[00:00:02]
[CALL MEETING TO ORDER]
RESOURCE MANAGEMENT COMMISSIONED ORDER.IT'S 6:02 PM UH, WE'LL START BY TAKING ROLL STONE IS HERE.
IS ANYBODY FROM THE PUBLIC HERE TO SPEAK? JUST A QUESTION.
ARE, ARE WE EXPECTING, UH, UH, MELISSA HERE? I'M SORRY.
ARE WE EXPECTING COMMISSIONER KIRA GOTTI TO BE HERE TONIGHT? NOT THAT I AM AWARE OF, NO.
SHE DID ACCEPT THE MEETING TONIGHT, BUT YEAH.
UH, DO WE HAVE ANYONE FROM THE PUBLIC HERE FOR COMMENT TODAY? NO.
ONE HERE FROM PUBLIC FOR COMMENT.
[1. Approve the minutes of the Resource Management Commission Regular Meeting on March 19, 2024.]
YOUR AGENDAS, THEN WE HAVE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.THEY'RE INCLUDED IN YOUR PACKET.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO REVIEW THOSE FOR A MOMENT, AND THEN I'LL BE HAPPY TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION.
THERE'S BEEN A MOTION MADE BY COMMISSIONER SILVERSTEIN.
SECONDED BY, UH, THE VICE CHAIR.
UH, UH, ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS TO DOING UNANIMOUS CONSENT? THERE BEING NONE.
[2. Recommend approving issuance of a 5-year performance-based incentive to Starwood Capital Group LLC, for the installation of solar electric systems on their facility located at 10814 Jollyville Road, Austin, TX 78759, in an amount not to exceed $70,125.91.]
TO ITEM NUMBER TWO IN YOUR PACKET.RECOMMENDATION FOR APPROVING ISSUANCE OF A FIVE YEAR PERFORMANCE BASED INCENTIVE TO STARWOOD CAPITAL GROUP.
IS THERE ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK ON THIS ONE? GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS, UH, RICHARD GENESEE, VICE PRESIDENT OF CUSTOMER ENERGY SOLUTIONS FOR AUSTIN ENERGY.
UM, AS IS REFLECTED IN YOUR PACKETS, THIS IS A FIVE YEAR PERFORMANCE BASED INCENTIVE FOR STARWOOD CAPITAL GROUP, A CUSTOMER THAT HAS MET ALL THE REQUIREMENTS OF, UH, OUR PROGRAM.
AND THEY WILL GET A MONTHLY, UH, INCENTIVE AS LONG AS THEY ARE PERFORMING.
AS THE NAME IMPLIES, IT'S A PERFORMANCE BASED INCENTIVE, SO THEY HAVE TO PERFORM TO GET THE INCENTIVE PAYOUT FOR FIVE YEARS, ROUGHLY 69% OF THE PROJECT COST.
SO I'LL ENTERTAIN ANY QUESTIONS OR TIM IS ALSO HERE.
UM, THIS IS, I DON'T KNOW MR. GENESEE, IF, IF IT'S YOU OR MR. HARVEY WHO COULD ANSWER THESE, BUT, UM, THE FIRST IS, DO WE HAVE ANY LIMIT ON THE NUMBER OR DOLLAR AMOUNT OF PROJECTS THAT ONE APPLICANT CAN RECEIVE? NO, AS LONG AS THE, UH, CUSTOMER MEETS THE PROGRAM CRITERIA FOR ALL CUSTOMERS, WE DO NOT HAVE A LIMITATION.
AND WE'VE ALSO NOT TURNED AWAY CUSTOMERS.
WE'VE, UH, SO, UM, WE HAVE HAD, AS WE DO IN THIS CASE, CUSTOMERS THAT SUBMIT FOR MULTIPLE PROJECTS FOR WHICH THEY WOULD GET INCENTIVES FOR EACH PROJECT.
AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THE MONEY IS, WELL, I DON'T KNOW, I ASSUME THAT, THAT THE MONEY IS LIKE, COMMITTED ON THE, ON EXPECTATION THAT IT'S PERFORMANCE BASED AND PAID OUT IN THE FUTURE BASED ON THE APPLICANT'S PERFORMANCE MONTH BY MONTH ONCE THE PROJECT GOES INTO EFFECT.
BUT I WONDER HOW DO WE HAVE LIKE ANY MAXIMUM AMOUNT PER MONTH OR PER YEAR THAT AUSTIN, WHEN YOU MAKE THESE COMMITMENTS ON A FORWARD BUDGET, DO WE HAVE ANY IDEA OF HOW MUCH OUR FUTURE COMMITMENT FOR THESE SOLAR PAYMENTS WILL BE? I MEAN, THE FUNDS ARE ENCUMBERED AS THE PROJECTS, UH, COMPLETE AND THEN THE PAYOUT IS SUBJECT TO THE PERFORMANCE OF THE SYSTEM.
AND, AND IS THE ASSUMPTION THAT, THAT YOU'LL JUST COME UP WITH AUSTIN ENERGY AS OPPOSED TO YOU PERSONALLY? WE'LL COME UP WITH THE CASH AS, AS ALL OF THE PROJECTS THAT HAVE RECEIVED THESE COMMITMENTS? WELL, AS OUR BUDGET IS APPROVED ANNUALLY, WE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A SET AMOUNT OF FUNDS TO COVER A GIVEN NUMBER OF PROJECTS, BUT AS I SAID, WE DON'T, WE HAVE NOT TURNED AWAY, TO MY KNOWLEDGE, ANY CUSTOMER, UM, IN THE HISTORY OF THE PROGRAM THAT MEETS THE CRITERIA.
AND YOU ARE BUILDING INTO FORWARD BUDGETS THE FORWARD EXPECTATION RELATING TO PROJECTED PERFORMANCE OF ALL OF THE PV COMMITMENTS AND SUBSIDIES THAT WE ARE APPROVING NOW.
[00:05:01]
YOU KNOW, IS ONLY SET ON AN ANNUALIZED BASIS.SO WE CAN ONLY COMMIT FUNDS FOR ANY GIVEN YEAR.
BUT, YOU KNOW, WE CERTAINLY PROJECT WHAT NEEDS WE WILL HAVE IN THE FUTURE.
AND THERE'S NO EXPECTATION THAT AT SOME POINT IN THE YEAR WE SAY, OH GOSH, WE JUST HAD A GOLD RUSH AND WE CAN'T FUND ANY MORE OF THESE.
THIS YEAR HASN'T HAPPENED, UM, AS OF RECENTLY THAT I'M AWARE OF.
SO I THINK IT'S VERY, I THINK WE'RE VERY PROUD OF THE FACT THAT WE HAVE NOT TURNED AWAY CUSTOMERS WHO MEET THE CRITERIA AS WE'RE TRYING TO MEET OUR GOALS FOR THE PROGRAM.
AND AS YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE TRYING TO PROMOTE MORE AND MORE RENEWABLES ON OUR SYSTEM.
SO THIS IS, UH, COMPLETELY INCONSISTENT WITH THAT.
UM, BUT AS LONG AS THE CUSTOMERS MEET THE CRITERIA, UH, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T JUST APPROVE PROGRAM APPROVE PROPOSALS FOR CUSTOMERS OR PROJECTS SUBMITTED BY CONTRACTORS THAT DO NOT MEET OUR STRICT PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS.
VICE CHAIR ROBBINS, I, I WILL VOTE FOR THIS.
HOWEVER, I THINK THAT WE OUGHT TO BE MOVING TOWARDS, UH, NOT JUST SOLAR, BUT CONTROLLING WHEN THE SOLAR IS ON, UH, SOLAR PLUS BATTERIES.
UM, I MEAN, THIS ISN'T GONNA HELP US AT WINTER PEAK, AND IT MAY BE OF LIMITED VALUE IN SUMMER PEAK GIVEN THE, UH, DUCK CURVE THAT ERCOT HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING.
UM, I, I, THAT'S MY ONLY COMMENT.
UM, I, I HOPE THAT, UM, AS THIS SOLAR PROGRAM EVOLVES, UH, BATTERIES WILL BE A, A MAJOR PART OF IT.
UM, COMMISSIONER ROBBINS, ARE YOU PROPOSING THAT THE CITY CONSIDER CREATING A PARALLEL PROGRAM THAT STARTS GIVING INCENTIVES TO BATTERIES THAT ARE DIRECTLY ASSOCIATED WITH SOLAR PROJECTS? UH, I THINK THERE'S A BATTERY, UH, PROGRAM OF SOME SORT THAT'S BEING RESEARCHED RIGHT NOW THAT, UH, BUT THAT IS, THAT IS CORRECT.
UH, AND I'M SURE THAT SOMETIME I, I, I AM GONNA GUESS IN THE NEXT SIX MONTHS, UH, THIS WILL BE DISCUSSED.
UH, BUT WHAT I'M SUGGESTING IS THAT WE MAY WANT TO CHANGE OUR REBATE STRUCTURE SO THAT IT REWARDS PEOPLE, UH, WHO CAN BRING US SOLAR ON PEAK AS OPPOSED TO, UM, WHENEVER THE SUN SHINES.
WE, WE, WE, AND YOUR ASSUMPTION IS CORRECT, WE DO HAVE, UM, RESEARCH GOING ON INTO A NUMBER OF WAYS IN WHICH WE CAN SUPPORT BATTERIES ACROSS THE WHOLE UTILITY FROM UTILITY SCALE BATTERIES ALL THE WAY THROUGH RESIDENTIAL BATTERIES.
AND SO, UM, THAT IS, THAT IS WORK THAT'S UNDERWAY RIGHT NOW.
AGAIN, I, I'LL SUPPORT THIS COMMISSIONER TI I'LL GET IT INTO MY COOL, I GOT A FIRST TRY.
UH, TWO QUESTIONS ACTUALLY, UM, ABOUT THIS.
SO IN THE SUMMARY, UM, IT SAYS TOTAL SYSTEM COSTS $101,000 STAR, DOES NOT INCLUDE PANEL AND INVERTER COST.
WHY IS THAT REMOVED? UM, I THINK THOSE WERE PAID FOR SEPARATELY, THE PANELS AND THE INVERTERS WERE PAID FOR SEPARATELY.
SO THEY'RE NOT A PART OF THIS, UM, PACKAGE.
SO WHAT IS THE SYSTEM COST CONSIST OF? I'M SORRY, WHAT, WHAT IS, WHAT IS THE SYSTEM COST? IS COST OF, OF WHAT? YEAH.
IT'S THE TURNKEY COST FOR EVERYTHING EXCEPT FOR THE INVERTERS AND THE BATTERIES.
COULD YOU, UH, TELL US WHO YOU ARE PLEASE? OH, SORRY.
YEAH, I, MY NAME'S TIM HARVEY.
I AM THE CUSTOMER RENEWABLE SOLUTIONS MANAGER.
SO, TO FOLLOW UP QUESTION THEN, HOW MUCH DID THE INVERTERS AND PANELS COST? THEY BOUGHT THAT THROUGH, THEY BOUGHT THEM IN BULK THROUGH A SEPARATE CONTRACT, AND WE DID NOT, UM, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE PRICE WAS ON THOSE.
I GUESS THE REASON FOR MY INQUIRY IS, IS, IS TO JUST A SIMPLE TEST OF LIKE, IS THIS A GOOD, IS THIS GOOD VALUE? LIKE, IS THIS, IS THIS IN LINE WITH STANDARD DOLLAR PER WATT OF INSTALLATIONS?
[00:10:01]
AND IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO KNOW THAT WITHOUT KNOWING THE, LIKE FULL SYSTEM COST.BUT THE PROJECT'S MOVING FORWARD, WHICH IS A GOOD INDICATION, IF IT WAS TOO EXPENSIVE, YOU KNOW, THE LIKELIHOOD OF A PROJECT MANIFESTING WOULD BE LESS LIKELY.
IT IS BEING REBATED HEAVILY THOUGH.
SO IT'S A QUESTION WORTH ASKING, I THINK.
IS IT, WHAT'S THE TOTAL SYSTEM COST AND IS IT IN LINE WITH OTHER SYSTEMS OF THAT SIZE? SO IT SHOULD BE, IT SHOULD BE A FAIR PRICE REGARDLESS OF THE INCENTIVE, RIGHT? THE, THE INCENTIVE PROGRAM ITSELF DOES NOT HAVE ANY LIMITS OR REQUIREMENTS FOR INSTALLED COSTS.
AND SO THAT'S WHY WE DON'T REALLY HAVE GROUNDS TO DIG IN TO TRY TO GET THAT DATA.
BUT, BUT THE INCENTIVES ARE BASED ON INSTALLED COST AND, AND WHAT IT TAKES TO MOVE A CUSTOMER TO MOVE FORWARD WITH A PROJECT.
AND THE SECOND QUESTION, UM, IS WHAT ARE THE PERFORMANCE METRICS THAT THIS IS THEN QUALIFIED UNDER ON AN ONGOING BASIS IN TERMS OF IT'S A PERFORMANCE BASED? UM, YEAH, SO, SO WE, WE METER, UM, ALL OF THE SYSTEMS INDIVIDUALLY.
SO WE CAN TELL EXACTLY WHAT THE PRODUCTION IS.
SO IT'S A PRODUCTION, IT'S BASED BASICALLY THAT'S THIS PRODUCTION'S, IT'S A PRODUCTION BASED INCENTIVE.
THEY'RE KIND OF USED INTERCHANGEABLY IN OUR WORLD, BUT YEAH.
SO TO THE FIRST POINT, YEAH, VERY PRO SOLAR GENERALLY.
IT'S, I THINK IT IS WORTH A CHECK FOR EACH ONE OF LIKE, IS THE TOTAL VALUE OF THIS IN LINE WITH OTHER SYSTEMS. AND I'M NOT SUGGESTING YOU CHANGE THE LIKE CRITERIA, BUT I THINK IT'S, IT'S VERY INFORMATIVE FOR THIS GROUP TO KNOW THAT THE MONEY IS GOING TOWARDS GOOD VALUE INSTALLS.
IT'S VERY ATYPICAL FOR A CUSTOMER TO BUY THE, UM, PANELS AND INVERTERS IN A SEPARATE CONTRACT.
BUT THEY'RE A NATIONWIDE COMPANY.
I BELIEVE THAT THEY'RE DOING THIS IN OTHER TERRITORIES, AND THEY'VE DID A BULK PURCHASE TO BRING DOWN COSTS.
COMMISSIONER SILVERSTEIN IN THE, I'VE BEEN ON THIS COMMISSION, I THINK SINCE SEPTEMBER.
AND IN THAT PERIOD, IT FEELS LIKE ABOUT TWO THIRDS OF THE PROJECTS THAT WE'VE HAD SUBMITTED HAVE BEEN FROM STARWOOD.
SO THEY CLEARLY KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING, AND THEY'RE CLEARLY BUYING IN BULK.
