAYBE A SHEET FLOORING DOING AWAY WITH THAT. 
          AND THEN THE SECOND LEVEL YOU WOULD SAY, WELL, NOT ONLY DO YOU HAVE TO DO WHAT'S IN TIER ONE, BUT YOU CAN'T HAVE VINYL WINDOWS, AND YOU CAN'T HAVE SOLAR COLLECTORS IF THEY'RE COATED WITH TEFLON. 
          AND IT GOES UP TO THE POINT WHERE BY STAR LEVEL FIVE, ALMOST NOTHING COULD BE DONE. 
          UH, THE OTHER WAY WOULD BE TO DO THAT IN THE FORM OF POINTS, UH, WHERE IT COULD BE ACHIEVED. 
          UH, VERY SIMILAR RESULTS WOULD BE ACHIEVED. 
          I PERSONALLY PREFER THE PREREQUISITE MANDATE BECAUSE IT WOULD BE MORE THOROUGH, BUT EITHER WAY WOULD GET YOU FARTHER THAN WE ARE NOW. 
          UH, HAVE I DEALT WITH YOUR, YOUR, UM, QUESTION AND SMITTY? YEAH. 
          UM, AND MR. CHAIRMAN, I'D LIKE TO SUGGEST THAT WE, UH, POST THIS FOR ACTION AT OUR NEXT MEETING. 
          UM, IF SOMEBODY WOULD LIKE TO SECOND IT, AND THEN WE CAN HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT WHICH WAY WE WOULD WANT TO GO ON THIS. 
          YEAH. 
          SO WHAT I WOULD ASK IS IF THE, IF, IF FOLKS WANT A RESOLUTION REQUIRES TWO COMMISSIONERS TO REQUEST IT, UM, I WOULD ASK THAT IF THERE ARE TWO OF YOU THAT WANT TO DO THAT, ALIGN YOURSELVES AND SEND MYSELF AND NATASHA AN EMAIL, UH, PRIOR TO OUR NEXT MEETING, UH, THAT WOULD BE THE PROCEDURE. 
          ALL RIGHT. 
          SO FOR PURPOSES OF GIVING FAIR NOTE TO, UM, OUR, MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS, THIS IS A TOPIC 
          [00:25:01]
THAT I FEEL VERY DEEPLY ABOUT, AND THANK YOU ALL FOR BRINGING TO THE ATTENTION OF THIS COMMISSION IN MY BACKGROUND, THE FIRST PIECE OF LEGISLATION THAT I WORKED ON IN 1983, HAD TO DO WITH, UH, QUIRING INFORMATION ABOUT THE TOXICITY, UH, UH, MATERIALS IN WORKPLACES AND FACTORIES, BECAUSE THE NUMBER OF FIREMEN IN THE HOUSTON AREA HAD RUSHED IN TO SAVE A BURNING BUILDING AND ONLY TO BE, UH, KILLED OR BADLY INJURED BY TOXINS THAT, UM, THEY WERE NOT AWARE OF. 
          AND IN OTHER PARTS OF MY LIFE, THE EXPOSURE TO CHILDREN, UH, THROUGH TOXINS AND SCHOOL, AND, UM, DAYCARES AND SCHOOLS BECAME SOMETHING WE STUDIED AND WORKED ON AN ISSUE REPORTS AND LED TO THE PASSAGE OF LEGISLATION IN ABOUT 89. 
          UM, SO A LOT OF THAT STUFF IS NO HAS BEEN SUPERSEDED OR HAS BEEN ERODED, UH, IN THE ROUGHLY, UH, 30 ODD YEARS SINCE THE MID EIGHTIES. 
          UM, BUT IT'S THE SCIENCE BEHIND IT HAS BECOME EVER STRONGER. 
          AND THE DATA ABOUT THE DAMAGE DONE BY THE TOXIC MATERIALS WE USE EVERY DAY, UH, EITHER IN OUR HOMES OR IN OUR, UH, CHEMICAL PRODUCTS, UM, IS BECOMING CLEARER AND CLEARER AS THE DATA SETS OF, UM, BECOME MORE REFINED IN THE SCIENCE. 
          SO I THINK IT'S SOMETHING WE OUGHT TO TAKE UP ON, UM, PRESS THAT THERE ARE A NUMBER OF COMMERCIAL ENTERPRISES THAT HAVE COME TO THIS CONCLUSION AND IT BEGUN TO TAKE ACTION. 
          SO LET'S BRING IT UP NEXT TIME. 
          FOLKS, THANK YOU. 
          YOU CAN COUNT ME OUT ON THAT. 
          I ALSO AM VERY STRONGLY BEHIND THIS CAUSE WHEN YOU CREATE THAT REQUIREMENTS AND THEN THAT PUSHES NEW PRODUCTS BE TOXIC NON-TOXIC AND ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY, BUT IF THERE'S NOT A DEMAND, THEN THEY REALLY DON'T HAVE AN INCENTIVE TO CREATE PRODUCTS. 
          YEAH. 
          AND I THINK THAT'S KIND OF THE WHOLE PURPOSE OF THIS PROGRAM, NOT TO SET THIS STANDARD WHERE BUILDERS ARE COMFORTABLE WITH IT TODAY, BECAUSE THEY'RE ALREADY DOING THESE THINGS IT'S TO, YOU KNOW, PUSH THE MARKET FORWARD. 
          AND THIS SEEMS LIKE A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT. 
          AND I THINK ESPECIALLY SINCE A LOT OF THESE PRODUCTS, YOU KNOW, NOT ALL OF THEM, BUT SOME OF THEM ARE BEING DEPLOYED IN THE NAME OF EFFICIENCY. 
          UH, I THINK IT'S ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE ACT ALL RIGHT. 
          ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS FOR PAUL WHILE, WHILE HE'S HERE, PAUL, I'M JUST WONDERING, HAVE YOU, UH, IS THIS SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE GONNA OR HAVE PRESENTED TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION? UH, YEAH. 
          UH, I DID IT JUST BEFORE COVID AND IT, UM, THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION SUPPORTED IT UNANIMOUSLY, UH, AT LEAST A RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF A CONCEPT. 
          THEY, THEY DID NOT SUPPORT SOMETHING IN EITHER OF THE DRAFTS THAT I'VE GIVEN TO RMC. 
          AND THEN COVID HAPPENED. 
          UM, CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, GO AHEAD. 
          OH, UM, UH, PAUL, UH, FIRST THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. 
          I, UH, I'M JUST WONDERING IF YOU HAVE HAD A CHANCE TO TALK TO, UH, DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT, UM, SINCE THEY'RE IN CHARGE OF PERMITS AND ALL KINDS OF CONSTRUCTION, UH, PERMITS AND SO ON. 
          SO, UM, TO SEE IF THEY HAVE HAD A CHANCE OR IF THEY HAVE DONE ANYTHING IN THEIR, IN THEIR DEVELOPMENT, UH, UM, YOU KNOW, RULES OR IF THEY HAD, HAVE HAD CHANCE TALK TO AUSTIN ENERGY, THE SHORT ANSWER IS NO, I HAVE NOT A ONE REASON. 
          THERE ARE SEVERAL REASONS I HAVEN'T, BUT ONE OF THEM IS THAT THIS DOESN'T DIRECTLY AFFECT THEM. 
          GREEN BUILDING IS A VOLUNTARY PROGRAM AND DEVELOPMENT SERVICES ADMINISTERS BUILDING CODES. 
          [00:30:02]
UH, I WOULD HAVE LIKED TO SEE SOME OF THIS IN THE BUILDING CODE, BUT STATE, UM, LAWS RECENTLY PASSED STATE LAWS NOW PREEMPT THAT HOPEFULLY THAT WILL CHANGE, BUT THAT IS THE WAY IT IS NOW. 
          UM, ULTIMATELY IF THERE ARE THINGS RELEVANT TO DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, UH, THEY WILL SURELY BE CONSULTED IN THE PROCESS OF REVISING, UH, THE GREEN BUILDING PROGRAM STANDARDS. 
          THEY WILL NOT BE BYPASSED. 
          THEY CAN'T BE. 
          THANK YOU. 
          UM, I'M HONORED TO HAVE BEEN HERE AND, UM, HOPE TO SEE YOU AT THE NEXT MEETING. 
          ALRIGHT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, PAUL. 
          WE APPRECIATE IT. 
          ALL RIGHT. 
          UH, MOVING ON TO OUR NEXT AGENDA ITEM, A ITEM NUMBER THREE, 
          [3. Quarterly update from Texas Gas Service.]
QUARTERLY UPDATE FROM TEXAS GAS SERVICE. 
          UH, I THINK JASMINE IS, IS THIS YOU TONIGHT? YES. 
          ALL RIGHT. 
          WELL WELCOME. 
          WE CAN HEAR YOU. 
          UH, SO THE FLOOR IS YOURS. 
          PERFECT. 
          THANKS SO MUCH. 
          GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. 
          AND I APOLOGIZE FOR NOT BEING THERE IN PERSON, UH, GOT ON MOPAC AND IT WAS A PARKING LOT. 
          SO I DO APOLOGIZE. 
          UM, EXCUSE ME, I'LL BE, UH, PROVIDING THE QUARTER FOURTH QUARTER, UM, PROGRAM UPDATE AND THEN, UH, LARRY GRAHAM, UH, ALSO WILL HAVE, UM, A BRIEF PRESENTATION AS WELL FOLLOWING MINE. 
          UM, CAN WE ADVANCE THE SLIDE PLEASE? THE, UH, THE SLIDE I CAN SHARE MY SCREEN IF THAT'S BETTER. 
          I DON'T KNOW. 
          DO THAT. 
          CAN YOU, CAN YOU DO THAT ACTUALLY? SURE. 
          ALRIGHT. 
          SAY THAT. 
          YEAH, WE, WE CAN SEE IT. 
          UH, I THINK YOU CAN CONTROL IT, RIGHT. 
          OKAY, PERFECT. 
          THERE YOU GO. 
          OKAY. 
          SO, UM, WE CAME BEFORE YOU TO SHARE, UH, THE BUDGET PROPOSAL FOR THE PROGRAM YEARS, 20 22, 23 AND 24. 
          UM, AND, UM, CARRYING BACK SOME OF THE, UM, REQUESTS AND QUESTIONS WITH REGARDS TO, UM, INCREASING, UH, THE, UH, EFFICIENCY OF THE PROGRAM. 
          AND, UM, ALSO LOOKING AT WHAT'S GOING ON, UM, IN THE, IN THE ENERGY AREA, AS FAR AS ADVANCEMENTS IN TECHNOLOGY, WE MADE SOME ADJUSTMENTS, UM, AND WE SHARED THOSE WITH YOU, BUT I DID WANT TO CIRCLE BACK AND LET YOU KNOW THAT THE NATURAL GAS TANKLESS WATER HEATER REBATE HAS AN A BACK IN EFFECT BEEN TIERED. 
          SO WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WE'RE GOING TO BE PHASING OUT THE LOWER, UH, ENERGY FACTOR, RATED A NATURAL GAS, TANKLESS WATER HEATERS, UM, AND IN DOING SO WE'LL DO THAT OVER THREE YEARS. 
          UM, RIGHT NOW WE'VE REDUCED THE REBATE ON THAT TO $400 FOR THE RESIDENTIAL, UH, RETROFIT PROGRAM. 
          AND THEN WE'RE OFFERING, UM, A REBATE, UH, FOR, AT THE HIGHER, THE HIGHER, UH, UNIFORM EFFICIENCY FACTOR RATED PROGRAM, UH, RATED, UH, APPLIANCE. 
          WE DID THE SAME THING WITH THE, UH, HOME BUILDER PROGRAM AS WELL. 
          THE RESIDENTIAL NEW CONSTRUCTION, A TANKLESS WATER HEATER REBATE IS ALSO TIERED. 
          WE ARE SUNSETTING THE LOWER, UH, UH, UH, ENERGY FACTOR RATED APPLIANCE AND INCENTIVIZING, UM, BUILDERS TO PUSH FOR THE PURCHASE OF MORE EFFICIENT APPLIANCES. 
          AS FAR AS THE, UH, NATURAL GAS WATER HEATER IS CONCERNED. 
          UM, WE HAVE, UH, INCREASED THE REBATE AVAILABLE FOR THE SMART THERMOSTAT. 
          SO PREVIOUSLY IT WAS A $25 REBATE. 
          THE CUSTOMERS, UH, WOULD APPLY FOR THAT REBATE THROUGH THE HOME PERFORMANCE WITH ENERGY STAR PROGRAM, WHICH IS A JOINT VENTURE BETWEEN TEXAS GAS SERVICE AND, UH, AUSTIN ENERGY. 
          UH, AUSTIN ENERGY IS STILL WORKING THROUGH A FINAL APPROVALS AND PREPARATIONS TO, TO INCREASE THE RATE A REBATE ON THEIR END, BUT WE WILL BE LAUNCHING THE NEW REBATE ON OUR END EFFECTIVE MARCH 1ST. 
          WE'RE JUST FINALIZING PUTTING IT THROUGH OUR SYSTEMS AND CHANGING CODING AND EVERYTHING BEHIND THE SCENES. 
          UM, BUT THE APPROVALS HAVE BEEN FINALIZED ON THAT. 
          UM, THE GOAL FOR THIS, UM, AS I BELIEVE IT WAS COMMISSIONER STONE, UM, ASKED, IS THERE A WAY TO, UH, GET THE COST OF THE SMART THERMOSTAT, THE PROCUREMENT OF A SMART THERMOSTAT AS CLOSE TO ZERO AS POSSIBLE. 
          AND SO LOOKING AT THE ENERGY DISRUPTOR, UH, THE MARKET DISRUPTOR THAT AMAZON 
          [00:35:01]
INTRODUCED THE SMART THERMOSTAT IS, UM, 59 99. 
          SO WITH, UH, THE CONTRIBUTIONS FOR BOTH, UM, UM, UTILITY COMPANIES BEING $30 REBATES, WE'RE HOPING THAT, UM, CUSTOMERS THAT CHOOSE TO USE THAT WE'LL GET AS CLOSE TO ZERO AS POSSIBLE. 
          AND, UH, AND KEEPING WITH THE GOALS FOR EFFICIENCY, UH, THAT ARE SET, BEEN SET FORTH BY THE PROGRAM. 
          WE DID SUNSET THE ANNUAL FURNACE TUNE-UP, UH, WE WILL NOT BE MOVING FORWARD WITH THAT. 
          AND THAT WAS, UM, TERMINATED AS A F UH, DECEMBER 31ST, 2021. 
          WE HAVE A SMALL, UM, WINDOW THAT, UH, CUSTOMERS WHO HAD NOT RECEIVED WORD OF THE, UM, TERMINATION OF THAT, UM, PIECE OF THE PROGRAM, UH, THEY WERE ABLE TO, TO GO AHEAD AND, UM, PARTICIPATE, BUT THAT HAS BEEN SENSITIVE AS WELL, MOVING FORWARD TO OUR COMMERCIAL PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS. 
          UH, WE ARE HOPING TO, UM, AND WHEN I SAY WE, I MEAN, MYSELF AND A MEMBER OF THE ENERGY EFFICIENCY TEAM IS HOPING TO, UH, PERFORM A RIDE ALONG WITH THE CLEAR RESULT STAFF, TO HEAR THE CONVERSATIONS THAT THEY'RE HAVING WITH THE COMMERCIAL CUSTOMERS, LOOKING AT WHAT THEIR NEEDS ARE. 
          UH, AND THIS IS, UM, AN EFFORT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE PROVIDING WHAT OUR COMMERCIAL CUSTOMERS AND COMMERCIAL TRANSPORT CUSTOMERS ARE LOOKING FOR. 
          UH, BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE EDUCATION WHERE THEY'RE HAVING QUESTIONS, JUST MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE MEETING THE NEEDS OF THOSE CUSTOMERS. 
          UM, WE ALSO UPDATED OUR, UH, OUTREACH MATERIALS THAT WE'VE PROVIDED TO CLEARESULT, UH, TO, UH, SHARE ON OUR BEHALF, MAKING SURE THAT THEY CALL OUT THE BENEFITS OF PARTICIPATING IN THE PROGRAM. 
          AND CLEARESULT HAS ALSO DEDICATED, UH, UM, AN EMAIL ENTITY, BUT PREVIOUSLY THEY DID NOT HAVE ONE. 
          SO THEY'VE DEDICATED EMAIL ENTITY ACCOUNT FOR THIS PURPOSE, UH, IN THE HOPES THAT WE CAN, UM, MAKE SURE THAT WE GIVE, UM, QUALITY SERVICE AND A QUALITY EXPERIENCE TO THE CUSTOMERS THAT PARTICIPATE, UM, IN THE RESIDENTIAL PROGRAM. 
