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[CALL TO ORDER ]
QUORUM.SO WE'RE CALLING THE MEETING TO ORDER.
HOPEFULLY, UH, SOMEDAY WE CAN NOT SIT IN TRAFFIC SO MUCH.
WE'RE GONNA START WITH THE, WE'RE GONNA START WITH THE MINUTES.
DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS OTHER THAN PEOPLE SIGNED UP FOR THE HEARING? I'M ASSUMING NOT.
[1. Approval of minutes from the February 28th meeting of the Joint Sustainability Committee. ]
THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES, IF ANYBODY HAS A MOTION ON THAT.I, I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM THE LAST MEETING.
ANY EDITS, CHANGES, CONCERNS WITH THE MINUTES? OKAY.
ALL IN FAVOR? PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
YOU'RE ABSTAINING BECAUSE I WASN'T AT THE MEETING.
YOU ARE STILL ALLOWED TO VOTE.
NO PRESSURE, BUT YOU'RE STILL ALLOWED TO VOTE.
HOPE THAT WAS AN APPROPRIATE AMOUNT OF PRESSURE.
UM, IT IS NICE TO GET THEM POSTED.
[3. Navigating Funding Opportunities – Erik Nelson and Belinda Weaver, Financial Services Department. ]
GONNA GO A LITTLE BIT OUT OF ORDER.WE'RE GONNA START, WE, UM, ITEM NUMBER THREE, WHICH IS A PRESENTATION FROM THE BUDGET OFFICE ON FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES.
AND LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE ERIC NELSON AND BELINDA WEAVER TO PRESENT.
I'M ERIC NELSON, UH, DIVISION CHIEF WITH FINANCIAL SERVICES, BUDGET AND PERFORMANCE.
GOOD EVENING COMMITTEE MEMBERS, BELINDA WEAVER, CITY TREASURER WITH FINANCIAL SERVICES.
UH, SO YEAH, AS THE CHAIR MENTIONED, WE'LL BE, UH, GIVING A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF, UH, THE WAY THE CITY'S BUDGET IS STRUCTURED AND, UH, HOW DIFFERENT PORTIONS OF THE BUDGET, UH, MAY PROVIDE, UH, DIFFERENT FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR, UH, RESPONDING TO THE RECENT CLIMATE RESOLUTION.
UM, IF WE COULD GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
SO, FROM THE, UH, FINANCIAL SERVICES PERSPECTIVE, WE HAD, UH, TWO MAIN TAKEAWAYS.
ONE WAS TO LOOK FOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS AND PROGRAMS TO MAXIMIZE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT TAX CREDITS.
UM, BUT OUR FOCUS TODAY IS ON, UH, ANOTHER TAKEAWAY, WHICH WAS TO REVIEW AND IDENTIFY WHICH INVESTMENTS THAT THE COMMITTEE ULTIMATELY IDENTIFIES.
UM, HAVE THE OPTION OF BEING FUNDED, UH, THROUGH THE CITY'S DIFFERENT, UH, REVENUE SOURCES AND SORT OF BUCKETS OF FUNDS.
UH, AMONG THOSE ARE THE UTILITIES RATES AND FEES, UM, GENERAL FUND REVENUE AND EXPENDITURES, GRANTS AND BOND INSTRUMENTS.
SO THIS IS, UH, JUST A PIE CHART SHOWING AN OVERVIEW OF THE CITY AS A WHOLE.
A LOT OF THE TIME WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THE CITY, WE FOCUS ON THE GENERAL FUND, UH, ESPECIALLY I DO IN THE BUDGET OFFICE, BUT IT'S ACTUALLY A MUCH BROADER ORGANIZATION.
UM, ACTUALLY, AUSTIN ENERGY REPRESENTS THE LARGEST SHARE OF THE CITY'S OVERALL REVENUE AND EXPENDITURES AT OVER A QUARTER.
UH, THE GENERAL FUND'S RIGHT BEHIND THAT.
AND THEN YOU CAN SEE AUSTIN WATER IS THE NEXT LARGEST CHUNK WITH, UH, OVER 10% OF, OF THE CITY'S TOTAL BUDGET.
UH, SO WITH RESPECT TO AUSTIN ENERGY, THEY'RE ABOUT $1.7 BILLION IN REVENUE THIS YEAR.
UM, MOSTLY FROM RATES AND THEN A LITTLE BIT FROM SOME ANCILLARY FEES.
OF COURSE, THEIR MAJOR EXPENDITURES ARE ASSOCIATED WITH GENERATING AND PROVIDING ELECTRIC SERVICE DELIVERY, INCLUDING POWER SUPPLY COSTS, TRANSMISSION COSTS, AND THE OPERATING EXPENSES THAT GO ALONG WITH THAT.
UM, THEY ALSO HAVE DEBT SERVICE EXPENSES.
THEY ARE, UH, LIKE WATER ALLOWED TO ISSUE THEIR OWN DEBT, AND BELINDA WILL GET INTO MORE DEPTH ABOUT THAT.
UM, AND JUST TO GIVE AN EXAMPLE OF THE TYPE OF, UH, CLIMATE RELATED PROGRAM THAT ENER AUSTIN ENERGY CURRENTLY FUNDS, UH, THEY HAVE A COMMUNITY BENEFIT CHARGE
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AS PART OF THEIR RATES, AND THEY USE THAT IN PART TO PROVIDE REBATES AND INCENTIVES FOR ENERGY EFFICIENCY IMPROVEMENTS, REBATES FOR ROOFTOP SOLAR SYSTEMS, AND FOR THE AUSTIN ENERGY GREEN BUILDING PROGRAM.SO THE MAIN THING, UM, TO REMEMBER WITH RESPECT TO THE UTILITIES IS JUST THAT THEY, THEY CAN FUND CLIMATE RELATED INITIATIVES, BUT THEY NEED TO BE, UH, SUBSTANTIAL RELATED TO, UM, THE MISSION OF, OF THAT UTILITY.
UH, AUSTIN WATERS ALMOST $700 MILLION IN REVENUE.
OBVIOUSLY, MOST OF THEIR EXPENSES ARE, UH, INVOLVED WITH TREATING AND TRANSPORTING, UH, CLEAN WATER TO AUSTIN'S RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES.
UM, A MAJOR, UH, SUSTAINABILITY AND CLIMATE RELATED INITIATIVE FOR AUSTIN WATER RIGHT NOW.
MANY OF YOU HAVE, I'M SURE, HEARD OF THE, UH, PURPLE PIPE PROGRAM, AND THAT IS, UH, AN INITIATIVE TO INCREASE RECLAIM WATER USAGE IN AND AROUND AUSTIN, UM, WITH THE HOPE OF ULTIMATELY SAVING 6 MILLION GALLONS A DAY.
AND, UH, THAT AGAIN, IS FUNDED THROUGH, UH, THEIR RATES AND FEES.
NOW, IF WE JUST DRILL DOWN INTO THAT, ABOUT QUARTER OF THE FIRST PIE CHART.
THAT'S THE GENERAL FUND, WHICH REPRESENTS, UH, $1.4 BILLION IN REVENUE AND EXPENDITURES.
UM, THIS IS FUNDED ALMOST HALF BY PROPERTY TAX, UH, WITH OVER A QUARTER BY SALES TAX.
THEN THE UTILITY TRA UH, THE UTILITIES BOTH TRANSFER A PAYMENT EACH YEAR TO THE GENERAL FUND, WHICH REPRESENTS OUR RETURN AS THE, UH, COMMUNITY OWNERS OF THOSE UTILITIES.
AND THEN WE HAVE A VARIETY OF OTHER REVENUE SOURCES MAKING UP, UM, THE REMAINING ABOUT 13%.
I JUST WANT TO NOTE HERE THAT, UH, ESPECIALLY DUE TO ACTIONS OF THE STATE LEGISLATURE OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS, WERE SEVERELY CONSTRAINED IN, UH, THE AMOUNT OF ADDITIONAL PROPERTY TAX WE CAN RAISE EACH YEAR.
AND THEN WITH RESPECT TO SALES TAX, WE DON'T HAVE CONTROL OVER THAT RATE.
UH, WE RECEIVE 1% OF TAXABLE SALES IN THE AUSTIN, UH, WITHIN AUSTIN CITY LIMITS.
AND, UH, SO WE'RE SUBJECT TO, UH, THE ECONOMIC AND BUSINESS CYCLE AND THE EBBS AND FLOWS OF THE REVENUE THAT GOES ALONG WITH THAT.
ON THE EXPENDITURE SIDE, AGAIN, IT'S $1.4 BILLION.
UM, OUR PUBLIC SAFETY DEPARTMENTS REPRESENT, UM, A MAJORITY OF THOSE EXPENSES.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A VARIETY OF OTHER, UM, GENERAL FUND DEPARTMENTS, PARKS AND RECREATION, PUBLIC HEALTH, LIBRARY, HOUSING AND PLANNING, MUNICIPAL COURT.
UM, WE HAVE A NEW FORENSIC SCIENCE DEPARTMENT AS WELL, UH, ROUNDING OUT, UH, THE REST OF OUR SERVICES.
SO, UH, GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES CAN BE PRETTY BROAD AND THEY CAN BE USED FOR ANY LAWFUL MUNICIPAL PURPOSE AS DEFINED BY STATE LAW.
BUT TO JUST TO GIVE YOU, UM, A FEW EXAMPLES OF SOME SUSTAINABILITY RELATED INITIATIVES THAT THE GENERAL FUND CONTRIBUTES TO, UH, WE SPEND ABOUT $2 MILLION IN THE FLEET MOBILITY BUDGET, UM, TO INCREASE OUR SUPPLY OF, UM, BATTERY ELECTRIC VEHICLES.
WE'RE GONNA INCREASE THAT TO 388 VEHICLES THIS YEAR.
UM, THE URBAN FORESTRY DIVISION IS HOUSED WITHIN THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT, BUT IT'S FUNDED THROUGH A TRANSFER FROM THE GENERAL FUND, AND THAT'S THE FUND, UH, THAT DIVISION'S WORK, UH, COLLECTING AND MONITORING TREE CANOPIES.
AND THEN JUST AS ANOTHER EXAMPLE, WE PARTNER WITH CAP METRO TO OFFER FREE TRANSIT PASSES TO CITY EMPLOYEES TO, UH, REDUCE TRAFFIC AND CONGESTION, AS YOU PROBABLY UNFORTUNATELY HAVE EXPERIENCED TONIGHT.
FINALLY, UH, THE RESOLUTION ALSO ASKS US TO LOOK AT GRANTS.
UM, ZACH WILL BE ABLE TO SPEAK MORE ABOUT THIS, BUT WE CERTAINLY DO PURSUE GRANTS, UM, INCLUDING CLIMATE RELATED GRANTS.
AND JUST AS A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES, WE HAVE A $1 MILLION GRANT WITH THE EPA, UH, RELATED TO REDUCING GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS.
AND WE HAVE, UM, AN AIR MON AIR MONITORING GRANT THROUGH THE STATE.
UH, MOST OF OUR GRANTS ARE GOING TO BE THROUGH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OR, UM, THROUGH THE STATE OF TEXAS.
AND I THINK WE'LL BE MOVING ON TO BELINDA TO GIVE YOU MORE DETAIL ABOUT, UH, THE CITY'S VARIOUS OPTIONS FOR ISSUING DEBT.
UM, GOOD EVENING AGAIN, COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
UH, SO A COUPLE OF OTHER FUNDING SOURCES TO DISCUSS SPECIFICALLY AROUND CITY OF AUSTIN ISSUED BONDS.
THIS IS JUST A GENERAL HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW OF THESE TYPES OF BONDS THAT WE ISSUE.
UM, STARTING WITH GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS GEO BONDS, THESE BONDS ARE BACKED BY THE FULL FAITH AND CREDIT OF THE CITY.
UM, AND THE OUT, OR EXCUSE ME, THE DEBT SERVICE, UM, ASSOCIATED
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WITH THESE BONDS ARE PAID FOR, UM, BY AVALOR PROPERTY TAXES.I DO ALSO HAVE NOTATED HERE THAT STATUTORY PROVISIONS DEFINE ALLOWABLE BOND PROCEED USES, UM, ASSOCIATED WITH OUR GEO DEBT.
AND IN ADDITION TO THAT, THE CITY ALSO HAS FINANCIAL POLICIES THAT DETAIL VARIOUS GEO DEBT REQUIREMENTS THAT WE ADHERE TO AS WELL.
SO, UM, WE HAVE LISTED HERE THE THREE TYPES OF GENERAL OBLIGATION DEBT THAT THE CITY, UM, DOES CURRENTLY ISSUE.
THEY ARE PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT BONDS, CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION AND CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS.
THE PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT BONDS ARE PROBABLY THE ONES THAT YOU'RE MOST FAMILIAR WITH, AND THEY ARE THE LARGEST PORTION OF OUR GEO DEBT PROFILE.
THEY DO FUND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PRO PROJECTS, UM, ALONG WITH CAPITAL ASSETS.
THEY ARE VOTER AUTHORIZED AND THEY HAVE A 20 YEAR TERM.
THE VOTER AUTHORIZATION IS OBTAINED THROUGH BOND ELECTIONS, WHICH IS WHAT YOU'RE PROBABLY FAMILIAR WITH WHEN YOU HEAR THE CITY OF AUSTIN IS, UM, HAVING A BOND ELECTION.
THERE'S VARIOUS PROPOSITIONS THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THAT BOND ELECTION.
UM, IF THE BOND ELECTION AND THOSE PROPOSITIONS ARE APPROVED.
UM, WHEN WE GO TO ISSUE DEBT, WE ISSUE THEM AS PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT BONDS.
UM, AND KIND OF COUPLED WITH THAT, I TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT STATUTORY PROVISIONS THAT DEFINE ALLOWABLE BOND PROCEED USES.
THERE ARE ALSO STATUTORY PROVISIONS IN STATE LAW ASSOCIATED WITH BOND ELECTIONS, UM, AS WELL.
UM, NEXT IS CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION, AND THESE ARE USED TO FINANCE REAL PROPERTY AND CONSTRUCTION OF, UH, A PUBLIC WORK.
THESE ARE NOT VOTER AUTHORIZED, UH, DEBT, AND, UM, THEY HAVE A 20 YEAR TERM AS WELL.
THE USE OF BOND PROCEEDS RELATING TO CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION, UM, ARE DEFINED IN STATUTE.
IT'S ACTUALLY CHAPTER 2 71 OF THE GOVERNMENT CODE.
AND I HAVE PUBLIC WORK HERE KIND OF IN QUOTATIONS BECAUSE, UM, PUBLIC WORK IS DEFINED WITHIN THAT STATUTE.
AND ANY CERTIFICATE OF OBLIGATION ISSUED IN THE STATE MUST FALL WITHIN THAT DEFINITION.
AND THEN FINALLY, WE HAVE CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS.
UM, THIS IS USED TO FINANCE PERSONAL PROPERTY.
I GENERALLY EQUATE THIS TO LIKE MOVABLE ASSETS, UH, EQUIPMENT, MACHINERY, VEHICLES, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
UM, THIS, UH, TYPE OF GENERAL OBLIGATION BOND IS NOT VOTER AUTHORIZED.
UM, IT HAS A SEVEN YEAR TERM ASSOCIATED WITH THE DEBT.
UM, THE SHORTER TERM VERSUS THE, UH, CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION AND THE PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT BONDS IS ASSOCIATED WITH THE USEFUL LIFE OF THE ASSET THAT WE'RE FINANCING.
UH, VEHICLES HAVE A MUCH SHORTER USEFUL LIFE THAN SAY, YOU KNOW, A ROADWAY OR A BUILDING.
UM, AND JUST AS WITH THE CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION, THE USE OF BOND PROCEEDS, UM, FOR CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS ARE DEFINED IN STATUTE.
IT'S ACTUALLY THAT SAME, UH, CHAPTER 2 71 DIFFERENT SUB PROVISION, UM, WITHIN THAT, UH, THAT STATUTE.
UM, BUT WE HAVE TO FALL WITHIN THE PARAMETERS, UM, THAT OF ALLOWABLE USES FOR THOSE CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS WHEN ISSUED.
AND SO THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF DISCUSSION REGARDING STATE LAW, STATUTORY PROVISIONS.
AND JUST TO KIND OF TOUCH ON THE FACT THAT ALL MUNICIPAL DEBT THAT'S ISSUED IN THE STATE REQUIRES REVIEW AND APPROVAL BY THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE.
UM, AND, UM, AS PART OF THEIR REVIEW, A MAIN FOCUS IS ENSURING THAT ALL ASPECTS OF, UH, THE SPECIFIC BOND ISSUANCE THAT'S BEING REVIEWED IS BEING DONE IN ACCORDANCE WITH STATE LAW.
SO IN ADDITION TO THE GENERAL OBLIGATION, UH, BONDS, WE ALSO ISSUE REVENUE BONDS.
UM, THE CITY HAS FOUR ENTERPRISE DEPARTMENTS THAT ISSUE REVENUE BONDS.
THOSE ARE AUSTIN ENERGY, AUSTIN WATER UTILITY, THE CONVENTION CENTER AND AVIATION.
UM, THESE REVENUE BONDS ARE USED FOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT THAT SUPPORT THE RESPECTIVE, UH, ENTERPRISE DEPARTMENTS.
AND, UM, THEY ARE BACKED BY REVENUE COLLECTED BY THE RESPECTIVE ISSUING ENTERPRISE.
UM, THERE ARE ALSO DEBT SERVICE COVERAGE REQUIREMENTS AND RESERVES ASSOCIATED WITH THESE REVENUE BONDS.
AND THE COMMON THEME HERE IS THERE'S ALSO STATUTORY PROVISIONS THAT DEFINE ALLOWABLE BOND PROCEED USES FOR ALL OF THESE REVENUE BONDS.
AND AGAIN, JUST AS I MENTIONED WITH THE GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS, ALL REVENUE BONDS ARE REQUIRED TO BE REVIEWED AND APPROVED THROUGH THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE AS WELL.