I DOUBT THAT THEY'RE PAYING ABOVE MARKET VALUE FOR, FOR THESE.
SO I THINK, AND THEY'VE, THEY'VE DONE IT AS TIM SAID, ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.
SO I'M PRETTY SURE THAT AT LEAST THE STARWOOD PROJECTS ARE, ARE, ARE DELIVERING A GOOD VALUE.
UH, I HAD A QUESTION AND THAT IS, UH, YOU MENTIONED THE WORD ENCUMBRANCES, UH, RICHARD? MM-HMM.
SO, UH, AS AN ACCOUNTING NERD, I, I POUNCE ON THAT.
SO BASICALLY AUSTIN ENERGY WILL BE CARRYING A LIABILITY ON ITS BOOKS FOR 70, $70,000 THAT WILL BE BURNED OFF OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.
OR WHAT DOES AN ENCUMBRANCE MEAN? NO, IN AUSTIN ENERGY'S TERMS. YEAH.
SO, UM, I THINK THAT ENCUMBRANCE MIGHT NOT BE THE, UM, EXACT PROPER WORD.
IT IS A SPECIAL LIMITED, UM, UM, COMMITMENT FROM US LIMITED BY WHETHER OR NOT THE BUDGET IS APPROVED IN, IN THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR BECAUSE WE CAN'T BIND FUTURE YEAR COUNCILS.
UM, SO THERE'S A, THERE'S A SPECIAL LIMITATION TO IT, AND IF YOU WANT, YOU CAN DIG INTO THE, UM, GUIDELINES AND IT HAS THAT, THAT LANGUAGE.
UM, BUT THAT'S ESSENTIALLY BECAUSE WE CAN'T DO WHAT YOU'RE, WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, WHAT IT, WHAT, WHERE WE LIKE PUT ASIDE MONEY AND CARRY IT INTO FUTURE YEARS.
IT'S SUBJECT TO COUNCIL APPROVAL.
IS THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSION? IF NOT, I'M HAPPY TO ENTERTAIN A VOTE OR A MOTION RATHER.
COMMISSIONER SILVERSTEIN WITH THE MOTION AND, UH, THE VICE CHAIR WITH THE SECOND.
UH, IF YOU DON'T HAVE YOUR CAM, UH, YOUR CAMERAS ON BY THE WAY, THEY NEED TO BE ON FOR YOU TO VOTE.
COMMISSIONER GARY? YES, UNFORTUNATELY I'M DRIVING ON MY WAY THERE, SO IT'D BE VERY DANGEROUS FOR ME TO TURN MY CAMERA ON THAT.
COMMISSIONER SILVERSTEIN? YES.
[00:15:01]
UH, THIS CARRIES SEVEN TO ONE WITH NO ABSTENTIONS.[6. Staff Briefing on Austin’s Drought Contingency Plan and Water Conservation Plan updates by Kevin Critendon, Assistant Director, Environmental, Planning, and Development Services, Austin Water and Kevin Kluge, Environmental Conservation Division Manager of Austin Water]
UH, WITH THE COMMISSION'S APPROVAL, I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE UP ITEM SIX, UH, TO, UH, BRING AUSTIN WATER UP TO BE ABLE TO GIVE THEIR PRESENTATIONS AHEAD OF OUR DISCUSSIONS ON ITEMS THREE AND FOUR, WHICH ARE, UH, RESOLUTIONS REGARDING THE WATER CONSERVATION PLAN AND THE DROUGHT CONTINGENCY PLAN.AS THEIR PRESENTATION WILL ADDRESS THOSE TOPICS AND HOPEFULLY SAVE US SOME, UH, HEADACHE LATER ON.
IF THERE'S ANY OBJECTION, PLEASE SAY SO.
NOW, OTHERWISE, I WILL PRESUME THAT THE COMMISSION IS OKAY WITH THAT.
UM, IS IT POSSIBLE TO, UH, I'M RESPECTFULLY ASKING THAT, UH, A TIME LIMIT BE SET.
UH, WE'VE HAD, UH, INCIDENTS IN THE PAST WHERE, UH, PRESENTATIONS HAVE GONE, UM, WAY OVER WHAT'S COMFORTABLE.
I'M NOT SAYING THAT THAT'S GONNA HAPPEN, BUT I'M JUST WANTING TO MAKE SURE I, I PRESUME THAT OUR FRIENDS AT AUSTIN WATER WILL BE JUDICIOUS WITH THEIR USE OF TIME.
SO WE WILL, UH, WE'LL LET THEM PROCEED.
CAN EVERYBODY HEAR ME? ALL RIGHT.
I'M ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF AUSTIN WATER, AND HERE TO PRESENT TO YOU TONIGHT A QUICK OVERVIEW OF OUR, OUR PROPOSED 24 20 24 DROUGHT CONTINGENCY AND WATER CONSERVATION PLAN UPDATES.
UH, WITH ME THIS EVENING IS KEVIN KLUGE.
HE'LL BE HELPING ME OUT ON THE PRESENTATION.
WE'LL TRY TO MAKE IT AS EXPEDITIOUS AS POSSIBLE.
ALSO NOTE THAT OUR DIRECTOR IS IN THE AUDIENCE, SHAY ROLSON.
SO GLAD THAT SHE COULD BE HERE WITH US THIS EVENING.
BASICALLY, THE PRESENTATION DOES TRY TO PRESENT AN OVERVIEW OF OUR, OUR DROUGHT CONTINGENCY WATER CONSERVATION PLAN, PROPOSED UPDATES.
UM, THE OVERVIEW OF OUR PRESENTATION WILL GIVE YOU A BRIEF, UH, WATER SUPPLY BACKGROUND AND UPDATE JUST TO KIND OF ORIENT YOU TO THE SOURCE OF SUPPLY FOR AUSTIN WATER.
UH, WE'LL PROVIDE A BIT OF A PLANNING OVERVIEW TO TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, KIND OF THE ELEMENTS INVOLVED IN PLANNING FOR UPDATING OUR WATER CONSERVATION DROUGHT CONTINGENCY PLANS.
AND THEN KEVIN WILL COME UP AND TALK MORE SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE PROPOSED WATER CONSERVATION PLAN AND PROPOSED DROUGHT CONSERVATION PLANS.
AND THEN WE'LL WRAP IT UP WITH NEXT STEPS.
THIS, UH, GRAPHIC IS REALLY JUST A, A PROPOSED, UH, GRAPHIC TO DEPICT OUR WATER SUPPLY.
OUR WATER DOES COME FROM THE COLORADO RIVER, THE TEXAS, COLORADO RIVER IN ITS ENTIRETY.
UM, WE HAVE A COMBINATION OF STATE ISSUED WATER RIGHTS, UM, THAT WE ARE GRANTED FROM, UH, THE TEXAS COMMISSION ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY AND A CONTRACT WITH THE LOWER COLORADO RIVER AUTHORITY THAT TOTALS ABOUT 325,000 ACRE FEET OF WATER SUPPLY PER YEAR.
ADDITIONALLY, WE HAVE A CONTRACT WITH THE LOWER COLORADO RIVER AUTHORITY TO BACK UP THAT WATER SUPPLY, UM, THAT, UH, WE PREPAID FOR WATER SUPPLY IN THAT AGREEMENT IN 1999.
AND THAT BASICALLY ALLOWS THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO PAY FOR WATER UNTIL OUR USAGE EXCEEDS 200,000 ACRE FEET PER YEAR.
SO WHY DO WE NEED THOSE PLANS? UM, IN SHORT, UM, ALL TEXAS UTILITIES MUST PROVIDE A WATER CONSERVATION PLAN AND A DROUGHT CONTINGENCY PLAN, UM, THROUGH TCEQ AND WATER DEVELOPMENT BOARD REGULATIONS.
UM, ADDITIONALLY IT TAKES, UH, COMMISSION ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY REQUIRES THAT WE UPDATE THOSE PLANS ON A FIVE-YEAR BASIS.
SO WHAT YOU'RE SEEING TONIGHT IS JUST AT, AT SOME LEVEL JUST A ROUTINE UPDATE OF BOTH OF THOSE PLANS.
UM, AND THEN SPECIFICALLY THE WATER CONSERVATION PLAN JUST TO DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN THE TWO WATER CONSERVATION PLAN REALLY IS IDENTIFIES PROGRAMMATIC ACTIVITIES THAT ARE AIMED AT EITHER REDUCING WATER USE OR AIMED AT IMPROVING WATER USE EFFICIENCY.
AND THAT'S CHARACTERIZED DIFFERENTLY FROM THE DROUGHT CONTINGENCY PLAN, WHICH BASICALLY PRESCRIBES CERTAIN WATER USE RESTRICTIONS DURING CERTAIN DROUGHT CONDITIONS.
SO THEY'RE VERY SIMILAR IN A LOT OF REGARDS, BUT THOSE ARE THE TWO FUNDAMENTAL DIFFERENCES IN THE TWO PLANS.
THIS SLIDE SORT OF FURTHER HIGHLIGHTS THOSE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE PLANS.
ON THE LEFT SIDE IS SORT OF THE OVERVIEW OF KIND OF WHAT ARE THE ELEMENTS OF A WATER CONSERVATION PLAN.
UM, AGAIN, IT'S A PLAN FOR WATER USE IN ALL CONDITIONS.
SO REGARDLESS OF THE WEATHER CONDITIONS, UM, BASICALLY THAT PLAN DESCRIBES UTILITY AND WATER USE INFORMATION.
IT PROVIDES CONSERVATION ACTIVITIES SUCH AS REBATES, EDUCATION AND ENFORCEMENT.
[00:20:01]
REDUCTION GOALS, AND IT ALSO TALKS ABOUT REUSE ACTIVITIES.UM, AND THEN FINALLY IT INCLUDES WATER CONSERVATION AND WATER LOSS GOALS.
SO KIND OF WHAT, WHAT GOALS WE, UH, INTEND TO SORT OF PURSUE DURING THE, THE INTERVENING FIVE YEARS SO THAT WE CAN AGAIN, CONTINUE TO PROMOTE WATER USE EFFICIENCY AND, UM, REDUCE WATER USE OVERALL.
ON THE DROUGHT CONTINGENCY SIDE, IT FOCUSES MORE ON DROUGHT CONDITIONS.
SO AS YOU KNOW, WE'RE IN A, CURRENTLY IN A REGIONAL DROUGHT.
UH, SO IT'S VERY TIMELY THAT WE'RE AT A PLACE WHERE WE'RE UPDATING THAT PLAN.
UM, AGAIN, THE DROUGHT CONTINGENCY PLAN DESCRIBES VARIOUS DROUGHT STAGES THAT ARE, UM, IMPOSED ON OUR WATER SUPPLY.
IT IDENTIFIES SPECIFIC TRIGGERS FOR EITHER DEMANDS OR SUPPLY, AND THEN IDENTIFIES SPECIFIC DROUGHT ACTIONS AND RESTRICTIONS THAT WOULD BE TAKEN IN ANY OF THOSE CONDITIONS.
UM, IN OUR CASE, THAT DROUGHT CONTINGENCY PLAN HAS TO BE CONSISTENT WITH THE LOWER COLORADO RIVER AUTHORITIES PLAN.
UH, SINCE THEY ARE THE MANAGER OF THE HIGHLAND LAKES, UM, THEY SET A PLAN THAT DRIVES, UM, ALL OF THEIR CUSTOMERS WATER USE.
AND SO OUR PLAN NEEDS TO BE AT LEAST AS RESTRICTIVE AS THEIR PLAN.
UM, AND THERE ULTIMATELY BECOMES SOME CHANGES THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE IN LOCAL CODE IN ORDER TO ENFORCE AND ADOPT A CERTAIN ELEMENTS OF THE WATER, UH, DROUGHT CONTINGENCY PLAN.
SO HOW DOES THIS PLAN WORK REGIONALLY WITH CRA'S UM, WATER SUPPLY PLAN? UM, AGAIN, BECAUSE WE ARE A CUSTOMER OF CRA'S, OUR PLAN HAS TO ALIGN WITH THEIR PLAN.
UM, THE LOWER COLORADO RIVER AUTHORITY BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECENTLY UPDATED AND ADOPTED, ADAPTED THEIR PLAN ON MARCH THE 26TH OF THIS YEAR.
AGAIN, IN MANY CASES, I THINK RESPONDING TO THE CURRENT LOCAL, UH, REGIONAL DROUGHT CONDITIONS, THEY IDENTIFIED A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT ELEMENTS.
AND AGAIN, KEVIN WILL TALK A LITTLE MORE DETAILED ABOUT THOSE SPECIFIC ELEMENTS AND HOW THEY TRANSLATE INTO OUR PLAN.
UH, BUT IN SHORT, UM, THEY ADJUSTED DROUGHT TRIGGERS LEVELS.
SO RIGHT NOW THEIR CURRENT PLAN HAS FOUR TRIGGERS.
UM, THEY'VE ALSO, UM, IDENTIFIED THIS TIME, UM, UH, INFLOW TRIGGER.
SO HISTORICALLY THEY'VE USED JUST WATER SUPPLY, UM, CONDITIONS IN THE LAKE, SO STORAGE VOLUMES IN THE, THE VARIOUS LAKES.
UM, SO THIS TIME THEY'VE ACTUALLY GONE TO THE STEP OF ADDING AN INFLOW TRIGGER, WHICH AGAIN, SHOULD BE MORE PROTECTIVE OF WATER SUPPLY.
AND THEN FINALLY, THEY'VE, UM, ADDED SPECIFIC DROUGHT CONDITIONS AND WATER USE RESTRICTIONS.
SO CERTAINLY AS WE MOVE INTO THE MORE DIRE, UH, DROUGHT CONDITIONS, THEY'VE ACTUALLY, UM, UM, IMPOSED OR, UM, SPECIFIC DROUGHT USE RESTRICTIONS, PARTICULARLY ON OUTDOOR WATER USE.
AND AGAIN, KEVIN WILL KIND OF TALK OVER THAT MOMENTARILY.
SO WITH THAT, I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO KEVIN AND HE'S GONNA RUN THROUGH THE DETAILS OF BOTH THE PLANS.
AGAIN, MY NAME IS KEVIN KLUGE, WATER CONSERVATION DIVISION MANAGER.
AND AS KEVIN I MENTIONED, I'M GOING TO STEP THROUGH THE TWO, TWO DIFFERENT PLANS, UH, BRIEFLY AND DESCRIBE WHAT HAS CHANGED, UH, SINCE THE LAST PLAN.
THE WATER CONSERVATION PLAN, AS KEVIN MENTIONED, REALLY DESCRIBES WHAT WE'RE DOING.
WE HAVE A MYRIAD OF DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES THAT WE PURSUE TO INCREASE EFFICIENCY OR OR LOWER WATER USE.