          ONE OF THE THINGS I'D LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT, UH, THAT WE'VE, WE, UH, WORKED ON LAST YEAR, UH, IN THE LAST QUARTER IS A MASSIVE UPDATE OF ALL OF THE LEARN MORE FORMS THAT CUSTOMERS HAVE ACCESS TO THAT WORK IS STILL UNDERWAY. 
          UM, IT WAS TAKING THE TAKE DOWN OF ALL OF THE FORMS THAT ARE CURRENTLY FACING OUR CUSTOMERS AND, UM, SIMPLIFYING THEM WHERE NEED BE, UM, MAKING SURE THAT WE HIGHLIGHT WHERE PERMITS ARE NEEDED AND, AND, UM, THE LOCAL AND STATE GUIDELINES THAT NEED TO BE ADHERED TO, TO REDUCE CONFUSION AND, UM, JUST GIVING THEM, UM, A LOOK AND FEEL THAT, UM, UM, IS MORE PLEASANT, UM, AND, UM, EASIER TO UNDERSTAND. 
          UH, WE ALSO HAVE INTRODUCED THE WELCOME HOME POSTCARDS. 
          UH, SO, UH, WHEN WE HAVE CUSTOMERS THAT ESTABLISHED SERVICE WITH US, WE SEND A WELCOME HOME, UM, POSTCARD TO THEM, LETTING THEM KNOW ABOUT THE ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROGRAM AND DIRECTING THEM TO THE WEBSITE SO THEY CAN FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE PROGRAM AND HOW TO PARTICIPATE. 
          LAST YEAR, WE MET OUR, UH, DISTRIBUTION GOAL FOR OUR WATER SAVINGS KIDS OF 3000. 
          UH, AND WE'RE CURRENTLY LOOKING AT, UH, OTHER WATER KIT VENDORS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE USING THE MOST EFFICIENT, UM, KIT COMPONENTS POSSIBLE. 
          AND ALSO, UH, LOOKING AT HOW WE CAN EXPAND THE KIT, UM, OR, UH, UPDATE THE KIT, UH, TO FURTHER INCREASE, UM, THE REALIZATION OF SAVINGS. 
          AND HOPEFULLY YOU GUYS, AREN'T SICK OF THIS FORMAT. 
          I KNOW IT'S BEEN USED FOR A WHILE, UH, BUT I WANTED TO SHARE, UH, JUST A YEAR OVER YEAR COMPARISON, UH, FOR THE THREE, THE PREVIOUS THREE-YEAR CYCLE, UH, FOR THE PROGRAM ACROSS THE NEW CONSTRUCTION PARTICIPATION AND THE RESIDENTIAL RETROFIT, UM, PARTICIPATION, YOU WILL SEE THAT THE HOME IMPROVEMENT BAR, UH, KIND OF STRETCHES OUT PRETTY FAR IN ALL THREE YEARS. 
          AND THAT IS BECAUSE THAT INCLUDES THE RESIDENTIAL RETROFIT HOME IMPROVEMENTS, AS WELL AS, UM, THE WATER KIT DISTRIBUTION. 
          AND SO YOU WILL SEE, UM, THAT, UH, STRETCH OUT, UH, BEYOND, UH, THE OTHER BARS LAST YEAR, THIS, UM, THE, UH, RESIDENTIAL, UM, PROGRAM SAW A BOOST IN PARTICIPATION, UM, IN THE WATER HEATING OF COURSE, BECAUSE OF THE TANKLESS WATER HEATERS THAT SUSTAINED DAMAGE DURING URI, AND THEN ALSO, UM, AN INCREASE IN HOME PERFORMANCE WITH ENERGY STAR PARTICIPATION AS WELL. 
          UM, SO, UM, WE WERE HAPPY THAT, UM, WE WERE ABLE TO ASSIST CUSTOMERS THAT WERE IMPACTED BY THAT STORM. 
          UM, WE CLOSED OUT THE YEAR, UH, IN THE LOW INCOME AND FREE EQUIPMENT PROGRAM BY ASSISTING 109 FAMILIES, UM, THAT INCLUDED 178 APPLIANCES REPLACED, UH, 
          [00:40:01]
IN THE FALL. 
          UH, WE INITIATED A PROGRAM TO, UH, REACH OUT, UH, BEYOND OUR NORMAL REFERRAL SOURCES. 
          RIGHT NOW WE RECEIVE REFERRALS FROM, UH, MEALS ON WHEELS AND AUSTIN ENERGY'S WEATHERIZATION PROGRAM. 
          AND THOSE ARE OUR LARGEST REFERRAL SOURCES, BUT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE GETTING THE PROGRAM AWARENESS INTO THE HANDS OF THOSE THAT REALLY NEEDED IN THE COMMUNITY. 
          SO WE, UH, REACHED OUT TO A NUMBER OF OTHER AGENCIES THAT WE BELIEVE COULD PARTNER WITH US TO HELP US GET THE WORD OUT AND, AND REACH THOSE FAMILIES AND HOUSEHOLDS. 
          UM, AND WE SAW SOME RESPONSE AND WE'RE CONTINUING THAT EFFORT THROUGH THIS SPRING. 
          SO WE'RE HOPING TO, UH, ESTABLISH SOME NEW RELATIONSHIPS THAT MAYBE REKINDLE SOME OLD RELATIONSHIPS AS WELL. 
          UH, ANOTHER THING WE DID IS, UH, REVIEWED THE, UM, REIMBURSEMENT RATES THAT WE OFFER TO THE CONTRACTORS THAT PARTICIPATE IN OUR PROGRAM. 
          UM, WE DO NOT WANT TO, UM, UH, IGNORE THE FACT THAT THEY'RE, UH, INFLATION IS, IS HAPPENING. 
          AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE PROTECT THE RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR CONTRACTORS AS WELL. 
          UM, THEY DO PROVIDE A SERVICE TO A CERTAIN DEGREE THAT THEY DO NOT INVOICE US FOR, BUT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN THEY DO, WE ARE PAYING THEM, UM, UM, RATES THAT ARE COMPETITIVE SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PROVIDING OUR CUSTOMERS THAT PARTICIPATE IN THE LOW-INCOME AND FREQUENT PROGRAM, QUALITY SERVICE, UM, SERVICE, THAT, THAT, THAT WILL BE, UM, SOMETHING THAT THE, THE, THE, UH, CONTRACTORS WILL STAND BEHIND. 
          THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION. 
          AND I AM AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS THAT ANYONE MAY HAVE. 
          THANK YOU, JASMINE. 
          UH, APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE, UH, COMMISSIONERS QUESTIONS FOR JASMINE ON THE EFFICIENCY PROGRAM. 
          ALL RIGHT. 
          HEARING NONE. 
          I THINK LARRY YOU'RE UP NEXT. 
          OKAY. 
          UH, SO LARRY GRAHAM FROM ALSO FROM TEXAS GAS, UH, IS, UH, GOING TO STEP UP AND GIVE US A, A PRESENTATION ON CLIMATE. 
          GOOD EVENING. 
          I THINK THEY'RE GOING TO QUEUE UP. 
          WE HAVE A SHORT PRESENTATION. 
          OKAY. 
          YEAH. 
          UH, YEAH. 
          SO YOU SHOULD BE LIVE WHENEVER, WHENEVER YOU'RE READY. 
          JONATHAN HAD ASKED ME TO COME TO KIND OF GIVE US AN UPDATE, GIVE YOU ALL AN UPDATE ON THE CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN. 
          SO IT'S A SHORT PRESENTATION, OTHER PEOPLE ON THE AAV DEPARTMENT ABLE TO SHARE THAT PRESENTATION. 
          YEAH. 
          YEAH. 
          WE'RE, WE'RE WORKING ON IT. 
          WE'LL, UH, WE'LL GET STARTED AS SOON AS SOON AS IT'S UP. 
          JASMINE, DO YOU, BY CHANCE HAPPEN TO HAVE IT AVAILABLE ON YOUR SYSTEM? JUST GOING TO SAY IF I HAD IT, I WOULD SHARE IT, BUT I DON'T BELIEVE I HAVE IT. 
          DID YOUR COMMISSIONER, IF YOU WANT TO FORWARD TO ME, LARRY, I CAN TRY TO OTHER GO. 
          OKAY. 
          I CAN'T. 
          OKAY. 
          THAT'S GOOD. 
          ADVANCE THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. 
          SO JUST A QUICK REMINDER. 
          OKAY, GOOD. 
          THAT'S HELPFUL ABOUT TEXAS GAS. 
          SO WE'RE IN THREE STATES, OKLAHOMA, UH, KANSAS AND TEXAS, AND WE'RE ALL OVER THE STATE OF TEXAS, YOU KNOW, SO MORE THAN JUST AUSTIN, BUT WE DO HAVE 231,000 CUSTOMERS THAT'S INSIDE THE CITY OF AUSTIN, 320,000 IN THE SERVICE AREA. 
          THE SERVICE AREA ALSO INCLUDES GALVESTON AND PORT ARTHUR AND SOME OF THE NEIGHBORING CITIES AROUND AUSTIN. 
          NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. 
          UM, YEAH, SO, LIKE I SAID, JONATHAN ASKED, YOU KNOW, A RESPONSE, YOU KNOW, KIND OF WHERE WE ARE WITH THE CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN. 
          I THINK YOU ALL KNOW IS ADOPTED BY THE CITY, I BELIEVE IN SEPTEMBER. 
          AND SO I WENT BACK AND LOOKED AT THE, THE PLAN, AND THIS IS THE GOAL, UM, SUSTAINABLE BUILDINGS. 
          UM, THOSE ARE CARBON, UM, AND, UH, LOWERING ALL NATURAL GAS RELATED EMISSIONS BY 30%. 
          SO THAT'S, THAT'S JUST, SO WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE. 
          THAT'S THE GOAL FROM THE PLAN? SO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, AND FROM THE PLAN, THIS IS LIKE I SAID, THIS IS ALSO 
          [00:45:01]
FROM THE PLAN. 
          WE WERE KIND OF GIVEN, I GUESS, FIVE DIFFERENT STRATEGIES TO HELP US REDUCE EMISSIONS. 
          AND REALLY THE POINT TONIGHT IS JUST TO LET YOU KNOW THAT WE ARE, WE'RE WORKING AND EXPLORING ON ALL OF THESE. 
          I DON'T HAVE ANY TANGIBLE, YOU KNOW, PROGRAMS THAT WE'RE ABOUT TO START, THAT I'M ABLE TO ANNOUNCE TONIGHT. 
          BUT I DO WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT WE'RE WORKING ON ALL OF THESE. 
          SO LET'S, UH, YOU KNOW, RENEWABLE NATURAL GAS IS A BIG ONE. 
          LET'S GO TO THE NEXT ONE. 
          NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. 
          SO JUST ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO, I THINK IT WAS FEBRUARY, 2020, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER ALTAR, UM, SPONSORED A COUNCIL RESOLUTION AND IT ASKS US TO DO SOME WORK. 
          AND WE CONTRACTED WITH A CONSULTING FIRM, UH, TO LOOK AT WHERE IS RENEWABLE, NATURAL GAS AVAILABLE, YOU KNOW, NOT ONLY IN THE CITY, BUT ALSO KIND OF IN OUR SERVICE AREA, YOU KNOW, WELL, HOW MUCH IS IT POSSIBLE TO USE THE, TO PUT IN THE GAS, OUR GAS SYSTEM? AND SO THE FIRST PROJECT THAT REALLY POPPED OUT THAT WE'VE BEEN KIND OF INTERESTED IN IS ONE AT THE AUSTIN WATER UTILITY AT HORTON HORNSBY BEND, UH, THEIR BIOSOLIDS MANAGEMENT PLANT. 
          AND SO THAT ONE HAS A LOT OF PROMISE BECAUSE THEY CURRENTLY HAVE A DIGESTER THERE AND THEY CURRENTLY ARE PRODUCING METHANE. 
          AND IT HONESTLY BE PRETTY EASY FOR US TO TAKE THE EXCESS METHANE AND PUT IT INTO OUR SYSTEM. 
          SO NEXT SLIDE. 
          UM, AND SO WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET, YOU KNOW, WORK WITH THE WATER UTILITY. 
          WE DID GET A STATEMENT FROM THEM ON KIND OF WHERE THEY ARE RIGHT NOW. 
          UNFORTUNATELY, I THINK MY, THE VIDEO OF ME IS BLOCKING PART OF THIS. 
          UM, BUT THEY, THEY DID ISSUE A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION RECENTLY AND THEY'RE REVIEWING THOSE. 
          I THINK MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THEY ARE TRYING TO BRING IN A DEVELOPER TO, TO DEVELOP THE, UH, THE, THE, THE PROJECT. 
          AND THERE'S A NUMBER OF THINGS THAT THEY NEED TO FIGURE OUT. 
          UH, BUT ANYWAY, THE, THE, THAT PROJECT SHOWS THE MOST PROMISE, BUT WE'RE, BUT WE ARE LOOKING AT OTHERS. 
          UM, NEXT SLIDE. 
          SO, YOU KNOW, THE, UM, THE STRATEGIES ALSO TALKED THE ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROGRAM. 
          YOU JUST HEARD JASMINE'S UPDATE. 
          I THINK IT'S, EVERYBODY KNOWS THE, THE EXISTING PROGRAMS WERE REAUTHORIZED IN DECEMBER FOR THREE YEARS. 
          SO WE DO HAVE THESE REBATES IN PLACE FOR THREE YEARS. 
          I THINK THERE WAS SOME LANGUAGE ABOUT, YOU KNOW, EXPANDING THEM, BUT I THINK WHAT WE HAVE IS WHAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE FOR THE NEXT THREE YEARS, UH, NEXT SLIDE. 
          SO, YOU KNOW, SOME THINGS THAT GAS UTILITIES CAN DO THAT WE'RE DOING TO REDUCE EMISSIONS, AND THE FIRST PART IS PIPELINE REPLACEMENT. 
          SO WE'VE HAD A PRETTY AGGRESSIVE PROGRAM. 
          THE LAST NUMBER OF YEARS IN AUSTIN, ESPECIALLY REPLACING VINTAGE PIPE AND, UH, OLDER PIE WHERE THERE IS A SMALL AMOUNT OF LEAKAGE THAT, THAT HAPPENS. 
          THE OTHER THING IS ADVANCED LEAK DETECTION. 
          UM, WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, AS PART OF OUR PROGRAM AND PART OF OUR, THE REGULATORY, UM, THINGS THAT WE DO IS WE DO ADVANCED LEAK DETECTION. 
          WE DO LEAK SURVEYS OF DIFFERENT GAS MAINS, YOU KNOW, UH, TWICE A YEAR. 
          IT KIND OF DEPENDS ON THE AGE OF THE PIPE. 
          AND SO THERE'S NEW TECHNOLOGY THAT CAN DO A BETTER JOB OF DETECTING THE LEAKS. 
          AND THEN WE FIND THEM, WE OBVIOUSLY REPLACED THE PIPES. 
          AND SO THE, THESE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON THAT WE'RE DOING TO HELP REDUCE EMISSIONS. 
          AND I THINK A DISPROPORTIONATE AMOUNT OF THE EMISSIONS COME FROM OLDER PIPE. 
          SO AT SOME POINT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ALL OF THE OLDER PIPE REPLACED AND THAT'LL BE A GOOD THING. 
          UM, NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE, THESE ARE JUST SOME COMPANY-WIDE STATISTICS, UM, THAT WE HAVE THIS ISN'T JUST FOR AUSTIN, BUT I THINK IT SHOWS THAT WE'RE ABLE TO MAKE SOME PRETTY IMPORTANT REDUCTIONS IN THE LEAKS TO OUR SYSTEM BECAUSE OF SOME OF THE WORK WE HAVE DONE TO REPLACE PIPE THE LAST NUMBER OF YEARS. 
          AND AGAIN, THE, THESE, THESE NUMBERS ARE NOT AUSTIN THEY'RE THEY'RE COMPANY-WIDE. 
          UM, SO LIKE I SAID, I DON'T HAVE ANY PROJECTS THAT I CAN TELL YOU TODAY THAT WE'RE READY TO ANNOUNCE, BUT I DO WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT WE HAVE DISCUSSED RENEWABLE NATURAL GAS, UM, WITH SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS, WITH A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE, EXPLORING DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT POTENTIAL PROJECTS. 
          IN ADDITION TO THE HORNSBY BAND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE LOOKING AT, IN OUR, IN OUR TERMS, WHAT WE CALL EITHER THE PHYSICAL OR TRANSACTIONAL, 
          [00:50:01]
RENEWABLE NATURAL GAS. 
          SO THE PHYSICAL IS LITERALLY PUTTING THAT LIKE WE WOULD DO AT HORNSBY BAND AND PUT IT INTO THE SYSTEM AND THAT GAS WILL BE BURNED. 
          THERE'S ALSO A TRANSACTIONAL, WHICH MEANS THAT IT COULD BE PUT IN SOMEONE ELSE'S SYSTEM AND WE WOULD TAKE CREDIT FOR IT. 