AND I'M GOING TO HAND IT BACK OVER TO ERIC TO GO OVER THE FISCAL YEAR 25, UH, BUDGET TIMELINE AND, UH, FINISH OUT THE PRESENTATION.
UH, WE NOTICED THAT YOU ALSO HAVE, UH, YOUR BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE AGENDA FOR TODAY.
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WANTED TO CONCLUDE WITH GIVING YOU A GENERAL OVERVIEW OF OUR ANNUAL BUDGET PROCESS AND TIMELINE.UM, HERE WE ARE IN MARCH, UM, AT THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, AND, UH, THE BUDGET OFFICE IS ELBOW DEEP IN, IN PREPARING THE FINANCIAL FORECAST, WHICH WILL BE PRESENTED TO COUNCIL IN ABOUT THREE WEEKS.
UM, MOVING FROM THERE, WE TAKE THESE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS RECOMMENDATIONS AND THE COMMUNITY'S INPUT AND WORKED WITH CITY MANAGEMENT TO DEVELOP THE CITY MANAGER'S PROPOSED BUDGET, WHICH COMES OUT IN MID-JULY.
UH, FROM THERE THERE'LL BE A SERIES OF COMMUNITY INPUT AND COUNCIL WORK SESSIONS THAT ALLOW THEM TO, UM, DIVE DEEPER INTO WHAT'S INCLUDED IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET AND, UH, BEGIN CONTEMPLATING, UH, AMENDMENTS AND ADDITIONS.
UM, AND THEN IN MIDGUT WE GET TO, UH, THE BUDGET ADOPTION, UH, MEETING PROCESS WHERE WE FINALIZE THAT BUDGET.
AND I WOULD JUST SAY THAT THE, UH, BOND DEVELOPMENT PROJECT OR PROCESS AND THE ORDERING OF A BOND ELECTION WOULD, WOULD ROUGHLY TRACK WITH THIS TIMELINE AS WELL.
UM, AND JUST IN CONCLUSION, I GUESS I WOULD SAY, I KNOW THAT, UM, YOU ALL WILL BE, UH, RECOMMENDING THESE PROJECTS AND WE JUST WANT TO GIVE THIS OVERVIEW OF THE TYPES OF BUCKETS OF FUNDING THAT MAY BE AVAILABLE.
BUT, UM, IT WILL DEPEND ON THE SPECIFIC PROJECT.
UM, WHATEVER YOU RECOMMEND, STAFF WILL GO BACK AND, AND TRY TO DETERMINE THE MOST APPROPRIATE SOURCE OF FUNDS, UH, TO FUND THAT PROJECT.
AND SO WITH THAT, UM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND FOR HAVING US, AND WE'RE HAPPY, UH, TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS INFORMATION.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE QUESTIONS? YOU OR US
UM, AND, AND IT'S OKAY IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE ANSWER TO THIS, BUT I'M, I'M WONDERING IF, YOU KNOW, YOU WOULD SAY ALL OF THE OPTIONS THAT YOU JUST PRESENTED TO US ARE FROM A TECHNICAL STANDPOINT, YOU KNOW, UH, AVAILABLE OR ANY OF THOSE ALREADY KIND OF AT CAPACITY CURRENTLY, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.
WELL, I, I WOULD SAY THE GENERAL FUND IS ALWAYS UNDER, UH, IS ALWAYS TIGHT, LET'S SAY, UH, BECAUSE OF THE CONSTRAINTS WE'RE UNDER BY THE LEGISLATURE WITH RESPECT TO PROPERTY TAX, THERE ARE OVERRIDES FOR THAT THROUGH, UH, ELECTION PROCESSES.
UM, BUT THAT IS AN ADDITIONAL HURDLE THAT WE'D HAVE TO CLEAR.
UM, THE OTHER SORT OF HURDLES MAY NOT BE AS FINANCIAL IN NATURE, IT'S JUST GOING TO BE ABOUT, UM, ANY LEGAL RESTRICTIONS, UH, ASSOCIATED WITH DIFFERENT TYPES OF FUNDING VERSUS WHAT THE SPECIFIC PROJECT YOU'RE CONTEMPLATING IS.
[2. Presentation on the goals and strategies in the draft Austin-Travis County Food Policy Plan – Sergio Torres-Peralta, Office of Sustainability ]
GONNA MOVE ON IN OUR AGENDA.UM, WE WANNA GET THROUGH, I THINK WE HAVE TWO OTHER ITEMS. ONE OF THEM, UM, I THINK IS GONNA BE, UH, PRETTY, PRETTY QUICK.
UM, AND, BUT WE DO WANNA HEAR FROM THE FOLKS THAT DEVELOPED THE AUSTIN TRAVIS COUNTY FOOD PLAN.
UH, SERGIO IS GONNA BE PRESENTING ON THAT.
UM, AND THEN WE WILL HAVE A QUICK PRESENTATION FROM ZACH RELATED TO THE, THE FUNDING, AND THEN WE'LL MOVE INTO OUR PUBLIC HEARING, JUST SO FOLKS KNOW THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO WAIT TOO LONG.
MY NAME IS ER TORRES FOOD POLICY COORDINATOR, UH, FOR THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY.
UH, AND TODAY WE'RE GOING TO GIVE YOU A QUICK UPDATE ON WHAT THIS FOOD PLAN FOR AUSTIN TRAVIS COUNTY IS AND HOW YOU CAN GET INVOLVED.
WE'RE JUST GONNA GO THROUGH THE FIRST FEW SLIDES, BUT SOME FOOD WERE TAUGHT, WE HAVE, UH, A BEAUTIFUL FOOD SYSTEM THAT TO A DEGREE ONLY WORKS FOR A FEW, NOT FOR ALL.
IN THIS SLIDE, YOU CAN SEE JUST VERY FEW OF SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT ARE OUTLINED IN OUR STATE OF THE FOOD SYSTEM REPORT.
AND THESE ARE ECHOED BY A LOT OF THE ISSUES THAT OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS EXPERIENCE.
UM, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT FOOD SYSTEMS, WE OFTEN TRY TO SIMPLIFY IT IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, FIVE THINGS, FOOD ACCESS, UH, FOOD PRODUCTION, UH, HOW FOOD TRAVELS TO PLACES, HOW DO YOU HAVE ACCESS TO THOSE FOODS, WHERE ARE THOSE STORES AND WHAT HAPPENS TO THE FOOD AFTER YOU ARE DONE WITH IT? UH, AND OF COURSE, ALL WRAPPED UP WITHIN THIS CONCEPT OF FOOD JUSTICE.
UM, BASICALLY, WHO HAS ACCESS TO THESE BEAUTIFUL SYSTEMS AND WHO DOESN'T? AND WHAT ARE SOME OF THE EQUITY IMPLICATIONS OF THESE FOOD SYSTEMS? UH,
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VERY QUICKLY, UM, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A, AN OVERSIMPLIFICATION OF THE FOOD SYSTEM.UM, IN REALITY IT PROBABLY LOOKS MORE LIKE A, LIKE A BOWL OF A SPAGHETTI WITH A LOT OF NODES AND JUST A HUGE MESS.
UM, BUT FOR SIMPLISTIC WAYS, UH, WE JUST, AND FOR THE SAKE OF COMMUNICATIONS, WE LIKE TO JUST SAY THAT IT WORKS IN A CYCLICAL WAY OR IDEALLY IT WORKS IN A CYCLICAL WAY.
UH, SO IN DEVELOPING THIS FOOD PLAN, UH, WE ARE ESSENTIALLY TRYING TO SEE ALL THE ISSUES THAT OUR COMMUNITIES OUTLINING AND ALL THE THINGS THAT WE SEE THROUGH DATA AND CREATE A SET OF GOALS AND STRATEGIES TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES.
SO THE FOOD PLAN WILL ESSENTIALLY BE OUR NORTH STAR FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND STAKEHOLDERS TO SAY, THIS IS WHERE WE SHOULD GO TO SOLVE SOME OF THESE ISSUES.
IT WILL BUILD ON SEVERAL OTHER INITIATIVES, SEVERAL ORDER PLANS.
WE LIKE TO THINK THAT THIS FOOD PLAN IS A PLAN OF PLANS SUCH AS THE CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN, AND OF COURSE, IT CENTERS INEQUITY AS A LOT OF THE ISSUES IN THE FOOD SYSTEM, UH, AFFECT CERTAIN POPULATIONS THE MOST.
UH, AGAIN, THIS IS A THING THAT WE ARE, HAVE BEEN WORKING ON SINCE JUNE, 2021, WHEN, UH, THE CITY MANAGER WAS MANDATED TO DEVELOP A PLANNING PROCESS TO ALLEVIATE THE, SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT WE SAW AFTER WINTER STORM URI AND THE AFTERMATH OF THE PANDEMIC.
ESSENTIALLY, OUR FOOD PLAN OR OUR FOOD SYSTEM WAS JUST LAID BARE WITH ALL ITS, UH, INEFFICIENCIES AND ALL THIS VULNERABILITIES.
UM, WE HAVE RELEASED A DRAFT, UH, THIS MARCH 18TH, AND I WILL TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT IT IN THE FEW SLIDES.
UH, ALSO VERY IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT TRAVIS COUNTY IS AN OFFICIAL PARTNER AT THIS PROCESS EVER SINCE FALL 2022.
THEY HAVE, UH, BEING, UH, AS MANY OF OUR MEETINGS AS POSSIBLE, AND WE ARE VERY HAPPY TO HAVE SO MUCH WORK WITH TRAVIS COUNTY.
UM, VERY QUICKLY, THIS IS OUR TIMELINE.
WE ARE CURRENTLY ON PHASE THREE, UH, TO MAKE A FOOD PLAN, WE ESSENTIALLY NEED TO PLAN FOR THE PLAN, UH, DEVELOP A VISION WHERE WE WANT TO GO, AND THEN DEVELOP THE CONTENT OF THE PLAN FOR WHICH WE RECRUITED HUNDREDS OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
UH, CURRENTLY WE ARE IN THIS REVIEW ON GROUND GROUND TRUTHING PROCESS WHERE I'LL SHARE A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT HOW YOU CAN GET INVOLVED AND DO THIS GROUND TRUTHING FOR THE FOOD PLAN DRAFT.
SO, WHEN I MENTIONED THAT WE HAD WORKED WITH HUNDREDS OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS, UH, I REALLY MEAN IT, UH, WE HAD A COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE OF OVER 25 PEOPLE ISSUE AREA GROUPS, UH, THAT GOT TOGETHER ACROSS 21 PLUS WORKSHOPS.
AND THAT WAS ALMOST 200 PEOPLE.
UH, A TEAM OF COMMUNITY FOOD AMBASSADORS, UH, HELPING US OUT WITH BROADER OUTREACH AND THOUSANDS OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT ATTENDED OUR EVENTS.
WE ATTENDED THEIR EVENTS, UH, ON TOP OF, UH, ALL THAT TO SUPPORT THE PLANNING TEAM, WHICH INCLUDED TRAVIS COUNTY STAFF, CITY STAFF, CONSULTING TEAMS, ET CETERA.
UM, THE FOOD PLAN IS STRUCTURE.
LIKE IF YOU GO TO OUR WEBSITE, YOU'LL SEE SOMETHING VERY SIMILAR, BUT IT BASICALLY, IT'S A VISION WHERE WE WANT TO GO OBJECTIVES, WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT WE WANT TO SEE IN THIS FUTURE? AND THEN A SET OF GOALS AND STRATEGIES.
HOW DO WE GET THERE AND WHAT ARE THE SPECIFIC STEPS THAT WE TAKE IN ORDER TO GET THERE? OF COURSE, THIS IS PAIRED WITH AN IMPLEMENTATION PLAN.
UH, WE LIKE TO PLAN THINGS THAT HAVE LIKELIHOOD OF BEING IMPLEMENTED OR THINKING ABOUT IMPLEMENTATION AS WE DON'T WANT THIS FOOD PLAN TO BE SOMETHING THAT, UH, STAYS IN A SHELF.
VISION, UH, WILL ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO READ IT, WE THINK IS, IS, IS FAIRLY BOLD.
IT'S NOT ONLY MADE BY OUR COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE, BUT ALSO BACKED BY THOUSANDS OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT PROVIDED THEIR INPUT AT SEVERAL EVENTS.
UM, I'LL JUST GIVE YOU 30 SECONDS TO SPEND SOME TIME READING IT.
UM, BUT WE'RE VERY PROUD OF THIS, THIS NORTH STAR, ESSENTIALLY.
UH, THE OBJECTIVES ARE ESSENTIALLY A SUBSET OF THIS VISION.
LIKE I MENTIONED EARLIER, THIS IS WHAT WE WANNA SEE.
AND, UH, FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS COMMITTEE OF ACT AS A CLIMATE SOLUTION, CONSIDERING THE FOOD SYSTEM FROM FIELD TO FOR AND BEYOND, IT'S SOMETHING THAT IS, WE ARE KEEPING IN MIND.
THESE ARE THE OUTCOMES, UH, THE IDEAL OUTCOMES OF THE FOOD PLAN, AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN USE THIS OBJECTIVES TO ALIGNED WITH MANY OTHER INITIATIVES
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ACROSS THE CITY AND ACROSS SEVERAL WORKS FROM, UM, A MULTITUDE OF STAKEHOLDERS.SO IN DEVELOPING THE GOALS AND THE STRATEGIES, LIKE I MENTIONED, UH, WE'VE BEEN EVERYWHERE.
UH, WE TRIED TO BE EVERYWHERE, UM, AND WE DID OUR BEST.
WE STILL NEED A LOT OF WORK TO DO, AND WE ARE ACKNOWLEDGING THAT.
UM, BUT IN, AS A SUMMARY, WE COLLECTED OVER 3,400 PIECES OF FEEDBACK.
AS YOU CAN SEE, VARIOUS POST NOTES, SURVEY RESPONSES, ET CETERA, COLLECTED, UM, THE INPUT OF 200 PLUS VOLUNTEERS AND PEOPLE THAT WE WERE OFFERED STIPENDS TO DEVELOP THIS FOOD PLAN.
AND WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME READING, UH, ALL THESE PLANS THAT OUR BEAUTIFUL CITY HAS, UH, PUT OUT JUSTIFYING THESE ALIGNMENTS.
UM, THIS IS MORE ON OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT OF A VERY COOL NUMBER.
THERE IT IS, THE 2,500 HOURS PUT BY OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
WE HAVE SPENT A LOT OF TIME AND A LOT OF THEIR TIME MAKING THIS PLAN, AND WE CAN SAY THAT, UH, 21% OF THAT TIME, UH, WAS, UH, FROM PEOPLE NOT LIVING OUT INSIDE AUSTIN, BUT ALSO LIKE IN THE OUTSKIRTS OF TRAVIS COUNTY, UH, WHICH IS PRETTY NEAT.
SO WHAT ARE THE NEXT STEPS REALLY QUICK? UM, WE ARE CURRENTLY REVIEWING OR ALLOWING PEOPLE TO REVIEW OUR PLAN.
BASICALLY, UH, YOU CAN GO ONLINE AND REVIEW THE PLAN, DROP YOUR COMMENTS IF YOU WANT TO.
UM, BUT WE HOPE TO WRAP THIS UP BY APRIL 19TH.
WE'LL SPEND ROUGHLY ABOUT A MONTH TO CONSOLIDATE ALL THE FEEDBACK THAT WE'RE HEARING FROM BOARDS LIKE YOURS, COMMUNITY MEMBERS, LIKE THE ONES BEHIND ME, UH, AND ANYBODY THAT WANTS TO GO ONLINE AND JUST DROP THEIR COMMENTS.
UH, AND WE HOPEFULLY CAN PRESENT A PLAN, A FINAL PLAN TO CITY COUNCIL BY THIS SUMMER.
AFTER THAT, THE IMPLEMENTATION WILL BEGIN.
IT'S HOW DO WE MAKE THIS HAPPEN.
UM, THAT'S OF COURSE A VERY BIG OVERVIEW OF THE TIMELINE, THE CURRENT TIMELINE.
SO AGAIN, UH, WE HAVE, UH, A MEETING, A PUBLIC REVIEW MEETING THIS APRIL 3RD ON ZOOM.
UH, MAINLY BECAUSE IT ALLOWS US TO DO SEVERAL CHANNELS FOR INTERPRETATION.
THERE WILL BE INTERPRETATION IN SPANISH AND A SL.
UM, THERE'S AN ADDITIONAL MEETING THAT I WILL FORWARD WITH YOU ON APRIL 17TH.
UH, WE JUST POSTED IT TODAY IN OUR WEBSITE, WHICH IS WHY IT'S NOT IN THE SLIDES, UH, WHICH WILL BE AVAILABLE IN, UM, VIETNAMESE, CHINESE.
UM, AND ONE MORE LANGUAGE I CAN'T REMEMBER.
UM, BUT I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO JOIN, PLEASE JOIN OUR VIRTUAL MEETING FROM APRIL 3RD FROM FIVE 30 TO SIX 30 OR APRIL 17TH FROM 6:00 PM TILL SEVEN 30.
YOU CAN GO TO OUR WEBSITE AND PROVIDE YOUR FEEDBACK UNTIL APRIL 19TH.
ONCE YOU GO INTO OUR WEBSITE, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO READ THE ENTIRE OF THE FOOD PLAN DRAFT, AND YOU'LL BE ABLE TO DROP YOUR COMMENTS THERE, AND WE HIGHLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO SO.
UH, WE HAVE RECEIVED OVER ALMOST 200 RESPONSES BY NOW.
UH, I CHECKED BEFORE COMING HERE.
UM, SO WE HOPE THAT WE CAN GET EVEN MORE BY APRIL 19TH.
UM, PLEASE SUBSCRIBE, STAY IN TOUCH, OR JUST LET US KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
IF YOU WANT AN ADDITIONAL PRESENTATION TO OUR WORKING GROUP, IF YOU WANNA HAVE, YOU KNOW, ANOTHER PRESENTATION, WE ARE MORE THAN HAPPY TO COME BACK, UH, AND PROVIDE EVEN MORE UPDATES, EVEN IF IT'S ON A ONE-ON-ONE BASIS.