WE HAVE PUBLIC EDUCATION, OF COURSE, AS YOU MIGHT HAVE HEARD, RADIO SPOTS OR SOCIAL MEDIA.
UH, WE HAVE RESIDENTIAL ASSISTANCE, WHETHER IT'S A PLUMBING PROGRAM TO HELP CUSTOMERS, LOW INCOME CUSTOMERS WITH THEIR NEEDS OR DIRECT MATERIAL DISTRIBUTION OF CONSERVATION MATERIALS TO CUSTOMERS, INCENTIVE PROGRAMS, WHICH MOST PEOPLE ARE AWARE OF, THE REBATES BOTH FOR RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL CUSTOMERS.
AND THEN NUMBER OF REGULATORY PROGRAMS, UH, FOR COMMERCIAL CUSTOMERS AS WELL AS ENFORCEMENT OF THE WATER RESTRICTIONS.
THE PLAN ALSO DISCUSSES THE WATER LOSS REDUCTION MITIGATION EFFORTS, AS WELL AS OUR WATER USE REUSE EFFORTS.
YOU MAY HAVE RECALLED OVER THE LAST MONTH, WE HAD A BIG PUSH FOR THE GO PURPLE PROGRAM FOR OUR REUSE AND RECLAIMED EFFORTS.
SO THAT'S GENERALLY WHAT WAS, WHAT IS IN THE WATER CONSERVATION PLAN.
IN TERMS OF THE UPDATES FROM THE LAST WATER CONSERVATION PLAN, WE HAVE THREE HIGHLIGHTS.
FIRST OF ALL, WE UPDATE ALL THE PROGRAM ACTIVITY AND WATER SAVINGS.
AND IF, WHENEVER YOU HAVE A CHANCE TO LOOK AT THE PLAN, YOU'LL SEE THAT MOST OF THE PROGRAMS HAVE INFORMATION ON HOW MANY REBATES WE RECEIVED AND WHAT THE SAVINGS ARE ESTIMATED TO BE.
[00:25:01]
THE NEW PLAN DISCUSSES A LOT MORE ABOUT OUR, MY A TX WATER SYSTEM, WHICH IS OUR SMART METER SYSTEM.BACK IN 2019, WHEN THE LAST PLAN WAS PUT TOGETHER, MY A TX WATER, THE SMART METER SYSTEM WAS REALLY KIND OF A DREAMED PILOT GOING FORWARD.
SO THAT'S ALMOST BUILT OUT NOW.
SO WE HAVE A LOT MORE DISCUSSION OF THAT IN THE NEW PLAN.
AND THEN FINALLY, WE UPDATE THE GOALS FOR OUR PER PERSON WATER USE, UH, FOR THE CITY AS WELL AS OUR WATER LOSS GOALS.
TOUCHING A BIT MORE ON THESE GOALS IN THE PLAN.
UM, IF, IF YOU HAVE THE PLAN ELECTRONICALLY, UH, THOSE ARE ON PAGE 27 AND 28.
UH, BUT THESE ARE GOALS, FIVE YEAR GOALS FOR 2029 AND 10 YEAR GOALS IN 20 20, 20 34, EXCUSE ME.
AND WE HAVE GOALS AS YOU SEE ON THAT, THAT FIRST SUB-BULLET THERE.
WE HAVE GOALS FOR OUR TOTAL GALLONS PER CAPITA DAILY, ESSENTIALLY PER PERSON WATER USE.
AND FOR OUR RESIDENTIAL PER PERSON WATER USE, WE ALSO HAVE GOALS FOR OUR WATER LOSS PER PERSON WATER USE AND OUR INFRASTRUCTURE LEAKAGE INDEX.
AND THEN SECONDLY, YOU KNOW, I WANTED TO MAKE THE POINT ON THAT, THAT FINAL BULLET THOUGH IS WHERE WE TALK ABOUT HOW WE MAKE THESE GOALS.
THESE GOALS FOR THE PER PERSON WATER USE WERE DEVELOPED THROUGH A DISCUSSION WITHIN AUSTIN WATER, NOT ONLY WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SAVE, BUT WHAT WE CAN SAVE.
SO WE BELIEVE THAT THESE GOALS ARE BOTH ASPIRATIONAL BUT ALSO ACHIEVABLE.
AND FINALLY, FOR THE WATER LOSS GOALS, WE ARE LOOKING AT WHAT WE CAN DO FOR WATER LOSS.
'CAUSE WATER LOSS IS A DIFFICULT THING TO HANDLE AND IT SOMETIMES TAKES TIME TO GET GOING, BUT, BUT WE BELIEVE THAT THESE GOALS THAT WE HAVE IN THE PLAN ARE ONES THAT WE CAN ACHIEVE THROUGH OUR WATER LOSS MITIGATION EFFORTS.
THE SECOND PLAN, THE DROUGHT CONTINGENCY PLAN, UH, DISCUSSES VERY BRIEFLY THE SOURCES AND PROJECTIONS, UM, IN THE PLAN.
BUT THEN AS KEVIN MENTIONED, IT REALLY GOES ON TO DELVE INTO THE DROUGHT STAGES AND THE DIFFERENT TRIGGERS FOR THOSE STAGES.
UH, WE HAVE A CONSERVATION STAGE.
WE'RE IN THAT STAGE IN THE BEST OF TIMES IN THE WETTEST OF TIMES.
WE'RE STILL IN A CONSERVATION STAGE WITH A ONE DAY A WEEK WATERING RESTRICTION FOR AUTOMATIC IRRIGATION SYSTEMS. AND THEN WE HAVE THE DIFFERENT DROUGHT STAGES, UH, ONE THROUGH FIVE IN THIS NEW PLAN.
AND THEN IN THE PLAN, WE HAVE THE ACTIONS FOR EACH ONE OF THESE STAGES.
SO AS THE STAGES DROUGHT DEEPENS AND THE STAGES INCREASE, WE HAVE DIFFERENT ACTIONS AND ACTIVITIES THAT THIS PLAN, UH, DETAILS.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THIS PLAN HAS, THAT PREVIOUS PLAN DID NOT HAVE, UH, WE INCLUDE SOME OF THE, SOME DISCRETIONARY ACTIVITIES THAT THE UTILITY AND THE CITY CAN TAKE AS THE DROUGHT DEEPENS.
AND WE NEED TO SAVE MORE WATER, NOT JUST REGULATORY, BUT WHAT WE CAN DO.
GETTING INTO THE DIFFERENT STAGES AND THE DIFFERENT CHANGES IN THE STAGES.
STAGE ONE IS 1.4 MILLION ACRE FEET.
UH, THE LCRA ADOPTED THEIR DRUG CONTINGENCY PLAN WITH A STAGE ONE TRIGGER AT 1.1, BUT WE FEEL THAT IT IS MOST APPROPRIATE FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN TO RETAIN THE STAGE ONE TRIGGER AT 1.4 MILLION ACRE FEET OF COMBINED STORAGE.
DURING STAGE ONE, WE'LL ALSO UNDERTAKE A NUMBER OF ACTIVITIES SUCH AS IN WORKING WITH OTHER CITY, UH, DEPARTMENTS TO IMPROVE THEIR WATER CONSERVATION ACTIVITIES, AS WELL AS WE ARE LOOKING AT THE POTENTIAL OF INCREASING INCENTIVES AND CONSERVATION ACTIVITIES IN STAGE ONE, STAGE TWO, AND WE ARE CURRENTLY IN STAGE TWO, AND WE'VE BEEN IN STAGE TWO SINCE AUGUST OF LAST YEAR AND 900,000 ACRE FEET.
IT INCLUDES A REDUCTION IN ELIGIBLE TIME TO IRRIGATE SO PEOPLE CAN IRRIGATE LESS ONE DAY A WEEK, BUT FEWER HOURS IN THAT DAY.
AND WE ALSO HAVE A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES THAT THE UTILITY IS LOOKING TO TAKE AT THAT STAGE.
[00:30:02]
NEXT SLIDE, SORRY.STAGE THREE IS A NEW STAGE AT 750,000 ACRE FEET.
THIS IS A NEW STAGE THAT WAS ADOPTED BY LCRA.
IT WAS FELT THAT THE GAP BETWEEN 900,000 ACRE FEET AND STAGE TWO AND THE NEXT STAGE AT 600,000 ACRE FEET WAS TOO LARGE OF A GAP TO NOT TAKE ADDITIONAL MEASURES TO SAVE WATER.
SO LCRA ADOPTED A STAGE AT 750,000 ACRE FEET, AND WE ALSO ADOPTED THAT INTO OUR PLAN.
UM, IT'LL BE FURTHER REDUCTIONS IN THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT COULD BE WATERED WITH AUTOMATIC IRRIGATION SYSTEMS. AND WE WILL LOOK TO BE UTILIZING OUR NEW, MY A TX WATER SYSTEM TO, UH, PROMOTE VOLUNTARY WATER BUDGETING FOR OUR CUSTOMERS.
AND THEN FOR UM, ENFORCEMENT OF OUR WATERING RESTRICTIONS, WE WILL GO AND SENSE TO A NO WARNING SYSTEM WHERE PREVIOUSLY CUSTOMERS WILL RECEIVE A WARNING IF THEY'RE ON, THEY'RE IRRIGATING ON THE WRONG DAY OR TIME.
UM, BUT AT STAGE THREE AT 750,000 ACRE FEET, WE WOULD PROCEED WITH NOT GIVING A WARNING, GIVING A CITATION RIGHT AWAY, BUT THEN ALLOWING THAT PENALTY, THE MONETARY PENALTY TO BE DEFERRED IF CUSTOMERS TOOK A IRRIGATION COURSE, ONLINE IRRIGATION COURSE, SIMILAR TO A DEFENSIVE DRIVING, UH, COURSE THAT YOU MIGHT TAKE IN STAGE FOUR, 600,000 ACRE FEET.
AND, AND TO REMIND, REMIND EVERYONE, THIS IS WHERE WE HAVE ABOUT 30% OF OUR WATER SUPPLY LEFT IN THE RESERVOIR.
SO IT IS ACTUALLY A VERY DEEP, UH, STATE OF DROUGHT, AND WE'VE NEVER BEEN IN THIS STAGE OF DROUGHT BEFORE.
BUT AT STAGE FOUR, THERE IS A, A PROPOSED TEMPORARY MORATORIUM ON ALL NEW IRRIGATION PERMITS AND ALL NEW SINGLE FAMILY POOL PERMITS DURING THIS STAGE.
ALSO, THERE WILL BE IN THIS STAGE, NO IRRIGATION OF TURF GRASS, UH, UNLESS USED FOR COMMUNITY, UH, PURPOSES AT, IN THE LCRA PLAN, THEY TERM IT AS NO IRRIGATION OF ORNAMENTAL TURF AND OUR CODE, WE ARE USING THE TERM NON-FUNCTIONAL TURF, BUT ESSENTIALLY, EXCUSE ME, THERE WILL BE NO IRRIGATION USING AUTOMATIC IRRIGATION SYSTEMS OR OTHER METHODS OF IRRIGATION ON TURF UNLESS IT IS AN AREA THAT IS USED BY THE COMMUNITY.
AND THEN OF COURSE, WE HAVE STAGE FIVE, WHICH IS EMERGENCY DROUGHT STAGE.
AND THIS IS A SLIDE SHOWING, IT MAY BE A LITTLE DIFFICULT TO SEE, UM, BUT IT SHOWS THE LEVEL OF THE RESERVOIRS, THE COMBINED STORAGE THAT I'VE BEEN REFERRING TO ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE OF THE SCREEN.
THAT BLUE LINE YOU SEE GOING ACROSS WHERE IT INTERSECTS THE GOLD OR YELLOW LINE GOING VERTICAL.
THAT'S THE, UH, CONDITION TODAY.
UH, WE'D STAND JUST ABOUT 850,000 ACRE FEET OF COMBINED STORAGE.
AND THEN YOU SEE CRA'S PROJECTIONS GOING TO THE, THE LEFT OR RIGHT, EXCUSE ME, UH, THE DIFFERENT DOTTED LINES, DIFFERENT POTENTIAL SCENARIOS.
ON THE FAR RIGHT HAND SIDE OF THE SIDE OF THE SCREEN, YOU SEE THE DIFFERENT STAGES.
UH, CITY OF AUSTIN, STAGE ONE AT 1.4, AS YOU SEE, THERE'S LCRA STAGE AT 1.1 MILLION ACRE FEET.
AND THEN WE HAVE THE SAME STAGES GOING FURTHER DOWN INTO STAGE TWO, THREE, AND FOUR.
AND IF YOU WOULD, I, I REALIZE THIS IS VERY HARD TO SEE, BUT I MENTIONED WE'RE AT 850,000 ACRE FEET.
IF YOU FOLLOW THAT ORANGE DOTTED LINE AND THE RED DOTTED LINE OFF TO THE RIGHT THERE, UH, AND YOU IMAGINE WHERE IT MIGHT CROSS 750,000 ACRE FEET, WHERE THAT NEXT STAGE IT WILL TAKE PLACE.
IT'S SOMEWHERE BETWEEN MID-JUNE OR MID-JULY IF WE'RE UNDER DRY OR EXTREMELY DRY CONDITIONS.
SO PUBLIC OUTREACH BACK IN NOVEMBER, WE SET UP A SPEAK UP AUSTIN PAGE TO GET PUBLIC OUTREACH, PARTICULARLY ABOUT THE DRUG CONTINGENCY PLAN.
AND WE HAD A PUBLIC MEETING ON DECEMBER 12TH, TOOK A SURVEY OF INDIVIDUALS WHO VISITED THE SPEAK UP AUSTIN PAGE AND A SURVEY OF, OF RAN RANDOM AUSTIN WATER CUSTOMERS AND RECEIVED OVER A HUNDRED RESPONSES FROM THOSE TWO SURVEYS.
[00:35:01]
MAJORITY OF THE STRONG MAJORITY OF THOSE RESPONSES FAVORED PROPOSED ADDITIONS FOR DROUGHT REGULATIONS.GOING FORWARD, BOTH OF THESE, UM, THESE PLANS AS, AS WELL AS ACCOMPANYING CODE CHANGES, WILL BE GOING TO THE COUNCIL ON MAY 2ND, UH, FOR ADOPTION THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON WATER CONSERVATION EFFORTS AND THE DROUGHT CONTINGENCY PLAN EFFORTS AS THEY BECOME APPLICABLE.
AND WE'LL BE PLANNING, YOU'LL SEE WE'LL PLANNING UNDERWAY FOR DROUGHT STAGE THREE AS WE GO INTO THE SUMMER, YOU KNOW, WHICH, WHICH MAY OCCUR IN MID-JUNE TO MID-JULY.