          SO WE'RE LEARNING AND EXPLORING ABOUT THAT. 
          LIKE I MENTIONED, WE'RE IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE WATER UTILITY, WE'RE ALSO RESEARCHING OTHER STATES AND OTHER UTILITIES, HOW THEY'RE DOING RENEWABLE NATURAL GAS TO SEE WHAT WORKS AND WHAT DOESN'T. 
          AND HONESTLY, WE'VE HAD A LOT OF DISCUSSION AND WE'RE, WE'RE LEARNING, WE'RE JUST NOT READY TO ANNOUNCE ANYTHING, UM, TONIGHT, UH, ANY, YOU KNOW, ANY PROJECTS TONIGHT. 
          AND WE JUST NEED TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE SAY PUBLICLY, BUT I DO WANT TO STRESS THAT THERE'S A LOT OF WORK GOING ON, UM, IN THESE AREAS. 
          NEXT SLIDE. 
          SO THAT'S, THAT'S IT, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, WE, HAVEN'T HAD A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS WITH THE, UM, OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY LATELY, TO BE HONEST. 
          UM, BUT WE ARE CONTINUING TO WORK. 
          CAUSE WE, WE SEE THAT GOAL AND WE KNOW WHAT IT'S GOING TO TAKE FOR US TO GET THERE. 
          AND WE'RE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE COMMITTED TO DOING THAT. 
          IT'S JUST GOING TO TAKE SOME TIME AND SOME WORK. 
          UM, SO THAT'S WHAT I HAVE HAPPY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS. 
          OKAY. 
          YEAH. 
          LARRY, THANKS FOR THE PRESENTATION. 
          I APPRECIATE THE UPDATE. 
          I I'VE GOT A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS AND THEN, UH, UH, SEE IF ANYONE ELSE HAS ANY THE, UH, SO THAT 30% REDUCTION BY 2030, THAT TARGET, UM, IT'S GOING TO BE A STRUGGLE TO MEET THAT JUST WITH, WITH EFFICIENCY. 
          RIGHT? CORRECT. 
          SO DO YOU THINK THAT, ARE YOU THINKING RENEWABLE NATURAL GAS IS PROBABLY YOUR BEST PATH? YEAH, I THINK SO. 
          YEAH. 
          I THINK THAT'S THE, YES. 
          GOTCHA. 
          IS THERE ANYTHING THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, YOU MENTIONED LIKE THE HORNSBY BIN OR PERHAPS OTHER PROJECTS, HOW CAN WE HELP ADVANCE THAT AND MAKE IT HAPPEN FASTER? I MEAN, I, I APPRECIATE THAT. 
          UM, I'M NOT SURE, YOU KNOW, UM, I'M NOT SURE I MAY TALK TO YOU OFFLINE ABOUT THAT. 
          UM, I MAY HAVE SOME IDEAS OFFLINE. 
          UM, YOU KNOW, HONESTLY THE, IT, I'M NOT SURE IF IT'S A, THEY NEED TO BE CAREFUL WHAT I SAY, IF IT'S THE BIGGEST PRIORITY FOR THE WATER UTILITY AND WE WANT, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THEY HAVE A LOT GOING ON, OBVIOUSLY THEY'VE HAD A BAD COUPLE OF WEEKS, BUT, UM, WE, WE WANT TO WORK WITH THEM TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN BECAUSE I THINK IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S GOOD FOR US BE GOOD FOR THE WHOLE CITY. 
          AND LIKE I SAID, THAT ONE JUST SEEMS TO HAVE THE MOST PROMISE RIGHT NOW. 
          LIKE I SAID, WE'RE LOOKING AT OTHERS AS WELL, SO, YEAH. 
          OKAY. 
          I APPRECIATE THAT. 
          AND I, UH, YOU KNOW, I, I KNOW WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS BEFORE. 
          UH, WE, WE RECOGNIZE THE CHALLENGE THAT YOU GUYS FACE, UM, IN, YOU KNOW, KIND OF, UH, YOU KNOW, WHOLESALE OVERHAUL OF, UH, YOU KNOW, YOUR, THEIR BUSINESS, BUT SIMILAR TO THE WAY THE ELECTRIC INDUSTRY, UH, DID THE CHALLENGE THEY FACED, YOU KNOW, 15 YEARS AGO. 
          AND THERE'S A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY HERE, UM, FOR, FOR COMPANIES THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, WILLING TO KIND OF, YOU KNOW, TACKLE THIS PROBLEM, HEAD ON, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE, AND I THINK WOULD BE REALLY HELPFUL IS, IS KIND OF QUANTIFYING HOW DO YOU GET THERE? UH, YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE GET TO NET ZERO, UH, IN, IN THE TIMELINE THAT THE CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN CALLS FOR AND WHAT ARE KIND OF SOME, SOME REALISTIC INTERIM TARGETS AND IN THAT, IN THAT TIMELINE AND HOW ARE YOU ACTUALLY GOING TO DO IT? I HA HAVE YOU GUYS GOTTEN TO THE POINT WHERE, YOU KNOW, YOU KIND OF HAVE THOSE PROJECTIONS AND EVEN IF IT'S A PRELIMINARY, LIKE HOW ARE WE ACTUALLY GONNA GOING TO GET THERE EVEN, EVEN THE 2030 GOAL? YEAH. 
          I MEAN, I, I WOULD SAY WE HAVEN'T GOT THERE, BUT WE ARE WORKING ON IT. 
          W I WAS IN A MEETING RECENTLY, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE EXACT SAME THING. 
          LIKE, THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO DO. 
          WE NEED TO PENCIL IT OUT AND FIGURE OUT, OKAY, WHAT IS THE PATH? I MEAN, IT'S EIGHT YEARS. 
          RIGHT. 
          SO, UM, SO I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY, BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE'RE THINKING THE SAME WAY AND WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, AND I DO THINK THAT WE'RE THINKING RNG IS THE WAY THAT WE WILL GET THERE. 
          IT WON'T BE JUST, YOU KNOW, MORE REBATES AND, YOU KNOW, FEWER LEAKS, THE SYSTEM'S PRETTY TIGHT AS IT IS. 
          WE'RE JUST WORKING TO IMPROVE IT. 
          GOTCHA. 
          YEAH. 
          AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, THE OTHER SOLUTION THAT KIND OF GETS BANDIED AROUND A LOT THESE DAYS IS, IS, IS THE HYDROGEN, THE, THE TOPIC OF HYDROGEN GREEN USING GREEN HYDROGEN. 
          BUT I JUST, JUST TO CLARIFY, SO IT, IT, THE REASON THAT ORANGY IS MAYBE THE PREFERRED FOCUS OVER THE HYDROGEN, IT JUST BECAUSE ORANGE CAN BE USED IN BUILDINGS 
          [00:55:01]
SYSTEMS AS THEY EXIST TODAY. 
          CORRECT? YEAH, THAT'S CORRECT. 
          OKAY. 
          YEAH. 
          THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THE, UH, YOU KNOW, OUT AT HORNSBY BEND, IT WOULDN'T TAKE MUCH TO JUST, WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO DO MUCH TO CLEAN THAT GAS TO PUT IT IN THE SYSTEM. 
          SURE. 
          OKAY. 
          SO, UM, COMMISSIONERS, DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY, ANY QUESTIONS FOR LARRY? YOU JUST REMIND US, UH, APPROXIMATELY WHAT PERCENTAGE, IF YOU'RE ABLE TO GET THAT GAS FROM HORNSBY BEND, HOW MUCH, UH, THAT WOULD PROVIDE COMPARED TO WHAT YOU'RE SELLING TO AUSTIN CUSTOMERS? UM, KAYLA, I DON'T KNOW THAT, I MEAN, CLEARLY IT'S A SMALL PERCENTAGE. 
          I MEAN, I DON'T WANT TO OVERSTATE THAT. 
          UM, BUT BECAUSE SOME OF THAT IS VENTED RIGHT NOW, IT, THE BENEFITS ARE PRETTY IMPRESSIVE, BUT YEAH, THE IT'S A FRACTION OF WHAT WE, I DON'T KNOW THAT AMOUNT. 
          AND PART OF THAT IS WE HAVEN'T GOT THAT INFORMATION FROM THEM, BUT I, SO IT WOULD BE AN IMPORTANT STEP FOR US, BUT I DON'T WANT TO, YOU KNOW, TO GIVE YOU THE IMPRESSION THAT IT'S A HUGE AMOUNT OF GAS RELATIVE TO WHAT WE DISTRIBUTE IN THE CITY. 
          SO ARE THERE WAYS TO GET A RENEWABLE NATURAL GAS, OR ARE YOU ALREADY DOING THAT FROM THE LANDFILLS? WE'RE NOT IN A, YOU KNOW, I AM NOT AN EXPERT, BUT MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT MOST OF THE METHANE THAT'S PRODUCED AT NEARBY LANDFILLS IS ALREADY SPOKEN FOR AND IS NOT AVAILABLE FOR US. 
          AGAIN, ONE OF THE REASONS IS HORNSBY BEND IS EXCITING TO US AS A FIRST PROJECT IS WE HAVE A GAS MAIN, VERY CLOSE. 
          IT WOULDN'T TAKE MUCH FOR US TO TAKE THE METHANE THAT'S PRODUCED AND INTRODUCE IT TO OUR SYSTEM. 
          I MEAN, AND SO ONE OF THE ISSUES YOU HAVE IS, YOU KNOW, THERE COULD BE A LANDFILL OR AN ANIMAL FEEDING OPERATION, YOU KNOW, 40 MILES FROM HERE. 
          AND THERE'S THE ISSUE OF GETTING IT IN THE METHANE INTO OUR SYSTEM, RIGHT? HOW FAR AWAY ARE WE NOW? WE ARE IN, WE ARE IN SOME RURAL CITIES, LOCKHART, LILLIAN CUERO, ET CETERA. 
          UM, SO, SO WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING AT A NUMBER OF THINGS, BUT, BUT, BUT THAT ONE IS WE THINK THE EASIEST AND MOST FEASIBLE ONE TO DO, ESPECIALLY AS A FIRST PROJECT. 
          YEAH. 
          I THINK THERE'S FIRST PROJECTS. 
          BUT WHEN I LOOK AT THE LIFT, YOU GUYS NEED TO MAKE COMING BACK WITH A LIST OF WHAT ELSE IS AVAILABLE WOULD BE A GOOD STRATEGY FROM YOUR BIT PERSPECTIVE, BUT ALSO FROM US AS AN OVERSIGHT BOARD. 
          SO, YEAH. 
          AND WHEN WE, WHEN THAT RESOLUTION WAS PASSED TWO YEARS AGO, YOU KNOW, WE HEARD THAT CONSULTING FIRM AND THEY REALLY HELPED US IDENTIFY ALL THE SOURCES. 
          AND THERE'S A LOT, THERE'S A LOT OF IT AVAILABLE. 
          NOW, A LOT OF, IT'S NOT IN THE IMMEDIATE AUSTIN AREA, BUT IT'S IN OUR SERVICE AREA. 
          SO THERE'S A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES I CAN CHECK. 
          I HAVE A QUESTION. 
          UM, DOES THIS PROGRAM INCLUDE REPLACING GAS STOVE THAT ARE NOT VENTED BECAUSE THAT WOULD HAVE FALLEN TO LIKE OUR PREVIOUS TOPICS WITH THAT INDOOR OFTEN? I MEAN, NO, WE'RE NOT REPLACING GAS STOVES THAT AREN'T VENTED. 
          I THINK IN AUSTIN, THERE'S PERMITTING REQUIRED THERE'S REQUIREMENTS THAT THEY ARE VENTED. 
          I MEAN, I'M NOT AN EXPERT ON THIS, BUT WE'RE NOT CURRENTLY REPLACING STOVES, COMMISSIONERS, ANY, ANY ANYONE ELSE? ALL RIGHT. 
          UM, LARRY, YEAH. 
          SO I JUST WOULD, RE-EMPHASIZE THIS COMMISSION WE WANT TO, WE WANT TO WORK WITH YOU GUYS. 
          UH, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE NOT NECESSARILY LOOKING FOR YOU TO COME WITH A, YOU KNOW, JUST A BIG ANNOUNCEMENT, BUT WE'RE WILLING TO EVEN, YOU KNOW, WORK WITH YOU AND HOW, HOW DO WE SET, UM, INTERIM TARGETS AND WHAT ARE, YOU KNOW, LIKELY PROJECTS AND, UH, FIGURING OUT HOW DO WE ACTUALLY ADVANCE, UH, ANY OF THOSE PROJECTS. 
          UM, YOU KNOW, YOU MENTIONED THAT, THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES OUT THERE, UM, WOULD, WOULD LOVE TO HAVE YOU BACK AT SOME POINT TO KIND OF DISCUSS THOSE IN MORE SPECIFICS. 
          OKAY. 
          HAPPY TO DO THAT. 
          UM, AND, AND EVEN IF THERE ARE, YOU KNOW, EXAMPLES FROM YOUR PARENT COMPANY THAT THEY'RE DOING IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS THAT COULD BE APPLIED TO AUSTIN OR OTHER SIMILAR GAS UTILITIES, YOU KNOW, THIS IS NOT A PROBLEM. 
          THAT'S, THAT'S UNIQUE TO YOU GUYS TO TGS. 
          RIGHT. 
          SO I APPRECIATE THAT. 
          OKAY. 
          ALL RIGHT. 
          UH, LARRY, I APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE. 
          UM, AS ALWAYS WE'LL, WE'LL TALK TO YOU VERY MUCH. 
          ALRIGHT. 
          [01:00:01]
UH, NEXT UP, UH, 
          [4. Quarterly update from Austin Water.]
FROM AUSTIN WATER. 
          WE'VE KEVIN. 
          ALL RIGHT, KEVIN, THE FLOOR IS YOURS AND GO THIS QUITE RIGHT HERE. 
          YEAH. 
          I THINK IT'S LIKE A RESOLUTION ISSUE. 
          CAN YOU LIKE, MAKE IT FULL SCREEN OR MAYBE ZOOM OUT? WAIT IT, MOVE IT FORWARD A LITTLE BIT MORE, A LITTLE BIT LESS. 
          EVERY TIME I GO. 
          IT'S OH, OKAY. 
          THAT LOOKS PRETTY GOOD. 
          HI, GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS. 
          MY NAME IS KEVIN CHLOE. 
          I AM THE WATER CONSERVATION MANAGER FROM AUSTIN WATER. 
          AND THIS AGENDA IS TO GIVE A BRIEF UPDATE REGARDING WATER CONSERVATION ACTIVITIES. 
          OVER THE LAST SIX MONTHS. 
          WE'LL START OUT WITH A QUICK LOOK AT THE WATER SUPPLY OUTLOOK. 
          THEN GO ON TO TALK ABOUT ONGOING ACTIVITIES AT AUSTIN WATER IN REGARDS TO WATER CONSERVATION AND DISCUSS SOME NEW ACTIVITIES. 
          AS YOU MAY HAVE SEEN IN THE MONTHLY CONSERVATION REPORT. 
          THESE ARE THE WATER SUPPLY PROJECTIONS FROM THE LOWER COLORADO RIVER AUTHORITY FROM FEBRUARY 1ST OF THIS YEAR. 
          UH, THESE PROJECTIONS ARE IMPROVEMENT FROM THE PROJECTIONS FROM IN JANUARY, WHERE THEY SAW EVEN THE, THE MEDIAN CONDITIONS, UH, HEADING TOWARDS STAGE ONE DROUGHT IN THE SUMMERTIME UNDER THESE PROJECTIONS, WE HAVE THE ORANGE AND RED LINES, WHICH ARE THE DRY AND EXTREMELY DRY CONDITIONS HEADING DOWN TOWARDS THE STAGE ONE DROUGHT RESTRICTIONS, WHICH IS ILLUSTRATED BY THE BLACK DOTTED LINE GOING ACROSS IN MAY OR JUNE. 
          BUT IF WE PROCEED UNDER MEDIAN, UH, CONDITIONS, WE MAY, UH, GET OUT OR MAY AVOID STAGE ONE DRUG RESTRICTIONS, UH, THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER. 
          OKAY. 
          ONGOING ACTIVITIES, OUR EFFORTS TO ENCOURAGE THE ADOPTION OF, OF WATER REUSE, CONTINUE BOTH FOR THE ONSITE WATER REUSE SIDE OF THE, UH, COMPONENT, AND THEN THE CENTRALIZED RECLAIM SYSTEMS ON THE ONSITE WATER REUSE. 
          UM, WE HAVE AN INCENTIVE PROGRAM THAT WAS ESTABLISHED LAST YEAR BACK IN 2021, IN WHICH WE INCENTIVIZE LARGE COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENTS TO DEVELOP ONSITE WATER REUSE PROJECTS IN THEIR BUILDINGS. 