UM, BUT AGAIN, WE HAVE UNTIL APRIL 19TH TO COLLECT ANY FEEDBACK, UH, RELATED TO THE GOALS AND STRATEGIES OF THE FOOD PLAN.
SO, YET AGAIN, THESE FINAL SLIDES ARE JUST GONNA BE SOME VERY QUICK RESOURCES FOR YOU TO LEARN A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHAT WE'VE DONE SO FAR.
UH, THIS IS THE STATE OF THE FOOD SYSTEM.
IT WAS A REPORT THAT WAS MADE BY OUR OFFICE IN, UH, THE 2022 YEAR.
AND IT HAS A LOT OF INTERESTING DATA ABOUT OUR FOOD SYSTEM.
ESSENTIALLY, IT'S AN ENTRY POINT FOR ANYBODY THAT WANTS TO LEARN ABOUT AUSTIN'S FOOD SYSTEM.
THIS IS ONE OF THE MANY WAYS YOU CAN GET INTO IT.
NEXT, WE HAVE A SUPPLY CHAIN VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT REPORT.
TAKES A GOOD LOOK AT GROCERY STORES, RETAIL SUPPLY CHAIN, AND WHAT ARE SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT WERE OUTLINED DURING THE WINTER STORM URI AND COVID.
UM, AND FINALLY, UH, AGAIN, PLEASE LET US KNOW, UH, WE WANT TO HEAR YOUR FEEDBACK, UH, EITHER THROUGH A WORKING GROUP.
IF YOU GO ONLINE, UH, YOU CAN DROP YOUR FEEDBACK OR, UH, A ATTEND ONE OF OUR TWO PUBLIC MEETINGS THAT WE'RE HAVING VIA ZOOM.
THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH, AND PLEASE LET
[00:30:01]
US KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.THANK YOU, SERGIO, AND CONGRATULATIONS GETTING TO THIS POINT.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE FOOD PLAN? I HAVE A QUESTION.
THANKS, UH, SO MUCH FOR, FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, I WAS WONDERING, I KNOW, YOU KNOW, THE, THE PLAN IS STILL IN THE, IN THE WORKS IN, IN TERMS OF GETTING IT FINALIZED AND, AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
BUT I WAS WONDERING IF YOU, WHAT ARE KIND OF THE MAJOR HURDLES THAT YOU SEE IN TERMS OF IMP IMPLEMENTING THE PLAN? IS IT, YOU KNOW, MORE OF A SUSTAINABILITY STAFF TO IMPLEMENT THE PLAN? OR JUST WHAT, WHAT OTHER RESOURCE DO YOU SEE AS A, AS A BARRIER? UM, IN ORDER TO MAKE THIS FOOD PLAN? UH, ONE OF, PROBABLY ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES IS TO BALANCE OR, OR FIND THE RIGHT BALANCE IN BETWEEN WHAT OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS WANT VERSUS WHAT WE CAN DO AND WHERE WE CAN ACTUALLY WRITE IN THE FOOD PLAN.
UM, I THINK WE'RE PRETTY HAPPY WITH WHERE WE ARE, UM, BUT STILL THERE'S A LOT OF WORK TO BE DONE.
UM, I HIGHLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO TAKE SOME, UH, LOOK AT, FOR INSTANCE, STRATEGY.
UH, GOAL NUMBER ONE TALKS ABOUT AGRICULTURE AND INCREASING AGRICULTURE.
UH, WE KNOW THAT WE'RE LOSING LAND, UH, AGRICULTURAL LAND AT A STAGGERING RATE.
WE ALSO KNOW THAT WE NEED TO HOUSE PEOPLE.
SO THERE IS A CHALLENGE THERE.
UH, AND AS YOU CAN SEE, UH, ACROSS THE REST OF THE PLAN, I THINK THAT'S ONE, ONE OF THE MANY CHALLENGES THAT WE ARE ENCOUNTERING.
HOW DO WE MAKE A SOLUTION THAT WORKS FOR EVERYBODY THAT DOESN'T CREATE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES? UM, IN TERMS OF RESOURCES, UH, WE'RE WORKING VERY DILIGENTLY TO FIND THOSE.
AGAIN, EVERYTHING IS IN DRAFT FORM.
UM, BUT I CAN, I CAN DEFINITELY TELL YOU ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITIES, UH, THAT WE HAVE.
AND THAT IS A COALITION WE HAVE MANAGED TO GET TOGETHER, NOT ONLY THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE, BUT HUNDREDS OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS, UH, DOZENS OF STAKEHOLDERS, UH, COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, UH, PRIVATE COMPANIES, NOT SO MUCH, BUT, UH, NONPROFIT LEADERS, UH, ARE BEING PART OF THIS PROCESS.
AND THE POSSIBILITIES ARE ENDLESS WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT LIKE, PEOPLE AS A RESOURCE.
SO YOU MENTIONED THE POSSIBILITY OF COMING BACK.
WOULD, UM, IT BE TIMELY IF, IF WE HAD, YOU KNOW, RECOMMENDATION TO MAKE ON THIS, TO MAKE IT AT OUR, AT OUR APRIL MEETING? YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.
WE WE'RE WORKING DILIGENTLY TO ATTEND THAT.
UM, AND TO MAKE SURE THAT WE MEET THAT DEADLINE.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH THE CLIMATE TEAM TO FIGURE OUT HOW, HOW DO WE, UM, FIND RESOURCES, ET CETERA, OR PRIORITIES.
[4. Presentation on the Staff Response to Resolution 20240215-025, the “Environmental Investment Plan” – Zach Baumer, Office of Sustainability. ]
NOW A PRESENTATION FROM OUR CHIEF SUSTAINABILITY OFFICER, I BELIEVE.ZACH PALMER, CHIEF SUSTAINABILITY OFFICER.
SO I AM, I'M EXCITED THAT SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE SHOWED UP TONIGHT.
UM, SO I'M JUST GONNA BRIEFLY BEFORE YOU GUYS DISCUSS THIS AND BEFORE THE PUBLIC TALKS ABOUT, ABOUT THEIR IDEAS, UM, I'M JUST GONNA GIVE A SORT OF RUNDOWN OF WHAT WAS IN RESOLUTION 20 24, 0 2, 15 25 THAT WE'RE CALLING THE ENVIRONMENTAL INVESTMENT PLAN.
JUST SO EVERYBODY HEARS AT ONCE AND IS SORT OF ON THE SAME PAGE ABOUT IT.
SO FROM THE RESOLUTION, UH, THE RESOLUTION, UH, REAFFIRMS THE COMMITMENT TO NET ZERO GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS BY 2040 TO ACT WITH URGENCY.
IT ASKS, UH, FOR STAFF TO PREPARE OPTIONS AND COSTS OF CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS OR PROGRAMS THAT WOULD DO ONE OF FOUR THINGS, REDUCE CARBON EMISSIONS, DECREASE WATER USAGE, AND IMPROVE WATER QUALITY AND DETENTION, ADVANCE THE SUSTAINABILITY OF CITY OPERATIONS AND IMP AND IMPROVE COMMUNITY RESILIENCE.
IT ASKS FOR A PUBLIC HEARING OF THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY ON MARCH 27TH TODAY.
UM, AND THEN ALSO, UM, TO BE DISCUSSED AT THE NEXT MEETING OF THE JSC, WHICH IS APRIL 24TH, UH, TO GATHER INPUT FROM THE PUBLIC.
UM, AND THEN THE JSC SHOULD SUBMIT ANY OF THEIR OWN RECOMMENDATIONS, UH, FOR INVESTMENTS TO COUNCIL BY MAY 1ST.
SO THAT WOULD BE PROBABLY SOMETHING THAT YOU WOULD PASS AT THAT MEETING ON THE 24TH.
[00:35:03]
UM, THEN THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS, UM, THERE WILL THEN BE A REVIEW OF WHETHER RECOMMENDATIONS CAN BE FUNDED THROUGH UTILITY RATES AND FEES, GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES, GRANTS, OR GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS, WHICH MAY INCLUDE THIS FALL OR FUTURE YEARS.AND THOSE ARE THE FOUR THINGS THAT WERE COVERED BY FINANCIAL SERVICES EARLIER TONIGHT.
FURTHERMORE, IN THE RESOLUTION, UM, IT ASKED TO, UM, FOR STAFF TO ANALYZE INVESTMENTS NEEDED TO FULFILL THE FOLLOWING ADOPTED PLANS.
I'M NOT GONNA READ THOSE PLANS, BUT THERE ARE, IT IS 15 PLUS PLANS, UM, FROM MANY DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS.
ALMOST ALL OF THOSE PLANS ARE ADOPTED BY CITY COUNCIL.
UM, AND THEY ALMOST ALL TOUCH ON THOSE FOUR TOPICS THAT WE, THAT I MENTIONED ON THE LAST, LAST SLIDE ABOUT WATER REDUCING EMISSIONS, RESILIENCE, AND CITY OPERATIONS.
SO THAT'S ANOTHER IMPORTANT THING.
UH, JUST A FEW OTHER THINGS, UM, IN THE RESOLUTION.
UH, THIS FIRST ONE, IDENTIFY CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS IN PROGRAMS THAT WOULD MAXIMIZE POTENTIAL FOR INFLATION REDUCTION ACT TAX CREDITS, AND DEVELOP A MECHANISM FOR REINVESTMENT AND REIMBURSEMENT FROM TAX CREDITS TO BE FOCUSED BACK ON CLIMATE FOCUSED, UM, IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMS WHEN APPROPRIATE.
ON THE NEXT PART, PROVIDE INFORMATION DETAILING RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ACTIONS TO PROMOTE INTERDEPARTMENT COORDINATION TO ENSURE THE DEPARTMENTS HAVE AN ALIGNED APPROACH, UM, TO COMBAT THE THREATS OF CLIMATE CHANGE AND NATURAL HAZARDS, WILDFIRE, FLOODING, ET CETERA.
UM, NEXT, SO AFTER ALL THIS INFORMATION COMES TOGETHER, UH, PRESENT TO CITY COUNCIL ON OR BEFORE MAY 30TH, UH, WITH AN UPDATE OF THE CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN DASHBOARD, WHICH IS ACTUALLY, UM, WAS JUST UPDATED AND MADE PUBLIC, UH, ABOUT A MONTH AGO.
UM, A COMBINED INVENTORY OF ALL OF THESE PLAN RECOMMENDATIONS AND A BRIEFING OR MEMO ON APPLICATIONS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR FEDERAL FUNDING, UH, RELATED TO THIS ENVIRONMENTAL INVESTMENT PLAN.
AND THEN FINALLY, THERE SHOULD BE THIS PUBLIC HEARING ON MAY 30TH.
UM, SO THAT WEEK THERE, AND THIS IS HOW IT USUALLY GOES, IS THAT THERE IS A CITY CITY COUNCIL MEETING ON MAY 30TH, WHICH IS THURSDAY, AND THEN THERE'S ALSO, UM, A CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION ON THE 28TH, WHICH IS THE TUESDAY.
UM, SO IT WILL PROBABLY BE DISCUSSED PROBABLY AT THE, ON THE 28TH AND THE 30TH.
SO THESE NEXT COUPLE OF SLIDES ARE JUST MORE INFORMATION THAT WE'VE GOTTEN FROM, UH, FROM THE COUNCIL FROM DISCUSSING THIS RESOLUTION WITH, UH, RYAN, COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN ALTER'S OFFICE, UM, OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST FEW WEEKS.
SO, UM, AND HE, COUNCIL MEMBER REEL WAS THE SORT OF LEAD OF THIS RESOLUTION IN GETTING IT, UH, PASSED.
UM, THEY'RE NOT LOOKING FOR BUSINESS AS USUAL, SPENDING MOST OF BUSINESS USUAL SPENDING ON THOSE PLANS JUST HAPPENS TO THE GENERAL BUDGET PROCESS.
UM, THEY'RE NOT LOOKING FOR SPENDING THAT MAKES ANNUAL INCREMENTAL PROGRESS.
AGAIN, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT SORT OF HAPPENS THROUGH THE ANNUAL BUDGET PROCESS.
THEY'RE LOOKING FOR THE DELTA BETWEEN OUR CURRENT TRAJECTORY AND FULLY MEETING THESE LONGER TERM TARGETS.
SO THEY'RE LOOKING FOR BIGGER ITEMS TO REALLY MOVE THE NEEDLE ON THINGS.
UM, SO THE RESOLUTION IS REALLY ABOUT PROJECT IDENTIFICATION.
SO BIG THINGS THAT COULD GET DONE.
UM, THINKING BIG, FINDING THE FUNDING AND ATTACHING IT TO ONE OF THOSE FUNDING SOURCES THAT'S GONNA COME LATER.
SO, UM, FOLKS DON'T NEED TO, TO NECESSARILY WORRY ABOUT EXACTLY HOW IT FITS INTO ONE OF THOSE FUNDING MECHANISMS. WE'RE JUST FOCUSED ON WHAT WOULD NEED TO GET DONE.
UM, SO FOCUS ON WHAT NEEDS TO GET DONE, BUT HASN'T HAD THE FUNDING TO GET DONE.
UM, AND THE OTHER RECOMMENDATION WAS TO TIE PROJECT PROPOSALS, UH, TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL RESULT MEANT TO BE ACHIEVED AS CLEARLY AND CONCRETELY AS POSSIBLE.
SO, UM, THERE ARE, AS, AS YOU START TO THINK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THINGS IN THE CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN AND ANYTHING THAT THE CITY COULD DO, SOMETIMES THE ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFIT IS LIKE THE REASON THAT WE DO SOMETHING.
SOMETIMES A PROJECT MAY CREATE AN ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFIT, BUT THAT'S NOT REALLY WHY IT'S BEING DONE.
UM, AN ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFIT MAY JUST BE LIKE SOME SIDE CO BENEFIT THAT'S CREATED.
SO THEY'RE REALLY TRYING TO ZERO IN AND FOCUS ON DIRECT ENVIRONMENTAL AND CLIMATE PROJECTS HERE.
UM, UH, A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION.
SO FOCUS ON ENVIRONMENT, CLIMATE RESILIENCE GOALS FROM THE PLANS, SPECIFIC GOALS, HOW WE CAN EASILY DEFEND INVESTMENTS THAT WOULD HELP US REACH THE TARGETS.
UM, IN ALL OF THOSE PLANS, THEY ALL HAVE GOALS.
THERE ARE QUANTITATIVE GOALS IN ALL THOSE PLANS.
UM, SO THEY'RE ASKING US AND YOU AND OR THE PUBLIC TO THINK ABOUT, ARE WE ON TRACK TO MEET CER OR MEET CERTAIN GOALS? IF WE'RE NOT, WHAT'S NEEDED? UM, PRIORITIZE THE BIGGEST BANG FOR BUCK, WHAT'S GONNA BE THE MOST IMPACTFUL THING? AND THEN THINK ABOUT THE APPROXIMATE COST.
SO THE FINAL PRODUCT THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO PULL TOGETHER,
[00:40:01]
UM, FROM ALL OF THIS INPUT, UH, THAT ME, MY STAFF AND STAFF FROM MULTIPLE OTHER DEPARTMENTS ARE WORKING ON DAILY, UM, IS THIS FINAL PRODUCT THAT'S GONNA BE A FULL MENU OF PROJECTS, PROGRAMS AND COSTS THAT COULD BE FUNDED IN VARIOUS DIFFERENT WAYS TO MOVE THE NEEDLE ON, UH, CLIMATE MITIGATION ENVIRONMENT AND RESILIENCE OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT FIVE TO 10 YEARS.UM, SO REALLY THE GOAL IS TO IDENTIFY PROJECT, PROJECT IDEAS, AND THEN BEYOND MAY 30TH, WE'LL BE MATCHING UP WITH FUNDING AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO FUND THESE THINGS.
UM, SO THIS IS JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE, THIS IS BASICALLY THE SAME THING, UM, FROM THE LAST SLIDES.
SO WE'RE GONNA BE TAKING JSE RECOMMENDATIONS.
WE'RE GONNA BE TAKING PUBLIC RECOMMENDATIONS, WE'RE GONNA BE TAKING STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS.
UM, WE HAVE STAFF AND SINGLE POINTS OF MULTIPLE TEAMS WORKING FROM LIKE 15 PLUS DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE ANALYZING THEIR OWN PLANS AND COMING UP WITH THEIR OWN RECOMMENDATIONS, UM, IN INSIDE THE CITY ORGANIZATION.
UM, SO AGAIN, WE'RE GONNA FOCUS ON THOSE FOUR, FOUR PROJECT AREAS.
AND THEN FOR EACH ONE OF THESE PROJECTS AND PROGRAMS, WE'RE ENVISIONING, YOU KNOW, LIKE A SPREADSHEET THAT HAS THESE COLUMNS.
SO THE SCOPE AND THE DESCRIPTION OF WHAT THE PROJECT OF THE PROGRAM IS.
UM, WHICH PLAN OR GOAL IS IT CONNECTED TO AND TIED TO THAT WE'RE TRYING TO HELP ACHIEVE.
UH, WHAT'S THE TIMELINE FOR THE PROJECT, WHAT'S THE APPROXIMATE COST OF THE PROJECT? AND THEN ESSENTIALLY JUST A GUESS OR A JUST AN ESTIMATE OF GENERALLY WHICH OF THESE FOUR CATEGORIES WOULD'VE FIT IN IN, RIGHT.
'CAUSE IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S CAPITAL INTENSIVE, YOU'D PROBABLY BE LOOKING AT BONDS.
BUT SOMETHING THAT'S AN AUSTIN ENERGY PROJECT, IT'S PROBABLY UTILITY OR BASE RATE KIND OF QUESTION.
SO OUR, OUR TIMELINE ON THIS WORK, UH, AS I SAID, STAFF ARE WORKING BEHIND THE SCENES TO ANALYZE OUR PLANS, DETERMINE GAPS, UM, COME UP WITH PROJECTS.