UM, HOPEFULLY NOT IF WE GET SOME GOOD RAINS OVER THE NEXT MONTH OR SO, BUT IF WE CONTINUE IN THE DRY PATTERN THAT WE'VE BEEN IN, THAT, THAT MAY OCCUR.
SO WE CONTINUE TO PLAN FOR THAT GOING FORWARD.
AND WITH THAT NEXT SLIDE, WE ARE OPEN TO QUESTIONS, UH, THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE.
UH, I SAW COMMISSIONER SILVERSTEIN FIRST.
FIRST, HOW MUCH OF WHAT IS THE FORWARD WATER HORIZON YEAR? HOW MANY, GIVEN THE CITY'S CURRENT CONSUMPTION PER CAPITA AND, UM, GREAT GROWTH RATE OF POPULATION, UM, HOW MANY YEARS OF DROUGHT CAN WE SUSTAIN BEFORE WE BECOME ONE OF THOSE LITTLE CITIES THAT SAY NO MORE PERMITS, NO MORE THIS, NO MORE THAT.
'CAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ANY WATER COMING IN IN TERMS OF A, A TIMEFRAME WHEN WE, HOW LONG WE COULD GO? UM, I'M AFRAID I CAN'T ANSWER THAT.
THE WATER CONSERVATION PLAN HAS TWO PLANS GOING OUT 10 YEARS.
AND THE WATER FORWARD PROGRAM, WHICH WE HAVE OUR, OUR A HUNDRED YEAR WATER PLAN, YOU KNOW, GOES OUT A HUNDRED YEARS.
UM, SO WE ARE PLANNING BOTH FOR THE SHORT TERM AND THE LONG, LONG TERM.
SO, BUT, BUT WHEN YOU DO A BACK OF THE BALLPARK, BACK OF THE ENVELOPE, BALLPARK ESTIMATE OF HOW MANY YEARS OF THIS LEVEL OR WORTH DROUGHT CAN WE GET THROUGH WITH THESE MEASURES, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? IS THAT FIVE YEARS? IS IT 10 YEARS? THAT I'M AFRAID I DO NOT HAVE A GOOD ANSWER FOR, BUT WE CAN TALK UNLESS KEVIN CRITTENTON HAS AN ANSWER.
SO IT'S A VERY DIFFICULT QUESTION TO ASK.
UM, WHICH IS WHY OUR WATER FORWARD PLAN IS, UM, INCLUDING IN IT THE POTENTIAL IMPACTS OF, UM, CLIMATE CHANGE AS AN EXAMPLE.
UM, YOU KNOW, JUST, JUST AS A BASIC DATA POINT IN THAT PLAN, WE PROJECTED OUR WATER SUPPLIES RIGHT NOW, UM, YOU KNOW, CURRENTLY AS THEY ARE, SHOULD, UH, EASILY LAST US INTO THE 2040 TIMEFRAME.
AND THEN AT THAT POINT WE ARE LOOKING TO BRING ON ADDITIONAL SUPPLIES.
UM, SO THAT'S A GENERAL KIND OF PERSPECTIVE AROUND IT.
OBVIOUSLY, UM, IT ALL IS IN THE BACKDROP WITH THE BACKDROP OF KIND OF USING DROUGHTS WORSE THAN THE DROUGHT OF RECORD, WHICH IS A TERM OF ART THAT WE USE IN WATER PLANNING, UM, AS THE BASIS FOR THAT WATER SUPPLY PLANNING.
UM, IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO SAY, YOU KNOW, IF IT NEVER, EVER, EVER RAINED AGAIN, HOW LONG WOULD OUR WATER SUPPLY LAST? IT'S A VERY DIFFICULT QUESTION TO, TO KIND OF PONDER.
UM, OUR GOAL IS TO OBVIOUSLY HAVE WATER SUPPLIES AVAILABLE THAT CAN WITHSTAND DROUGHT CONDITIONS MORE SERIOUS THAN WE HAVE SEEN, AND MAKE SURE THAT WE DEVELOP A STRONG AND RESILIENT, UH, WATER SUPPLY GOING FORWARD.
AND THEN REAL QUICK, UH, I NOTE THAT, UM, BURIED IN THE WATER CONSERVATION PLAN, THESE ARE NUMBERS THAT WOULD BE GOOD TO PUT IN YOUR, IN YOUR EXECUTIVE SUMMARY, Y'ALL.
UM, WE HAVE PER CAPITA OF, UM, WATER USE GCPD, WHICH I ASSUME IS, UM, GALLONS OF, OF WATER USE PER DAY OF A BASELINE OF 127 GALLONS.
BUT WATER LOSSES PER DAY ARE 21, WHICH IS WHAT'S GOING ON IN Y'ALL SYSTEM, NOT WHAT'S GOING ON FROM US AS THE USERS.
THAT'S 16.5% OF, OF WHAT IT IS, OF, OF THE TOTAL.
MAYBE IT'S ON TOP OF, I CAN'T TELL HOW YOU ALL, YOU KNOW, WHAT YOU ARE INCLUDING IN THESE, BUT I'M WONDERING, UM, I SEE THAT YOUR GOALS ARE TRYING TO IMPROVE THAT NUMBER AND REDUCE THAT OVER TIME, BUT HOW MUCH DOES ALL OF THE CONSERVATION, I'M NOT SAYING DON'T PUSH US TO DO AS MUCH CONSERVATION AS WE CAN AND AS WE MUST, BUT 16.5% OF TOTAL WATER USE IS A WHOLE LOT COMPARED TO THE FRACTION THAT YOU'RE GONNA GET BY PUSHING US TO, YOU KNOW, NOT REFILL
[00:40:01]
A POOL OR TO SHUT DOWN TURN, TURN ATHLETIC FIELDS INTO VARIANCES AS OPPOSED TO EXEMPTIONS.SO HOW CAN YOU PUSH THE WATER LOSSES HARDER, WATER LOSS REDUCTION HARDER ON YOUR SYSTEM? RIGHT? WELL, YOU'RE RIGHT THAT THE WATER LOSS FIGURES IN THERE, THOSE ARE OUR SYSTEM LOSSES.
THOSE AREN'T LOSSES ON THE CUSTOMER SIDE OF THE METER.
THOSE ARE LOSSES WITHIN OUR SYSTEM AND WE CERTAINLY RECOGNIZE THAT IS NOT THE NUMBER WE WANT IT TO BE.
UM, IT'S, IT HAS KIND OF CREPT UP A LITTLE BIT.
LAST YEAR'S GONE DOWN A LITTLE BIT, BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT WE WANT.
UM, WE'VE, OUR INTAKE, WE'VE UNDERTAKEN A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT REVIEWS, UM, OVER THIS LAST YEAR LOOKING AT OUR, OUR PRODUCTION METERS, WHICH KINDA SET THE NUMBERS OF WATER GOING IN.
AND WE'VE RECENTLY, OVER THE LAST YEAR CONTRACTED WITH A, A CONS CONSULTANT WHO SPECIALIZES IN WATER LOSS TO GET A REVIEW OF OUR, OF OUR ACTIVITIES, WHAT WE'RE DOING, VARIOUS THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING, AND HELP US TO IDENTIFY WHAT WE NEED TO BE DOING DIFFERENTLY OR WHAT WE NEED TO BE DOING BETTER, UM, WHAT HAVE YOU HELP US TO IDENTIFY WHAT WE NEED TO BE DOING GOING FORWARD.
AND IT'S BEEN RECOGNIZED WITHIN THE UTILITY THAT WE NEED TO REALLY CONCENTRATE ON WATER LOSS AS WELL AS CONSERVATION.
COMMISSIONER SARUS, YOU WERE NEXT, AND THEN PAUL, I HAVE YOU AFTER HIM.
SO NOW AN APPROPRIATE TIME TO ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT THE WATER CONSERVATION PLAN ITSELF.
IT'S NOT THE EXACT ITEM, BUT IT FEELS LIKE THE, OKAY.
SO, UM, ON FIGURE TWO, PAGE 29 OF THE WATER CONSERVATION PLAN, NOT ENTIRELY NECESSARY TO BE LOOKING AT IT, BUT JUST TO BE CLEAR ON WHAT I'M REFERENCING, IT'S A LIST OF ALL THE REBATE INCENTIVE PROGRAMS ORDERED BY WATER SAVINGS.
UM, AND YEAH, THE TOP ONE IS BUCKS FOR BUSINESS WITH 921,000, UH, UNITS OF WATER SAVING.
MY QUESTION IS, IS UM, IS THIS, CAN WE KNOW THE NUMERATOR FOR ALL OF THESE, UM, PROGRAMS, I, HOW MUCH DO THEY ALL COST? UM, AND SO THAT THEY CAN BE ORDERED BY, UH, IN TERMS OF USEFULNESS? THAT'S QUESTION NUMBER ONE.
AND QUESTION NUMBER TWO IS, FOR ALL THE ONES THAT ARE ZERO, CAN THOSE BE CANCELED OR SHOULD THOSE BE CANCELED? SO YOUR FIRST QUESTION IS, CAN WE, CAN WE GIVE YOU THE, THE AMOUNT OF REBATE, THE REBATE AMOUNTS? 'CAUSE THESE ARE ALL REBATES? NO, NO.
THE COST OF THE PROGRAM, HOW MUCH IT COSTS TO RUN EACH OF THESE REBATE PROGRAMS, RIGHT? THEY ALL COST SOME AMOUNT OF MONEY AND I GUESS STAFF TIME FOR FOUR, FOUR TEAM MEMBERS, UM, WOULD BE THE COST.
I KNOW BUS FOR BUSINESS IN PARTICULAR IS LIKE A, IS AN ACTUAL, UH, REBATE TO, TO, UM, COMMERCIAL CUSTOMERS, RIGHT? IT, IT IS NOT A REBATE IN SUCH THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU BUY A, A HOSE TIMER AND THEN WE GIVE YOU $20, UH, BUCKS FOR BUSINESS IS OUR COMMERCIAL PROGRAM, WHICH IS REALLY PERFORMANCE BASED IN WHICH SOMEONE APPROACHES US, ONE OF THE COMMERCIAL CUSTOMERS APPROACHES AS I WANT TO TAKE THIS ACTION, IT'LL SAVE THIS MUCH GALLON OF WATER.
AND THE, THE REBATE IN A SENSE, THE INCENTIVES IS BASED ON HOW MUCH IS GONNA BE SAVED OVER 20 YEARS.
SO THE PROGRAM, BUT YOU PAY, YOU PAY THEM MONEY, RIGHT? RIGHT, RIGHT.
WHICH IS TOTALLY A GREAT STRATEGY.
NOTHING, NO, NO BONUS PICK ON THAT.
THE QUESTION IS LIKE, FOR EACH OF THESE, THEY ALL COST SOMETHING.
SO LIKE, CAN WE KNOW WHAT THEY COST IN THIS PLAN SUCH THAT THE MORE USEFUL ONES CAN BE EMPHASIZED AND THE LESS USEFUL ONES CAN BE DE-EMPHASIZED OR CANCELED IF THEY ARE NOT FISCALLY EFFICIENT? RIGHT.
DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? WE COULD PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION TO THE COMMISSION.
IF THAT IS THE QUESTION, THAT'S THE QUESTION.
UM, I THINK I DID NOT HAVE ANY OTHER, YEAH, THOSE ARE MY QUESTIONS.
JUST TO GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF COLOR ON THAT, THIS COMMISSION HAS SPENT A LOT OF TIME OVER THE PAST YEAR LOOKING AT THE COST EFFICIENCY OF REBATE PROGRAMS OFFERED BY UTILITIES TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE GETTING THE BEST OVERALL VALUE FOR RATE PAYERS.
RIGHT? SO WE'D BE ABLE TO GIVE YOU THE AMOUNT OF REBATES COMPARED TO THE AMOUNT OF SAVINGS.
THAT'S WHAT WE'D BE INTERESTED IN SAYING CENTS PER GALLON SAVING BASIS.
AS CHAIR ROBBINS, YOU'VE BEEN PATIENT ME, UM, JUST A COUPLE THINGS.
ONE, IF THIS COMMISSION IS INTERESTED,
[00:45:01]
UH, YOU MIGHT CONSIDER A PRESENTATION IN THE FUTURE ON THE WATER FORWARD PLAN.IN PARTICULAR, THERE WAS ONE OR THERE, THERE WAS A SET OF CHARTS THAT WATER FORWARD HAD ON WHEN WE HIT BOTTOM, UH, UNDER CERTAIN EXTREME GLOBAL WARMING SCENARIOS.
AND, UH, AS I RECALL, WHAT WE MIGHT DO, UH, UH, TO, UH, TO DEAL WITH THAT, UM, IT MAY BE OF INTEREST TO THE COMMISSION TO, UH, TO GET INTO THAT.
UH, REGARDING, UM, YOUR QUESTION ABOUT WHEN DO WE STOP HOOKING UP PEOPLE? WHEN DOES AUSTIN STOP GROWING? UM, THERE WAS A HISTORICAL PASSAGE IN TIME.
I MIGHT BE THE ONLY ONE IN THIS ROOM THAT REMEMBERS IT, BUT, UM, THERE WAS A, UH, POORLY RUNNING SEWAGE PLANT IN SOUTHWEST AUSTIN, THE WILLIAM, THE, UH, WILLIAMSON CREEK, UH, SEWAGE PLANT.
UH, THIS WAS I GUESS THE EARLY MID EIGHTIES.
AND THE, UH, CITY, I BELIEVE DID HAVE A MORATORIUM, UH, TO DEAL WITH THAT, UH, BECAUSE THE PLANT WAS DUMPING UNTREATED OR PARTIALLY TREATED SEWAGE INTO THE COLORADO.
UH, AND AT ONE POINT IT GOT SO COMICAL THAT THERE WERE LITERALLY SEWAGE HAULING TRUCKS THAT TOOK PARTIALLY TREATED SEWAGE FROM WILLIAMSON CREEK TO THE WORKING SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANT JUST TO KEEP UP.
UM, IT'S JUST KIND OF A LITTLE ANECDOTE OF JUST HOW BAD THINGS COULD BECOME.
UH, ONE OTHER THING, AND I, UH, SHARED THIS WITH, UH, THE, UH, WATER UTILITY MANAGER A FEW MINUTES AGO.
UH, I'D LIKE, UH, THE UTILITY TO CONSIDER IMPLEMENTING A NEW RATE STRUCTURE FOR IRRIGATION CUSTOMERS, COMMERCIAL IRRIGATION CUSTOMERS.
THIS HAS BEEN DONE IN SEVERAL LARGE TEXAS CITIES.
UH, AND IT'S A GOOD MARKET INCENTIVE, UH, TO GET PEOPLE TO GET COMPANIES, TO GET CUSTOMERS TO EITHER CONSERVE OR TO HOOK UP TO RECLAIM WATER.