          UH, IF PROJECTS THAT REPLACE 1 MILLION GALLONS OF POTABLE WATER IN A YEAR WITH THIS, THESE, THIS REUSE WATER ARE ELIGIBLE FOR $250,000 PROJECTS THAT OFFSET 3 MILLION GALLONS OF POTABLE WATER A YEAR ARE ELIGIBLE FOR $500,000. 
          AT THIS POINT, WE HAVE ONE APPLICATION UNDER REVIEW TO A RATHER LARGE PROJECT. 
          UH, UNFORTUNATELY IT'S NOT QUITE OUT OF REVIEW, SO I CAN'T REALLY SPEAK TOO MUCH ABOUT IT, BUT I CAN CELEBRATE THAT. 
          WE HAVE ONE PROJECT THAT HAS GONE THROUGH REVIEW AND HAS RECENTLY RECEIVED A LETTER RESERVING FUNDS, UH, FOR THEIR PROJECT. 
          AND THIS PROJECT IS FROM THE AUSTIN COMMUNITY COLLEGE OR THEIR HIGHLAND CAMPUS. 
          AND THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT WE'LL UTILIZE AC CONDENSATE AND RAINWATER FROM TWO OF THEIR BUILDINGS, TAKE THAT WATER STORED IN A 677,000 GALLON CISTERN UNDERNEATH THEIR PARKING GARAGE. 
          THAT WATER WILL THEN BE USED FOR IRRIGATION AROUND THE PARKING GARAGE AND IN A NEARBY PARK. 
          THE ANTICIPATED COMPLETION DATE FOR THIS PROJECT IS ACTUALLY JUNE 30TH OF THIS YEAR. 
          UH, SO THAT'LL BE EXCITING TO SEE THAT DONE AND WE'LL ANTICIPATE WE'LL OFFSET 1.9 MILLION GALLONS OF POTTABLE WATER A YEAR. 
          SO WE'RE EXCITED TO HAVE THAT PROJECT MOVE FORWARD AND UTILIZE THAT INCENTIVE PROGRAM. 
          ALSO AT THE UP AT THE HIGHLAND MALL AREA IS THE CITY'S PERMITTING AND DEVELOPMENT CENTER, A RELATIVELY NEW CENTER. 
          AND AT THAT CENTER, THEY HAVE THE BLACK HAWK, BLACK WATER RECYCLING, UM, 
          [01:05:01]
PRO UH, SYSTEM IN WHICH THEY UTILIZE UP TO 5,000 GALLONS OF WATER FROM TOILETS AND SINKS AND RECYCLE THAT FOR RECYCLING IN THE AREA. 
          UH, CLARA STANDS FOR CLOSED LOOP, ADVANCED RECYCLING ASSEMBLY, UH, FOR, FOR THE TECHNICAL FOLKS. 
          UH, THAT PROCESS THAT SYSTEM IS, IS BEING, UH, IS, IS WORKING NOW A RECYCLING WATER STAFF HAVE BEEN MET WITH A NUMBER OF CHALLENGES WITH THE SYSTEM. 
          UH, NOT ONLY BECAUSE IT'S A NEW AND COMPLICATED SYSTEM, BUT BECAUSE THERE'S NOT A LOT OF FOLKS WORKING UP THE, UH, PROFESSION OF THE PERMANENT AND DEVELOPMENT CENTER AT THIS POINT. 
          SO IT CREATES SOME CHALLENGES ON THE INFLOW SIDE, AS WELL AS THE TECHNICAL ASPECTS OF THAT, BUT IT IS WORKING. 
          THEY'RE WORKING THROUGH THOSE PRO UH, ANY PROBLEMS AND CHALLENGES AND LEARNING HOW THEY CAN HELP FUTURE COMMERCIAL CUSTOMERS WITH THESE, UH, BLACK WATER RECYCLING SYSTEMS ON THE RECLAIMED WATER SIDE, THE CENTRALIZED RECLAIM WATERSIDE BACK IN SEPTEMBER OF 2021, YOU MAY RECALL THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL EXTENDED THE DISTANCE FROM RECLAIM LINES, UM, FROM WHICH LARGE COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENTS HAVE TO HOOK UP TO THE RECLAIMED LINES PREVIOUSLY, IF A NEW LARGE COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT WAS DOING WITHIN 250 FEET OF THE PURPLE PIPE, THE RECLAIMED LINE, THEY HAD TO HOOK UP. 
          NOW IT'S WITHIN 500 FEET, UH, THAT LARGE COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENTS ARE REQUIRED TO HOOK UP TO INCENTIVIZE THOSE COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENTS THAT DO NOT HAVE TO HOOK UP, UM, BUT ARE CLOSE TO A RECLAIMED LINE. 
          WE STARTED IN INCENTIVE PROGRAM LAST YEAR, UH, TO PROVIDE FUNDING, TO OFFSET, TO ENCOURAGE THESE COMPANIES, TO CONVERT THEIR IRRIGATION SYSTEMS OR THEIR COOLING TOWERS, TO USE RECLAIMED WATER UP TO A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS PER ACCOUNT. 
          WE DON'T HAVE ANY YET THAT WE CAN CROW ABOUT. 
          UH, WE'VE BEEN TALKING TO A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT, UH, UH, COMMERCIAL CUSTOMERS. 
          OF COURSE, IT TAKES THEM TIME TO CONSIDER IF THAT'S WERE WORTH IT FOR THEM. 
          UH, BUT WE HAVE BEEN HAVING DISCUSSIONS WITH CUSTOMERS AND HOPE TO HAVE SOMETHING TO BRING BACK TO YOU. 
          NEXT TIME I COME, UH, REGARDING THE USE OF THIS INCENTIVE TO GET PEOPLE OFF PORTABLE WATER ONTO RECLAIMED WATER, ALSO ONGOING EFFORTS. 
          FIRST, I WANTED TO REPORT ABOUT OUR, OUR PARTNERSHIP EFFORTS WITH AUSTIN ENERGY. 
          THERE'S BEEN TWO PROJECTS THAT WE'VE BEEN PARTNERING WITH. 
          FIRST OF ALL, THE INSTANT SAVINGS PROGRAM THAT AUSTIN ENERGY HAS BEEN PURSUING FOR SEVERAL YEARS IN WHICH THEY WORK WITH A THIRD-PARTY VENDOR, CLEARER CLEAR RESULT. 
          I THINK YOU HEARD THAT IN AN EARLIER PRESENTATION, BUT THEY WORK WITH CLEARESULT TO PROVIDE INSTANT REBATES TO CUSTOMERS IN RETAIL STORES FOR ENERGY SAVING DEVICES. 
          SO INSTEAD OF A REBATE WHERE THEY HAVE TO SEND SOMETHING IN, IF THEY BUY LED BULBS OR A SMART POWER STRIPS, WHAT HAVE YOU, INSTEAD OF HAVING A REBATE WHERE THEY HAVE TO SEND IT IN, THEY GET THAT COST SAVINGS RIGHT AT THE STORE. 
          SO WE'RE DIPPING OUR TOE IN WITH AUSTIN ENERGY REGARDING THIS WITH A RELATIVELY SIMPLE HOSE TIMER, $5 OFF AT LOWE'S THAT ACTUALLY STARTED YESTERDAY ON THE 14TH TO SEE IF THAT'S A OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO GET MORE WATER SAVING DEVICES OUT THERE WITH INSTANT SAVINGS, RATHER THAN A REBATE REQUIRING PEOPLE TO SEND THINGS IN. 
          ALSO WITH AUSTIN ENERGY, WE ARE WORKING WITH THEM REGARDING THE ALL-STAR PROGRAM. 
          THIS IS A PROGRAM THAT AUSTIN ENERGY AGAIN, HAS DONE FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS IN WHICH THEY CREATE KITS BOXES. 
          AS YOU SEE UP ON THE SCREEN WITH ENERGY SAVING DEVICES AND INFORMATION AND WATER SAVING DEVICES AND INFORMATION THAT WILL BE PUT TOGETHER FOR ALL SIXTH GRADERS IN THE AUSTIN AREA. 
          UM, IN PREVIOUS YEARS, I BELIEVE IT WAS JUST AUSTIN ISD. 
          SO THERE'S ABOUT 5406TH GRADERS, BUT THEY'RE TRYING TO EXPAND THAT TO ALL OF THE AUSTIN ENERGY SERVICE AREA. 
          SO THAT'LL BE UPWARDS TOWARDS 7006TH GRADERS THAT WERE RECEIVED THESE KITS WITH, UH, ENERGY SAVING INFORMATION AND WATER SAVING INFORMATION TO TAKE HOME. 
          SO, UH, THEY EXPERIENCED SOME PROBLEMS PUTTING THESE TOGETHER, AS YOU MIGHT IMAGINE, WITH ALL THE SUPPLY CHAINS ISSUES TO GET ALL THESE DIFFERENT COMPONENTS TOGETHER. 
          SO THAT'S BEEN DELAYED A BIT, BUT THEY'RE ANTICIPATING THAT THOSE BOXES, THOSE KITS WILL BE PUT TOGETHER IN THE NEXT MONTH 
          [01:10:01]
OR TWO TO GET THEM OUT TO TEACHERS. 
          SO THEY WON'T BE IN THE CLASSROOM THIS SCHOOL YEAR, BUT THERE'LL BE READY FOR TEACHERS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR. 
          SO WE'RE EXCITED TO BE PARTNERING WITH AUSTIN ENERGY IN THOSE TWO PROGRAMS TO HELP GET THE WORD OUT FOR WATER CONSERVATION. 
          AND THEN FINALLY, FOR ONGOING EFFORTS, I WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW ABOUT CONSERVATION STAFF LEADING THE EFFORT TO IMPLEMENT THE LANDSCAPE TRANSFORMATION ORDINANCE, WHICH IS IN THE WATER FORWARD 2018 PLAN. 
          THIS STRATEGY IN THE WATERFORD PLAN IS ENVISIONED TO CREATE WATER SAVINGS, UH, THROUGH NOT ONLY LANDSCAPE AND IRRIGATION INCENTIVE PROGRAMS FOR RESIDENTIAL HOMES, BUT ALSO POSSIBLY, UH, MANDATING ORDINANCES REGARDING LANDSCAPE, UH, TURF IRRIGATION SYSTEMS. WHAT HAVE YOU IN NEW HOMES? SO THIS IS SOMETHING WE'VE JUST KIND OF KICKED OFF LAST WEEK. 
          WE HAD OUR FIRST STAKEHOLDER MEETING NEXT WEEK. 
          WE HAVE OUR FIRST PUBLIC MEETING. 
          UH, WE'RE NOT BRINGING ANY PRECONCEIVED OR PRE DRAFTED ORDINANCES TO THESE INITIAL MEETINGS HERE. 
          WE'RE JUST MEETING WITH STAKEHOLDERS AND THE PUBLIC DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS TO GET THEIR IDEAS ON WHAT MIGHT BE INCLUDED IN THESE ORDINANCES, REALLY TO TRANSFORM THE WATER USE OF LANDSCAPES, RESIDENTIAL, NEW, NEW RESIDENTIAL LANDSCAPES. 
          LET ME EMPHASIZE, UH, THROUGHOUT THE CITY, PERHAPS THE BEST PLACE TO GO IS THIS SPEAK UP AUSTIN PAGE. 
          WE HAVE A LITTLE SQUARE ON THE SPEAK-UP AUSTIN PAGE THAT PROVIDES BASIC INFORMATION, UH, UH, SOME MEETING DATES GOING FORWARD, AND THEN A SURVEY THAT PEOPLE CAN GIVE US THEIR THOUGHTS ON THE LANDSCAPE TRANSFORMATION ORDINANCE. 
          UM, THIS IS A, THIS IS A VERY SMALL TIMELINE. 
          I APOLOGIZE FOR IT. 
          PERHAPS IF YOU HAVE THE BACK OF MATERIALS WILL BE EASIER FOR YOU TO SEE, BUT JUST IN TERMS OF THE TIMELINE, AS WAS BRIEFLY MENTIONED ON THE LAST SLIDE, UH, JUST TO THE LEFT OF CENTER IN THIS TIMELINE, YOU MIGHT SEE VERY SMALL 2 8 22. 
          THAT'S WHERE WE KICKED OFF OUR PROCESS. 
          UH, OVER THIS SPRING AND SUMMER, WE WILL BE TALKING WITH STAKEHOLDERS AND DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS AND HAVE NUMBER OF PUBLIC MEETINGS, REALLY TO GET A LOT OF IDEAS FROM THE PUBLIC REGARDING WHAT THIS MAY INVOLVE, WHAT THESE MANDATORY ORDINANCES MAY INVOLVE. 
          UH, WE'RE GOING TO TAKE THAT, PUT THAT ALL TOGETHER IN THE SUMMER, COME BACK WITH SOMETHING TOWARDS THE END OF THE SUMMER TO GET, UH, THOUGHTS ON THESE ORGANIZATIONS, PEOPLE THAT WE'VE SPOKEN TO BEFORE. 
          UM, AND THEN WE'LL GO THROUGH A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT REVIEWS THROUGH THE CITY, UH, AND THEN WE'LL BE COMING TO A WATER AND WASTEWATER COMMISSION TO THE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT COMMISSION AND THE COUNCIL IN LATE 20 22, 23 OVER THE WINTER PERIOD. 
          SO THAT'S, THAT'S THE TIMELINE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THESE LANDSCAPE TRANSFORMATION ORDINANCES? JUST A FEW BRIEF NEW OPPORTUNITIES WITH WINTER COMES A GENERAL LESSENING OF IRRIGATION. 
          SO STAFF THAT WE HAVE PREVIOUSLY HAD PATROLLING IN THE EVENINGS OR EARLY MORNINGS, UH, TO, TO ENFORCE THE WATERING RESTRICTIONS THAT DAY OF WEEK WATERING RESTRICTIONS WERE BEING, HAVE BEEN REPURPOSED TO ASSIST WITH, UH, RESIDENTIAL IRRIGATION AUDITS, UM, HELPING PEOPLE FIGURE OUT WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS SYSTEM. 
          UM, THAT'S ALWAYS A POPULAR ACTIVITY, UH, WHEN WE HAVE A CHANCE TO GET OUT AND DO THAT AS WELL AS DOING MORE IN-DEPTH INVESTIGATION ON LEAKS OR WATER WASTING JUST OFFHAND. 
          WE WE'VE BEEN FILLING OUT OUR STAFF WITH TWO NEW SUPERVISORS. 
          TWO OF THE THREE TEAMS HAVE NEW SUPERVISORS, WHICH WILL REALLY ASSIST US IN OUTREACH AS WELL AS DATA ANALYTICS, A LESS FUN TOPIC, UH, THAN SOME OF THE ONES WE'VE MENTIONED BEFORE IS A CONSERVATION PENALTY ORDINANCE THAT WE WILL BE BRINGING THROUGH THE WATER AND WASTEWATER COMMISSION. 
          AND YOU'RE IN YOURSELVES. 
          AND THE COUNCIL THIS SPRING BACK IN DECEMBER OF 20, I'M SORRY, DECEMBER OF 2020, I THINK MY KEYBOARD KEY NUMBER, NUMBER TWO, KEYBOARD KEY GOT STUCK THERE. 
          IT WASN'T DECEMBER OF 2022 IS DECEMBER OF 2020. 
          THE COUNCIL PASSED AN ORDINANCE WHICH REALLY PULLED THE ENFORCEMENT SECTION OUT OF OUR, OUR CONSERVATION CODE. 
          UM, AND PUT 
          [01:15:01]
IT IN ANOTHER SECTION TWO 13, REALLY IN AN ATTEN ATTEN TEMPT, UM, TO ASSURE CONSISTENCY, UH, OF APPLICATION OF VIOLATIONS ACROSS THE SYSTEM. 
          SO THEY'RE TRYING TO MAKE IT ALL CONSISTENT. 
          WHAT REALLY HAPPENED UNFORTUNATELY, IS THAT THE END RESULT WAS THAT ALL TYPES OF CONSERVATION PENALTIES, WHETHER IT'S A SINGLE FAMILY, UH, CUSTOMER WATERING ON THE WRONG DAY, IF IT WENT THAT FAR, THE PENALTY FOR THAT WOULD BE THE SAME AS THE PENALTY FOR A CORPORATION THAT DID NOT SUBMIT THEIR ANNUAL REPORT OR ANY OTHER TYPE OF CONSERVATION PENALTY. 
          THEY ALL STARTED AT $250. 
          UM, AND THEN WENT UP FROM THERE. 
          SO WHAT WE'RE WORKING NOW IS TO BRING TO COUNCIL A NEW FRAMEWORK FOR THESE CONSERVATION PENALTIES, THAT WILL BE MORE NUANCED IN APPROACH TO THE PENALTIES, UH, IN TERMS OF THE TYPES OF CUSTOMERS, THE TYPES OF VIOLATIONS, AND THEN THE OCCURRENCE AND THE DROUGHT STAGE. 