UH, JSC IS HOLDING THIS PUBLIC FORUM TODAY.
UM, IN APRIL, WE'LL BE PULLING ALL OF THESE DRAFT PIECES TOGETHER FROM THE PUBLIC, FROM THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY, FROM STAFF ANALYSIS, COST ESTIMATES, BUILDING OUT THIS, UH, GIANT SPREADSHEET.
UM, WE ARE PLANNING ON COMING BACK.
UH, STAFF WILL PRESENT SORT OF WHERE WE ARE, UM, ON APRIL 24TH.
AND I WOULD IMAGINE THAT YOU ALL WILL PROBABLY HAVE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT YOU WILL PASS OR ADOPT ON THAT SAME DAY, UH, TO SUBMIT TO COUNCIL BY MAY 1ST.
UM, AND THEN VERY QUICKLY AFTER THAT, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO FINALIZE, UM, THIS SPREADSHEET, UM, A MEMO, A POWERPOINT.
ALL OF THIS ON MY END HAS TO GO THROUGH THE CITY MANAGER'S EXECUTIVE TEAM.
THEY'RE THE FIRST, PROBABLY THE SECOND WEEK IN MAY.
UM, AND THEN WE WILL PRESENT ALL OF THE WORK, UM, PROBABLY A COUNCIL WORK SESSION ON MAY 28TH.
UM, AND THERE, THERE MAY BE SOME FUTURE COUNCIL ITEM RELATED TO THIS ON MAY 30TH.
SO I HOPE THAT SETS THE STAGE FOR WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR, WHAT FOLKS ARE HERE TO TALK ABOUT TODAY.
OKAY, SO WE'RE GONNA MOVE INTO OUR,
[5. Public Hearing on Resolution 20240215-025, the “Environmental Investment Plan” ]
OUR PUBLIC HEARING.I'M, I'M GLAD THAT THAT FOLKS WERE ABLE TO BATTLE THROUGH TRAFFIC TO, TO GET HERE.
EVERYBODY'S GONNA GET THREE MINUTES EACH.
THERE IS SPANISH LANGUAGE INTERPRETATION AVAILABLE.
ZACH, DID YOU WANNA ADD SOMETHING? OH, I WAS JUST GONNA ADD, WE HAVE THE SIGNUP SHEET UP HERE, WHICH A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE ALREADY SIGNED ONTO.
UM, AND IF YOU HAVEN'T SIGNED ONTO IT, UM, COME UP AND ADD YOUR NAME TO IT.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE EVERYBODY HAS A CHANCE TO, TO SAY WHAT THEY WANNA SAY.
OH, AND ANYONE, AND ALSO ANYONE FROM THE PUBLIC CAME, JUST SO YOU KNOW, THERE'S THESE PARKING FOUNDATIONS, JUST SO THANK YOU ZACH.
AND IS THERE ANYBODY ONLINE FROM THE PUBLIC? NO.
WE HAVE TED FEW BANKS, FOLLOWED BY BOBBY.
HELLO, MY NAME IS TED EUBANKS.
I'M A, UH, CERTIFIED INTERPRETIVE PLANNER AND HERITAGE INTERPRETER.
AND I HAVE FOR 35 YEARS WORKED IN NATIONAL PARKS, WORLD HERITAGE SITES, SCENIC BYWAYS, LARGE LANDSCAPES, AND OVER THE LAST DECADE HAVE WORKED A LOT WITH CLIMATE BECAUSE OF THE IMPACTS THAT IT'S HAVING ON THESE LANDSCAPES.
CLIMATE CAN BE VIEWED GLOBALLY AS WITH CLIMATE CHANGE AND THE NEED TO REDUCE GREENHOUSE GASES SUCH AS CARBON DIOXIDE.
NO ONE DISPUTES THE NEED TO ACT GLOBALLY, BUT AUSTIN CANNOT FOCUS GLOBALLY WHILE IGNORING THE CRITICAL STEPS THAT NEED TO BE TAKEN TO ADDRESS CLIMATE THREATS AT THE LOCAL LEVEL, MANY OF WHICH ARE ONLY PARTIALLY RELATED TO GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS.
[00:45:01]
TO AMELIORATE AUSTIN'S EXPANDING AND INTENSIFYING URBAN HEAT ISLAND PROTECT WATER AND AIR QUALITY, INCREASE WATER QUANTITY AND CONSERVE BIODIVERSITY.AUSTIN MUST BALANCE GREEN WITH THIS DENSIFYING GRAY.
AUSTIN IS NOT GOING TO ADDRESS THESE CLIMATE ISSUES WITH NEW PROGRAMS MANAGERS AND FTES.
WE NEED MEASURABLE ACTION ACRES PURCHASED, ACRES RESTORED, WETLANDS PRESERVED, RIPARIAN BUFFERS CREATED, ET CETERA.
WE NEED THE FUNDING TO GO DIRECTLY TO ON THE GROUND PROJECTS, RATHER THAN WASTING MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS ON MAKE BELIEVE PROJECTS THAT HAVE NO LOCAL IMPACT.
SO WHERE DO WE START? IMMEDIATELY, AUSTIN SHOULD DO THE FOLLOWING INVENTORY, ALL OF OUR PUBLIC LAND, CITY, COUNTY, STATE, FEDERAL, NON-PROFIT ASSESS CONDITION OF CITY LANDS, THE LAND WE CONTROL, AND THEIR POTENTIAL FOR CONVERSION TO GREEN SPACE.
IDENTIFY PROJECTS THAT THREATEN PUBLIC GREEN SPACE AND REWORK AND REDESIGN THOSE PROJECTS IN ORDER TO AVOID IMPACTS.
ESTABLISH A NO NET LOSS RULE FOR PUBLIC AGENCIES AND THEIR SURROGATES, SUCH AS THE NONPROFITS THAT CONTROL MANY OF OUR LOCAL PARKS.
IDENTIFY LANDS AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE AND CONVERSION TO GREEN SPACE.
NO SPACE IS TOO SMALL, NO PARCEL, TOO INSIGNIFICANT, NEW AND RESTORED.
GREEN SPACE, OF COURSE, HAS GLOBAL BENEFITS.
THESE ARE THE LANDS THAT ARE MOST EFFECTIVE IN SEQUESTERING CARBON.
ADDITIONALLY, THESE NEW GREEN SPACES WILL CONTRIBUTE TO PUBLIC HEALTH, NOT ONLY THROUGH TEMPERATURE AMELIORATION, BUT THROUGH RECREATIONAL BENEFITS AS WELL.
FINALLY, NEW GREEN SPACES PROPERLY MANAGED, HAVE TOURISM BENEFITS AS WELL.
MANY OF THESE NEW SPACES WILL PAY FOR THEMSELVES OVER TIME, AS THEY ARE ALSO SEQUESTERING CARBON AND AMELIORATING.
THE UHI, WE HAD EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO PREPARE FOR NEW URBANISM AND DENSIFICATION.
THE BOOKS WERE WRITTEN AND WE STOPPED AT THE FIRST CHAPTER ON DENSITY AND FORGOT TO READ THE FOLLOWING CHAPTERS ON MASS TRANSIT PARK SPACE, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, GENTRIFICATION, AND QUALITY OF LIFE.
BOBBY LEKI WITH THE SAFER SPRINGS ALLIANCE.
UM, I'D LIKE TO ECHO A LOT OF WHAT TED JUST SAID.
IT SOUNDED GREAT AND, UM, SUPPORT EVERYTHING THAT HE SAID ABOUT LAND CONSERVATION IS GONNA BE PART OF WHAT I'M SPEAKING ABOUT.
GENERALLY SPEAKING, THE SAFER SPRINGS ALLIANCE IS FOCUSED ON WATER QUALITY AND WATER QUANTITY, SO ANY RECOMMENDATIONS DIRECTED TOWARDS THAT WE WOULD SUPPORT.
UM, WE'D ALSO LIKE TO GIVE GENERAL SUPPORT FOR THE REWILD A TX, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS THAT YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED IN YOUR EMAILS.
UM, LAND ACQUISITION AND ENVIRONMENTAL RESTORATION, UH, NEEDS TO BE A PRIORITY.
LAND AND WILDLIFE HABITAT ARE LIMITED RESOURCES.
IT IS A PROVEN STRATEGY, PROTECT WATER QUALITY, PROTECT WATER QUANTITY, MITIGATE FLOODING RISK, AND COMBAT SPRAWL DEVELOPMENT.
UM, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO INCLUDE IN YOUR RECOMMENDATION LANGUAGE TO THE CITY COUNCIL TO, UM, LEVERAGE THOSE FUNDS WITH STATE AND FEDERAL RESOURCES AS WELL AS THE AUSTIN WATER UTILITY REVENUE.
UM, THE, I AM CURRENTLY SERVING ON THE, UH, COST OF SERVICE STUDY, UM, I GUESS STAKEHOLDER GROUP, UM, THAT'S GOING ON.
IT'S A FIVE YEAR OPPORTUNITY, A ONCE IN A FIVE YEAR OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO LOOK AT THE AUSTIN WATER UTILITY REVENUE.
UM, MANY MAY NOT KNOW THAT THE FIRST WATER QUALITY PROTECTION LANDS, UM, BONDS WERE ACTUALLY FUNDED BY WATER UTILITY REVENUE.
WE NEED TO GET BACK INTO THAT BUSINESS.
IT'S GETTING HARDER AND HARDER TO REGULATE, DEVELOP DEVELOPMENT WITHIN, UH, THE COUNTY AREAS, UH, IN OUR ETJ.
UM, AND SO WE REALLY NEED TO GET BACK ONTO FINDING OUT, UM, MORE, MORE FUNDING RESOURCES, UH, TO PROTECT LAND.
UM, UH, I'D ALSO LIKE TO GIVE SUPPORT FOR THE WATER SMART INFRASTRUCTURE FOR PURPLE PIPES.
WE CAN'T CREATE WATER, BUT WE CAN MAXIMIZE ITS USE.
UM, THERE IS A REWILD AT RECOMMENDATION ABOUT SMART, UM, SMART MOWING PRACTICES.
THAT IS A BRILLIANT STRATEGY TO ALMOST BUDGET NEUTRAL, UM, OR BUDGET SAVINGS THAT IT'S ECOLOGICALLY FRIENDLY, CAPTURES CARBON AND, YOU KNOW, WE SAVE MONEY.
UM, AND THEN, UH, FOR FAYETTE, UM, IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT CLOSING FAYETTE, PLEASE RECOGNIZE THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S RESPONSIBILITY AS AN OWNER IN THE POWER PLANT.
ITS ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE TO THE COMMUNITIES AROUND IT.
AND, UH, INCLUDE RECOMMENDATIONS TO STUDY AND, UH, MITIGATE FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE TO THE COMMUNITIES THAT ARE BEING CAUSED DAILY.
UM, AND, UH, THE COAL ASH DEPOSITS THAT ARE OUT THERE THAT ARE STILL UNADDRESSED.
[00:50:01]
IS NOT ENOUGH TO SAY THAT LCRA IS, UM, IN CHARGE OF THE FACILITY.WE HAVE A PROPERTY RIGHT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THAT FACILITY.
WE'RE GONNA GO TO THE, UH, FOLKS CALLING IN RIGHT NOW.
SO ONE OF YOU IS GONNA BE ABLE TO TALK.
HI, THIS IS SPENCER SCHUMACHER.
UM, SO I'M SPENCER SCHUMACHER.
UH, I AM A COMMISSIONER BY SPEAKING TODAY AS AN INDIVIDUAL.
UM, REALLY DO ENCOURAGE YOU GUYS TO LOOK AT A TX WALK BIKE ROLL.
UM, THOSE ARE THE PLANS THAT CREATED OUR UPDATED BIKE PLAN, OUR UPDATED URBAN TRAILS PLAN, AND OUR UPDATED SIDEWALKS, SPIRIT STREETS, AND CROSSING PLAN IN 2023.
UH, THE URBAN TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION ALSO SENT YOU GUYS THE RECOMMENDATION, UH, ABOUT THIS, UH, AND THE A TX WALK BIKE ROLE PLANS ARE REALLY WHERE THE RUBBER MEETS THE ROAD IN TERMS OF OUR A SMP GOALS AND ALSO OUR AUSTIN CLIMATE EQUITY, TRANSPORTATION AND LAND USE GOALS.
UH, AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT A DELTA BETWEEN WHERE WE ARE AND WHERE WE WANT TO GO, UH, THIS HAS A LOT OF ACTIONABLE ITEMS. UH, THE URBAN TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION, UH, FOUNDED A DELTA OF ABOUT 211 MILLION BETWEEN, UH, WHAT OUR SHORT-TERM GOALS ARE AND OUR A TX WALK BIKE ROLE PLANS, THAT'S FROM 2025 TO 2028, UH, AND HOW MUCH FUNDING WE HAVE IN OUR CURRENT MOBILITY BONDS.
ALL OF THOSE BONDS ARE PROJECTED ELAPSED BY 20 28, 20 29, BUT WE DON'T EVEN HAVE ENOUGH FUNDING RIGHT NOW TO GET TO WHERE WE NEED TO BE IN 2026.
UH, SO I THINK THIS WOULD BE A GREAT PLACE FOR YOU GUYS TO LOOK IN TERMS OF HOW WE CAN REDUCE CAR DEPENDENCY BY, UH, EXPANDING THE ALL AGES AND ABILITIES NETWORK, EXPANDING METRO BIKE, BUILDING UP TIER ONE URBAN TRAILS, UH, AND BUILDING OUT HIGH AND VERY HIGH NEEDS SIDEWALKS AND SHARED USE PATHS, UH, AND CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE FOLKS DO NOT HAVE TO USE AS MUCH CARBON, UH, TO GET AROUND IN THEIR DAILY LIVES.
SO I JUST WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU GUYS TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT AND INCLUDE IT IN YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS.
WE HAVE ONE MORE REMOTE SPEAKER.
YOU SHOULD RECEIVE AN UNMUTE REQUEST.
MY NAME IS TANYA PAYNE AND I'M WITH REWILD A TX.
I'D LIKE TO START BY HIGHLIGHTING THAT WE SENT YOU A LETTER WITH 10 SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE CLIMATE BUDGET RESOLUTIONS THAT I HOPE YOU SAW IN YOUR INBOXES.
IF AUSTIN'S GOING TO HAVE A SURVIVABLE FUTURE, WE NEED TO MAKE DEEP CHANGES.
A SURVIVABLE FUTURE INCLUDES THE HEAT ISLAND EFFECT, AIR POLLUTION, WATER AVAILABILITY, PHYSICAL HEALTH, MENTAL HEALTH, AND EVEN ECONOMIC VIABILITY.
NO ONE'S GOING TO WANNA MOVE HERE NO MATTER HOW MANY TAX BREAKS WE GIVE THEM.
IF IT'S BECAUSE IT, IT, IF IT'S UNLIVABLE HOT.
REDUCING EMISSIONS ALONE ARE NOT, IS NOT ENOUGH.
PLEASE RECOMMEND THAT ANY BOND PROPOSED BY A COUNCIL HAS 40% OF THE FUNDING GOING TO THE NATURAL SYSTEM SECTION OF THE CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN BY FUNDING 15,000 ACRES OF CARBON POOLS UNNATURAL LANDS PROTECTED AND FOCUSED ON RESILIENCE, AND 12,000 OF THOSE ACRES SHOULD BE LOCATED IN EAST AUSTIN, WHICH HAS BEEN HISTORICALLY UNDERINVESTED IN.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK HERE TODAY.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE THE PERSON THAT I REPLIED TO ON THAT EMAIL, BUT IF YOU ARE, UM, IT WOULD BE REALLY HELPFUL TO GET SOME DOLLAR AMOUNTS ATTACHED TO THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS IF YOU ALL HAVE THAT INFORMATION.
UH, I AM PART OF A TEAM AND, UM, I BELIEVE WE SENT YOU SOME, DID IT NOT SHOW UP FOR YOU? N NO, IT DID NOT.
SO LET'S CORRESPOND BY EMAIL, BUT THANK YOU.
CAN WE GET SHANE JOHNSON AND PALMER FOX STANDING BY? YOU'RE UP NEXT.
UH, GOOD EVENING COMMITTEE MEMBERS, ADAM GREENFIELD HERE WITH SAFE STREETS AUSTIN.
UM, IT WAS VERY INSPIRING TO READ THE, UH, INVITATION TO THIS MEETING, SPECIFICALLY THE MENTIONING OF ENDING BUSINESS AS USUAL PRACTICES.
WE NEED TO MAKE A BREAK WITH THE PAST.
AND WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR CLIMB, UH, AT OUR CARBON EMISSIONS, NUMBER ONE, REGIONALLY, IT'S TRANSPORTATION.
ANY SERIOUS PLAN ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY HAS TO PUT TRANSPORTATION FRONT AND CENTER.
THE THE SAD REALITY IS THAT HERE IN TEXAS, WE ARE AMONG THE WORLD'S, UH, BIGGEST PER CAPITA, UH, CARBON POLLUTERS INDIVIDUALLY.
[00:55:02]
UH, WE HAVE TO OWN UP TO THAT AS A CITY AND MAKE FAST, UH, TAKE FAST ACTION.THE, UH, CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN, UH, AIMS FOR AUSTIN TO HAVE 50% NON DRIVE ALONE TRIPS BY 2030.
UH, WE ONLY HAVE TO LOOK OUT THE WINDOW TO SEE.
WE ARE NOWHERE NEAR THAT KIND OF, UH, THAT KIND OF GOAL.
WE NEED TO BE MOVING MUCH MORE QUICKLY THAN THAT.
UH, THANKFULLY WE DO HAVE OTHER CITIES PROVIDING, UH, THE TEMPLATE.
UH, UNFORTUNATELY MOST OF THEM ARE INTERNATIONAL, BUT WE CAN STILL LOOK TO THEM SEVERE.
SPAIN, FOR EXAMPLE, TRIPLED ITS BIKE SHARE WITHIN THREE YEARS BY RAPIDLY BUILDING OUT AN ALL AGES AND ABILITIES BIKE NETWORK.