UH, SAN ANTONIO AS AN, AS AN EXAMPLE, THEY CHARGE IF MY INFORMATION IS CORRECT OVER TWICE AS MUCH PER THOUSAND GALLONS AS A COMMERCIAL CUSTOMER, UM, UH, NORMALLY WOULD PAY.
SO FOR THE FUTURE, UM, I HAD COMMISSIONER KARA GOTTI ACTUALLY RAISE A HAND IN BETWEEN.
I'M SORRY, I AM SO LATE TO THE GAME HERE.
UM, BUT I'M ASSUMING WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE DROUGHT CONTINGENCY PLAN.
DROUGHT CONTINGENCY PLAN, AS WELL AS WATER CONSERVATION PLAN.
WE'VE MOVED UP ITEM SIX BEFORE THOSE TWO ITEMS. OKAY.
SO I HAVE A QUESTION FOR THE DROUGHT CONTINGENCY CONTINGENCY PLAN, IF THAT'S OKAY.
UM, SO MY QUESTION IS A CLARIFYING QUESTION ON, I BELIEVE IT'S A, UH, WAS IT A WAIVER, UM, FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION OR NEW IRRIGATION FOR PERMITTING? ARE WE CEASING THAT THAT WOULD BE IN STAGE FOUR.
UM, ALMOST OUR DEEPEST LEVEL OF DROUGHT.
ONE OF THE ACTIVITIES PROPOSED WOULD BE A TEMPORARY MORATORIUM ON SINGLE FAMILY POOLS AND, UM, THE IRRIGATION SYSTEMS. AND THAT'S A BE A TEMPORARY MORATORIUM ON THE ISSUANCE OF THAT PERMIT.
SO IF A CUSTOMER ALREADY HAD A PERMIT, THEY CONTINUE TO BUILD THEIR, THEIR POOL, BUT IT'D BE A, A MORATORIUM ON THE NEW PERMITS.
DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? SO WHAT, YEAH, SO WHAT IF, WHAT IF THERE'S LIKE,
[00:50:01]
UH, NEW DEVELOPMENTS SUCH AS LANDSCAPING, UH, THAT'S COMMERCIAL OR PARK RELATED.UM, DOES THAT ALSO STAND FOR THOSE? WELL, THAT, AT THAT POINT, UM, THEY, IN STAGE FOUR, UH, IRRIGATION OF, WHAT'S THE TERM? NON-FUNCTIONAL TURF, UH, WILL NOT BE ALLOWED.
THAT INCLUDES SINGLE FAMILY HOMES THAT'LL INCLUDE MEDIANS, UH, OTHER AREAS THAT ARE NOT COMMUNITY RELATED AREAS OF IRRIGATED TURF.
SO WHEN YOU SAID NOT COMMUNITY RELATED, SORRY, I'M JUST GETTING CLARIFICATION.
YOU SAID NOT COMMUNITY RELATED.
SO DOES THAT EXCLUDE PARKS? LET ME FIND MY, UM, MY, SORRY.
THAT WOULD INCLUDE PARKS IF THERE ARE ORGANIZED PROGRAM ACTIVITIES ON THOSE AREAS.
IF, IF THERE TO SOCCER FIELD OR IF THERE'S A PRACTICE FIELD OR IF THERE'S AN AREA IN WHICH YOU HAVE COMMUNITY GATHERINGS REGULARLY IN THOSE AREAS.
IF IT'S JUST A LARGE OPEN SPACE, UM, IN WHICH THEY'RE NOT PROGRAMMED ORGANIZED ACTIVITIES ON THAT COULD NOT BE IRRIGATED AT THAT STAGE FOUR AT 600,000 ACRE FEET.
AND THAT'S A, UH, AC ACTION ADOPTED BY THE LCRA IN THEIR DROUGHT CONTINGENCY PLAN.
SO WE'RE JUST CARRYING THAT FORWARD.
I'M JUST SAYING LANGUAGE IS SOMETIMES WRITTEN STRANGELY, SO I'M JUST TRYING TO CLARIFY IT ALL.
SO WHAT ABOUT LIKE LANDSCAPING? LIKE LANDSCAPING, LIKE NEW TREES, SAPLINGS, YOU KNOW, THINGS THAT NEED TO BE IRRIGATED.
YOU KNOW, AT THE BEGINNING OF A DEVELOPMENT, YOU KNOW, YOU SEE DEVELOPMENTS THAT PLANT NEW PLANTS, NEW TREES, YOU KNOW, TO GET THEM STARTED, I THOUGHT I READ SOMETHING FOR THE FIRST 30 DAYS OR FIRST 60 DAYS, THEY'RE OKAY.
BUT THEN AFTER THAT, AND I'M TALKING STAGE FOUR 'CAUSE THAT'S, I THINK WHERE WE MIGHT BE HEADED.
SO RIGHT, WELL STAGE FOUR IF, IF IT'S IN A BED, THE NEW LANDSCAPING IS A BED THAT COULD BE IRRIGATED.
UM, IT, IT IS THE TURF GRASS, HOWEVER, IN STAGE FOUR, UH, COULD NOT BE IRRIGATED.
WHAT ABOUT TREES? SAPLINGS TREES, SAPLINGS COULD BE WATERED, UH, WITH HANDHELD OR SOAKER HOSES.
COMMISSIONER DAVIS, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
I'M CURIOUS ABOUT THE, THE WATER LOSSES AND THE LEAK DETECTION.
UM, AS MY COLLEAGUE COMMISSIONER SILVERSTEIN MENTIONED, IT SEEMS TO BE A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF, UM, OF, OF WATER USAGE.
AND, UH, YOU MENTIONED THAT YOU HAVE A CONSULTANT TRYING TO HELP UNDERSTAND IT.
UM, ARE THERE, IS THERE SUFFICIENT TECHNOLOGY, UM, TODAY IN TERMS OF LEAK DETECTION, DATA COLLECTION, METERING, UM, HARDWARE, SOFTWARE, ALL OF THAT? UM, OR IS THAT SOMETHING THAT IS MAYBE OUT OF DATE? AND THE REASON I'M ASKING IS BECAUSE OF THE, UH, ENVIRONMENTAL INVESTMENT PLAN, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN ASKED TO DO IS IDENTIFY CAPITAL, UM, CAPITAL EXPENDITURES OR PROGRAMS, UH, OR PROJECTS THAT WILL HELP US ACHIEVE SOME OF THESE GOALS INCLUDING WATER CONSERVATION.
SO, UM, CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE, THE TECHNOLOGY AND HARDWARE SOFTWARE THAT YOU HAVE FOR THAT? SURE.
WE HAVE BEEN UTILIZING DIFFERENT TECHNOLOGIES IN TERMS OF, OF LEAK DETECTION, WHETHER THAT'S ON THE GROUND, UM, WITH LISTENING DEVICES OR EVEN SATELLITE UTILIZING SATELLITES TO LOOK FOR THAT.
UM, WITH VARYING DEGREES OF SUCCESS.
UM, SO THERE ARE DIFFERENT TECHNOLOGIES.
ONE OF, I THINK WHAT MAY BE A VERY EFFECTIVE, UM, TECHNOLOGY IN LOOKING AT WATER LOSS, UH, WILL BE OUR, MY TX WATER SYSTEM, THE SMART METER SYSTEM.
UM, IN WHICH ONCE WE GET IT FULLY BUILT OUT AND AND SEPARATED INTO DISTRICTS, THEN WE COULD GET A MUCH MORE, MAYBE NOT REAL TIME, BUT SLIGHTLY DELAYED LOOK AT WHERE WE MAY BE LOSING WATER, UH, BETWEEN THE DIFFERENT METERS.
AND THAT'S FOR RESIDENTIAL? WELL, IT'D BE FOR OUR, OUR SYSTEM.
FOR THE WHOLE SYSTEM BEFORE IT'S THE CUSTOMERS.
I'LL, I'LL JUST ADD, WE, WE USE A VARIETY OF TECHNOLOGIES RIGHT NOW, UH, RELATED TO, UM, BOTH LEAK DETECTION ALSO, UM, UM, PIPE INSPECTIONS.
[00:55:01]
WE DO A LOT OF CONDITION ASSESSMENT THROUGHOUT OUR SYSTEM.SO THERE'S A VARIETY OF TECHNOLOGIES AND TECHNIQUES THAT WE DO CURRENTLY USE.
UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK, UM, YOU KNOW, OUR, THE CHALLENGE TO US IS TO CONTINUE TO UP THAT GAME.
I MEAN, CONTINUE TO LOOK FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO INVEST IN AREAS WHERE IT DOES MAKE SENSE THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY FIND LEAKS.
UM, FRANKLY, ONE OF OUR BIGGEST, UM, LEAK REDUCTION ACTIVITIES IS A VERY QUICK RESPONSE TO CALLED IN LEAKS.
AND SO THAT'S ONE OF OUR PRIORITIES AS FAR AS OUR CREWS OUT IN THE FIELD TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE, WE DO IN FACT HAVE ACTUAL METRICS FOR HOW QUICKLY WE CAN GET TO PRIORITY ONE LEAKS IN THE FIELD.
SO CERTAINLY TECHNOLOGY HELPS, UH, WE'LL CONTINUE TO LOOK FOR ALL OPPORTUNITIES TO TRY TO IMPROVE AND USE THAT.
AGAIN, OUR A MI SYSTEM, OUR, MY A TX WATER SYSTEM WILL BE ANOTHER, UM, PLATFORM THAT WE CAN USE AT A RESIDENTIAL LEVEL.
WE ALSO HAVE THE ABILITY EVENTUALLY TO MOVE TO DISTRICT SCALE TYPE METERING, SO WE CAN ACTUALLY CORDON OFF DIFFERENT PARTS OF OUR SYSTEM TO TRY TO UNDERSTAND WHERE LEAKS MAY BE MORE PREVALENT.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADD, WE CURRENTLY HAVE PRESSURE SENSOR MONITORING IN OUR SYSTEMS. WE HAVE THE CAPABILITY TO EXPAND OUR CURRENT, MY A TX WATER SYSTEM TO INCLUDE MORE PRESSURE MONITORING.
SO ALL OF THOSE ARE ON THE LIST.
UM, AGAIN, AS KEVIN MENTIONED, WE HAVE A CONSULTANT SORT OF IN THE PROCESS RIGHT NOW HELPING US EVALUATE OUR CURRENT PRACTICES AND LOOK FOR KIND OF WHERE OUR BEST OPPORTUNITIES TO IMPROVE THAT PARTICULAR ELEMENT.
THANK YOU ALL THAT ALL THAT IS GREAT.
AND I JUST WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND I'M NOT BEING CRITICAL AT ALL.
I'M, I'M ACTUALLY ASKING IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT YOU'RE NOT ABLE TO DO FOR LACK OF RESOURCES.
AND WE ARE INVOLVED IN, FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE, WE'RE ALSO PROVIDING INFORMATION TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL, UM, IMPROVEMENT PLANNING PROCESS.
SO, BUT WE'LL CONTINUE TO KEEP THAT ON THE LIST.
COMMISSIONER SARITA IS, WOULD, WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE BEFORE THIS PLAN IS, UH, VOTED ON TO GET A CONCRETE PLAN ABOUT THE, UM, HOW THE WATER LOSS IS GOING TO BE ADDRESSED AS WELL AS THE ORDERED LIST OF EFFECTIVENESS OF UM, CONSERVATION PROGRAMS THAT I MENTIONED EARLIER? WELL, NOT TO SPEAK OUTTA TURN FOR MY BOSSES, BUT WELL, AGAIN, I THINK IT'S, THE REALITY IS THIS PLAN WILL SET OUR GOALS AND THEN FROM THOSE GOALS WE WILL DEVELOP WORK PLANS TO TRY TO MEET THOSE GOALS.
UM, I'VE MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, THAT PARTICULARLY AS IT RELATES TO WATER LOSS CONTROL, UM, THAT PROCESS IS, IS, IS GOING, BUT I THINK IT'S PROBABLY GONNA BE ANOTHER SIX MONTHS BEFORE THAT PROCESS IS FINISHED.
SO WE'RE IN THAT AWKWARD REALITY OF HAVING TO TURN IN SOMETHING WITH SOME ASPIRATIONAL GOALS TO TCEQ, UM, BUT THEN STEP BACK AND WORK ON THE ACTUAL TACTICAL PLANS TO TRY TO MEET THOSE GOALS.
SO JUST FOR A CLARIFICATION, SO IT WILL TAKE ANOTHER SIX MONTHS TO DETERMINE THE BEST STRATEGY TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO FIND LEAKS, IS THAT RIGHT? YES,
GOOD EVENING, SHAA, RAWLS ROON, DIRECTOR OF AUSTIN WATER.
UM, SO I, I JUST WANNA TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UM, THE, THE LANDSCAPE THAT WE'RE IN.
SO OUR PLANS ARE DUE, UH, WE DO THESE PLANS EVERY FIVE YEARS.
UM, BUT ALL OF THESE STRATEGIES THAT ARE IN OUR PLANS ARE ONGOING WORK THAT WE HAVE BEEN DOING FOR DECADES AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO AND CONTINUE TO INVEST IN.
SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT OUR WATER LOSS PROGRAM AND ALL OF THE STRATEGIES THAT WE USE, AND KEVIN COVERED THOSE VERY WELL, WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO THOSE AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK ON LOWERING OUR WATER LOSS IN OUR SYSTEM.
UM, AND, UH, AND THAT WILL HAPPEN REGARDLESS OF, OF, UM, OF THE TIME STEP OF THE EVERY FIVE YEARS PLAN.
SO THIS PLAN DOES NOT LIMIT US IN TERMS OF WHAT WE DO IN THE FUTURE.
IT JUST SETS OUR GOALS, UM, ESTABLISHES THE FACT THAT WE ARE INVESTED IN CONTINUING TO, UH, TO REDUCE OVERALL WATER USE, IMPROVE OUR WATER, USE EFFICIENCY AND REDUCE OUR WATER LOSS IF I MAY.
BUT THIS IS A CITIZEN CHECKPOINT, SO TO SPEAK, OF THOSE PLANS.
UM, SO I THINK IT'S, IT'S EXACTLY THE RIGHT TIME AND ENTIRELY APPROPRIATE TO ASK FOR THAT KIND OF ACCOUNTABILITY BEFORE APPROVING ANYTHING.
I THINK IT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE TO HAVE GOALS, YOU KNOW, NOW EFFECTIVELY OF LIKE WHAT, OF REDUCING WASTE AND YEAH, THE OTHER THING I ASKED ABOUT THAT ORDERING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE PROGRAMS. SO DOES, DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? LIKE I I IT DOES FEEL LIKE THE RIGHT TIME TO LIKE HIT THE
[01:00:01]
BRAKES AND SAY THAT'S WE NEED THIS TO MOVE FORWARD.UH, WELL WE ARE, WE ARE HAPPY TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS, UM, AND, AND PROVIDE YOU ANY INFORMATION THAT YOU, THAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR.