          SO WE'RE TRYING TO ADD A LITTLE MORE DELINEATION TO THESE CONSERVATION PENALTIES, A TIMELINE YOU SEE THERE ON LEFT MARCH 9TH, NEXT MONTH, WE'RE GOING TO WATER AND WASTEWATER COMMISSIONED THE END OF MARCH. 
          WE'LL COME BACK TO ALL OF YOU AND THEN HOPEFULLY TO CITY COUNCIL IN APRIL AND MAY, SO THAT WE'LL HAVE THESE IN PLACE FOR THE SUMMER. 
          AND THEN FINALLY, ANY NOT A MORE EXCITING ACTIVITY. 
          I'M HAPPY TO MENTION THAT AUSTIN WATER IS WORKING WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN SUSTAINABILITY OFFICE TO SPONSOR A NUMBER OF PROJECTS THROUGH THEIR BRIGHT GREEN FUTURE SCHOOL GRANTS. 
          THESE GRANTS, UH, ARE DESIGNED REALLY TO SUPPORT INNOVATIVE PROJECTS THAT WILL INSPIRE STUDENTS TO BECOME LIFELONG ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDS SPECIFICALLY IN TERMS OF WATER, WE'RE SPONSORING SIX RAIN, GUTTER RAIN GARDEN PROJECTS THAT WILL TEACH STUDENTS ABOUT CONSERVING WATER, NATIVE PLANTS AND MINIMALIZING SOIL EROSION. 
          SO IN CLOSING, WE HAVE A LOT OF ACTIVITIES GOING ON IN THE WATER CONSERVATION, UH, REALM OF AUSTIN WATER, UH, AS A BROAD RECAP, UH, WE'RE ESTABLISHING WHAT I THINK ARE BETTER WATER CONSERVATION PENALTIES, IF NEED BE, UH, WE'RE ENGAGING WITH STAKEHOLDERS AND THE PUBLIC REGARDING TRANSFORMING LANDSCAPES FOR NEW RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT. 
          AND THEN FINALLY, WE'RE WORKING WITH OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS, SUCH AS AUSTIN ENERGY TO EDUCATE STUDENTS AND RESIDENTS REGARDING WATER CONSERVATION. 
          AND WITH THAT, I'M OPEN FOR ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE. 
          KEVIN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION. 
          UH, COMMISSIONER'S QUESTIONS FOR KEVIN. 
          SO KEVIN, THIS IS, UM, THIS IS SMITTY AND I WAS WONDERING THIS MORNING IN THE PAPERS, THERE WAS A ALARMING STORY ABOUT, UH, THE WEST FACING A DROUGHT WORSE THAN WE'VE SEEN SINCE 1500. 
          AND, UH, I DON'T RECALL WHAT YOUR PLANNING, UM, FOR DROUGHT HAD BEEN. 
          DO YOU RECALL HOW THIS A FUNDAMENTAL QUESTION IS? SO IF YOU GUYS TAKEN A LOOK AT THAT, UM, AND, UH, WHAT ARE YOUR PROJECTIONS, SHOULD WE BE FACING A DROUGHT OF THE KIND OF SCENARIO SEVERITY THAT THEY MAY BE? I I'D SAY A COUPLE THINGS, FIRST OF ALL, UH, THE WHOLE WATER FORWARD PROCESS AND PLAN IS REALLY BASED ON LOOKING AT NOT ONLY HISTORICAL EVENTS, RECENT HISTORICAL, YOU KNOW, INFLOWS AND WATER SUPPLY LEVELS, BUT ALSO WHAT COULD BE EVEN WORSE UNDER DIFFERENT SCENARIOS. 
          SO I THINK THAT'S AN EXCELLENT PLAN LOOKING AT THE WORST CASE AND EVEN WORSE THAN WHAT WE MIGHT'VE EXPERIENCED CASES IN LOOKING FORWARD IN OUR WATERFORD PLAN IN TERMS OF OUR, UH, DROUGHT RESTRICTION STAGE. 
          I THINK WE HAVE A GREAT SET OF, UH, DROUGHT RESTRICTION STAGES SET UP. 
          OF COURSE, WE'RE IN CONSERVATION STAGE ALL THE TIME WITH ONE DAY A WEEK WATERING AND, AND ACTIVE CONSERVATION PROGRAMS, UH, SO THAT PEOPLE, AUSTIN RESIDENTS ARE HOPEFULLY RE YOU KNOW, REMINDED OF THE VALUE OF WATER AND CONSERVING ALL THE TIME. 
          UM, BUT THEN WE HAVE SOME, I BELIEVE ARE VERY GOOD 
          [01:20:01]
TRIGGERS IN TERMS OF, OF WATER LEVELS IN THE LAKE AND SOME GOOD DEFINITIVE ACTIONS, UH, TO, TO TAKE WHEN WE REACHED THOSE TRIGGERS. 
          IT'S NOT LIKE, AS YOU MENTIONED OUT IN THE WEST, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES COMMUNITIES, UH, KIND OF GET CAUGHT NECESSARILY SLEEPING AT THE WHEEL. 
          IT, IT KIND OF OVER TAPES, OVERTAKES THEM QUICKLY, UH, DROUGHT SITUATIONS. 
          AND I THINK AUSTIN IS NOT AT ALL IN THAT BOAT BOAT, UH, WATER PLANTERS IN THE COMMUNITY IN THE PAST HAVE, HAVE REALLY HAD A GOOD FORWARD-LOOKING PLAN FOR DEALING WITH, WITH DROUGHT. 
          HOPEFULLY WE WON'T BE IN THE SITUATION AS BAD AS CALIFORNIA OR THE WEST RATHER. 
          UH, BUT, UH, I THINK WE'RE IN GOOD SHAPE. 
          THANK YOU. 
          HI, THIS IS CHARLOTTE DAVIS. 
          UH, JUST FOR MY OWN UNDERSTANDING. 
          I HAD A QUESTION ABOUT THE, UH, LANDSCAPE TRANSFORMATION ORDINANCE. 
          UM, CAN YOU HELP ME UNDERSTAND WHY THAT IS ONLY FOR NEW RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION? AND IS THERE, ARE THERE OTHER EFFORTS UNDERWAY TO ADDRESS EXISTING CONSTRUCTION AND COMMERCIAL? WELL, THERE ARE ALREADY, UH, LANDSCAPE, UM, SPECIFICATIONS. 
          THERE'S ALREADY A COMMERCIAL LANDSCAPE ORDINANCE, UM, WHERE THERE, WHEREAS THERE'S NOT ONE FOR RESIDENTIAL AT THIS POINT. 
          UH, SO THAT'S WHY OUR WORK IS FOCUSING ON RESIDENTIAL RATHER THAN COMMERCIAL. 
          UM, AND, AND IN TERMS OF NEW VERSUS EXISTING, UM, I THINK THE, THE, THE VISION OF THE LAW OF FORD, AND I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN GOING ON UNDER IS THAT IT'S OFTEN EASIER WHEN NEW HOMES ARE BEING BUILT TO ESTABLISH THOSE, THAT THOSE LIGHT LANDSCAPE GUIDELINES OR IRRIGATION GUIDELINES, RIGHT FROM THE BEGINNING, THEN TRY TO RETROACTIVELY CONVINCE, UH, AUSTIN WATER CUSTOMERS TO CHANGE THE WHOLE LANDSCAPE OR IRRIGATION SYSTEM. 
          SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE FOCUSING ON NEW BUILDS AND IT MIGHT INCLUDE INFILL NEW HOMES. 
          UM, BUT WE'LL BE THOUGHT WILL BE NEW HOMES. 
          THANK YOU. 
          ALL RIGHT, COMMISSIONER IS ANYONE ELSE? ALL RIGHT, KEVIN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. 
          WE APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE. 
          ALL RIGHT, MOVING ON TO THE NEXT ITEM. 
          UH, ITEM 
          [5. Update regarding Alternatives for EV ready, Electric ready, and Residential Multifamily Water Heating.]
FIVE UPDATE REGARDING ALTERNATIVES FOR EVIE READY, ELECTRIC READY, AND RESIDENTIAL MULTIFAMILY WATER HEATING, UH, KURT FROM AUSTIN ENERGY IS HERE. 
          GOOD EVENING. 
          IT'S GREAT TO BE HERE IN PERSON. 
          I'M KURT STOCKDALE. 
          I'M THE MANAGER FOR GREEN BUILDING AND SUSTAINABILITY FOR AUSTIN ENERGY. 
          I'M HERE TODAY TO TALK ABOUT A STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT PROCESS FOR EVIE AND ELECTRIC, READY TO INCLUDE RESIDENTIAL WATER HEATING. 
          FIRST, I'D LIKE TO START WITH A LITTLE BIT OF A REFRESHER. 
          THAT'S KINDA STRANGE, NOT QUICK Q AND UP ON SLIDE. 
          I'D LIKE TO START FIRST WITH, UH, UH, A LITTLE BIT OF REFRESHER OF FIRST. 
          WHAT EVE YOU READY IN ELECTRIC READY ARE, AND KIND OF THE BACKGROUND FOR WHY WE'RE HERE. 
          UH, SO WHAT ARE UV AND ELECTRIC CREDIT THEY'RE REALLY PROVISIONS IN DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION PRIMARILY THROUGH CODE, UH, THAT ALLOW FOR EASIER CONVERSION IN THE FUTURE FOR, UH, APPLIANCES AND VEHICLES THAT ARE FUELED BY CLEAN ENERGY. 
          UH, AN EXAMPLE OF AN ELECTRIC READY PROVISION MIGHT BE TAKE SOLAR, OR EXCUSE ME, TO TAKE A HIGH EFFICIENCY, WATER HEATING. 
          IF YOU'VE GOT A HOUSE THAT WAS BUILT WITH NATURAL GAS AS THE PRIMARY SOURCE FOR WATER HEATING UPFRONT, UH, THEY TEND TO HAVE SMALLER FOOTPRINTS THAN HIGH EFFICIENCY ELECTRIC SYSTEMS DO NOW. 
          UH, SO IF IN THE DESIGN FOR THAT, YOU ALLOW FOR A LARGER FOOTPRINT FOR THE CLOSET THAT THAT WATER HEATER GOES IN AND YOU RUN THE ELECTRIC SERVICE TO THAT. 
          THEY HAVE A HIGHER LEVEL, UH, DEMAND FOR ELECTRICITY TO SERVE IT. 
          THEN A CORRESPONDING NATURAL GAS SYSTEM WOULD THEN IT WOULD BE A LOT EASIER IN THE FUTURE TO COME IN AND RETROFIT TO A HIGH EFFICIENCY ELECTRIC SYSTEM. 
          IF YOU WANT TO DO ALLOWING YOU THAT CHOICE TO CHANGE FUEL SOURCES, MOVING FORWARD ON THE ELECTRIC CREDITS OR IN THE EVIE READY SIDE, SIMILAR THING THERE, UH, IN THE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION, WE WOULD LOOK AT POTENTIALLY HAVING A HIGHER, UH, LEVEL OF ELECTRIC SERVICE WHERE YOU COULD HAVE A DEDICATED 
          [01:25:01]
CIRCUIT, A 40 AMP CIRCUIT, UH, DEDICATED JUST TO FUTURE EVY CHARGING. 
          AND YOU COULD RUN CONDUIT FROM THE SERVICE PANEL TO WHEREVER YOUR VEHICLE WAS GOING TO BE PARKED. 
          AND IN THE FUTURE, IF YOU CHOSE TO GO TO AN ELECTRIC VEHICLE, IT WOULD GREATLY REDUCE THE PRICE OF, OF, UH, FACILITATING THE CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE TO BE ABLE TO HANDLE THAT. 
          AND THE REASON THAT THIS HAS COME UP AS A TOPIC HERE IS THAT DURING THE ADOPTION OF THE 21 INTERNATIONAL ENERGY CONSERVATION CODE, WHICH THE CITY ADOPTED BACK IN SEPTEMBER, UH, THE INTERNATIONAL CODE COUNCIL, WHICH IS THE BODY RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT, UH, WAS STILL WORKING THROUGH THAT LATE INTO THE PROCESS AND MADE SOME DECISIONS AS LATE AS I THINK. 
          WELL, CERTAINLY THE MONTH THAT WE LOOKED AT AT PASSING THIS, UH, ON TO COUNCIL FOR DECISION, UH, AROUND EVIE WRITING AND ELECTRIC READY PROVISIONS, AND THERE WAS AN APPEALS PROCESS, WHICH REVIEWED THESE AND INDUSTRY BROUGHT UP A CONCERN THAT EVIE READY AND ELECTRIC READY WERE OUTSIDE THE SCOPE OF THE INTERNATIONAL ENERGY CONSERVATION CODE, AS IT WAS WRITTEN, UH, CONSEQUENTLY, THE ICC DROPPED THE EVIE AND ELECTRIC READY PROVISIONS FROM THE 21 INTERNATIONAL ENERGY CONSERVATION CODE. 
          SO WHAT WE THOUGHT WAS GOING TO BE IN THERE AS PART OF THE CODE AS WE WENT INTO THIS WELL INTO THIS, UH, PROCESS ENDED UP GETTING DROPPED AT THE LAST MOMENT, GIVEN THAT, AND SOME OTHER ISSUES THAT WERE SURFACING AT THE TIME, PARTICULARLY AROUND LEGISLATION, CITY STAFF DETERMINED THAT AMENDMENTS TO THE 21 CODE WEREN'T APPROPRIATE MEANS TO PURSUE EVIE AND EVIE AND ELECTRIC READY AT THAT TIME, THERE WERE ALSO ISSUES RAISED AT THAT TIME THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE A SIGNIFICANT ENOUGH COMMUNITY DISCUSSION ABOUT AVIATOR AND REC ELECTRIC READY, UH, AROUND THE CODE ADOPTION PROCESS. 
          AND AS PART OF THAT, WE COMMITTED TO HAVING A MORE ROBUST DISCUSSION WITH THAT SUBSEQUENTLY. 
          AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE TODAY. 
          SO, UH, BEGINNING OF MARCH, WE'RE GOING TO INITIATE THAT PROCESS. 
          REALLY THE OBJECTIVES IS, IS AGAIN TO HAVE THIS VERY ROBUST STAKEHOLDER, UH, DISCUSSION AROUND EVIE AND ELECTRIC READY, UH, UNFILTERED BY US. 
          IT'S REALLY TRYING TO CAPTURE THE, THE, THE VOICE OF THE COMMUNITY ON THIS. 
          AND WHILE IT'S REALLY A CODE DISCUSSION THAT INITIATED THIS, YOU CAN'T LOOK AT CODE IN ISOLATION OR IN A VACUUM. 
          WHEN YOU LOOK TO MOVE THINGS FORWARD, UH, INTO A POSITION THAT CAN BE CODIFIED. 
          YOU REALLY NEED TO LOOK UP UPFRONT AT EDUCATION OF BOTH YOUR, YOUR CUSTOMERS, YOUR, YOUR, YOUR OCCUPANTS OF A BUILDING, AS WELL AS THE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION COMMUNITY. 
          UH, LET THEM KNOW THAT NEW TECHNOLOGIES ARE COMING, THAT NEW APPLICATIONS ARE COMING. 
          UH, REALLY LET THEM KNOW WHAT'S COMING FROM, UH, FROM A TECHNOLOGY EVOLUTION STANDPOINT. 
          AND THEN AS YOU GET A HIGHER DEGREE OF AWARENESS, YOU DEVELOP PROGRAMS WHICH INCENTIVIZE THAT BEHAVIOR. 
          AND AS YOU GET BETTER ADOPTION, YOU LEARN A LOT OF LESSONS COMING OUT OF THOSE, THOSE EARLY MOVERS INTO THAT SPACE. 
          AND ALSO GET A LOT OF MORE COMFORT IN BOTH THE CUSTOMERS ADOPTING THESE NEW TECHNOLOGIES, AS WELL AS THE DESIGN AND BUILD COMMUNITY, INCLUDING THEM IN THEIR CONSTRUCTION PROCESS. 
          AND ONCE YOU GET TO THE POINT THAT THERE'S SOME COMFORT WITH THAT, THEN YOU CAN LOOK TO CODIFY IT, PARTICULARLY THROUGH THINGS LIKE BUILDING CODE, UH, THERE'S SIGNIFICANT RISK IN BEING TOO EARLY IN TRYING TO CODIFY THINGS. 
          IF YOU GET SIGNIFICANT PUSHBACK, YOU POTENTIALLY RUN THE RISK OF GETTING THINGS PUSHED BACK AND REGRESSING A LITTLE BIT. 
          SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'VE GOT THE, THE ELEMENTS IN PLACE THAT THE COMMUNITY'S READY FOR THEM TO GO TO CODE JUMPING ME THROUGH THERE. 
          I'M SORRY. 