UM, PARIS, FRANCE, ANY, IS THERE, IS ANYONE FOLLOWING WHAT'S HAPPENING IN PARIS, FRANCE RIGHT NOW? THEY ARE ABSOLUTELY GOING FOR IT.
AND BICYCLING HAS TRANSFORMED THERE, AS HAS WALKING AS WELL.
WE CAN BUILD OUT USING QUICK BUILD MATERIALS, A A CITYWIDE WALKING BIKING NETWORK WITHIN A COUPLE OF YEARS THAT DRAMATICALLY MOVES THE NEEDLE ON OUR CARBON EMISSIONS.
UH, WE CAN DO THAT AND WE CAN LEAD THE COUNTRY ON THAT.
FOR SOME REASON, NO CITY IN THIS COUNTRY HAS YET DONE WHAT WE COULD DO HERE, UH, WITHIN SIX MONTHS IF WE CHOSE TO.
SO THIS IS A, THIS IS A, UH, THIS IS POSSIBLY THE MOST IMPORTANT, UH, CITY HALL SPEECH I HAVE EVER GIVEN.
THIS IS POSSIBLY THE MOST IMPORTANT OPPORTUNITY WE'VE EVER HAD TO TRULY ADDRESS OUR SUSTAINABILITY GOALS.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.
AND LET'S DO, I JUST WANT TO ADD ONE MORE THING I FORGOT TO MENTION.
UH, SO WE ARE OF COURSE, DROWNING IN AN EXCESS OF SPACE FOR CARS.
WE NEED TO REPURPOSE THAT FOR MORE SUSTAINABLE MODES OF TRANSPORTATION.
SOMETHING I JUST FOUND OUT TODAY WHEN THE CITY OF AUSTIN REPURPOSED ONE LANE OVER THE LONGHORN DAM BRIDGE, UH, TO WALKING AND BIKING THE COMPREHENSIVE, UH, CRASH COSTS THAT WE SAVED, IT TOOK SIX MONTHS TO MAKE THE MONEY BACK THAT WE, THAT WE SPENT ON THAT PROJECT, SIX MONTHS.
SO BY BUILDING OUT FOR ACTIVE AND SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORTATION, WE ACTUALLY, IT'S A HUGE MONEY SAVER FOR THE CITY TOO.
COULD YOU JUST REPEAT YOUR NAME FOR ME? ADAM GREENFIELD.
UM, YEAH, THANKS FOR, FOR DOING THIS AND CONTINUING TO LEAD ON THE CLIMATE PLAN.
UM, YEAH, I JUST, UH, AND I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO FOLLOW ALL THE BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS AND THE POLICIES AS CLOSELY AS I'D LIKE.
BUT, UM, I JUST WANTED TO SPEAK TO, YOU KNOW, REALLY MAKING SURE WE CONTINUE TO CENTER THE EQUITY COMPONENT OR, YOU KNOW, THE, THE EQUITY SPIRIT AND THE CORE OF THE CLIMATE PLAN THAT, THAT WE WERE AIMING FOR.
UM, SHANE JOHNSON, I SEE M PRONOUNS, UH, AND, UM, I WAS CO-CHAIR OF THE CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN STEERING COMMITTEE FOR THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW ME.
SO I WANTED TO EMPHASIZE THAT THE SUCCESSES OF THE CLIMATE PLAN CAME FROM CENTERING COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP AND EQUITY PRACTICES LARGELY PUT INTO PUT IN PLACE BY HAVING A COMMUNITY STEERING COMMITTEE, UH, AS WELL AS A STRONG EQUITY TRAININGS FOR ALL COMMUNITY AND STAFF.
UH, AND THAT WE TALKED, YOU KNOW, UH, NONSTOP ABOUT HOW THAT WAS THE BEST PRACTICE, THAT WAS THE BEST WAY TO GO.
SO I HOPE THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THOSE EQUITY PRACTICES ARE CONTINUING IN, UH, WHERE WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT OR THINKING ABOUT HOW, UM, THERE ARE BIG PROJECTS AND BIG FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES BEING IDENTIFIED BY CITY STAFF AND CITY DEPARTMENTS, UM, WE, UH, SO FOR IDENTIFYING THOSE PROJECTS, WHICH PROJECTS ARE IN GENERALLY, UH, WHICH PROJECTS ARE PRIORITY AND WHAT ORDER THEY'RE DONE IN, AND TRULY UNDERSTANDING WHAT THE EQUITY GAPS ARE, UH, BETWEEN, YOU KNOW, CURRENT DEPARTMENTAL WORK AND WHAT WE'RE STRIVING FOR, UH, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO HAVE SOME EQUITY PRACTICES BEING, UH, YOU KNOW, LEVERAGED ON A DAILY BASIS.
UM, AND I, WHEN I WAS, UH, YOU KNOW, LISTENING TO THIS PRESENTATION A SECOND AGO, I, I HEARD, YOU KNOW, TALK ABOUT GAPS, WHICH ARE, YOU KNOW, ARE IMPORTANT, BUT IT, YOU KNOW, JUST HEARING THAT IT, IT, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT WOULD BE THE CARBON EMISSION GAPS, RIGHT? OR GAPS BETWEEN NOW AND THE GOALS, BUT ISN'T NECESSARILY, YOU KNOW, TAKING ACCOUNT.
ARE WE CENTERING EQUITY OR ARE THERE GAPS IN HOW WE'RE DOING IT VERSUS THE EQUITY COMPONENTS OF THE PLAN? UM,
[01:00:01]
SO, UH, JUST WANTED TO GIVE A COUPLE OF SPECIFIC SUGGESTIONS TOO.AND ONE IS THAT I HOPE THE EQUITY OFFICE IS CONSULTED IN A MEANINGFUL WAY IN THIS PROCESS.
AGAIN, YOU KNOW, I, I'M NOT SURE WHAT HAS BEEN GOING ON BEHIND THE SCENES OR THE JSE HAS BEEN DOING EVERY MONTH, SO, UH, BUT I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S PUT OUT THERE.
AND THEN TWO, UM, MAKING SURE THAT ALL CITY DEPARTMENTS SHOULD BE UTILIZING THE CLIMATE PLAN EQUITY TOOL, UH, WHEN THEY'RE, WHEN THEY'RE CONSIDERING WHAT PROJECTS TO DO, UH, YOU KNOW, WHAT FUNDING TO PUT WHERE.
I CERTAINLY HOPE THAT THAT DOESN'T, UH, SORT OF GO DOWN THE DRAIN AFTER A FEW YEARS AFTER WE, UH, PASSED THE CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN.
UM, AND, UH, YEAH, AND I HOPE THAT THERE CAN BE, YOU KNOW, REPORTING BACK OR, OR, YOU KNOW, A PUBLIC TRANSPARENT WAY IN WHICH WE CAN SEE ALL DEPARTMENTS ARE USING THE EQUITY TOOL.
UM, BUT YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO FINISH OFF BY SAYING THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO, TO, TO OVERCOME THE CLIMATE CRISIS, WE HAVE TO BE ADDRESSING CARBON REDUCTIONS IN THE WAYS THAT FIGHT OTHER INJUSTICES TOO.
UH, IF TREVOR SOLES AND CARLOS PINON COULD STAND BY, THAT'D BE GREAT.
I HOLD A BACHELOR'S OF ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN AND ARCHITECTURE.
I HAVE 10 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE WORKING WITH BEVERAGE PRODUCERS, BARS AND RESTAURANTS, AND I AM FOUNDER AND CEO AT CLIMATE HOUND, WHERE OUR MISSION IS TO DECARBONIZE THE FOOD AND BEVERAGE INDUSTRY.
UH, IN LINE WITH AUSTIN'S ZERO WASTE AND NET ZERO GOALS, MY TEAM HAS SUBMITTED A PROPOSAL TO PROVIDE HANDS-ON SUPPORT OPTIMIZING BREWERY WASTE STREAMS AND ACHIEVING ZERO WASTE.
THERE ARE ROUGHLY 50 BREWERIES HERE IN TRAVIS COUNTY ALONE, AND OUR PROPOSAL IS TO WORK WITH FIVE OF THEM IN THIS PILOT PROJECT.
UH, DID Y'ALL KNOW THAT FOR EVERY POUND OF FOOD WASTE THAT GOES INTO THE LANDFILL, A HALF A POUND OF GREENHOUSE GASES, CARBON DIOXIDE EQUIVALENT IS EMITTED? AND DID YOU ALSO KNOW THAT, UM, ABOUT 85% OF A BREWERY'S WASTE IS THEIR SPENT GRAIN? SO THIS PROJECT WILL NOT ONLY DIVERT WASTE AWAY FROM OUR LANDFILLS AND REDUCE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS, BUT WE WILL PRIORITIZE BREWERIES THAT ARE YET TO ESTABLISH DIVERSION METHODS FOR THEIR SPENT GRAIN.
THIS FOCUS WILL ALLOW US TO CREATE, UH, RELATIONSHIPS WITH LOCAL FARMERS WHERE WE CAN BRING THAT SPENT GRAIN AND THEY CAN USE IT TO FEED THEIR LIVESTOCK, THEREBY KEEPING IT OUT OF THE LANDFILL AND MITIGATING THE NEED TO HAVE TO GROW MORE FOOD TO FEED THAT LIVESTOCK.
SO THE POTENTIAL TO AVOID GREENHOUSE GASES WITH EVEN JUST THESE FIRST FIVE BREWERIES WILL COMPOUND EXPONENTIALLY AS THOSE BUSINESSES CONTINUE TO GROW AND PRODUCE MORE CONSUMABLE WASTE.
AND ALL OF THAT WILL HAPPEN WHILE WE'RE REDUCING HARD COSTS FOR THESE SMALL BUSINESSES.
SO IN SUMMARY, WE WILL REDUCE WASTE TO LANDFILL.
WE WILL SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE CARBON EMISSIONS.
WE'LL PROVIDE A VALUABLE RESOURCE TO LOCAL FARMERS AND WILL ACCELERATE THE CITY'S ZERO WASTE GOALS.
IMPORTANTLY, WE ALSO HAVE THE MEANS TO QUANTIFY THE SUCCESS OF THIS PROJECT.
WE'VE HEARD A LOT OF PEOPLE TALK ABOUT, LET'S GET DOWN TO THE REAL NUMBERS OF WHAT IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING.
AND SO WE WILL BE ABLE TO PROVIDE, UM, YOU KNOW, ESSENTIALLY A REPORT ON THE ACTUAL GREENHOUSE GASES THAT HAVE BEEN AVOIDED THROUGH THE PROJECT.
SO, ONCE AGAIN, MY NAME IS PALMER FOX.
I AM FOUNDER AND CEO AT CLIMATE HOUND, AND WE HUNT CARBON REDUCTIONS.
THANK Y'ALL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
UH, AND I AM ONE OF THE FOUNDERS AT A STARTUP IN AUSTIN CALLED THEMATIC AI, WHERE WE ARE TRYING TO BUILD THE DATA LAYER TO BETTER ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS IN AUSTIN, TEXAS.
NOW, ONE OF THE KEY GOALS OF NET ZERO BY 2040 IS TO ADDRESS WATER QUALITY.
AND ONE OF THE KEY PROBLEMS THAT AUSTIN SEEMS TO HAVE IS HOMELESS ENCAMPMENTS, SPECIFICALLY WITHIN THE GREEN BELTS THAT WE HOLD, UH, SO NEAR AND DEAR TO OUR HEARTS.
AND MUCH OF THESE GREEN BELTS SIT ON TOP OF AQUIFER REFRESHERS ALONG WITH DIRECT FEEDS TO THE WATER THAT WE SWIM IN AT THE BARTON, UH, IN BARTON CREEK AND IN LADYBIRD LAKE.
MANY OF THESE CAMPS CONTAIN, UM, EXTREMELY HIGH LEVELS OF CHEMICAL HAZARDS, BIOLOGICAL HAZARDS, UM, THAT IF I'M GOING TO SWIM IN LADY BIRD LAKE, I'M BEING EXPOSED TO THAT STUFF.
SAME THING, IF IT'S GOING INTO THE AQUIFER AT SOME POINT, THAT ENDS UP IN MY WATER SUPPLY.
SO IF WE'RE GOING TO ADDRESS CLIMATE
[01:05:01]
AND WE'RE GOING TO ADDRESS THE ENVIRONMENT, WE HAVE TO ACTUALLY ADDRESS THE THINGS THAT ARE CAUSING EXTREME DAMAGE TO THE ENVIRONMENT, UM, IN VERY ACUTE CASES.SO AT NOMADIC, WE'RE TRYING TO BUILD THE DATA LAYER TO ACTUALLY QUANTIFY WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE, AND THEN HOW WE CAN HELP THE CITY AND HELP THE, THE NONPROFITS ACTUALLY ADDRESS THAT.
JUST FOR ANYBODY LISTENING, I DON'T THINK YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO SWIM IN THE LAKE.
BEFORE YOU GO TO CARLOS, WE'RE UM, AFTER CARLOS, WE'RE GONNA GO BACK TO THE REMOTE FOR A SPEAKER OR TWO.
UH, GOOD EVENING, MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE.
MY NAME IS CARLOS PINON AND I'M THE RESILIENCE PROGRAM COORDINATOR AT PO.
THE FOLLOWING COMMENT WAS CRAFTED ALONGSIDE MARIA SANCHEZ, OUR SOLAR EQUITY CAMPAIGN COORDINATOR, AND ALEXIA LA CLARK, OUR POLICY DIRECTOR.
UM, POES PRIMARY RECOMMENDATION TO THE COMMITTEE STEMS FROM OUR SOLAR EQUITY CAMPAIGN, WHICH SEEKS TO ENSURE THAT LOW INCOME COMMUNITIES AND COMMUNITIES OF COLOR HAVE ACCESS TO SOLAR WHEN TOPLESS.
A NEIGHBORHOOD SITUATED IN EAST AUSTIN IS LARGELY REPRESENTATIVE OF THESE DEMOGRAPHICS POPULATIONS THAT BEAR THE BRUNT OF CLIMATE CHANGE RELATED IMPACTS EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS LIKE WINTER STORMS, YURI AND MARA, DISPROPORTIONATE ENERGY RATE HIKES, POWER OUTAGES AND EXPOSURE TO POLLUTION ARE JUST A NUMBER OF THE CHALLENGES THAT SOLAR HAS.
THE POTENTIAL TO REMEDIATE THE COMBINATION OF A COMMUNITY SOLAR INSTALLATION, RESIDENTIAL, SOLAR, AND METROPOLIS WOULD NOT ONLY PROVIDE ITS SUBSCRIBERS WITH CLEAN AND RELIABLE ENERGY, BUT ALSO SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER THE BILLS OF OVERBURDENED COMMUNITIES ADDRESS GROWING ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS, LESSEN STRESS ON OUR UNPREDICTABLE GRID, AND CONTRIBUTE EDUCATION AND CAREER OPPORTUNITIES IN GROWING INDUSTRY AS A RESOURCE THAT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO TACKLE THE ACCUMULATING CONSEQUENCES OF THE CLIMATE CRISIS.
SOLAR IS AN IMMENSE SOURCE OF POWER THAT SHOULD BE LEVERAGED TO BENEFIT DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES.
UH, POTO IS CURRENTLY SIGNED ON AS A PARTNER ORGANIZATION IN THE CITY'S APPLICATION FOR THE EPA SOLAR FOR ALL GRANT.
AND WE'RE NOW LOOKING INTO THE SAME DEPARTMENT'S COMMUNITY CHANGE GRANT AS A POTENTIAL AVENUE FOR FUNDING SEVERAL, IF NOT ALL, COMPONENTS OF OUR VISION FOR SOLAR AND MONTOPOLIS.
STILL, WE SEE THE ENVIRONMENTAL INVESTMENT PLAN AS ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY FOR THE CITY TO SUPPORT THIS PROJECT AND ITS COMMUNITIES WHO ARE MOST IN NEED AND ACHIEVE ITS CLIMATE AND RESILIENCE GOALS.
UH, IN PARTICULAR, OUR PROJECT'S GOALS ALIGN WITH YOUR AIM IN THIS RESOLUTION TO A, REDUCE CARBON EMISSIONS, AND B, IMPROVE COMMUNITY RESILIENCE.
MOREOVER, ONE COMPONENT OF THE CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN IS TO REDUCE HISTORICAL AND PRESENT DAY INEQUALITIES.
AS STATED IN THE PLAN, AUSTIN SHOULD PRIORITIZE LOCAL COMMUNITY INITIATIVES, CREATE GREEN JOBS AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP OPPORTUNITIES THAT ADVANCE THE OVERARCHING GOALS OF THE CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN, EXPAND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY AND INCLUSION AND BUILD AGENCY AND DECISION MAKING POWER IN LOW INCOME COMMUNITIES AND COMMUNITIES OF COLOR.
THE CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN LIKEWISE EMPHASIZES THE NEED FOR SUCH PROJECTS AS EXTREME WEATHER, AIR POLLUTION AND EXPLOITATION OF NATURAL RESOURCES INTENSIFY THE DISPROPORTIONATE BURDEN OF ENVIRONMENTAL INJUSTICE COMMUNITIES BEAR.
ANOTHER IDEA WE HAVE FOR THE COMMITTEE IS TO PUSH FOR FUNDING THE CONSTRUCTION OF MORE DEEPLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS AT 30 TO 50% MEDIUM FAMILY INCOME.
THE EQUITY PLAN INCLUDES A GOAL OF PRODUCING 60,000 NET ZERO CARBON AFFORDABLE UNITS BY 2027.
SPECIFICALLY, THE TOKYO ELECTRON SITE RECENTLY PURCHASED BY THE CITY.
USING ANTI DISPLACEMENT FUNDS COULD PRESENT AN OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE SUSTAINABLE AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS INSTEAD OF BUSINESS AS USUAL MARKET RATE HOUSING OR QUOTE UNQUOTE AFFORDABLE UNITS AT 80% MFI THAT DISPLACES COMMUNITIES.