I THINK WHAT YOU'VE ASKED FOR SO FAR TONIGHT IS THE, UM, THE COST THAT WE'RE SPENDING ON THE REBATE PROGRAM AND HOW MUCH THAT IS SAVING, UM, THOSE INCENTIVES.
AND THEN, UM, I THINK WHAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR ON THE, UM, WATER LOSS PROGRAM IS WHAT IS THE RESULTS OF THE, OF THE STUDY THAT WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF RIGHT NOW AND WHAT ASPECTS OF THAT STUDY WE'LL BE IMPLEMENTING GOING INTO THE FUTURE.
IS THAT RIGHT? I WOULD JUST ADD TO THAT, JUST WHAT IS THE GOAL? LIKE WHAT IS THE REALISTIC EXPECTATION OVER THE NEXT AMOUNT OF TIME TO REDUCE LOSSES? BY AND I, AT THE RISK OF TRYING TO ANSWER FOR YOU, PLEASE, I'M GONNA TRY TO ANSWER FOR YOU.
PART OF THE PROBLEM IS THAT YOUR WATER CONSERVATION PLAN DOES INCLUDE GOALS AND IT DOES INCLUDE SOME DATA.
HOWEVER, THOSE ARE BURIED HALFWAY THROUGH A 50 PAGE DOCUMENT.
SO, AND, AND THEY ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THE POWERPOINT THAT YOU GAVE US.
SO IT'S GREAT THAT YOU HAVE THAT, YOU HAVE BASELINES AND YOU HAVE TOLD US ON PAGES 27 AND 28 WHAT YOUR GOALS ARE FOR CONSERVATION REDUCTION AND FOR WATER LOSS REDUCTION.
BUT THERE IS NO REASON THAT MOST OF US WHO GOT THOSE DOCUMENTS THIS AFTERNOON, THIS MORNING WOULD'VE EVER FOUND THEM.
SO I KNOW YOU HAVE GOALS 'CAUSE I READ THEM IN YOUR, IN YOUR DRAFT DOCUMENTS.
THE PROBLEM IS YOU DIDN'T TELL US EFFECTIVELY WHAT THOSE WERE.
SO I ENCOURAGE YOU TO SORT OF RETHINK WHERE YOU PUT THE MOST IMPORTANT NUMBERS THAT FOLKS LIKE US AND OUR COLLEAGUES IN, IN THE PUBLIC ARE GONNA BE ASKING FOR.
UM, ALSO, I'LL JUST REMIND FOLKS, WAIT UNTIL YOU'RE RECOGNIZED 'CAUSE PAUL HAS BEEN CHOPPING AT THE BIT TO BE ABLE TO GET A WORD IN AND THEN YOU SNUCK IN ON HIM.
SO PAUL
UH, I I GUESS I JUST HAVE, UH, TWO COMMENTS TO DEAL WITH.
UH, TECHNICALLY YOU ARE CORRECT.
THEY SHOULD HAVE GIVEN US MORE TIME.
THEY DIDN'T, THEY'RE ON A TIME SCHEDULE.
UH, IN THIS CASE I'M GONNA VOTE FOR IT BECAUSE, UH, AS THE SAYING GOES, UH, THE PERFECT IS THE ENEMY OF THE GOOD.
UH, BUT YOUR CONCERNS ARE VALID AND I URGE THE WATER UTILITY TO GIVE US MORE ADVANCE IN THE FUTURE.
UH, THE OTHER THING I WANNA SAY IS THAT, UH, AND THIS IS JUST A, A BENCHMARK, BUT I BELIEVE THAT TOKYO IS THE GOLD STANDARD.
AT ONE POINT, UH, THE CITY HAD A 3% LEAKAGE RATE.
I DO NOT KNOW IF THEY STILL CONTINUE TO HAVE THAT, BUT AT ONE TIME THAT'S WHAT THEY HAD ATTAINED.
UH, THAT SHOULD BE OUR ASPIRATIONAL GOAL.
AND I WOULD PRO LIKE TO JUST PUT A SMALL BOW ON THIS BY BASICALLY SAYING, YOU KNOW, MY INTERPRETATION OF THIS IS ESSENTIALLY YESTERDAY WAS APRIL 15TH, IT WAS TAX DUE DAY.
YOU HAD TO SEND SOMETHING TO THE IRS AND THEN YOU'RE ABLE TO AMEND DOWN THE LINE.
SO THAT'S WHERE WE EXPECT TO BE ABLE TO SEE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR US TO HAVE A, A BETTER IDEA OF, OF WHAT'S, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT THIS REALLY LOOKS LIKE IN THE FUTURE.
'CAUSE YEAH, TO PAUL'S POINT, HE'S TALKING ABOUT TOKYO WITH A HYPOTHETICAL 3%, UM, YOU KNOW, SHRINKAGE RATE OR WHATEVER.
I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT OUR GOAL, WHAT WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS IS PART OF THIS PROJECT.
BUT I CAN ALSO TELL MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION AS WELL.
WE DO NOT HAVE PRIMACY ON THIS ONE.
TECHNICALLY PRIMACY IS ON THE WASTE AND WASTEWATER COMMISSION WHO MEETS TOMORROW TO DISCUSS THIS.
UM, SO IF YOU DO HAVE REAL CONCERNS AND RESERVATIONS, YOU'RE ABLE TO VOTE YOUR CONSCIENCE AND IT WOULD NOT TECHNICALLY CAUSE A PROBLEM.
SO I JUST WANTED TO THROW THAT OUT THERE AS AN OPTION TO YOU IF THIS WAS THAT UPSETTING TO YOU.
THAT HAVING BEEN SAID, I SAW SOMEBODY RAISE A HAND ONLINE AND I COULDN'T SEE WHO IT WAS.
ERICA, UH, THAT'S COMMISSIONER KARA GOTTI.
I JUST, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE WAS A LOT OF EMAILS TODAY AND I HAVE WORK IN BETWEEN EVERYTHING, SO I JUST WANTED TO REQUEST THAT AUSTIN WATER, UM, IF THEY COULD EMAIL US, UH, A COPY OF THE CURRENT DROUGHT CONTINGENCY PLAN WITH THE ADDED CHANGES TO EVERYONE.
UH, JUST SO WE'RE ALL SO I CAN JUST GO THROUGH IT AGAIN.
SO YOU'RE ASKING FOR THE DOCUMENT FROM FIVE YEARS AGO, THE ONE THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY WORKING UNDER THE LAST ITERATION OF THIS? YES.
YES, I'M LOOKING FOR THE CURRENT ONE AND THEN THE CHANGES.
[01:05:01]
THE CHANGES.SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S IN PLACE.
LIKE CAN YEAH, I'M GETTING SURE WE CAN PROVIDE, PROVIDE THE CURRENT DROUGHT CONTINGENCY PLAN THAT WAS ADOPTED FIVE YEARS AGO.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE COMMISSION? OKAY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME PEOPLE.
[3. Recommend approval of a resolution adopting the Water Conservation Plan, as required by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, and repealing Resolution No. 20190411-002.]
OUR AGENDA.WE HAVE ITEM NUMBER THREE, RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF RESOLUTION ADOPTING THE WASTEWATER CONSERVATION PLAN.
YOU HAVE THAT INFORMATION IN YOUR PACKETS IN FRONT OF YOU.
YOU'VE HAD TIME TO REVIEW IT AS LAW, AS WELL AS THE ADDITIONAL MATERIALS THAT HAVE BEEN SENT ON AS WELL.
UH, I WILL BE HAPPY TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION MOVE APPROVAL MOTION FOR COMMISSIONER DAVIS.
SO FOR THOSE OF YOU ONLINE, PLEASE TURN ON YOUR CAMERAS FOR THIS, UH, VICE CHAIR.
COMMISSIONER FARMER ARMOR? YES.
COMMISSIONER JOHNSON? UH, YES.
[4. Recommend approval of a resolution adopting a Drought Contingency Plan, as required by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and repealing Resolution No. 20160505-004.]
ON TO ITEM NUMBER FOUR ON OUR AGENDA.RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION ADOPTING A DROUGHT CONTINGENCY PLAN.
YOU'VE HAD THIS INFORMATION IN YOUR PACKETS AS WELL AS THE LONG DOCUMENTATION THAT WAS EMAILED TO US PREVIOUSLY.
UM, IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS, WE DO HAVE MEMBERS ON STAFF, OTHERWISE I'LL LOOK TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION.
Y'ALL ARE BEING SHINED IN NINE.
I'M GONNA LET COMMISSIONER KARA GOTTI HAVE THAT SECOND
THANK YOU FOLKS FOR YOUR TIME TODAY.
[5. Conduct officer elections for the Chair and Vice Chair of the Resource Management Commission.]
FIVE IN YOUR PACKETS, CONDUCTING OFFICER ELECTIONS FOR THE CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR OF THE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT COMMISSION.UM, AS I RECALL LAST YEAR, I BELIEVE ACTUALLY TREY RAN THIS MEETING, SO I'M NOT SURE HOW THE PROCESS OF THIS WORKS WITH ME SITTING HERE.
UM, 'CAUSE HE WAS THE SENIOR PERSON LEFT AFTER WE HAD THOSE PEOPLE DITCH US FOR THE EUC AS I RECALL
UM, ANYWAY, SO I CAN TELL YOU WHAT THE CHAIR DOES AND WHAT THE VICE CHAIR DOES, AND THEN BEYOND THAT, I WILL THROW IT OUT TO NOMINATIONS FROM PEOPLE.
THE CHAIR OF THE COMMISSION OBVIOUSLY LEADS MEETINGS LIKE THIS, TRIES TO KEEP US ON TASK, TRIES TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE SPEAKERS IN PLACE TO BE ABLE TO DO, UH, TO BE ABLE TO PRESENT TO US BASED ON FEEDBACK RECEIVED FROM THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION, AS WELL AS MEETS MONTHLY WITH, UH, NATASHA FROM, UH, AUSTIN ENERGY TO BE ABLE TO WORK OUT THE AGENDA OF THE MEETING AND MAKE SURE THAT, UH, WE HAVE THINGS DONE IN A PROPER SEQUENCE.
IT ALSO INCLUDES A LOVELY BUSY WORK PAPER THAT WE GET TO FILL OUT EVERY YEAR.
I BELIEVE IT'S IN MAY OR JUNE.
I FORGET THE TIMING ON THAT ONE, WHERE WE LIST OUT THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THE COMMISSION AND I CAN ONLY TELL YOU IT IS JUST AN ABSOLUTE CHORE.
UM, THAT HAVING BEEN SAID, UM, IT IS A GREAT WAY TO BE ABLE TO LEARN A LOT ABOUT WHAT IT IS THAT WE DO BECAUSE THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF INSIDE BASEBALL THERE, THERE'S JUST ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO KIND OF WET YOUR WHISTLE.
UM, SO IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU FEEL STRONGLY ABOUT, UH, AND YOU HAD ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME, UNFORTUNATELY I WAS NOT PREPARED TO BE ABLE TO TALK TO PEOPLE AHEAD OF TIME IF THEY HAD QUESTIONS.
BUT IF THERE ARE QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT CHAIR DOES, FEEL FREE TO JUST ASK.
I'M MORE THAN HAPPY TO ANSWER.
AND OBVIOUSLY VICE CHAIR, AS YOU GUYS HAVE EXPERIENCED, WHEN I WAS DEALING WITH MY PARENTS' ESTATE AND THINGS LIKE THAT, AND
[01:10:01]
I KIND OF MISSED A FEW MEETINGS LAST YEAR, THE VICE CHAIR'S PRIMARY ROLE IS BE ABLE TO STAND IN AND TAKE OVER AND RUN THE MEETINGS WHEN IT IS NECESSARY.THAT HAVING BEEN SAID, BOTH POSITIONS ARE UP FOR, UH, ELECTION THIS YEAR FOR THIS COMMISSION.
AND SO I'M HAPPY TO ENTERTAIN ANY MOTIONS FOR NOMINATIONS FROM THE FLOOR, VICE CHAIR, ROBBINS.
I'M GONNA NO RENOMINATE YOU AS CHAIR AND I AM RENOMINATED MYSELF AS VICE CHAIR.
UM, I WILL, UH, TELL PEOPLE WHY I'M DOING THAT, BUT MAYBE THERE'S, IS IT APPROPRIATE FOR ME TO DO THAT NOW OR AFTER OTHER PEOPLE? UH, POSSIBLY HAVE NOMINATIONS.
AS I RECALL LAST YEAR, EACH ONE WAS DONE SEPARATELY.
THEY WERE DONE A SEPARATE NOMINATIONS.
SO WE VOTED ON CHAIR AND THEN VICE CHAIR.
DOES THAT RING A BELL FOR YOU FOLKS WHO WERE HERE LAST YEAR? UH, RIGHT.
I THINK IT CAN BE DONE EITHER WAY, BUT IT, WELL, IT'S UP TO YOU.
I THINK IF YOU DO THEM SEPARATELY, THEN IT LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, THE, BECAUSE OTHERWISE IT'S LIKE, AS YOU'RE VOTING FOR A SLATE AND THAT SEEMS KIND OF ODD TO ME.
SO I WOULD THINK YOU WOULD VOTE FOR ONE AT A TIME.
I'M NOMINATING YOU, RENOMINATED YOU AS CHAIR.
UM, AND I, I HAVE REASONS FOR THAT, BUT IF THERE ARE OTHER NOMINATIONS, I'LL PAUSE THOSE REASONS UNTIL THEY ARE MADE.
UM, COULD I GET A CLARIFICATION, DWIGHT? DOES HE NEED A SECOND ON A NOMINATION? LIKE I SAID, I MEAN, LAST YEAR IT WAS KIND OF AN ODD DUCK YEAR WHEN WE DID THIS.
I THINK JUST ALL NOMINATIONS FOR CHAIR.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE I KIND OF UNDERSTOOD THE RULES OF THE ROAD.
'CAUSE THIS ISN'T, THIS ISN'T NORMAL
THEN, THEN YOU DO IT SEPARATE BY CHAIR.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS FOR THE ROLE OF CHAIR COMM? GARY, I WOULD LIKE TO NOMINATE, UH, COMMISSIONER SILVERSTEIN FOR CHAIR.
UH, COMMISSIONER SILVERSTEIN, DO YOU ACCEPT THE NOMINATION? THANK YOU.
UNFORTUNATELY, THANKS TO MY HEALTH CONDITIONS, I, I AM UNABLE TO SERVE AS CHAIR, BUT I AM THRILLED.
I, I THANK YOU FOR THE HONOR AND I AM THRILLED TO BE A MEMBER OF THIS COMMISSION.