          SO AS FAR AS THE OUTPUT THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO HAVE WITH THIS, UH, IS GOING TO BE A SUMMARY OF STAKEHOLDER RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE AREA AREAS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT, A POLICY PROGRAMS AND EDUCATIONS EDUCATION IT'LL RESULT IN A REPORT OUT TO BOTH THE RMC AND THE EUC, AND THEN AUSTIN ENERGY WILL STUDY THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS AND REPORT OUT TO THE UC AND THE RMC AS TO ACTIONS THAT WE PLAN TO TAKE REGARDING THOSE, UH, THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS. 
          AS FAR AS THE COMPOSITION OF THE GROUP, THAT, THAT WE'LL BE DOING THIS, IT CAN BE ANY INTERESTED COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDER. 
          WE DO HAVE A LIST OF FOLKS THAT PARTICIPATED IN THE CODE ADOPTION PROCESS AND WE'LL REACH OUT PROACTIVELY TO THEM, UH, MEMBERS OF BOTH THE AUC AND THE RMC ARE 
          [01:30:01]
WELCOMED TO ATTEND. 
          UH, WE'RE LOOKING INTO ANY POTENTIAL ISSUES THAT THERE MIGHT BE AROUND QUORUM TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE, WE'VE GOT THAT COVERED AND WE'LL HAVE THAT ADDRESS BEFORE THERE'S ANY MEETING THERE. 
          UH, WE'RE ALSO LOOKING TO HAVE INTERESTED IN RELEVANT INDUSTRY REPRESENTATIVES. 
          UH, WE'RE GOING TO MAKE SURE TEXAS GAS HAS A SEAT AT THE TABLE, UH, TESLA, AND SOME OF THE OTHER OEMS HAVE INDICATED AN INTEREST IN POTENTIALLY PARTICIPATING. 
          WE'RE ALSO GOING TO HAVE NON-PROFITS AT THE TABLE. 
          THEY DO A GREAT JOB OF BRINGING THE VOICE OF SOME OF OUR UNDERREPRESENTED COMMUNITIES TO THE TABLE. 
          BUT TO THAT END, WE ALSO LOOK TO LEVERAGE OUR EXISTING EQUITY ENGAGEMENT, UH, CHANNELS, AS WELL AS PILOT IN A NEW FRAMEWORK THAT WE'RE WORKING ON FOR EQUITY ENGAGEMENT, MOVING FORWARD AS PART OF THIS, AS WELL. 
          AS FAR AS THE PROCESS ITSELF, IT'S GOING TO BE ALL VIRTUAL MEETINGS. 
          WE DO LOOK TO HAVE THEM RECORDED AND AVAILABLE FOR VIEWING AFTER THE, THE MEETINGS TAKE PLACE, IT'S GOING TO BE THREE MEETINGS. 
          WE'RE GOING TO HAVE AN UPFRONT MEETING TO TALK ABOUT PROCESS, GET FEEDBACK FROM THE PARTICIPANTS AS TO TWEAKS THAT WE CAN MAKE TO IT, MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE BUY-IN THERE. 
          THE TWO MEETINGS THAT ARE REALLY THE MEAT OF THE PROCESS ARE GOING TO BE ONE THAT'S AN EDUCATIONAL MEETING, AND IT WILL BE SEVERAL HOURS. 
          I ANTICIPATE LOOKING AT A REVIEW OF CURRENT CODES THAT ARE IN PLACE RELEVANT POLICIES, STATE OF TECHNOLOGY REVIEW OF CITY OF AUSTIN AND AUSTIN ENERGY PROGRAMS THAT MIGHT BE RELATED TO THESE AREAS. 
          LOOKING AT AFFORDABILITY IMPACTS THAT WE MIGHT, UH, REALIZE THAT AS WE LOOK AT ADOPTING THESE MEASURES, AS WELL AS IN ANY LIMITATIONS THAT EITHER AUSTIN ENERGY OR THE CITY OF AUSTIN MAY HAVE, AS WE LOOK TO, TO IMPLEMENT THESE POLICIES, WE'LL LOOK FOR SIGNIFICANT INPUT FROM SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS, BOTH FROM THE CITY, AS WELL AS INDUSTRY AND NONPROFITS. 
          THE SECOND SESSION FULL LENGTH SESSION IS GOING TO BE A DISCUSSION OF AREAS OF OPPORTUNITY. 
          IT WILL BE A FACILITATED DISCUSSION, GIVING THE STAKEHOLDERS AN OPPORTUNITY TO KIND OF BOUNCE IDEAS OFF OF ONE, ANOTHER VET, THEIR IDEAS AND FLESH FLESH THEM OUT SO THAT THEY'RE READY TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS BASED OFF OF THOSE, THOSE DISCUSSIONS AND THE INFORMATION THAT THEY'VE RECEIVED THE REPORT ITSELF, AND THEN IS GOING TO BE REALLY GENERATED FROM A SURVEY THAT WILL, UH, PUT OUT, UH, FOR COMMENT BASED OFF OF THESE FIRST TWO SESSIONS. 
          SO AGAIN, WE'RE REALLY NOT LOOKING TO HAVE THIS, ANY KIND OF NEGOTIATED DISCUSSION WITH AUSTIN ENERGY. 
          WE REALLY WANT TO GET TO YOU, UH, A LESS FILTERED COMMUNITY PERSPECTIVE ON THESE IDEAS. 
          SO WE'RE GOING TO GIVE YOU ALL OF THE SURVEY RESULTS. 
          UH, WE WILL PROBABLY LOOK TO HAVE NOTES FROM THE TWO MEETINGS AS WELL, BUT IT'S NOT GOING TO BE, UH, AN IN-DEPTH REPORT THAT HAS ANALYSIS FROM US. 
          IT'S GOING TO BE LARGELY, AGAIN, THIS UNFILTERED PERSPECTIVE FROM THE COMMUNITY. 
          WE'LL LOOK TO AGAIN, PRESENT THAT TO BOTH THE EUC AND THE RMC AND WITH THAT, THAT'S ALL I HAVE. 
          THANK YOU, KURT MUCH APPRECIATED, UH, REAL QUICK ON THE, THE TIMING OF THE OUTPUT FROM THESE SESSIONS. 
          WHEN DO YOU THINK, YOU KNOW, LIKE YOU MENTIONED THAT YOU'LL PRESENT THE RESULTS TO THE RMC, W WHAT'S THE TIMING THEN? I DON'T ANTICIPATE THIS BEING A REAL LENGTHY PROCESS. 
          I THINK IF WE KICK IT OFF IN MARCH, WE CAN PROBABLY SEE IT IN THE FIRST WEEK OF MARCH. 
          WE CAN PROBABLY HAVE THE SECOND MEETING THE WEEK AFTER SPRING BREAK, WHICH I BELIEVE IS MARCH 28TH IN THE 20TH AREA. 
          IF WE ALLOW A COUPLE MORE WEEKS FOR, FOR PREPARATION PAST THAT, UH, WE COULD PROBABLY HAVE THE FINAL MEETING IN APRIL, FINISH UP WITH THE SURVEY LATE APRIL. 
          I DON'T KNOW IF WE'LL GET TO YOU IN THE 1ST OF MAY. 
          IT WOULD EITHER BE HOPEFULLY MAY, BUT IT MIGHT BE THE 1ST OF JUNE. 
          GOTCHA. 
          OKAY. 
          AND THAT'S ALL SUBJECT TO THINGS DO NOT WORK THE WAY THEY USED TO. 
          I DO NOT HAVE ANY ILLUSIONS OF HAVING CONTROL OVER MY OWN DESTINY ANYMORE AFTER THE LAST TWO YEARS. 
          SURE. 
          ALL RIGHT. 
          UH, COMMISSIONER'S QUESTIONS FOR KURT, MR. WHITE. 
          THANK YOU. 
          UM, THANKS FOR THE PRESENTATION. 
          AND, UH, I, AS YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN EAGER TO SEE THIS PROCESS GET UNDERWAY, SO I'M GLAD THAT IT IS THANK YOU FOR, FOR THAT. 
          UM, AND I'M GLAD THAT YOU'RE DOING, UM, SOME ADDITIONAL OUTREACH. 
          I THINK THAT'S GREAT. 
          UM, ONE QUESTION YOU SAID THAT, YOU KNOW, AUSTIN ENERGY IS NOT TRYING TO DRIVE THE OUTCOME OF THIS PROCESS. 
          UH, I APPRECIATE THAT. 
          I'M WONDERING THOUGH, YOU MENTIONED THAT THE FIRST SESSION IS GOING TO BE FOCUSED ON EDUCATION. 
          AND SO I'M WONDERING WHO WAS GOING TO DO THAT EDUCATION. 
          UH, AND IF ANY OF WHAT WE JUST HEARD IS GOING TO BE PART OF THAT EDUCATION, UH, 
          [01:35:03]
I GUESS, YES, CERTAINLY SOME OF IT WILL BE PART OF THAT EDUCATION. 
          UH, WE HAVEN'T FINALIZED THE ROSTER. 
          UH, WE'LL LOOK TO HAVE SOMEBODY FROM TEXAS GAS COME IN AND TALK ABOUT, OR NOT, NOT FROM TEXAS GASTRO, BUT SOMEBODY FROM THE GAS INDUSTRY COME IN AND TALK ABOUT POTENTIAL OPTIONS AROUND, UH, CLEAN GAS. 
          JUST SO THAT PERSPECTIVE IS, IS BROUGHT TO THE TABLE. 
          UH, WE'LL LOOK TO, UH, SOME, SOME THIRD PARTIES, YOU KNOW, THINGS AROUND ELECTRIC, WATER HEATING. 
          WE'RE LOOKING TO HAVE EVERY COME IN THE ELECTRIC POWER RESEARCH INSTITUTE. 
          THEY'VE GOT A LOT OF FROM DATA RELATED TO REAL-WORLD INSTALLATIONS, REAL-WORLD EFFICIENCY, SAVINGS, THAT SORT OF THING. 
          SO, YOU KNOW, WE'LL LOOK TO AS MANY OF THESE THINGS AS WE CAN TO HAVE OUTSIDE, UH, PERSPECTIVES COME IN. 
          SOME OF THEM OBVIOUSLY ARE GOING TO BE CITY PERSPECTIVES AS WELL. 
          UH, BUT, YOU KNOW, LOOK AGAIN TO HAVE A BALANCED VIEW OF, OF, OF WHAT'S BROUGHT TO THE TABLE. 
          UH, AND, AND AGAIN, IT'LL, IT'LL CERTAINLY COVER THE THINGS THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT HERE. 
          OKAY. 
          UM, WELL, IT SEEMS LIKE IF YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE SOMEBODY REPRESENTING THE GAS INDUSTRY, THEN IT WOULD CERTAINLY BE FAIR GIVEN THE TOPIC THAT HAVE SOMEBODY REPRESENTING ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE WORKING TOWARDS ELECTRIFICATION. 
          AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE ARE SEVERAL THAT YOU COULD DRAW FROM. 
          UM, BUT I THINK THAT THAT'S IMPORTANT. 
          UM, AND I GUESS SPECIFICALLY AROUND WHAT YOU JUST PRESENTED, UM, YOU KNOW, ONE THING THAT REALLY CAUGHT MY EAR WAS, UH, YOUR MENTION OF, UH, YOU KNOW, TESTING OUT TECHNOLOGIES AND VOLUNTARY PROGRAMS AND THROUGH INCENTIVES SO THAT YOU DON'T RUSH INTO THINGS. 
          AND I AGREE THAT IN A LOT OF SITUATIONS THAT DOES MAKE SENSE, BUT WHEN IT COMES TO THE CODE, UM, CODE PROVISIONS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE WITH WHAT READINESS AND EVIE READY, WE'RE ACTUALLY NOT TALKING ABOUT INSTALLING ANY NEW TECHNOLOGY OR LITERALLY TALKING ABOUT PUTTING AN ELECTRIC WIRING IN A BUILDING. 
          SO IT'S IN NO WAY NEW TECHNOLOGY. 
          AND SO, YOU KNOW, I, I JUST THINK THAT'S NOT, I THINK IT SORT OF PREDISPOSES YOUR AUDIENCE TO THINK THAT YOU NEED TO, UM, SLOW DOWN, GO IN ONE DIRECTION THAT IS, YOU KNOW, NOT ADOPTING A CODE UPDATE. 
          AND I DON'T THINK THAT THAT WAS A REAL FAIR PIECE OF INFORMATION TO INCLUDE IN YOUR PRESENTATION. 
          I'M NOT CONCERNED ABOUT IT IN THIS VENUE, BUT I THINK IF YOU'RE DOING A PRESENTATION TO A BROADER VENUE, THAT IS MY PIECE OF FEEDBACK. 
          FAIR ENOUGH. 
          AND NOTED. 
          THANK YOU. 
          FURTHER QUESTIONS. 
          IT'S MINI. 
          HOW ABOUT A IMMUNE MYSELF, KURT, THIS IS SMITTY. 
          GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN. 
          UM, I HAVE A COUPLE OF CONCERNS ABOUT THIS THE FIRST AND PERHAPS EASIEST, CAUSE IT'S JUST PROBABLY A MISUNDERSTANDING ON MY PART IS ONE OF THE BIG DEALS. 
          UH, ANY 30 YEARS AGO, MAYBE 40 YEARS AGO. 
          I FORGET HOW LONG IT'S BEEN NOW, WHEN THIS WAS STARTED REALLY LOOKING AT, UM, HOW TO REDUCE, UM, THE DEMAND FOR ELECTRICITY, UM, WAS TO GET THE WATER HEATERS OUT OF OUR HOUSES, PUT THEM IN OUR GARAGES, PUT THEM IN THE ATTIC, PUT THEM SOMEPLACE ELSE. 
          SO WE DIDN'T HAVE THIS BIG HEAT SOURCE IN OUR HOMES. 
          AND YET IN THE MATERIALS WE HAVE BEFORE US, IT APPEARS WE'RE WIRING. 
          THE WATER HEATER CLOSET IS THAT MEANT TO THE CLOSET WILL BE IN THE HOUSE AGAIN. 
          I KNOW I DIDN'T MEAN TO, TO INSINUATE THAT AT ALL. 
          UH, I DON'T THINK WE'RE TALKING ABOUT LOCATION NECESSARILY ON THAT. 
          IT WAS JUST INCREASING THE FOOTPRINT TO ALLOW FOR FUTURE EXPANSION, YOU KNOW, FOR, INTO A LARGER APPLIANCE. 
          PERFECT. 
          I WILL BE LESS HOT THAN I WOULD BE IN OTHER VISIONS OF WHAT OUR FUTURE CAN BE IF THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE PUTTING IN IT. 
          AND, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, I'M GRATEFUL FOR YOU TO MOVE, BE MOVING FORWARD, BUT WE'VE BEEN HERE BEFORE. 
          AND WHAT I FEAR IS A PROCESS THAT TAKES SEVERAL MONTHS AND THEN WE GET READY TO TAKE IT TO COUNCIL. 
          AND ALL OF A SUDDEN IT'S LEGISLATIVE SESSION TIME AGAIN. 
          AND IN YOUR PREVIOUS COMMENTS, ONE OF THE THINGS YOU HAD MENTIONED WAS YOU TOOK COUNSEL WITH THE FOLKS AT AUSTIN ENERGIES, 
          [01:40:01]
HOW YOU PHRASE IT. 
          IT WAS VERY ADROITLY DONE, BUT, UM, BASICALLY YOU SAID, I DON'T WANT TO HAVE THIS FIGHT, UM, IN, DURING A PERIOD OF TIME WHEN THE LEGISLATURE MAY BE LOOKING OVER OUR SHOULDERS. 
          UM, UNFORTUNATELY OUR FRIENDS AT ALEC AND OTHERS HAVE ALREADY SAID, WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE, UM, ANY PRESCRIPTIVE MEASURES AND SAY, YOU CAN'T HAVE GAS APPLIANCES, AND THEY'RE ALREADY LINING UP TO WORK AGAINST EVIE READY COATS. 
          AND YOU'RE AN ASTUTE OBSERVER OF PROCESSES AT, UM, WHATEVER THE COUNCIL, THE CODE GROUP IS. 
          NO, THAT WAS PART OF AN UNDERLYING PLAY. 
          AND I'M SURE YOUR GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS PEOPLE HAVE SAID, THIS IS A FIGHT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE. 
          UM, BECAUSE ALEC HAS ALREADY TAKEN THIS ON AS RESOLUTION THAT THEY'RE GOING TO DEBATE, I THINK, AND THERE'S SOME RECESSION. 
          UM, SO FRANKLY I'M KIND OF CONCERNED ABOUT THE NEED TO WAIT. 
          WE HAVE DONE THIS SERIES OF DISCUSSIONS AND PASS RESOLUTIONS OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS SAYING, THIS IS WHERE WE WANT TO GO AS A COMMISSION. 
          IT'S BEEN POLICY ADOPTED BY THE COUNCILS APPROVAL OF THE CLIMATE PLAN. 