UM, WE WILL FOLLOW UP WITH A WRITTEN PROPOSAL, UM, AND APPRECIATE YOUR WILLINGNESS TO CONTINUE WORKING WITH US AS YOU APPROACH THAT MAY 1ST DEADLINE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION OF OUR INPUT AND SHAPING YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS TO COUNCIL.
IF YOU ARE REMOTE, YOU SHOULD RECEIVE A UNMUTE REQUEST.
UM, AFTER THE REMOTE SPEAKERS, WE'RE GONNA GO TO SCOTT JOHNSON AND BRANDY BRANDY CLARK BURTON.
HI, UH, THIS IS MARK MAY AND I LIVE IN, UH, DISTRICT FIVE.
I WANT TO CALL YOU, UH, TODAY TO, UH, TO, UH, SUPPORT A BOND AND OTHER, UH, CHANGES THAT WE NEED TO MAKE TO START TO, UH, UH, REACT TO, YOU KNOW, CLIMATE CHANGE.
UM, I THINK WE ALL UNDERSTAND THE NEED TO USE, UH, PUBLIC DOLLARS TO EXPAND OUR GREEN, UH, PLACES AND TREAT, UH, COVER.
UM, IT'S, UH, CLEAR THAT IN, YOU KNOW, ADDITION TO THE GLOBAL GOOD OF, OF ABSORBING CO2, UH, UH, THE GREENS FACING TREES DO.
UH, YOU KNOW, MANY THINGS FOR US, UH, LOCALLY FROM IMPROVING PUBLIC HEALTH, UH, YOU KNOW, REDUCING A RUNOFF AND ACTUALLY COMPENSATING FOR THE HEAT THAT, YOU KNOW, THE CONCRETE WILL, UH, WILL, UH, SOAK UP AND I DO ESCORT INCREASING MY TAXES FOR, FOR THIS.
HOWEVER, WE WILL NOT GET TO WHERE WE NEED TO BE WITH, WITH THE, WITH THE BOND ALONE.
IF THE CITY CONTINUES TO OPERATE AS IT ALWAYS HAS, WE'RE ALWAYS ON THE SAME TEAM HERE.
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AND THAT MEANS THAT THE CITY AND THE COUNCIL NEED TO ACTIVELY SUPPORT THE MISSION THAT THEY'RE ASKING THE PUBLIC TO PAY FOR.THE CITY NEEDS TO IMPROVE ITS ROLE AS A CARETAKER OF OUR GREEN PLACES AND AND TREES.
THE COUNCIL HAS TO START TO, UH, ACT AS IF EVERY VOTE HAS A CLIMATE, A COMPONENT.
THE, UH, YOU KNOW, IMPACT OF MAJOR, MAJOR, UH, DECISIONS HAS TO BE QUANTIFIED AND VALUED IN THE FUTURE ACTIONS AND CHOICES MADE IN OUR, UH, CITY.
THE LESS WE PAVE OVER, THE LESS GREEN WE TURN TO GRAY, THE LESS DAMAGE WE HAVE TO COMPENSATE FOR AND THE BETTER OFF THE LOCAL, UM, YOU KNOW, CLIMATE WILL BE.
SO I'D LIKE YOU TO, UH, CONSIDER A FEW MODEST, CHEAP, UH, PROCESS IMPROVEMENTS THAT, UM, CAN, CAN BE DONE THAT ARE, UH, CONSISTENT WITH, UH, WHAT THE TAX PACERS ARE BEING ASKED TO FUND.
FIRST FUND SOME NEW EMPLOYEES TO ENFORCE THE TREAT ORDINANCE TO A REDUCED AMOUNT OF, UH, CANOPY THAT IS LOST EVERY YEAR IN THE PUSH FOR MAXIMUM PROFIT AND, UH, DENSITY.
AND THIS IS THE CHEAPEST, QUICKEST WAY TO IMPROVE THE OUTLOOK FOR OUR TREE COVER.
TWO, UM, EDUCATE CITY, CITY EMPLOYEES ON HOW TO DIFFERENTLY MANAGE THE GREEN, UH, SPACES OVERSEEN BY THE CITY.
THE CITY CONTROLS LARGE AMOUNTS OF GREEN, UH, SPACE, AND HOW WE CARE FOR THE TREES, HOW WE MOW ALL THAT CAN HELP WITH JUST A NOMINAL INVESTMENT IN EMPLOYEE EDUCATION.
THREE, INCLUDE A CLIMATE IMPACT ASSESSMENT FOR THE MAJOR, UH, PROJECTS AND, UH, POLICIES THAT THE, THAT THE COUNCIL OR CITY HAS, UH, HAS A CONTROL OVER.
IT DOESN'T NEED, NEED TO BE COMPLICATED.
UM, SEVERAL, SEVERAL THINGS COME, COME TO MIND.
HOW MANY CUBIC CARS CONCRETE ARE GONNA BE PROPOSED? WHAT IS THE RATIO GREEN, GREEN TO GRAY, AND THE, UH, PROPOSAL? WHAT IS, WHAT IS THE IMPACT ON OUR WATER? ALL OF THESE ARE QUANTITATIVE METRICS THAT NEED TO BE INCLUDED FROM NOW ON EVERY TIME THE CITY COUNCIL VOTES.
SO PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT YOU CAN, UH, RECOMMEND SOME PROCESS CHANGES LIKE THIS AND HOW THE CITY, CITY OPERATES THAT WILL, UH, SUPPORT THE CLIMATE WORK THAT WE'RE BEING ASKED TO FUND AS TAXPAYERS.
JSC MEMBERS I'VE SPOKEN TO BEFORE.
THIS IS A NEW TOPIC I'M GONNA START WITH, WITH CONCRETE.
SO I'M HAPPY TO SAY I WAS ENGAGED ON THIS TOPIC AND THE LETTER THAT WAS JUST THERE WAS ONE THAT I, I PROMPTED.
SO IF YOU, IF YOU LOOK AT THE TOP OF IT, THE PURPOSE IS A RESPONSE TO AN ALTERNATIVE THAT IS CALLED, UH, ERE.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THE COST WE'RE GONNA BE QUANTIFIED AND BROUGHT BACK TO THE COUNCIL.
PLEASE SCROLL DOWN TO THE BOTTOM ALL THE WAY, PLEASE.
THE NEXT STEPS WERE TO GATHER ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THE ERE NON PORTLAND CEMENT.
REVIEW THE CURRENT DESIGN MIX AND DEVELOP GUIDELINES FOR SUSTAINABLE METHODS AT CONCRETE PLANT.
THERE WAS A MINOR VICTORY IN THE 2010S WHERE WE MADE SURE THAT LAUREN CEMENT WAS ONE, OR LAUREN CONCRETE WAS THE HIGHEST CERTIFIED GROUP THAT THE CITY WAS BUYING FROM.
WHEN I COMMUNICATED WITH THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR IN THE TRANSPORTATION PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT, THEN WE, I ASKED HIM THE QUESTION, THE HOT MIX OR THE WARM MIX, OR THE RECYCLED MIX, WHICH ONES WERE THEY USING? AND THE RESPONSE IS DOWN BELOW, THE RECYCLED IS BETTER FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, BUT ACCORDING TO THEM, NOT AS GOOD AS THE VIRGIN ASPHALT.
SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ASPHALT.
NOW, ASPHALT, THE COMPOSITION OF ASPHALT INCLUDES LIQUID CEMENT.
SO IT HAS MASSIVE CO2 EMISSIONS AS CEMENT IS MADE, AS Y'ALL HAVE FOUND OUT IN THE PRESENTATION IN JANUARY AND ON YOUR OWN RESEARCH.
BUT THE ISSUE WITH ASPHALT, WHETHER IT'S HOT MIX OR WARM MIX OR RECYCLED, IS THAT THERE'S MASSIVE CARBON EMISSIONS.
THERE'S VERY HIGH EMISSIONS OF HAZARDOUS AIR POLLUTANTS AND OZONE FORMING EMISSIONS SUCH AS OXIDES OF NITROGEN CALLED NOX, AND VERY LARGE AMOUNTS OF PARTICULATE MATTER, WHICH IS THE MOST UNHEALTHY OF THE THINGS THAT WE NORMALLY MONITOR AND TALK ABOUT IN, IN OUR DISCUSSIONS ABOUT GROUND LEVEL AIR QUALITY.
SO THE PAGE THAT I WAS REFERRING TO THERE IN THE MIDDLE THAT'S
[01:15:01]
UNDERLINED WAS THE TESTING AND THE PROCESSING OF ASPHALT.AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY'RE DOING IF YOU LOOK DOWN AT THE NEXT, STARTING WITH WE REGULARLY TRACKING AND RESEARCHING THE STATE OF THE ART APPLICATIONS TO TRY TO FIND BETTER WAYS TO LOOK AT THE ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS.
I WANTED TO PUT THIS INTO THE RECORD THAT ASPHALT IS BOTH AN EXTREMELY MAJOR ISSUE, BUT IT'S NOT ONE THAT WE ARE BREATHING IN LOCALLY.
IT'S, IT'S MADE ELSEWHERE AND BROUGHT INTO THE AREA.
BUT ONCE THE ASPHALT IS LAYERED ON TOP OF THE ROAD, SECONDARY AEROSOLS ARE FORMED, WHICH CAUSES PARTICULATE MATTER TO BE BREATHED IN BY ALL USERS AND ALL PEOPLE THAT LIVE ON OR NEAR THE ROADS.
THIS IS EXTREMELY CONCERNING ISSUE, BUT THERE'S NO PURE ENVIRONMENTAL ALTERNATIVE NOW THAT WE CAN ADOPT THAT'S, THAT'S KNOWN, BUT WE CAN PRESS STAFF TO ENCOURAGE THEM THROUGH INVESTMENTS TO LOOK AND SEE WHAT OPTIONS EXIST IN THE, IN THE NEAR TERM.
MY NAME IS BRANDY CLARK BURTON AND I, UM, HONESTLY STARTED WRITING NOTES FOR THIS YESTERDAY.
SO IN 24 HOURS, I HAVE, UM, I'M NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO FIT IN IN THREE MINUTES, BUT I HAVE 14 DIFFERENT KIND OF PROPOSALS AND I'LL JUST SORT OF GIVE YOU THE HEADLINES AND THEN WRITE IT UP IN WAYS THAT HOPEFULLY WILL TIE IT TO WHICH OF THE PLANS AND HOW MUCH MONEY AND WHAT THE CO-BENEFITS ARE AND ALL THAT.
UM, THERE'S SOME WORK GOING ON IN THIS, BUT BIG BIG CATEGORY IS REFRIGERANT RECOVERY PROJECTS, SUPPORT, SUPPORT FOR SMALL BUSINESSES, CONVERTING TO LOW GREENHOUSE WARMING, POTENTIAL REFRIGERANTS.
I'M JUST GONNA THE, THE HIGH LEVEL WORDS.
HAVING REFRIGERANT RECOVERY PLANS WITH INSPECTORS THAT MAKE SURE THAT AC UNITS GET DE DECOMMISSIONED.
UM, HOST A SUMMIT ON REFRIGERANTS AND DEVELOP AN ACTION PLAN AROUND EMERGENCY AND DISASTER REFRIGERANT RECOVERY AS WELL.
NEW CATEGORY AS IN ENERGY, EXPAND COMMUNITY SOLAR AND MAKE IT AVAILABLE FOR RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL.
THEY, I DUNNO WHY THEY'VE BEEN HOLDING BACK.
UM, START WITH COVERING ALL CITY OWNED BUILDINGS WITH SOLAR AND SELLING MORE BATCHES OF THAT AS COMMUNITY SOLAR.
AND THEN IN THE NEXT SECTION, UM, THE ONES THAT ARE THE REC CENTERS, UH, THAT, THAT COMMUNITY SOLAR WOULD HAVE THE PROVISION THAT IN THE EVENT OF THE DISASTER, THAT ENERGY WOULD BE USED FOR ONSITE RESILIENCE HUB OPERATIONS BACK TO AUSTIN ENERGY.
MAKE GREEN CHOICE INTO A PROGRAM WORTH PROMOTING.
I'LL LEAVE IT AT THAT RIGHT NOW.
UMPO SUPPORT, FOOD RECOVERY EXPANSION, EXPANDING OF LARGE COLD STORAGE FACILITIES.
THERE'S ONE IN EAST AUSTIN, THEY'RE TRYING TO RAISE MONEY FOR A SOUTH ONE.
THERE SHOULD BE IN ALL QUADRANTS OF THE CITY, UM, PLACES THAT FOOD, LARGE FOOD DONATIONS CAN BE TAKEN AFTER HOURS AND THEN REDISTRIBUTED TO PLACES THE NEXT DAY.
UM, LIKEWISE EXPANDING THE A TX FREE FRIDGE PROJECT WOULD BE AWESOME.
AND THEN DOING EDUCATION WITH ALL FOOD VENUES AND CATERS ABOUT THE LOCATION OF THESE FOOD FRIDGES AND COLD STORAGE.
UM, TOTALLY DIFFERENT IDEA NEIGHBORHOOD GREEN CREW LEADERS THAT ARE PAID, UM, TO HELP RESIDENTS TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ALL THE CITY'S GREEN PROGRAMS AND REBATES, CO-BENEFITS, JOB CREATION, COMMUNITY BUILDING, BETTER UTILIZATION OF ALL OUR PROGRAMS. WATER, COUNTRY, WATER AND ENERGY CONSERVATION RECYCLING, RIGHT, COMPOSTING ALL THAT SEPARATE IDEA.
COMMUNITYWIDE CREEKSIDE NEIGHBORS.
ALL RIGHT, WELL I'LL EMAIL YOU.
BRANDI, DO YOU WANT JUST ANOTHER QUICK MINUTE TO FINISH YOUR LIST? I THINK THE TITLES, I'LL JUST GO OVER TITLES.
I WON'T READ THE, THE, THE SENTENCES AGO WITH THEM.
UM, CITYWIDE CREEKSIDE NEIGHBORS PROGRAM, NEIGHBORHOOD GREEN CREW.
UM, REDUCE THE USE OF SINGLE USE FOOD SERVICE WEAR.
I'LL SAY ONE, A COUPLE THINGS ABOUT THAT.
I'M GONNA GET TO THE CLARIFY THE GUIDELINES FOR SAFE HANDLING OF LIKE BYO IF YOU BRING YOUR OWN CUPS OR TO GO CONTAINERS.
UM, BUT ONCE WE GET THAT CLEAR, MAKE EDUCATION ABOUT THAT WIDESPREAD.
AND THEN ENCOURAGE LIKE LOGO, UH, STICKERS ON ALL THE, THE FOOD SERVICE BUSINESSES.
AND, YOU KNOW, AND, AND WITH A QR CODE THAT LINKS TO EXPLANATION OF HOW YOU DO IT SAFELY.
UM, AND GREEN PROCUREMENT SUPPLY CHAIN STUFF, MAKING SURE THAT THE CITIES NOT ONLY THEIR PURCHASES, BUT HOW THEY'RE HAVING THE VENDORS WORK WITH THE CITY.
AND THEN TEACHING PEOPLE IN GENERAL HOW TO DO SUSTAINABLE PROCUREMENT.
UM, AI ASSISTED SCENARIO ANALYSIS FOR PLANNING ON WATER IMPACTS, TRAFFIC IMPACTS, DENSITY FOR TRANSIT, AFFORDABLE HOUSING AVAILABILITY, ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF.
UM, DEVELOPING MORE LAND TRUSTS, A GREEN FUND LIKE THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS TO FUND SPECIAL PROJECTS AS PROPOSED BY COMMUNITY MEMBERS OR STAFF MEMBERS.
UM, PROMOTE AUSTIN ENERGY'S GREEN BUILDING PROGRAM MORE PROMOTE AL ALT COMMUTING AND CARPOOLING MORE.
AND THEN HR STRATEGIES FOR IMPLEMENTING SUSTAINABILITY.
SO AGAIN, I'LL SEND YOU MORE NOTES LATER.
WE HAVE TED SIF, THEN JAMES FI
[01:20:14]
HAVE A QUICK HANDOUT AS THAT'S BEING PASSED OUT.I'LL JUST INTRODUCE MYSELF AND START TO MAKE THINGS AS EFFICIENT AS POSSIBLE.
I'M REPRESENTING JUST MYSELF HERE, BUT I WOULD JUST FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES SHARE THAT I'M THE PRESIDENT OF AUSTIN OUTSIDE A COALITION OF 65 ENVIRONMENTAL PARK AND TRAIL ORGANIZATIONS.
UM, IN ADDITION TO WHAT I'VE PASSED OUT, I WOULD HIGHLIGHT THREE MAJOR THEMES THAT HAVE ALREADY COME UP TONIGHT, BUT I WANT TO EMPHASIZE CLOSE FAYETTE, IF YOU CLOSE FAYETTE IN THE NEXT TWO YEARS, YOU'VE ACCOMPLISHED A SUBSTANTIAL PERCENTAGE OF ALL OF THESE PLANS.
GOALS, UH, TWO, BUY MORE LAND PROTECT LAND.
WE ALREADY OWN THREE FUND ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORTATION MODE FACILITIES, BIKE LANES, SIDEWALKS, TRAILS, PARKING FOR SCOOTERS, ET CETERA.
UM, BEYOND THOSE MAJOR THEMES, UH, THE HANDOUT THAT I'VE PRODUCED IS SOMEWHAT LIKE BRANDY I PUT TOGETHER IN THE LAST, UH, FEW DAYS.
UH, AND IT CAN BE BROKEN UP INTO FOUR PARTS.
THE FIRST PART IS TO ELECTRIFY OUR FLEETS, BOTH PRIVATE AND PUBLIC.
THAT'S THE FIRST THREE OR FOUR LINES OF THE SPREADSHEET.
THE SECOND SET OF ROUGHLY FOUR LINES IS SUBSTANTIALLY INCREASED CREDITS AND REBATES PROVIDED THROUGH OUR UTILITIES, UH, TO PROMOTE THESE GOALS.