I TRIED TO, UH, ENCOURAGE HER TO DO THIS WHEN SHE WAS FEELING UP TO IT, BUT, UM, SO FAR I HAVE NOT HAD ANY LUCK.
AND FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH, I TRIED TO
TELLING YOU WHAT I THINK YOU ARE SO WRONG.
SO HAVE A QUICK QUESTION TO ADD.
ARE YOU WANTING TO BE CHAIR AGAIN OR YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT? I WILL ACCEPT THE NOMINATION, YES.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS FOR CHAIR? OKAY, THEN WE'LL CONSIDER THAT CLOSED.
UH, WE CAN DO, DO WE NEED TO TAKE A ROLL CALL VOTE, OR WERE WE ABLE TO DO A INFORMATION? I HAD ALL THESE GREAT THINGS TO SAY ABOUT YOU.
AND I, I WILL PRE CONSIDER MYSELF LADDERED, BUT
SO WE ABLE TO DO A VOTE OF ACCLIMATION SINCE THERE WERE NO OTHERS.
UH, SO GIVEN THAT THERE APPEARS TO BE NOBODY ELSE WILLING TO DO THIS ROLE THIS TERM, UM, I AM PRESUMING BY VOTE OF ACCLIMATION IF EVERYBODY CAN TURN ON THEIR CAMERAS AND JUST SAY, HEY.
AND THEN WE CAN GO ON TO VICE CHAIR NOMINATIONS.
EVERYBODY IN THE ROOM? 2, 5, 6, 7.
ALRIGHT, WE HAVE OUR NUMBER FIVE.
UH, WE HAVE THE ROLE OF VICE CHAIR TO FILL.
AS I EXPLAINED EARLIER, THE VICE CHAIR, AND YOU GUYS HAVE SEEN IT A COUPLE OF TIMES THIS YEAR.
UH, THE VICE CHAIR STEPS IN WHEN THE CHAIR IS UNABLE TO DO IT.
UM, ALSO AS KIND OF A PRECAUTIONARY THING.
I HAVE INVITED PAUL ON A COUPLE OF CALLS WHEN THINGS WERE A LITTLE BIT DICEY ON WHETHER OR NOT I WOULD MAKE IT TO THE MEETING, SO THAT THAT WAY HE WOULD BE PROPERLY INFORMED AS WELL IN THIS PAST YEAR.
SO ARE THERE ANY NOMINATIONS FOR VICE CHAIR OF THE COMMISSION? I AM ASKING.
UH, COMMISSIONER, VICE CHAIR ROBBINS IS NOMINATING HIMSELF FOR RENEWAL OF HIS TERM.
COMMISSIONER GARRY OVER THERE.
VICE AND COMMISSIONER GARRY IS SEEKING THIS.
WE HAVE A, OOH, YOU CAN HAVE A DEBATE.
COMMISSIONER GARRY HAS ALSO PUT HERSELF, PUT HER HAT IN THE RING.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WHO WOULD BE INTERESTED IN, IN, UH, IN, IN THE ROLE OF ICE CHAIR
[01:15:01]
PROBABLY RECOMMEND IS THEY EACH GIVE, GIVEN A COUPLE OF MINUTES, BE ABLE TO, UH, GIVE PEOPLE A LITTLE BIO WHAT IT IS YOU HOPE TO BE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH THAT SOUND ABOUT RIGHT.EVERYBODY JUST KIND OF NODDING THEIR HEADS SINCE THIS IS ALL NEW TERRITORY FOR US.
I HAVE A NUMBER BEHIND MY BACK.
DON'T LOOK AT THE CAMERA THAT SHOWS EXACTLY WHAT'S BEHIND ME.
COMMISSIONER GARY, YOU PICK THE NUMBER.
YOU DON'T PICK THE NUMBER, YOU GO SECOND.
NUMBER TWO, IT IS, YOU LEAD AWAY.
UM, SO JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MYSELF.
I'VE BEEN AWAY FROM TEXAS FOR OVER 24 YEARS.
DURING MY STINT AWAY FROM MY HOME, I HAVE ACQUIRED SIGNIFICANT BACKGROUND IN GOVERNMENT, UM, POLITICAL AS WELL AS COMMISSIONERS AND BOARDS.
MY ERA OF EXPERTISE IS RISK MANAGEMENT AND HR WORKING IN THOSE GOVERNMENT FACILITIES.
I'VE BEEN ON THIS COMMISSION FOR ABOUT A YEAR.
AND MY GOAL IN, IN BEING HERE, WATCHING HOW THE MEETINGS HAVE BEEN CONDUCTED, UM, BEING ON SOME SUBCOMMITTEES OR, UM, CASES WHERE I'VE BEEN ABLE TO TAP IN AND LISTEN TO MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION, SPEAK TO EMPLOYEES AND DEVELOP PARTNERSHIPS.
THAT'S SOMETHING I THINK I WOULD LIKE US TO ENHANCE THE PARTNERSHIPS THAT WE HAVE WITH OUR ENTITIES.
YOU KNOW, I KNOW WE ALL ARE RESIDENTS OF AUSTIN, BUT I BELIEVE THERE NEEDS TO BE A BALANCE TO WHERE WE UNDERSTAND THAT ON THIS COMMISSION, WE'RE HERE TO HANDLE THE BUSINESS.
WE'RE HERE TO LOOK FOR ALL THAT, HAVE THAT LIVE IN AUSTIN, AND WE MAKE THAT COMMITMENT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE LOOKING OUT FOR THE BEST INTEREST FOR ALL AND NOT OURSELVES.
SO THAT WOULD, UM, BE MY TIME.
I THINK YOU SAID A MINUTE, SORRY.
I THINK IT'S NOT, UH, VICE CHAIR ROBBINS COMMISSION.
I HAVE BEEN WORKING IN THE FIELDS OF RESOURCE MANAGEMENT FOR 45 YEARS.
I HAVE THE TIME TO INVEST IN THIS COMMISSION.
UH, ANY ISSUE I HAVE BROUGHT TO THIS COMMISSION, I HAVE HAD, UH, EXEC, UH, VERY ACUTE COMMAND OF THE FACTS.
UH, IN MEETINGS THAT I HAVE CHAIRED, I HAVE GONE OUT OF MY WAY TO MAKE SURE THAT EACH COMMISSIONER HAS HAD THEIR SAY.
UM, AND, UM, I HAVE BEEN, UH, IN AUSTIN FOR SOME 50 YEARS NOW.
SO I THINK I, UH, HAVE A, UH, GOOD FEEL FOR, UM, HOW THE CITY RUNS.
I HOPE THAT YOU'LL, UH, REELECT ME.
QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSION OF THE CANDIDATES.
I GUESS
EVERYBODY PICKS ONE CANDIDATE AND WE JUST GO WITH MAJORITY RULE.
UM, ROBINS, UH, COMMISSIONER CAROTTI ROBINS, COMMISSIONER DAVIS ROBBINS COMMISSIONER FARMER ROBINS COMMISSIONER GARY, GARY COMM, COMMISSIONER JOHNSON, UH, ROBINS COMMISSIONER, TI ABSTAIN, COWARD
UH, COMMISSIONER ROBBINS IS REAPPOINTED AS VICE CHAIR FOR THE COMING YEAR, AND I MIGHT LET YOU TAKE A STAB AT THAT PAPERWORK THAT THE COMM THAT THE, UH, CITY OF AUSTIN HAS AS PREPARED THAT THAT WAS NOT PART OF THE DA
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR INTEREST, COMMISSIONER GARY.
AND WE HOPE THAT YOU'RE MORE THAN WILLING TO BE INVOLVED IN FUTURE CRAZY INSANE PROJECTS THAT WE DO ON SPECIAL COMMITTEES IN THE FUTURE.
YOU, WERE YOU VERY HELPFUL WITH, UH, WITH THE TEXAS GAS FOLKS THIS PAST YEAR.
[01:20:01]
ON.[7. Staff Briefing on the International Energy Conservation Code by Heidi Kasper, Director, Energy Efficiency Services, Austin Energy.]
ARE NOW TO ITEM SEVEN, STAFF BREEDING FROM THE STAFF BRIEFING ON THE INTERNATIONAL ENERGY CONSERVATION CODE BY HEIDI CASPER FROM AUDIS, AUSTIN ENERGY.UH, BEFORE WE BRING, UH, RICHARD GENESEE, VICE PRESIDENT OF CUSTOMER ENERGY SOLUTIONS, AUSTIN ENERGY, UM, BEFORE, UH, HEIDI CASPER, WHO'S OUR DIRECTOR OF GREEN BUILDING AND EMERGING TECHNOLOGY, TAKES US THROUGH THE BRIEFING.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE A COUPLE OF POINTS.
UH, ONE IS THAT, UH, YOU'LL SEE THAT THIS IS A VERY, UH, COLLABORATIVE EFFORT ACROSS MULTIPLE AREAS OF THE CITY.
UM, WHAT YOU'RE GONNA SEE TONIGHT ON THE ENERGY CODE INTERNATIONAL ENERGY CONSERVATION CODE IS JUST ONE PIECE OF, UH, ALL CODE THAT IS GONNA BE BROUGHT FORWARD BY DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, UH, DIVISION AS PART OF A ENTIRE PACKAGE THAT IS PRESENTED TO COUNCIL.
AND SO THIS WILL BE ONE PART OF THE BRIEFING, BUT IT, IT IS DSD THAT WILL ACTUALLY BRING THIS FORWARD.
AND YOU'LL SEE FROM THE TIMELINE THAT, UH, HEIDI WILL ALSO SHARE THAT IT'S PART OF A LONG PROCESS, UH, THAT'S BEEN INVOLVED.
SO MY, MY PURPOSE IS IN THIS WAS JUST TO UNDERSCORE THAT, UH, THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT'S BEING BROUGHT FORWARD STRICTLY BY AUSTIN ENERGY, BUT IN COLLABORATION WITH DSD AND OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY.
AND GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.
AS HE SAID, HEIDI CASPER, I'M DIRECTOR OF GREEN BUILDING EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES.
UM, IF WE COULD GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
SO TONIGHT I'M JUST GONNA GO OVER, UM, OUR PROPOSED TIMELINE.
UM, AS RICHARD SAID, THIS IS, UM, LARGELY BEING DRIVEN BY DEVELOPMENT SERVICES TO BE ADOPTED AS A PACKAGE.
UM, SOME OF THE EXPECTED CHANGES THAT WE ARE ANTICIPATING SEEING IN THE PUBLISHED CODE.
UM, A LITTLE BIT OF A BREAKOUT, UM, PARTICULARLY ON ELECTRIC READINESS AND EV READINESS AS THOSE HAVE BEEN TOPICS OF PARTICULAR INTEREST.
AND, UM, SOME NEXT STEPS AND ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE.
SO IF WE COULD GET THE NEXT SLIDE.
SO IN TERMS OF A TIMELINE, UM, THE CODE HAS BEEN BEING DEVELOPED BY, UM, THE INTERNATIONAL CODE COUNCIL AND A COMMITTEE.
UM, ONE OF MY STAFF ACTUALLY PARTICIPATED ON THE COMMITTEE DEVELOPING THE CODE AT THAT NATIONAL LEVEL.
UM, AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL, THERE'S A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT STAKEHOLDERS THAT PARTICIPATE FROM DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY TO HOME BUILDERS, ASSOCIATIONS, UTILITIES, AND THE LIKE.
UM, IT'S JUST ONE OF THE MODEL CODES TOGETHER.
ALL OF THOSE TECHNICAL CODES, UM, FORM THE SET OF RULES THAT BUILDINGS HAVE TO ABIDE BY WHEN THEY GET BUILT.
UM, THE PROCESS TO DEVELOP THAT CODE HAS CONCLUDED.
UM, BUT I WILL POINT OUT, WE DON'T HAVE THE BOOK YET.
SO THE TIMELINE HERE IS SUBJECT TO SLIPPING A LITTLE BIT
UM, THAT SAID, WE'RE HOPING TO DO THAT SOON.
WE'RE HOPING TO BRING THE RCA BACK TO THIS, UH, BOARD IN JULY, UM, WITH AN ANTICIPATED COUNCIL DATE OF SEPTEMBER.
AND AGAIN, THAT WOULD BE ALL OF THE CODES GOING TO COUNCIL IN SEPTEMBER FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE OF JANUARY OF NEXT YEAR.
IF WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE ON A, UH, STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT, UH, DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT HAS ALREADY PUT UP A, A SPEAK UP AUSTIN SITE.
UM, ALL OF THE DIFFERENT CODES WILL HAVE THEIR OWN PAGES THERE.
SO WE'LL BE, UM, POPULATING DIFFERENT RESOURCES ON THE ENERGY CODE PAGE.
UM, WE WILL BE ENCOURAGING, UH, STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT WITH THE SITE AND THE, AND THE RESOURCES THROUGH THAT.
PUBLIC INPUT SPEAK UP AUSTIN SITE.
UM, WE'LL BE SENDING OUT EMAILS.
WE'LL ENCOURAGE, WE'D LIKE TO ENCOURAGE AND INVITE ALL OF YOU TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT, UM, ENGAGEMENT.
UM, AND THEN WE WILL BE DOING PRESENTATIONS SIMILAR TO THIS ONE, UM, WITH OTHER ENTITIES LIKE, UM, WE'LL OFFER IT TO THE HOME BUILDERS ASSOCIATION, FOR INSTANCE, AND OTHER INTERESTED GROUPS.
SO GETTING INTO SOME OF THE PROPOSED CHANGES ON THE RESIDENTIAL SIDE, UM, WE ARE EXPECTING THEM TO CHANGE FROM A SYSTEM OF ENERGY, EXTRA ENERGY EFFICIENCY PACKAGES.
SO PICK ONE OF THESE DIFFERENT PACKAGES TO MORE OF A POINT SYSTEM THAT'S LIKE WHAT IS IN THE CURRENT COMMERCIAL CODE.
UM, WE ARE EXPECTING TO SEE DEMAND RESPONSE CONTROLS REQUIRED FOR ELECTRIC WATER HEATERS.
[01:25:01]
CURRENTLY IN AUSTIN'S CODE, THERE'S A REQUIREMENT FOR TIMERS, UM, WITH AN OP, AN EXEMPTION IF YOU HAVE DEMAND RESPONSE CONTROLS.SO NOT A HUGE CHANGE FOR US HERE.
UM, BATHROOM EXHAUST FANS ARE GOING TO REQUIRE CONTROLS LIKE A TIMER OR HUMIDS STAT TO REMOVE MOISTURE.
THE AIR LEAKAGE TARGET, UH, REDUCTION IS GONNA BE REDUCED FROM FIVE AACH H TO FOUR AACH H THAT JUST MEANS OUR ENVELOPES HAVE TO BE LESS LEAKY.