          UM, SO HOW COME WE HAVE TO WAIT TO DO THIS AND JUST TO PUT IT IN PERSPECTIVE? WELL, WE'VE BEEN WAITING 60,000 HOUSING UNITS HAVE BEEN BUILT IN THE LAST YEAR OR YEAR AND A HALF, DEPENDING ON THE METRIC. 
          I THINK THE NUMBER WAS LAST YEAR, WE HAD 18,500 NEW HOMES BUILT IN 2021 CALENDAR YEAR, 2021. 
          I COULD NOT FIND SIMILAR CALENDAR YEAR TO CALENDAR YEAR DATA, BUT I DID FIND IN THE PERIOD OF TIME FOR MARCH OF 2020, MARCH 1ST, 2020 TO FEBRUARY 28TH, 2021, AUSTIN BUILT 42,000 NEW APARTMENT UNITS. 
          MOST OF THOSE WITHOUT CHARGERS, UM, OR ACCESS TO CHARGING, UM, OR POTENTIALLY WITHOUT THE OPPORTUNITY TO ELECTRIFY THEIR, UH, WATER EATING. 
          UM, THAT'S A LOT OF HOUSES. 
          IT'S A LOT OF CLIMATE EMISSIONS AND BEEN LOCKED INTO THOSE HOUSES FOR 50, 60 YEARS UNTIL THAT, HOW DOES APARTMENT UNITS GET TORN DOWN OR 75 YEARS, ALL THOSE HOUSES BEFORE? WELL, MAYBE, MAYBE THEIR ECONOMICS WILL CHANGE IT TO WHERE WE HAVE TEAR DOWNS OF THE HOUSES THAT ARE BUILT IN EACH ONE OF YOU WITHIN THE NEXT 50 YEARS. 
          LIKE WE'RE SITTING ACROSS THE REST OF THE CITY, BUT A LOT OF HOUSES, A LOT OF EMISSIONS, ET CETERA. 
          SO WHAT'S THE DELAY. 
          WHY, WHY DON'T WE JUST GO AHEAD AND DO THIS? WELL, I THINK IT A WE'VE ASKED FOR, FOR STAKEHOLDER DISCUSSION OF THIS, AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE, WE SHOULD, YOU KNOW, HEAR THAT OUT. 
          UH, I THINK ALSO WE'VE, WE'VE GOT SOME EVOLUTION COMING ON WITH THE 24 CODE. 
          THOSE DISCUSSIONS ARE UNDERWAY NOW, NOW, AS YOU'VE POINTED OUT, UH, ADEPTLY, IT DOESN'T GUARANTEE THAT WHAT'S BEING DISCUSSED NOW IS WHAT'S ULTIMATELY BROUGHT FORWARD. 
          BUT I THINK HAVING A LITTLE BIT BETTER VISIBILITY INTO THAT OVER THE NEXT MONTH OR TWO WILL AS WELL AS, AS TO HELPING POTENTIALLY DIRECT OUR, OUR ATTENTION AND OUR STRATEGY. 
          UH, THE OTHER THING IS I'M ALSO LOOKING WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF THE BUDGET TO UNDERSTAND WHAT MAY BE OUT THERE FOR INCENTIVES THAT WE CAN DO IN THE AREAS OF EITHER YOUR WRITING IN PARTICULAR. 
          UH, WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT PROGRAM AROUND RESIDENTIAL WATER HEATING TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TO DRIVE THINGS FROM A, AN INCENTIVE-BASED PERSPECTIVE. 
          AND I DON'T HAVE GREAT NUMBERS THERE AS FAR AS WHAT THE IMPACT WOULD BE AND WHAT KIND OF REACH WE COULD HAVE. 
          UH, YOU KNOW, THAT WOULD BE THE THINGS THAT I COULD SAY WE COULD WAIT ON, BUT I ALSO UNDERSTAND THE VERY REAL SENSE OF URGENCY THAT THERE IS AROUND THIS AS WELL. 
          THANKS KURT, KURT, THE, UH, SO, UH, AS YOU KNOW, AT THE, AT THE STATE LEVEL, IT'S THE STATE ENERGY CONSERVATION OFFICE OR CECO THAT, UH, KIND OF SETS CODE STATEWIDE AND THEY'RE CURRENTLY EVALUATING THE 20, 21 ICC. 
          NOW, YOU KNOW, CERTAIN CITIES SUCH AS AUSTIN ARE ABLE TO GO AHEAD AND, AND ADOPT THAT IF THEY WANT. 
          [01:45:01]
UH, BUT THE, AT THE STATE LEVEL THAT'S HANDLED BY SEACO HAS, HAS CECO COMMENTED OR DO THEY HAVE A POSITION ON THE, THE EVN ELECTRIC READY PROVISIONS? THEY HAVEN'T COMMENTED PUBLICLY. 
          AND THEY'RE IN THE MIDST OF GETTING A PUBLIC OPINION PUBLIC FEEDBACK RIGHT NOW. 
          SO WE SHOULD HAVE INFORMATION FROM, FROM SICO AS TO WHAT THAT FEEDBACK HAS BEEN ON THE STATE LEVEL SOON AS WELL. 
          OKAY. 
          THANK YOU. 
          UH, COMMISSIONERS, ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS FOR KURT? ALL RIGHT. 
          HEARING NONE. 
          KURT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR, FOR BEING HERE FOR THE PRESENTATION. 
          UH, WE, WE APPRECIATE IT. 
          GREAT. 
          THANK YOU VERY MUCH. 
          APPRECIATE YOUR TIME. 
          ALRIGHT. 
          UH, MOVING ON TO AGENDA ITEM 
          [6. Discussion and possible action regarding a resolution on Electric Readiness and EV-Ready. (Sponsors: White; Johnson; Smith)]
SIX, DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING A RESOLUTION ON ELECTRIC READINESS AND EVIE READY SPONSORS, WHITE JOHNSON AND SMITH, UH, THAT DRAFT RESOLUTION WAS INCLUDED IN THE MEETING PACKET. 
          UH, WHAT I WOULD ASK IS FOR ON THIS ITEM, UH, FOR ONE OF THE SPONSORS TO KIND OF GIVE US AN OVERVIEW OF WHAT YOU ARE ASKING THE COMMISSION TO DO AND WHY, AND, UH, AT SOME POINT, UH, MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT THIS RESOLUTION SO THAT WE CAN OPEN DEBATES ON IT. 
          SO MR. CHAIRMAN, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK COMMISSIONER WHITE TO MAKE THE PRESENTATION ON THIS. 
          I WILL ACKNOWLEDGE FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T KNOW THAT MY PART-TIME PART-TIME, MY UNPAID JOB IS PROMOTING ELECTRIC VEHICLE POLICY. 
          SO I WANT TO BRING THIS TO YOUR ATTENTION AND BELIEVE IT'S OKAY FOR ME TO MAKE A MOTION, TO MAKE A MOTION, BUT TO PRES TO ASK THAT THIS BE BROUGHT FORWARD, HOWEVER, I WILL NOT BE VOTING ON THIS. 
          I MAY PARTICIPATE IN THE DEBATE IF NECESSARY, BUT I'M GOING TO ABSTAIN FROM VOTING. 
          SO KEB, COULD YOU TAKE OVER PLACEMENT? I THINK SMITTY, UM, WELL, HOPEFULLY I'LL, UH, HAD A CHANCE TO, UH, LOOK AT THIS. 
          I THINK IT'S, UH, PERHAPS BEEN SHARED, UH, AT ONE OF OUR PREVIOUS MEETINGS, BUT, UM, THE, WHEREAS IS THAT YOU SEE HERE ARE A COMBINATION OF, UH, LINKING THIS ACTION TO THE AUSTIN CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN, UH, GOALS AND STRATEGIES IN THAT PLAN, AS WELL AS, UM, POINTS THAT FRANKLY, THIS COMMISSION HAS AS MANY POINTED OUT BEN, UH, DISCUSSING ON AND OFF FOR A TOUR, I GUESS MORE LIKE THREE YEARS, AT LEAST I THINK AROUND THE ISSUE OF ELECTRIFICATION. 
          AND, UM, I DID NOT REITERATE ALL OF THE, UM, ALL OF THE POINTS THAT WE MADE IN OUR LAST RESOLUTION, UH, THAT WE ADOPTED, UH, UH, HONOR UNRELATED TOPIC, BUT I DID, UH, UH, ASK NATASHA TO SEND THAT AROUND AND I KNOW THAT SHE DID. 
          SO IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR KIND OF MORE HISTORY THERE AND, UM, MORE SOURCES, I WOULD, I WOULD POINT YOU TO THAT. 
          AND, AND WE CAN TALK THROUGH ANY OF THAT TONIGHT. 
          UM, AND I THINK, UH, YOU KNOW, I PUT THIS, UH, TOGETHER WITH, UH, SMITTY AND SHANNON'S SUPPORT, UH, WITH, YOU KNOW, THE, THE HOPE THAT THERE WOULD BE A PROCESS PRESENTED TO US, UH, SOONER THAN LATER. 
          UM, AND, UM, SO I'M GLAD THAT THAT CUR, UH, HAS PRESENTED TONIGHT AND TOLD US THAT THE TIMELINE SEEMS TO BE, UH, IN LINE WITH WHAT THIS RESOLUTION SAYS. 
          SO ON THE ONE HAND, I THINK IT COULD APPEAR THAT THIS ISN'T NECESSARY, BUT I DO THINK THAT IT'S GOOD FOR US TO TAKE ACTION BECAUSE AS WE'VE DISCUSSED BEFORE, THAT'S THE ONLY WAY WE, WE GET ANYTHING IN WRITING, UH, SAYING THAT WE SUPPORT A PROCESS. 
          SO IT SEEMS LIKE WHAT HE HAS PRESENTED. 
          AND IF YOU CAN SCROLL DOWN, WE CAN ACTUALLY SEE THAT THE MEAT OF WHAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING HERE. 
          UM, IF WE SHOULD ADOPT, UH, SORRY TOO FAR, A LITTLE BIT FURTHER DOWN, IT'S STILL A LITTLE BIT FURTHER. 
          OKAY. 
          UM, YEAH, THAT THAT'S MOST OF IT. 
          SO IT'S ESSENTIALLY, UH, SUPPORTING THE EBY READY AND ELECTRIC READINESS, UH, AMENDMENTS. 
          AND, UM, YOU KNOW, WE, THE WAY OUR, OUR, UM, COMMISSION HAS SET UP OR MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS TO COUNCIL WHO THEN CAN DIRECT THE CITY MANAGER WHO CAN DIRECT AUSTIN ENERGY. 
          SO, UM, THAT'S, 
          [01:50:01]
THAT'S WHY IT'S WORDED THIS WAY FOR ANY OF THE KIND OF NEWER FOLKS ON THE COMMISSION. 
          UM, BUT ESSENTIALLY, UH, SUPPORTING A PUBLIC PROCESS AND PUTTING A TIMELINE ON THAT, ON THIS PROCESS THAT WOULD ALIGN WITH WHAT WE'VE PREVIOUSLY BEEN TOLD THAT THIS COMMISSION IS THE PREFERRED TIMELINE FOR CODE UPDATES, UM, WHICH I BELIEVE WAS SEPTEMBER ONE ADOPTION OF NEW CODE UPDATES. 
          SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT WE HAVE HAD A LOT OF DISCUSSION HERE FOR THOSE OF US WHO HAVE BEEN ON THE COMMISSION. 
          UM, BUT FOR THOSE WHO ARE NEW, I'LL JUST HIT ON A FEW POINTS. 
          ONE ELECTRIC READINESS AND EVIE READINESS ARE COST SAVING MEASURES BECAUSE IT IS, IT IS MUCH, MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE TO TAKE THE ACTION OF RETROFITTING A BUILDING TO LATER TRANSITION FROM NATURAL GAS APPLIANCES TO ELECTRIC APPLIANCES. 
          YOU HAVE TO DO WIRING WHERE YOU ALREADY HAVE YOUR WALLS AND EVERYTHING IN PLACE. 
          AND I'M D I'M IN THE PROCESS OF DOING THIS AT MY OWN HOME. 
          I HAVE DONE IT FOR A COUPLE OF APPLIANCES AND ALREADY SPENT, YOU KNOW, OVER A COUPLE THOUSAND DOLLARS ON THAT. 
          AND THEN PLUS MY UV CHARGER, WHICH WAS, YOU KNOW, ANOTHER, UH, WIRING COST IN ADDITION TO THE CHARGER. 
          SO I CAN TELL YOU FROM FIRSTHAND, IT IS IT, YOU KNOW, IT IS NOT, UH, THE CHEAP WAY TO DO IT LATER. 
          IT IS THE CHEAP WAY TO PUT WIRING. 
          AND WHEN YOU HAVE YOUR WALLS OPENED UP DURING, WHEN THEY'RE STILL OPEN DURING CONSTRUCTION, SO IT'S A COST SAVING MEASURE. 
          IT IS, I THINK OBVIOUSLY A, UH, CLIMATE MEASURE. 
          AND THAT IS WHY IT'S IN THE CLIMATE PLAN, THAT TO ENCOURAGE ELECTRIFICATION, WHICH BOTH OF THESE DO INCURRED, ENCOURAGE ELECTRIFICATION, UH, UM, HOMES AND COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS POTENTIALLY TOO. 
          ALTHOUGH I THINK ELECTRIC READINESS IS ONLY, UM, CURRENTLY FOR, FOR RESIDENTIAL AND OF COURSE, TRANSPORTATION WITH THE EMV READY, UH, PIECE OF THAT. 
          IT IS ALSO AN INDOOR AIR QUALITY ISSUE. 
          WHAT A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE IS THAT OUTDOOR AIR QUALITY IS REGULATED. 
          AND SO THAT'S WHERE A LOT OF THE ATTENTION IS. 
          BUT, YOU KNOW, WE, WE HEARD AT THE TOP OF OUR MEETING FROM PAUL ROBBINS TONIGHT ABOUT INDOOR AIR QUALITY ISSUES COMING FROM MATERIALS, THAT IS A SERIOUS CONCERN. 
          THE OTHER BIG THING IS BURNING FUELS WITHIN OUR HOME. 
          AND THERE IS NOW RESEARCH THAT SHOWS THAT IT IS ACTUALLY ONE OF THE WORST THINGS THAT YOU CAN DO IN YOUR HOME IS TO BURN NATURAL GAS IN YOUR HOME. 
          NAMELY MOSTLY FROM COOKS COOKSTOVES, BUT REALLY ANY APPLIANCE POTENTIALLY COULD CONTRIBUTE TO THAT. 
          JUST THAT, THAT THE COOKSTOVE IS, IS IN YOUR LIVING SPACE. 
          AND, UM, ALSO OFTEN HAS THE MOST OPEN FLAME AND OFTEN ARE NOT, UH, KEPT PROPERLY MAINTAINED. 
          AND EVEN WHEN THERE IS VENTING, THE VENTS ARE OFTEN NOT USED. 
          SO THERE'S ALSO, UM, A REAL HEALTH BENEFIT FROM, FROM GOING IN THE DIRECTION OF ELECTRIFICATION. 
          AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE HAVE HAD THIS DISCUSSION, UM, YOU KNOW, ENOUGH AND, AND WE'VE, WE'VE KIND OF MOVED THINGS ALONG FROM THE POINT WHERE WE WERE WHEN WE LAST HAD IT THAT AT LEAST NOW OUR CODE DOES NOT, UH, REQUIRE OR PUSH, UH, PEOPLE IN THE DIRECTION OF USING NATURAL GAS, NAMELY FOR, FOR WATER HEATERS, BUT WE CAN EASILY TAKE THIS NEXT STEP OF AT LEAST MAKING IT UP TO THE CUSTOMER BECAUSE NEITHER OF THESE, UH, CODE PROVISIONS WOULD DO ANYTHING TO REQUIRE A BUILDER OR A, A CUSP, A HOMEOWNER OR A RESIDENT FROM USING ONE FUEL VERSUS THE OTHER. 
          ANYBODY WHO WANTS TO USE NATURAL GAS WILL STILL BE AT TOTAL LIBERAL LIBERTY TO DO SO. 
          AND, UH, THE, THE WISDOM OF OUR STATE LAWMAKERS HAS, UH, DECIDED THAT IT SHOULD BE SO, SO THERE'S NOTHING THAT WE CAN DO ABOUT THAT, BUT WHAT WE CAN DO IS MAKE IT SO THAT EVERYBODY DOES ACTUALLY HAVE A REASONABLE CHOICE. 
          AND THAT'S WHAT THIS IS ABOUT. 
          SO SORRY IF THAT WAS LONG-WINDED. 
          UM, I'D LOVE TO HEAR WHAT PEOPLE THINK HERE. 
          ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, CONCERNS I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT THIS, UM, PER YOUR REQUEST TO CHAIR. 