UM, THE THIRD GOAL IS PROTECT AND PLANT MORE TREES AND FOURTH SUBSTANTIALLY FUND BATTERY STORAGE.
UH, I KNOW ZACH SAID DON'T FOCUS ON FUNDING SOURCES.
SO I HAVEN'T SO FAR, BUT I JUST SAY THIS AS A CLOSE.
WE'VE GOTTA KNOW HOW WE'RE GONNA PAY FOR THESE THINGS.
AND BONDS IN NOVEMBER OF 2024 IS NOT A CHOICE, IT'S NOT A ECONOMIC CHOICE FOR THE CITY.
THE CITY FINANCE DIRECTOR AND THE CURRENT CITY MANAGER HAVE SAID THAT A YEAR AGO, AND THEY RECOMMEND BO GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS NOT BE PRESENTED TO VOTERS UNTIL NOVEMBER OF 26 AT THE EARLIEST.
BUT THERE ARE WA WATER UTILITY AND ENERGY UTILITIES HERE THAT ARE SUBSTANTIAL BILLION DOLLAR ORGANIZATIONS.
THEY ALREADY ISSUE REVENUE BONDS THAT DO NOT REQUIRE, COULD, BUT DO NOT REQUIRE VOTER APPROVAL.
AND THOSE COULD BE INITIATED SOONER THAN 26.
ALL OF THE THINGS THAT I PROPOSED CAN BE FUNDED THROUGH REVENUE BONDS OR UTILITY RATE ADJUSTMENTS.
WE HAVE JAMES F FOLLOWED BY DAVID LEVE AND, UH, PIERRE WYNN, JAMES FABIAN DISTRICT FIVE.
WHAT DO YOU THINK WOULD HAPPEN IF YOU MADE SOLAR PANELS AND THEIR INSTALLATION DEDUCTIBLE FROM PROPERTY TAXES? AT LEAST TO A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE.
THE GREATER THE PERCENTAGE, THE MORE SOLAR PANELS IS GONNA BE PURCHASED AND INSTALLED.
UM, SOLAR PANEL CAPITAL OF THE WORLD, SOMETHING LIKE THAT, IT WOULD HELP A LOT MORE PEOPLE WOULD DO IT.
IT JUST ACROSS THE BOARD, THE WHOLE CITY AND THAT WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT TALKING THAT MANY YEARS.
JUST THE MORE SERIOUS YOU TAKE THAT, THE MORE WE'RE GONNA BE PURCHASED AND INSTALLED ALL OVER THE COUNTY, ALL OVER THE, MAYBE THE STATE EVERYONE SEES IT'S A HAVE HAPPENING AND IT'S A GOOD IDEA AND THEN THEY DO THE SAME THING.
AND HOW SOLAR PANELS YIN YANG.
YOU KNOW, I HOPE YOU TAKE IT SERIOUSLY.
I HAVE SOME GOOD NEWS FOR YOU.
THAT'S ACTUALLY ALREADY STATE LAW PROPERTY TAXES.
[01:25:01]
NOW I KNOW.IT'S A GOOD SEGUE FROM OUR LAST PRESENTER.
IT'S GREAT TO BE HERE WITH YOU ALL AND THANK YOU FOR, UH, DOING ALL THE GREAT WORK FOR THE ENVIRONMENT.
UH, SO SARI IS ONE OF TWO SOLAR PANEL EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURERS, ACTUALLY IN THE GREATER AUSTIN AREA.
AND UH, I WAS INSPIRED TO COME UP AND SPEAK BECAUSE OUR CHIEF OF SUSTAINABILITY OFFICER WAS TALKING ABOUT WHERE WE'RE GONNA GET ALL THESE IDEAS FROM.
AND I DIDN'T HEAR THE IDEA OF PLACES THAT ARE ALREADY DOING GREAT THINGS.
NOW, A COUPLE OF MY OTHER COMMUNITY MEMBERS MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, PARIS AND OTHER PLACES, BUT I THINK IT WOULD BE REALLY GOOD TOOL TO HAVE AN INPUT FROM LIKE WHEREVER SOMEBODY ELSE IN THE COUNTRY OR THE WORLD IS ALREADY DOING GREAT THINGS AND JUST MODEL THAT.
FOR EXAMPLE, IN SAN ANTONIO, THE CITY JUST PASSED A, A METHODOLOGY FOR PUTTING SOLAR ON ALL CITY BUILDINGS.
SO THAT'S PRETTY CLOSE BY AND EASY TO TO MODEL.
SO IT'S JUST AN IDEA TO, TO TAKE THOSE KINDS OF, UM, STRATEGIES OF MODELING WHAT'S ALREADY WORKING IN OTHER PLACES.
WE HAVE SIGNED UP IF YOU INTEND TO SPEAK AND YOU ARE NOT SIGNED UP.
UH, I WAS ACTUALLY NOT INTENDING TO SPEAK AND I SIGNED UP VERY LAST MINUTE, SO, UH, I KNOW I'M THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN YOUR, YOU BEING HERE AND FREEDOM.
SO I'LL TRY TO MAKE THIS BRIEF.
UM, I USUALLY STAND BEHIND THE SCENES, UM, AND USUALLY, UM, I'M RESPONDING TO, UH, INCIDENTS, UH, AS A RESULT OF, UH, SOME OF THE SEVERE WEATHERS THAT WE HAVE.
UM, JUST TO INTRODUCE MYSELF, I'M PIERRE NGUYEN.
UM, I AM A FIREFIGHTER HERE IN TRAVIS COUNTY.
UM, I ALSO HAVE RESPONDED TO DISASTERS ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY, UH, FOR THE LAST 10, 15 YEARS.
UM, AND I'VE SO SEEN, UM, AS SOMEBODY THAT IS NOT REPRESENTING, I, I THINK I NEED TO, UM, UH, I NEED TO PREFACE THAT AS WELL.
I AM NOT REPRESENTING, UM, MY FIRE DEPARTMENT, UH, BUT JUST HERE AS A PRIVATE CITIZEN, UH, FROM DISTRICT SEVEN, UM, IS I'VE SEEN, UH, MANY OF THE SEVERE WEATHER INCIDENTS, UH, AND, AND THE EFFECTS IT'S HAD AND HOW, UH, THEY'RE BECOMING MORE FREQUENT.
UM, AND I DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE ANY PARTICULAR RECOMMENDATIONS, BUT MY, UM, UH, I STRESS THAT WHEN WE'RE MAKING ANY SORT OF DEVELOPMENT, UH, POURING CONCRETE ANYWHERE THAT WE REALLY CONSIDER SOME OF THE, THE IMPLICATIONS IT HAS TO OUR ENVIRONMENT, UM, WHETHER IT'S FLOODPLAIN MANAGEMENT, UM, WHETHER IT IS, UH, A, A SPRING THAT MIGHT BE COVERED UP.
UM, AND I, I STRESS THIS, UM, BECAUSE I KNOW ONE OF THE BIGGER CHALLENGES WE HAVE, UH, IS ESPECIALLY HOUSING, UM, AND SENSIBLE DEVELOPMENT.
UM, AND SO WITH THAT SAID, UM, I YIELD MY TIME.
UM, BUT I I THANK YOU FOR YOUR, THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE AND TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK WITH Y'ALL.
ALRIGHT, WELL IT'S SO NICE TO HEAR FROM SO MANY PEOPLE.
Y'ALL SHOULD COME BACK AND I'M SERIOUS ABOUT THAT.
ALRIGHT, I THINK LEMME JUST GO BACK TO OUR AGENDA.
SO WE HAVE, I THINK OUR BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS
[6. Approve FY25 budget recommendations to support the implementation of the Austin Climate Equity Plan as it relates to the objectives of the Joint Sustainability Committee. ]
IS OUR LAST ITEM, RIGHT? OKAY.SO WE HAVE, WE MADE MOST OF OUR BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS LAST MONTH, BUT WE HAVE TWO ADDITIONAL RECOMMENDATIONS, UM, ON OUR AGENDA FOR TONIGHT.
THE FIRST ONE THAT I'LL BRING UP IS, UH, ONE THAT IS BASED OFF OF WHAT THE AUSTIN TRAVIS COUNTY FOOD POLICY BOARD PASSED RECOMMENDING AN ADDITIONAL STAFF PERSON FOR THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY TO IMPLEMENT THE FOOD PLAN.
UM, I WROTE THIS UP AND I JUST KIND OF ADDED THE PIECE IN THERE ABOUT ALSO IMPLEMENTING THE, UH, PARTS OF THE AUSTIN CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN THAT, THAT TOUCH ON SIMILAR ISSUES AS THE FOOD PLAN.
CAN WE MAKE THAT A LITTLE BIT BIGGER? THANKS.
I CAN'T SEE ANY OF THE ONLINE PEOPLE, SO IF, IF YOU'RE ONLINE AND YOU WANNA SAY SOMETHING, JUST GO AHEAD.
'CAUSE I CAN'T THANK YOU FOR PULLING THAT OUT THERE, BUT I STILL CAN'T SEE BECAUSE DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY, ANY THOUGHTS ON THIS?
[01:30:08]
ANYBODY WANNA MAKE A MOTION? IS THIS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN SUPPORT WITH REGARD TO? IS THAT, IS THAT A, UM, IS THAT LIKE ONE 50,000? UH, I KNOW THIS IS A YEARLY BUDGET PLAN, BUT IS THIS POSITION FOR FOR ONE YEAR OR IS IT LIKE AN ONGOING POSITION? IT'S PUT IN HERE AS A FULL-TIME POSITION.SO IT'S ENVISIONED AS A PERMANENT POSITION, BUT THE BUDGET IMPLICATION, THE WAY WE'VE BEEN LISTING IT IS JUST, YOU KNOW, THE SINGLE YEAR COMMITMENT.
I WILL MAKE, I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO, TO PASS IT.
CHRIS, DO I HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND THAT MOTION.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS, DISCUSSION ON THIS? CRAIG, I SEE YOU GOING FOR YOUR, UH, SO WE ARE MAKING TURN YOUR MIC ON.
WE ARE MAKING, UH, THIS IS A RESOLUTION THAT'S GOING TO BE PART OF, UH, THE IMPLEMENTATION OF AUSTIN CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN.
SO THIS IS FOR THE, FOR THE BUDGET.
THE, THE DEADLINE FOR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS TO MAKE BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS IS AT THE END OF THIS MONTH.
UM, WE MADE A NUMBER OF RECOMMENDATIONS LAST MONTH, AND THIS IS JUST ADDING TO THAT LIST OF RECOMMENDATIONS YES.
RELATED TO IMPLEMENTING THE CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN AND IN THIS CASE ALSO THE FOOD PLAN.
ARE WE GONNA BE MAKING A RECOMMENDATION SPECIFICALLY REGARDING THE, UH, YOU KNOW, THE RESOLUTION FROM COUNSEL? YOU MEAN WHAT WE JUST HEARD? YEAH, SO THAT'LL COME NEXT MONTH.
SO I KNOW IT'S A LITTLE CONFUSING, WE'RE ON KIND OF PARALLEL AND PERHAPS OVERLAPPING PATHS HERE, BUT THIS IS ABOUT JUST THE REGULAR ANNUAL BUDGET AS OPPOSED TO THE, THE INVESTMENT PLAN.
WE'VE GOT A MOTION AND A SECOND.
ALL IN FAVOR? RAISE YOUR HAND, SAY, AYE.
ANNA, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE THERE, BUT IF YOU WANNA CAST A VOTE, WE NEED TO SEE YOU.
YEAH, SORRY, I I CAN'T GO ON VIDEO RIGHT NOW.
I'LL BE BACK IN LIKE TWO SECONDS.
CAN WE ALLOW HER TO VOTE WHEN SHE COMES BACK IF SHE, NO.
UM, ALRIGHT, SO OUR, OUR NEXT BUDGET ITEM IS, UH, ONE THAT COMES FROM THE ELECTRIC UTILITY COMMISSION AND TAKES UP, UH, A FEW ISSUES THAT WE HAVE MOSTLY WEIGHED IN ON BEFORE.
UM, IF WE CAN BRING THAT ONE UP.
SO THE FIRST ONE IS, I THINK A LITTLE BIT NEW FOR US, SO, UM, I'LL TAKE A MINUTE ON THAT.
UM, THE, UH, AUSTIN ENERGY, EVERYBODY'S, AUSTIN ENERGY BILL INCLUDES, UH, A LINE ITEM FOR FUNDING LOW INCOME DISCOUNTS.
AND THE WAY THAT THIS IS RELEVANT TO OUR WORK IS THAT AUSTIN ENERGY HAS A COMMUNITY SOLAR PROGRAM AND IS WORKING ON EXPANDING THAT PROGRAM.
AND PART OF THAT CONVERSATION HAS BEEN ABOUT HOW TO PAY FOR LOW INCOME DISCOUNTS WITHIN THAT PROGRAM.
AND, UM, THIS RECOMMENDATION RECOMMENDS USING THE POT OF MONEY THAT IS FOR THAT PURPOSE, UM, TO PAY FOR THOSE DISCOUNTS.
AND WHAT THIS DOES IS, UM, YOU KNOW, BASICALLY ELIMINATES THE PRESSURE ON KIND OF HAVING SOLAR PAY FOR THOSE DISCOUNTS AS OPPOSED TO THIS, THIS OTHER FUND.
UM, AND IT WILL, I THINK, ALLOW COMMUNITY SOLAR TO BE DEPLOYED MORE READILY, UH, THROUGH AUSTIN ENERGY IF WE CAN FOCUS, UM, ON SOLAR PAYING FOR ITSELF.
AND THEN THIS, THIS OTHER DEDICATED BUCKET OF MONEY PAYING FOR THE LOW INCOME DISCOUNTS.
THIS RECOMMENDATION IS FULLY SUPPORTIVE OF THE DISCOUNTS.
IT'S JUST ABOUT WHERE THE MONEY COMES FROM WITHIN AUSTIN ENERGY.
UM, AND THEN THE NEXT ITEM DOWN, UM,
[01:35:02]
MIGHT SOUND A LITTLE WONKY, BUT IT'S SUPER IMPORTANT.UM, YOU SCROLLED JUST A LITTLE TOO FAR.
UH, SO TRANSMISSION, UH, INFRASTRUCTURE HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AS A, IS A CRITICAL NEED FOR AUSTIN ENERGY, NOT JUST TO, UH, KEEP COST UNDER CONTROL FOR THE UTILITY AND ALL CUSTOMERS, BUT ALSO, UM, TO ALLOW FOR THE RETIREMENT OF AUSTIN ENERGY'S GAS BURNING POWER PLANTS AND REPLACEMENT WITH OTHER CLEAN CARBON FREE RESOURCES, WHICH OF COURSE IS, UM, KIND OF BAKED INTO THE AUSTIN CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN AS, AS WELL AS AN EXPLICIT GOAL IN THE, THE AUSTIN ENERGY PLAN.
SO THIS IS, UH, SUPPORTIVE STATEMENT ON IMPLEMENTING THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT THEIR CONTRACTOR MADE, UH, ABOUT INVESTING IN TRANSMISSION INFRASTRUCTURE.
AND I BELIEVE THAT AUSTIN ENERGY IS ALREADY MOVING FORWARD WITH THEM.
THIS IS KIND OF JUST TO EMPHASIZE THAT THAT WORK NEEDS TO BE DONE QUICKLY, UH, SO THAT THE, THAT TRANSITION CAN HAPPEN.
AND THEN THE THIRD ONE, IF WE CAN SCROLL DOWN, IS PRETTY, PRETTY SIMPLE.
UM, AND THIS ONE WE HAVE TAKEN UP, UH, IS A GENERAL ISSUE JUST SAYING DON'T INCLUDE ANY SORT OF CAPITAL, UH, INVESTMENTS FOR FAYETTE IN THE FAYETTE COAL PLANT IN THE, UH, IN THE BUDGET.
RODRIGO, JUST A QUICK CLARIFICATION QUESTION.
SO CAN YOU EXPLAIN KIND OF WHAT, WHAT THE ISSUE IS WITH NUMBER ONE MM-HMM.
IT'S VERY SMALL, IT'S FULLY SUB SUBSCRIBED.
IT'S ONLY, YOU KNOW, UM, EVEN AVAILABLE TO RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS.
I THINK SOMEBODY MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, TRY OPEN THAT UP TO COMMERCIAL.
UM, AND THERE'S AN EFFORT TO EXPAND IT, UM, THROUGH THIS KIND OF OTHER MECHANISM FOR DEPLOYING ROOFTOP SOLAR LOCALLY.
UM, AND THE KIND OF CONVERSATION THAT HAS BEEN GOING ON IS WHAT, WHAT RATE SHOULD BE PAID FOR THAT SOLAR AND, UM, RIGHT NOW THE, THE KIND OF PROPOSED RATE THAT'S BEEN PUT FORWARD IS PRETTY LOW BECAUSE THE UTILITY'S TRYING TO COVER THIS DELTA OF PAYING FOR THE DISCOUNTED SUBSCRIBERS.
HALF OF THE PROGRAM IS RESERVED FOR LOW INCOME CUSTOMERS, WHICH IS GREAT, AND THEY GET A SUBSCRIPTION AT A DISCOUNTED RATE, WHICH IS ALSO GREAT.
BUT WHAT IT'S CAUSING IS THIS PRESSURE ON THE PRICE THAT THEY'RE WILLING TO PAY FOR THE SOLAR BECAUSE THEY WANNA HAVE THE DELTA COVER THOSE DISCOUNTS.
SO THIS IS JUST SAYING TAKE THAT PRESSURE AWAY BY USING THE POT OF MONEY THAT'S THERE, COVER LOAN INCOME DISCOUNTS, SO THE PEOPLE, SO THAT MEANS THE PEOPLE NOT GETTING THE DISCOUNTS WON'T HAVE TO PAY AS MUCH OR THE PEOPLE WITH THE LOW INCOME.