          OKAY. 
          UH, SO A MOTION HAS BEEN MADE TO ADOPT, UH, A RESOLUTION AS WRITTEN 
          [01:55:01]
SHOWN ON THE SCREEN. 
          SO WE'LL OFFICIALLY OPEN DEBATE AND DISCUSSION ON THAT. 
          UH, SO THE WAY THIS IS GOING TO WORK, IF ANYONE HAS ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FOR, UH, THE SPONSORS, UH, LET'S HAVE THAT DISCUSSION NOW. 
          UM, IF ANYONE HAS SOME CHANGES THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE TO THIS PARTICULAR RESOLUTION, UH, YOU ARE ALSO WELCOME TO MAKE A MOTION TO THAT EFFECT, AND WE CAN HANDLE THOSE, UH, AS, AS THEY COME UP. 
          UH, SO THAT'S HOW WE'LL WORK AT PROCEDURALLY. 
          UH, WITH THAT, IT LOOKS LIKE, UH, COMMISSIONER STONE HAS SOME COMMENTS. 
          UM, UM, ACTUALLY I JUST WANTED TO OFFER ONE FRIENDLY AMENDMENT ON THE FIRST SENTENCE. 
          IT SAYS AUSTIN CITY APPROVE, AND IT SHOULD BE APPROVED BECAUSE IT'S PAST TENSE. 
          UM, OH, SORRY. 
          YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT HELPING THE FIRST, WHEREAS YEAH, SORRY. 
          IT, NO, THAT'S FINE. 
          UM, CAN, CAN, CAN WE GET SCROLLED UP TO THE TOP OF THE DOCUMENT? YES. 
          YEAH. 
          I SEE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. 
          THAT DEFINITELY NEEDS A D ABSOLUTELY. 
          YES. 
          OKAY. 
          UH, SO THAT MOTION IS MADE ANY OBJECTIONS SEEING NONE. 
          WE WILL ADD THE D UH, SORRY. 
          THIS IS, UH, COMMISSIONER JOHNSON. 
          I SAW ANOTHER SMALL GRAMMAR, UM, THING. 
          UM, I THINK WHERE'D IT GO? I THINK IT'S SO, WHEREAS IT IS MORE AFFORDABLE TO DO ELECTRICAL WIRING AND INSTALL AND APPROPRIATELY SIZED ELECTRIC PANEL. 
          I THINK YOU SHOULD SAY AN APPROPRIATELY SIZED IS THAT ATTENDED? COOL. 
          THANK YOU. 
          ALL RIGHT. 
          UH, THE MOTIONS MADE ANY OBJECTIONS, SAY NONE ACCEPTED. 
          ALRIGHT. 
          UH, COMMENTS, UH, DISCUSSION ANYONE. 
          OKAY. 
          OKAY. 
          UH, I'VE GOT A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS. 
          UM, I GUESS FOR THE SPONSORS, ASSUMING WE WERE TO PASS THIS, WHAT DO YOU ENVISION HAPPENS NEXT? I GUESS WHAT'S THE, HOW DOES THIS PROCESS PLAY OUT? WELL, UM, I GUESS, PER, PER THE UPDATES THAT WE'VE GOT ON PREVIOUS, UH, CODE CHANGES, IT SEEMS THAT THERE ARE, THERE, THERE ARE SET COMMISSIONS THAT NEED TO BE, UM, CONSULTED AND, UM, YOU KNOW, WEIGH IN ON CODE AMENDMENTS. 
          AND WE'RE ONE OF THEM. 
          AND I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT THE LIST IS. 
          THERE'S OFTEN A SORT OF LONGER LIST. 
          I THINK THAT AUSTIN ENERGY GOES TO. 
          UM, BUT I THINK THERE'S ONLY LIKE TWO OR THREE THAT ARE ACTUALLY ARE IT'S PART OF THEIR CHARTER AND BASICALLY, YOU KNOW, A PROPOSED, UM, UPDATE FIRST, UH, HAS THE STAKEHOLDER PROCESS, WHICH IT SOUNDS LIKE, UH, IS BEING INITIATED. 
          AND THEN, UM, THE PROPOSED UPDATE GOES TO THOSE, UM, YOU KNOW, THOSE, TO THOSE, UH, SORRY, THE SPORTS AND COMMISSIONS, UM, THAT, THAT HAVE THIS UNDER THEIR PURVIEW, AND THEN IT GOES TO COUNCIL. 
          GOTCHA. 
          AND I GUESS, YOU KNOW, AFTER HEARING KURT'S PRESENTATION ON, IS THE UPCOMING KIND OF STAKEHOLDER INPUT PROCESS, DO YOU, I MEAN, AS THAT'S KIND OF THE TIMELINE ON THAT IS, IS KIND OF NEW INFORMATION HERE. 
          DO YOU THINK THAT CHANGES, YOU KNOW, THE TIMING ON WHEN IT IS APPROPRIATE TO DO THIS, OR, YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE DOING THIS IN PARALLEL WITH KURT'S PROGRAM, DOES THAT POTENTIALLY CREATE CONFUSION? I MEAN, IT SOUNDS LIKE HIS TIMELINE, UH, IS PRETTY, PRETTY ALIGNED WITH THIS ONE. 
          I MEAN, WHAT HE'S TALKING ABOUT, I THINK, AND I'M TRYING TO REMEMBER, I THINK HE SAID, YOU KNOW, START THE START OF MAY. 
          HE COULD BE BACK TO US. 
          UM, SO PRESUMABLY AROUND THAT TIME HE COULD, UH, YOU KNOW, CIRCLE TO THE OTHER COMMISSIONS WITH, WITH, UH, YOU KNOW, WITH AN ACTION ITEM AS WELL. 
          SO IT'S, IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S PRETTY, PRETTY WELL IN LINE. 
          UM, WITH THIS I'M JUST THINKING BACK TO LAST YEAR, I THINK WE GOT A PRESENTATION, UH, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN IN MAY 
          [02:00:01]
AND THEN I THINK TOOK ACTION. 
          I CAN'T LAY, OR WE TOOK ACTION IN JUNE AND THEN COUNCIL TOOK ACTION, I THINK, IN JUNE. 
          AND THEN THINGS START THE FACT THAT I THINK IT WAS SEPTEMBER ONE IS WHAT'S IN MY HEAD. 
          OKAY. 
          AND, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, ONE OF THE CONCERNS WE KEEP HEARING IS, UH, YOU KNOW, POLITICAL LAMP IMPLICATIONS. 
          ARE YOU AWARE OF ANY OTHER TEXAS CITIES THAT HAVE ADOPTED THOSE PORTIONS OF THE, OF THE CODE THAT ED AND ELECTRIC READY? I AM NOT SURE ABOUT THAT. 
          SMITTY G YOU KNOW, OF ANY THAT HAVE, I DON'T THINK ANY HAVE DONE ELECTRIC READINESS. 
          DO YOU KNOW OF ANY THAT HAVE DONE EBY READY? I THINK DALLAS IS CONSIDERING IT. 
          I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW THAT THEY'VE DONE IT NOW. 
          LOOK, WHILE WE'RE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION. 
          OKAY. 
          ANY, ANYONE ELSE? COMMENTS OR, UH, DISCUSSION QUESTIONS. 
          OKAY. 
          SO MANY, I'M TRYING TO GIVE YOU TIME TO DO YOUR GOOGLING, BUSY, BUSY GOOGLING, FINDING IT. 
          CAN YOU MAYBE, MAYBE YOU CAN, UH, YOU CAN SHOW A LITTLE FOR US. 
          DO YOU WANT TO ADD ANYTHING TO THIS? UM, NO, I THINK I'M JUST GOING TO CONTINUE TO GOOGLE THAT CHAT WHILE I'M DRIVING JANE. 
          UH, SORRY. 
          CAN YOU REPEAT THAT? OH, I JUST, WE'RE TRYING TO GIVE, WE'RE TRYING TO GIVE SMITTY A LITTLE TIME TO LOOK UP THIS, UH, THIS FACT ABOUT DALLAS. 
          SO I JUST WANTED TO SEE IF YOU, IF YOU WANTED TO ADD ANYTHING, UH, HERE ON THIS RESOLUTION, I'D BE LIKE, IF YOU HAVE ANY THOUGHTS OF YOU, I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY YOU'RE SUPPORTING IT, BUT YOU WANT TO ADD TO THE CONVERSATION? UM, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION. 
          UM, I MEAN, I, I'M SURE I COULD COME UP WITH A FEW USE EUPHEMISMS FOR, I'M NOT SURE. 
          AND LET ME THINK ABOUT IT AND STALL FOR SOME TIME, LIKE I'M DOING RIGHT NOW, BUT ALL RIGHT. 
          W WE DO IT. 
          SO CHRIS, YOUR SON DOES HAVE A QUESTION, UM, IN GREETING THIS, BASICALLY WHAT WE'RE SAYING TO THE CITY COUNCIL IS, IS WE WANT YOU TO DIRECT THE CITY MANAGER TO START A FORMAL PROCESS. 
          DO YOU ENVISION WHATEVER THE CITY COUNCIL MIGHT ASK THE CITY MANAGER TO DO TO BE SOMEHOW DIFFERENT FROM WHAT AUSTIN ENERGY IS ALREADY DOING? AND IF SO, COULD YOU KIND OF SPEAK TO THAT A LITTLE BIT ON WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE? I THINK THE ONLY MATERIAL DIFFERENCE HERE IS US ACTUALLY, AGAIN, ENDORSING THAT WE DO SUPPORT ELECTRIFICATION. 
          UM, WHEREAS IT SOUNDS LIKE AUSTIN ENERGY IS STARTING THE, UM, THEIR STAKEHOLDER PROCESS. 
          UM, I DON'T KNOW, I GUESS MAYBE THEY'RE SAYING THEY SUPPORT ELECTRIFICATION, BUT THAT WE WOULD BE SAYING HERE THAT WE SUPPORT ELECTRIFICATION, UM, OR ELECTRIC READINESS AND EVIE READINESS ANY WAY AS PART OF THE CODE, AS OPPOSED TO, UM, YOU KNOW, ONE OPTION, UM, TO BE CONSIDERED. 
          I THINK THAT'S THE MINUTE MATERIAL DIFFERENCE AIR. 
          AND BY THE WAY, I DO THINK THAT INCENTIVES, UM, ADDITIONAL INCENTIVES ARE NEEDED. 
          I JUST DON'T THINK THAT IT'S A GOOD USE OF MONEY TO SPEND THEM ON NEW CONSTRUCTION, BECAUSE THERE'S JUST NOT A NEED FOR A FINANCIAL INCENTIVE TO DO THIS WHERE THERE'S A NEED FOR MORE FINANCIAL INCENTIVES IS FOR RETROFITS DOES THAT MAKE SENSE, REBECCA? I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING YOU'VE SAID SO FAR. 
          COOL. 
          THANKS. 
          I'M NOT FINDING ANY IN TEXAS AT THIS POINT. 
          OKAY. 
          THANKS MADDIE. 
          NOW, OTHER STATES ARE DOING THIS KIND OF THING, BUT OTHER STATES ARE ALSO, YOU KNOW, GOING MUCH FURTHER THAN JUST ELECTRIC GRID. 
          UM, BUT I THINK THIS IS, 
          [02:05:01]
THIS IS, THIS IS WHAT WE CAN DO IN TEXAS. 
          ALL RIGHT. 
          UH, COMMISSIONERS LAST CALL BEFORE IT LOOKS LIKE WE'LL MOVE TO A VOTE. 
          ALL RIGHT. 
          UH, HEARING NONE, A MOTION ON THE TABLE IS TO APPROVE, UH, THIS RESOLUTION, UH, AS SHOWN RIGHT HERE WITH TWO, UH, GRAMMATICAL CORRECTIONS, WHICH I HAVE NOTED, UH, IN ORDER TO TAKE THIS VOTE, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO TURN EVERYONE NEEDS TO TURN YOUR CAMERAS ON I THINK WE CAN PROBABLY, UH, TAKE THE, THE RESOLUTION DOWN UNLESS ANYBODY STILL NEEDS IT UP JUST TO MAKE IT EASIER ON THE BOAT. 
          ALRIGHT. 
          UH, SO ALL IN FAVOR OF ADOPTING THE RESOLUTION AS, AS WRITTEN WITH THE TWO CORRECTIONS, I MENTIONED, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND AND GIVE ME A SECOND TO TELL ME THIS. 
          YES. 
          FOR ME. 
          AND YES, FOR COMMISSIONER ANGLE. 
          SORRY. 
          THIS IS AWKWARD. 
          KEEP YOUR HANDS UP. 
          ALL RIGHT. 
          UH, ALL THE POST, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND AND ANY ABSTENTIONS ALL RIGHT. 
          SO BY MY COUNT, THE RESOLUTION PASSES ON A SEVEN TO ZERO TO TWO VOTE. 
          IS THAT WHAT YOU HAPPEN TO SASHA? ALL RIGHT. 
          THANK YOU VERY MUCH. 
          THANK YOU EVERYBODY. 
          APPRECIATE IT. 
          THANK YOU. 
          ALL RIGHT. 
          UH, MOVING ON FUTURE AGENDA 
          [7. Discuss potential future agenda items.]
ITEMS, UH, NEXT MEETING IN MARCH, BESIDES THE ONES THAT I THINK I'VE ALREADY BEEN MENTIONED, I IMAGINE THERE WILL PROBABLY BE AN UPDATE ON THE, UH, FAYETTE COAL PLANTS, UH, NON CLOSURE, UH, JUST AS A REMINDER TO EVERYONE. 
          IF YOU DO HAVE A FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS, PLEASE GET THOSE IN TO MYSELF AND NATASHA WITH A CO-SPONSOR AND EARLIER IS BETTER FOR, UH, AGENDA PLANNING, UH, WITH THAT, THAT IS THE END OF OUR FORMAL AGENDA. 
          ANY FURTHER COMMENTS WITH LIKE COMMISSIONER WYATT? UM, I JUST, UH, WANTED TO LET FOLKS KNOW I GOT AN INVITATION THAT AUSTIN ENERGY WAS, UM, DOING, UH, UM, I GUESS, UH, KIND OF STAKEHOLDER MEETING. 
          AND NOW I'M TRYING TO FIND IT IN MY MESS OF TABS THAT ARE OPENED AT OTHERS. 
          GET THAT, THAT IT WAS AS IT WAS, I THINK, AROUND EVALUATING THEIR EFFICIENCY, UH, PROJECTS THERE'S THAT PEOPLE WOULD WANT TO KNOW ABOUT THAT. 
          WHAT OTHERS RECEIVE THAT, OR, UH, I DID NOT RECEIVE IT, I DON'T THINK, BUT IF IT IS SOMETHING THAT YOU HAVE, YOU CAN JUST FORWARD. 
          YEAH. 
          IT'S NEXT, NEXT TUESDAY LOOKS NEXT TUESDAY AT 6:00 PM. 
          I CAN SEND THE LINK AROUND. 
          UM, JUST WANTED TO MENTION IT HERE IN OUR MEETING. 
          YES. 
          IF YOU COULD SEND THAT TO NATASHA, SHE CAN DISTRIBUTE TO THE COMMISSION AND KURT. 
          I THINK YOU, UM, I'M ADMINISTERING THAT, THAT PROJECT AND IT'S PART OF THE PROJECT REPORT OUT. 
          YOU GUYS VIEWED IT MIGHT BE ACTUALLY, IT MIGHT BE BEST TO JUST COME TO A MIKE, UH, GOOD EVENING, KURT DOGVILLE AGAIN. 
          UH, SO I'M, I'M A PM IN THAT PROJECT AND IT'S PART OF THE PROJECT PLAN TO REPORT TO THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS ON THIS. 
          THIS IS IN SUPPORT OF THE COMPONENT OF THE GENERATION RESOURCE PLAN THAT ASKS FOR US TO DO AN EQUITY ASSESSMENT OF AUSTIN ENERGY'S ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROGRAMS. AND I CAN LOOK AT THE SCHEDULE THAT WE'VE GOT. 
          THAT INCLUDES THE DATES THAT WE HAVE ANTICIPATED FOR REPORTING OUT TO BOTH BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS AND COORDINATE WITH NATASHA TO MAKE SURE THAT IT GETS ON YOUR AGENDAS AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME. 
          [02:10:04]
GOTCHA. 
          OKAY. 
          ANY, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS TO OCCURRED ON THAT TOPIC? ALL RIGHT, THANKS. 
          ALL RIGHT. 
          ANYTHING ELSE? BEFORE WE ADJOURN HEARING NONE, WE WILL GO AHEAD AND ADJOURN THE MEETING. 
          THE TIME IS EIGHT 14. 
          UH, THANK YOU, EVERYONE FOR JOINING. 
          AND WE WILL MEET AGAIN IN A MONTH. 
          HAVE A GOOD NIGHT. 
          OKAY.
* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.