IT'S REALLY MORE ABOUT MAKING THE RATE THAT THE UTILITY WILL PAY FOR THE SOLAR HIGH ENOUGH TO BE ATTRACTIVE THAT THE SOLAR WILL ACTUALLY GET BUILT.
THE UTILITY HAS PUT OUT TWO RFPS OVER SEVERAL YEARS HERE FOR LOCAL SOLAR AND THEN NOT TAKING ANY PROJECTS FOR THEM BECAUSE OF COST AND OTHER WORKING ON A DIFFERENT KIND OF STRATEGY WHERE THEY SET THE RATE AND THEN HAVE KIND OF A STANDARD OFFER WHERE, UH, SOLAR DEVELOPERS CAN THEN BUILD ROOFTOP SOLAR AND BE GUARANTEED THAT RATE, WHICH I THINK WOULD BE GREAT, BUT IT ONLY WORKS IF THE RATE IS HIGH ENOUGH THAT IT WILL ACTUALLY WORK.
DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? I KNOW IT'S A LITTLE WONKY.
AND THEN JUST ANOTHER CLARIFICATION.
SO ARE YOU ALL CONFIDENT OR, OR WHAT, I GUESS WHAT GUARANTEES THAT THE CAP FUND WOULD HAVE SUFFICIENT MONEY TO COVER KIND OF THAT SHIFT? YEAH, GOOD QUESTION.
SO THERE ARE, UM, THREE KIND OF COMMUNITY BENEFIT CHARGES, THE CAP FUND BEING ONE OF THEM, AND THEY ARE ALL ADJUSTED ANNUALLY BASED ON WHATEVER THE NEED IS.
NOW, THE COMMUNITY SOLAR PROGRAM IS VERY SMALL.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, I THINK, UH, MAYBE LIKE 250 LOW INCOME CUSTOMERS.
SO CURRENTLY THIS IS LIKE REALLY A, A PRETTY MINUSCULE AMOUNT.
UM, OBVIOUSLY THE HOPE IS THAT THAT WILL GROW, SO THAT FEE WILL GROW A LITTLE BIT.
BUT IF YOU LOOK AT YOUR BILL, YOU'LL SEE THAT, YOU KNOW, I LOOKED LAST MONTH, UM, FOR ALL THREE OF THOSE COMMUNITY BENEFIT CHARGES, I THINK IT WAS LIKE $5 AND SOMETHING ON MY BILL.
SO IT'S, IT'S A VERY SMALL PORTION OF THE BILL CURRENTLY.
I WOULDN'T EXPECT THIS TO MAKE
[01:40:01]
A SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE.IT'S JUST KIND OF WITHIN THE REALM OF COMMUNITY SOLAR WHERE IT HAS KIND OF AN OUTSIZED EFFECT.
ANNA, DID I SEE, RAISE YOUR HAND.
UM, SORRY, IT WAS ABOUT THE, WAS IT THE THIRD? NO, THE TRANSMISSION.
IS, IS THAT TRANSMISSION STUDY AVAILABLE? LIKE YEAH, CAN, WHAT DO WE, WELL, THE PRESENTATION ON THE STUDY IS AVAILABLE, UM, AND IT'S ON THE EUC WEBSITE, BUT I CAN ALSO GET YOU THE LINK TO IT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? OKAY, WELL ON, ON THAT SAME ONE, IS THERE, IS THERE ANY BENEFIT OF ASSIGNING A SPECIFIC TIMELINE ON WHEN THOSE UPGRADES WILL NEED TO BE DONE BY? YEAH, THERE WOULD BE A BENEFIT TO THAT.
I THINK, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE, OUT OF THE, THE LAST AUSTIN ENERGY RESOURCE PLANNING PROCESS, THERE WAS A LOT OF CONVERSATION ABOUT WHETHER, UM, THE TIMELINE FOR SHUTTING THOSE PLANTS DOWN COULD BE MOVED UP TO 2030.
AND THAT WAS PART OF THE IMPETUS FOR THIS STUDY.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, IF THESE TRANSMISSION UPGRADES ARE DONE BEFORE THEN, THEN IT WOULD ALLOW FOR THAT OP OPTION AT LEAST OF EARLIER RETIREMENT.
CAN WE SAY LIKE, AS SOON AS, AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE, UM, BEFORE 2030, SOMETHING LIKE THAT, JUST TO MAKE IT MORE, MORE, UH, ACTIONABLE? I, I'M FINE WITH THAT.
DO OTHERS HAVE THOUGHTS ON A ADDING THAT LANGUAGE? ANY OBJECTIONS I GUESS I SHOULD SAY? OKAY, LET'S, I I CAN ADD THAT SO AS, AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE, NO LATER THAN 2030, IS THAT WHAT YOU SAID? YEAH, THAT'S ALL RIGHT.
OR TO BE COMPLETED NO LATER THAN 2030.
ANY OTHER THOUGHTS, SUGGESTIONS? THIS, THIS IS PROBABLY A MUCH LONGER CONVERSATION, BUT FOR THE THIRD ONE, YOU KNOW, I KNOW I'VE BROUGHT THIS UP BEFORE, UH, YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY SUPPORTIVE OF THIS LANGUAGE.
I DO THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE A FOCUS ON PERHAPS WHAT THEY SHOULD DO INSTEAD, UM, IN ADDITION, BUT I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN TAKE UP EITHER THROUGH PART OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL INVESTMENT ACT OR I DON'T KNOW IF THAT NEEDS TO GO IN HERE.
YOU MEAN LIKE OTHER KIND OF ENHANCEMENTS TO THE TRANSMISSION SYSTEM BEYOND WHAT TRANSMISSION STORAGE GENERATION IN ANY AND ALL THE ABOVE MIDTERM, LONG TERM SHORT TERM STORAGE.
WELL, I, I HOPE THAT WILL BE A BIG PART OF OUR INVESTMENT PLAN.
YEAH, GREAT RECOMMENDATION,
IS THIS LANGUAGE IN ANY WAY RESTRICTING ANY POSSIBLE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS THAT MIGHT MAKE THE FACILITY MORE ENVIRONMENTALLY SOUND LIKE? I JUST WANNA, I AM IN FULL SUPPORT OF IT, BUT AS I LOOK AT THE APPLICATION OF IT, I WANNA MAKE SURE WE DON'T, UH, YOU KNOW, EXCUSE THE, THE PHRASE POLAND, ALABAMA, WHEREBY SAYING THAT WE NOT DO ANY CAPITAL INVESTMENTS IF THERE'S CAPITAL INVESTMENTS PLANNED TO MAKE THE FACILITY, UM, IN ANY WAY, SHAPE OR FORM SAFER OR LESS TOXIC TO ITS ENVIRONMENT.
ARE WE LIMITING THAT AND DO WE NEED TO LOOK AT THAT LANGUAGE? WELL, UM, I I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY PLANS.
THE UTILITY HAS NOT MENTIONED, UM, ANY PLANS FOR ANY, UM, INVESTMENTS.
YOU KNOW, I DO KNOW THAT ONE OF THE LAST INVESTMENTS, UH, THAT THEY DID MAKE IN THAT REGARD WERE, WAS SIZABLE INVESTMENT IN SCRUBBERS.
AND IT, I THINK KINDA LED THEM TO WANNA RUN THE PLANT LONGER.
SO THERE IT'S, IT'S A BIT OF A DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD.
BUT THAT SAID, I DON'T, I DON'T ANTICIPATE THAT THIS HAS THAT EFFECT IN, IN A REAL WORLD SENSE.
I DO THINK THAT THEY ARE YET A, THERE'S AN ACT OF EFFORT TO GET IT SHUT DOWN.
AND SO THAT WAS KIND OF THE SPIRIT OF WHY, UH, THE EUC MADE THIS RECOMMENDATION.
YOU KNOW, DON'T, IF YOU'RE, IF YOU'RE ABOUT TO, IF YOU'RE ABOUT TO TRASH A AN ASSET, YOU DON'T, YOU DON'T POUR MONEY INTO IT.
UM, YEAH, I, I HOPE THAT ANSWERS THE QUESTION.
I'D LIKE TO, WITH REGARD TO THE FAYETTE PLANT, RECOMMEND WE ADD A COUPLE OF ITEMS. ONE IS, UH, I THINK WE SHOULD DO WATER TEST OR DO
[01:45:01]
GROUNDWATER TESTING ARE THE GROUND TESTING FOR POLLUTANTS AND TOXINS.UH, THERE'S, YOU KNOW, IN COAL-FIRED POWER PLANTS ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY, THERE'S A LARGE PROBLEM WITH CONTAMINATION OF THE SURROUNDING AREA DUE TO, YOU KNOW, THE ASH THAT COMES OUT OF THE, THE STACKS AND YOU KNOW, ET CETERA, ET CETERA.
AND TO MY UNDERSTANDING, THERE'S NOT BEEN A EFFECTIVE, EXTENSIVE, HOWEVER YOU WANT TO TERM IT, ANALYSIS OF THE PROPERTY, DETERMINE THE EXTENSION OR THE EXTENT OF THE ECOLOGICAL DAMAGE.
IF WE'RE LOOKING TO SHUT THAT DOWN AT SOME POINT WE NEED TO KNOW HOW MUCH WE'RE IN FOR AS FAR AS GETTING THE PLACE CLEANED UP SO THAT WE CAN PUT A PART THERE OR HOUSES OR WHAT, WHATEVER THE NEXT THING IS THAT GOES THERE.
AND THE SECOND THING I'D LIKE TO RECOMMEND IS THAT WE LOOK TO STOP PUMPING GROUNDWATER OUT OF THERE BECAUSE THERE'S, UH, THE LCRA PUMPS A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF GROUNDWATER OUT OF THE GROUND, AND WE NEED TO LOOK TO CUT THAT BACK.
ARE THEY PUMPING AT THE FAYETTE SITE FROM AROUND THERE? YES.
AND THEY'RE USING IT FOR COOLING AND THE SITE AND, YOU KNOW, HOWEVER, WHATEVER THE PROCESS IS.
AND SO BASICALLY WE'RE DRAINING THE AQUIFERS IN ORDER TO RUN THE PLANT.
AND WE NEED TO KNOW, I MEAN, WE, FIRST OF ALL, WE PROBABLY SHOULD STOP IT, BUT WE ALSO SHOULD UNDERSTAND THE EXTENT AT WHICH WE'RE DRAINING THE AQUIFERS IN ORDER TO KEEP THAT GOING.
LCRA IS PAYING A NUMBER OF THE AQUIFER DISTRICTS OR WHATEVER THOSE ORGANIZATIONS ARE CALLED GROUNDWATER DISTRICTS IN THE SURROUNDING AREA, MONEY TO PURCHASE WATER FROM THEM.
IN ORDER TO ACCESS THAT, WE NEED TO KNOW HOW MUCH WATER THEY'RE PUMPING AND WHAT THE IMPACT TO THOSE DISTRICTS, AND WE NEED TO PULL THE PLUG ON THEM.
UM, I MEAN, I THINK I AGREE WITH YOU IN PRINCIPLE THAT SAID THIS IS A BUDGET RECOMMENDATION FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN, SO I'M NOT SURE THAT'S MAY BE WE OUGHT TO RECOMMEND WE SPEND MONEY TO FIND OUT.
I THINK THE, THE FIRST ONE IS WELL KIND OF WITHIN THIS, AND I WOULD BE HAPPY TO ADD THAT THE, UM, ASKING FOR, FOR FUNDING TO CONDUCT THAT GROUNDWATER TESTING, WHICH FRANKLY COUNCIL HAD ALREADY, I THINK, PASSED A RESOLUTION A COUPLE YEARS AGO SAYING THAT THEY WANTED THAT DONE.
SO THAT, THAT SEEMS LIKE A VERY REASONABLE, UH, NEXT STEP.
THIS OTHER ISSUE, I, I GUESS I KIND OF HAVE SOME HESITANCY ABOUT ADDING THAT HERE IN THIS DOCUMENT.
COULD WE MAYBE WORK ON THAT MORE AS A POLICY STATEMENT TO SURE.
TAKE FORWARD SEPARATELY? SURE.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE THOUGHTS ON ANY OBJECTION TO ADDING THE SUPPORT FOR, UH, FUNDING FOR GROUNDWATER TESTING AT THE FAYETTE SITE? UM, I CAN'T REMEMBER THE LATEST ON THIS, BUT I BELIEVE EPA HAS PROPOSED NEW FLY ASH RULES, WHICH I BELIEVE THIS IS, I SEE SOME NODDING HEADS.
UM, AND I THINK THAT I WAS JUST CHECKING, LOOKS LIKE THE RULE WAS PROPOSED IN 2023, SO THIS MAY OR MAY NOT BE SOMETHING THAT'S ALREADY COVERED BY UPCOMING.
UM, THAT WOULD BE FAST IF THE RULE'S ALREADY IMPLEMENTED, BUT THIS MAY BE SOMETHING ALREADY, UM, REQUIRED BY FEDERAL REGULATIONS.
I THINK THAT THAT RULE WAS ABOUT NEW SITES, WASN'T IT? WAS IT ABOUT EXISTING? I, I HONESTLY CAN'T REMEMBER AND I CAN'T REMEMBER.
LIKE I REMEMBER HEARING ABOUT IT, SO I LOOKED IT UP.
I HAVEN'T HAD TIME TO FIGURE OUT WHICH ONE IT IS.
IF ANYONE ON THE COMMISSION IS MORE IN TOUCH WITH THIS STUFF, PLEASE WELL SPEAK UP.
WHAT I WILL SAY IS, IN PREPARATION FOR THIS MEETING, I'VE DONE SOME RESEARCH ON THE FAYETTE PLANT, AND I'M NOT GONNA CLAIM I'M AN EXPERT ON IT.
I'VE DONE OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS SOME RESEARCH, AND ONE OF THE CONCERNS THAT I SEE IS THAT THERE'S BEEN LACK OF GROUND TESTING FOR TOXINS JUST LAYING ON THE GROUND.
THEN THERE'S THE FACT THEY SEEP INTO THE GROUNDWATER AND POLLUTE THE UNDERGROUND AQUIFERS.
SO REGARDLESS OF WHAT OTHER RULES AND REGULATIONS MAY BE RUNNING AROUND THAT ARE REQUIRED TO BE DONE, IT DOES NOT SEEM LIKE, FROM THE RESEARCH I'VE DONE THAT ANYONE HAS DONE ANY EXTENSIVE TESTING OF EITHER GROUND SURFACE CONTAMINATION AND GROUNDWATER
[01:50:01]
STYLES.YEAH, NO, YOU'RE, YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
THERE WAS A REPORT A FEW YEARS AGO THAT, THAT LOOKED AT THAT THERE ARE JUST, UM, KIND OF STANDARD MONITORING WELLS THAT ARE AT THE SITE.
AND THE REPORT LOOKED ACTUALLY AT ALL THE COAL PLANTS IN TEXAS, AND I THINK THEY ALL, UM, INCLUDING FAYETTE, SHOWED THAT THERE, UM, THERE WAS LEAKAGE OF THOSE CONTAMINANTS SHOWING UP IN THOSE MONITORING WELLS.
AND WHAT'S SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN WHEN A MONITORING WELL SHOWS TOXINS IN IT, THEN YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO DO ADDITIONAL GROUNDWATER TESTING.
BUT THAT HAS NOT HAPPENED AT FAYETTE.
SO I, I THINK YOU'RE, YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
UM, ON THAT, THE NEW REGULATIONS, I CAN'T REMEMBER, I WANNA SAY THEY HAD TO DO WITH THE TYPE OF LINING AND AND DISPOSAL THAT IS NEEDED FOR ANY KINDA NEW COAL ASH, UM, DISPOSAL.
I DON'T THINK THAT IT ADDRESSED LIKE THE EXISTING WHAT WAS THERE.
AND I, I MEAN, I, THAT'S, THAT'S MY BEST UNDERSTANDING.
DOES IT HURT IF WE RECOMMEND, UH, TO CONDUCT TESTING AND THAT'S COVERED BY SOME OTHER RULE? YEAH, I PROBABLY NOT.
ARE YOU OKAY WITH THAT, ANNA? YEAH, NO, I'M, I'M FINE WITH IT.
SO, UM, CAN WE PUT, PUT THE ITEM BACK UP ON THE SCREEN? OKAY.
UM, I THINK WE COULD JUST ADD, I ALMOST THINK THIS IS MAYBE A, A NUMBER FOUR HERE 'CAUSE IT'S RELATED.
OR WE COULD ADD, WE COULD JUST MAKE THIS INTO TWO SECTIONS AND WE COULD JUST, I COULD ADD A SENTENCE THAT SAYS THAT, UH, GROUNDWATER CONTAMINATION HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AS AN EXISTING PROBLEM.
UH, GROUNDWATER CONTAMINATION FROM COAL ASH DISPOSAL DISPOSAL AT THE FAA SITE HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AS AN EXISTING PROBLEM AND A DIS ADDITIONAL TESTING, UH, AND REMEDIATION IS NEEDED.
AND THEN WE CAN HAVE A SECOND, UM, RECOMMENDATION UNDER THIS NUMBER THREE THAT SAYS, THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS THAT THE BUDGET INCLUDES, UH, INCLUDES FUNDS FOR TESTING GROUNDWATER FOR TOXINS AT THE BAY SITE.
IT'S $175,000 IF YOU WANT TO KNOW.
NOT THAT I DIDN'T DO ANY RESEARCH ON IT OR ANYTHING.
DOES THAT WORK FOR EVERYBODY? OKAY.
I'M GONNA MAKE A MOTION THAT WE ADOPT THIS AS WE'VE JUST AMENDED IT.
AND IF YOU CAN TRUST ME TO WRITE THOSE WORDS UP AS I JUST EXPLAINED THEM LATER, YOU'LL TRUSTWORTHY.
CAN I GET A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
ALL IN FAVOR? RAISE YOUR HAND.
APPRECIATE EVERYBODY'S PARTICIPATION.
GOODNIGHT EVERYONE WITH FINGERS.
YOU CAN'T HIDE THE TRUTH WITH, FINGERS CROSSED YOU CAN'T HIDE THE TRUTH.