UM, AND TIGHTER THE PRESCRIPTIVE ATTIC INSULATION IS BEING DECREASED FROM R 49 TO R 38.
THAT SOUNDS LIKE A BIG JUMP IN NUMBERS.
UM, WHEN YOU DO THE ENERGY MODELING, IT'S ACTUALLY NOT A HUGE DIFFERENCE IN THE ENERGY EFFICIENCY THAT WE SEE.
AND THIS WAS NEGOTIATED AS PART OF A CONSENSUS COMMITTEE, UH, DISCUSSION AT THAT NATIONAL LEVEL WITH THE HOME BUILDERS.
SO TRYING TO GET TO THE MOST COST EFFECTIVE WAY TO GET THE, GET TO THE ENERGY EFFICIENCY.
SO THAT WAS, UM, PART OF THAT NEGOTIATION.
LET'S, UH, MOVE TO THE COMMERCIAL SIDE.
SO ON THE COMMERCIAL SIDE, WE ARE SEEING SOME CHANGES TO THEIR ADDITIONAL ENERGY EFFICIENCY REQUIREMENTS.
THEIR POINT SYSTEM TO ALIGN WITH ASHRAY ASHRAY IS A DIFFERENT STANDARD.
UM, ALSO FOR ENERGY CODE COMPLIANCE.
THERE ARE PATHS IN THE COMMERCIAL ENERGY CODE IN THE ICC THAT ALLOW YOU TO USE ASHRA STANDARDS, UH, TO COMPLY.
SO THE BETTER THOSE TWO ARE ALIGNED, THE CLEARER THE, THE PATH TO CODE COMPLIANCE IS, UM, A COUPLE OTHER BIG ONES, UH, IS A REQUIREMENT FOR ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEMS, EITHER AN ACTUAL ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEM, BATTERY INSTALLED, OR THE SPACE TO DO IT, UH, IN THE FUTURE AND ONSITE RENEWABLES.
UM, SO A REQUIREMENT FOR NEW COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS TO PROVIDE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF RENEWABLE ENERGY ON SITE.
UM, AND IF YOUR ROOF IS NOT APPROPRIATE TO THAT USE, UM, WOULDN'T FIT THEN TO PURCHASE, UH, RENEWABLE ENERGY CREDITS.
I HAVE THAT ONE FLAGGED WITH LEGAL FOR REVIEW.
UM, JUST TO MAKE SURE
SO, UH, THE ICC BOARD, UM, TO EVERYBODY'S DISMAY, MOVE THESE OUT OF THE BODY MAIN BODY OF THE CODE INTO APPENDICES.
BUT WE ARE GOING TO PROPOSE THAT WE ADOPT, UM, THE EV READINESS AND ELECTRIC READINESS APPEND APPENDICES.
UM, IT WILL CALL FOR A ALL ONE AND TWO FAMILY DWELLINGS TO HAVE ONE EV UH, CAPABLE SPACE PER DWELLING FOR LOW RISE MULTIFAMILY.
THAT IS SUBJECT TO THE, UH, RESIDENTIAL PORTION OF THE CODE.
IT'S 40%, UH, EV READY CAPABLE SPACES EITHER, UH, 40% OF YOUR UNITS OR 40% OF YOUR PARKING, WHICHEVER IS LESS.
AND THEN ON THE COMMERCIAL SIDE, UM, THERE'S A RATHER COMPLICATED CHART THAT HAS DIFFERENT REQUIREMENTS FOR EV CAPABLE, UM, THAT IS YOUR CONDUIT AND CAPACITY EV READY, WHICH ALSO INCLUDES THE WIRING AND, UH, EVSE, WHICH IS A FANCY WAY OF SAYING THE CHARGING STATIONS ARE INSTALLED AND THE PERCENT REQUIRED FOR EACH VARIES BASED ON THE USE OF THE BUILDING.
UM, ALL RIGHT, UH, MOVING ON TO ELECTRIC READINESS.
SO HERE, UM, THERE'S ELECTRIC READINESS IN BOTH COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL CHAPTERS OF THE CODE.
UM, THE REQUIREMENTS PRIMARILY CENTER AROUND COOKING, CLOSED DRYING, WATER HEATING, UM, AND THE COMMERCIAL VERSION.
THIS ALSO INCLUDES SPACE HEATING.
UH, IT, THE REQUIREMENTS SENT AROUND THE CAPACITY AND DEDICATED CIRCUITS FOR RESIDENTIAL.
UH, FOR INSTANCE, THIS WOULD MEAN A REQUIREMENT THAT OUTLETS OF THE RIGHT, UH, CAPACITY BE LOCATED WITHIN THREE FEET OF THE END USE.
SO, UM, FOR THE COOKING, IT'S A TWO 40 VOLT FOR CLOTHES DRYER, TWO 40, UM, WATER HEATERS.
IT DOES ALLOW FOR 120 VOLT BECAUSE OF THAT TYPE OF EQUIPMENT IS NOW ON THE MARKET AND, AND AVAILABLE.
AND THEN IF WE CAN GO TO THE NET FINAL SLIDE, UM, ONE THING THAT WAS BROUGHT UP, UH, BY SOME, UM, OF OUR STAKEHOLDERS AND HAS BEEN PULLED OUT OF THE MODEL CODE ON THE RESIDENTIAL SIDE AS PART OF THAT CONSENSUS AGREEMENT, BUT LEFT IN ON THE COMMERCIAL SIDE, NOT SURE WHY, UM, HAS, IS A SPACE REQUIREMENT FOR THE WATER HEATING.
UM, MY TEAM IS RESEARCHING RIGHT NOW, REACHING OUT TO DIFFERENT MANUFACTURERS AROUND WHAT THE ACTUAL SPACE REQUIREMENTS ARE, LOOKING AT WHAT IS, WHERE WATER HEATERS ARE BEING INSTALLED
[01:30:01]
TO DETERMINE WHETHER WE SHOULD, UM, LEAVE IT IN OR PULL IT OUT.BUT WE THINK WE SHOULD PROBABLY ALIGN IT ACROSS BOTH.
UM, THAT'S WHAT I HAVE FOR YOU TONIGHT.
LIKE I SAID, I'LL BE COMING BACK TO YOU, UM, AND HOPEFULLY IN THE JULY TIMEFRAME, UH, WITH THE RCA AND THE RESULTS OF THAT STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT.
UM, BUT IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS I CAN ENTERTAIN NOW, COMMISSIONER ROBBINS, YOU, YOU PRE-WARNED YOU WERE GOING TO HAVE QUESTIONS.
UM, REGARDING, UM, DEMAND RESPONSE ON WATER HEATERS.
THOSE CAN BE OVERRIDDEN, RIGHT? UM, SO THE TI THE TIMERS CAN BE OVERRIDDEN.
UM, SO THERE'S AN OVERRIDE BUTTON THAT'S REQUIRED AS PART OF THE CODE ON THE DEMAND RESPONSE CONTROL.
AND WE'RE TALKING WITH OUR DEMAND RESPONSE, UH, TEAM RIGHT NOW TOO.
DEMAND RESPONSE JUST MEAN THE, THE CONTROLS JUST MEAN THEY'RE IN PLACE.
IT DOESN'T MEAN YOU HAVE TO BE ENROLLED IN A PROGRAM.
AND WE DON'T CURRENTLY HAVE A PROGRAM STOOD UP FOR THAT.
UM, SO WE ARE TALKING ABOUT WHAT THE PROS AND CONS OF THE TIMERS VERSUS THE DEMAND RESPONSE CONTROLS ARE.
UH, THE, THIS IS NOT A SURPRISE TO YOU BECAUSE I'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS SINCE 2020, SINCE COVID.
UH, BUT I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY WE STILL ALLOW STRIP WATER HEATING IN NEW BUILDINGS OF ANY KIND.
UH, UM, YOU'LL NOTE, AS I'VE SAID THIS, UH, A NUMBER OF TIMES THIS, UH, HURTS THE POOR MORE THAN ANYONE BECAUSE THEY'RE USUALLY IN APARTMENTS OR TRACTED HOMES, AND THEY DON'T HAVE THE LATITUDE, UH, TO, UM, THEY DON'T, THEY, THEY EITHER DON'T OWN THE BUILDING AND CAN'T CONTROL WHAT'S THERE.
OR EVEN IF THEY OWN THE TRACT HOME, THEY MAY NOT HAVE THE MONEY TO UPGRADE.
UH, AND I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY WE DON'T REQUIRE THIS.
UH, IN THE 1980S, UH, THERE'S BEEN A NUMBER OF CODES WHERE WE'VE MANDATED SOME ALTERNATIVE FORM OF WATER HEATING.
WHY DON'T WE FINALLY PUT THIS TO REST? I WILL HAVE TO GIVE YOU THE SAME ANSWER I GAVE YOU IN 2020.
UM, WHICH IS THAT MY UNDERSTANDING, AND I RAN IT BY LEGAL AGAIN, 'CAUSE WE HAVE NEW LAWYERS, UM, IS THAT FEDERAL PREEMPTION PREVENTS US FROM DOING THAT.
I CAN, I CAN TELL YOU THAT, UH, I, I, I ASKED AGAIN, PAUL, UM, THAT IS FEDERAL.
THAT'S FEDERAL, EXCUSE ME, FEDERAL PREEMPTION.
I, I'M GONNA LET YOU SPEAK OF COURSE.
BUT FEDERAL PREEMPTION IS ABOUT WHAT THAT APPLIANCE, UH, IS.
AND IF IT'S A HEAT PUMP WATER HEATER, THEN YEAH, WE CANNOT SAY YOU MUST HAVE A BETTER HEAT PUMP WATER HEATER.
BUT FOR STRIP HEATING TO REPLACE STRIP HEATING WITH THE HEAT PUMP WATER HEATER, WE'VE DONE IT.
SO HOW COME IT'S NOW ILLEGAL? WHEN WE USED TO DO IT ALL THE TIME.
I'M NOT SURE WHY WE WERE ALLOWED TO DO IT BEFORE, OTHER THAN FEDERAL PREEMPTION DIDN'T EXIST IN THE, IN THE, IN THE EARLY EIGHTIES.
SO ONCE WE MOVED AWAY FROM IT, I, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT WE ARE NOW SUBJECT TO PREEMPTION LAWS IN TERMS OF THE EQUIPMENT.
THE WAY IT'S DEFINED IN THE FEDERAL STATUTE IS THEY DON'T DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN AN ELECTRIC STRIP WATER HEATER IN TERMS OF HOW IT'S CATEGORIZED VERSUS A, A HEAT, AN ELECTRIC HEAT PUMP, WATER HEATER.
THEY'RE ALL CONSIDERED THE SAME SORT OF APPLIANCE.
THEY'RE ALL CATEGORIZED AS ELECTRIC WATER HEATING.
AND SO FOR THAT REASON, BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT DIFFERENTIATING IT, IF I SAID THAT YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO DO ELECTRIC RESISTANCE HEATING, I WOULD BE, UM, ESSENTIALLY SETTING A NEW EFFICIENCY STANDARD FOR ELECTRIC WATER HEATING.
I SET OUT THAT, I WILL SAY THAT THE FEDS HAVE RULES ON THE BOOKS THAT IF THOSE, UM, PROCEED THE WAY THAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO, THIS WILL BE TAKEN CARE OF AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL BY 2030.
SO THEY'RE, THEY'RE PHASING IT OUT AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL THAT, UH, THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT.
[01:35:01]
OKAY.IS GOING TO BAN STRIP HEATING, IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING FOR WATER HEATING? YEAH.
THE FEDERAL PREEMPTIONS BEGAN IN 1980.
FEDERAL PREEMPTIONS BEGAN IN 1987, AND WE HAD THIS IN OUR CODES AFTER 1987.
I, I CANNOT SPEAK TO WHAT WE WERE DOING AND WHETHER IT WAS LEGAL THEN OR NOW.
I CAN JUST TELL YOU WHAT I'VE BEEN ADVISED I WOULD OFFLINE, I WOULD LIKE YOU TO GIVE ME THE NAME OF YOUR LAWYERS, 'CAUSE I'D LIKE TO TALK TO THEM.
UH, WE CAN CERTAINLY, UH, HAVE FURTHER DISCUSSION OFFLINE, PAUL, BUT COMMISSIONER SILVERSTEIN, YOU HAD YOUR HAND UP.
UM, DO THE, GOING BACK TO, TO THE COMMERCIAL COMBUSTION HEATING, WHAT, IN, IN, IN THAT SLIDE, WHAT IS THAT? AND, AND DO WE HAVE A PROVISION FOR HEAT PUMPS FOR COMMERCIAL CUSTOMERS? AND DOES THIS CONTAIN ANY PROVISION FOR THERMAL STORAGE FOR COMMERCIAL OR SMALL COMMERCIAL INDUSTRIAL CUSTOMERS? UM, SO IN TERMS OF, UH, AN EQUIPMENT REQUIREMENT, SO IT DOESN'T REQUIRE THAT THEY USE HEAT PUMPS, BUT IT CERTAINLY ALLOWS FOR THAT.
AND ON THE COMMERCIAL SIDE, UM, I DON'T KNOW THE SPECIFICS OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.
UM, AS I SAID, WE DON'T HAVE THE ACTUAL PUBLISHED BOOK.
UM, THAT SAID, THE SPACE HEATING DOES HAVE AN ELECTRIC RE, UM, READINESS COMPONENT IN THAT APPENDICES THAT WE WOULD BE PLANNING TO ADOPT.
SO THE IDEA WOULD BE THAT A COMMERCIAL PROPERTY, IF THEY WERE USING COMBUSTION SPACE HEATING TODAY, THEY WOULD HAVE TO HAVE THE CAPACITY, UM, TO BE ABLE TO SWITCH THAT OVER TO A HEAT PUMP SYSTEM AT SOME TIME IN THE FUTURE.
AND, AND DO WE ALREADY HAVE PROVISIONS IN THE BOOKS FOR THERMAL STORAGE OR IS THAT SOMETHING THAT THIS CODE DOES NOT ADDRESS AT ALL AND IT'S AN AUSTIN SPECIFIC OPPORTUNITY? I DON'T BELIEVE THAT IT ADDRESSES THAT.
UH, COMMISSIONER CESTA, I, COUPLE QUESTIONS.
UM, THE, THE FIRST ONE IS, IS JUST INFRASTRUCTURAL.
SO THIS THE IECC 2024 DOCUMENT.
IS IT YOU CAN CHOOSE A SUBSET OR YOU HAVE TO IMPLEMENT THE WHOLE THING OR THE WHOLE THING PLUS ADDITIONAL RULES.
SO
AND, AND THE, AND THE FOLKS WHO DO THAT IS AUSTIN ENERGY OR CITY COUNCIL.
SO CITY COUNCIL WOULD HAVE TO ADOPT IT.
UM, WE, UH, ASSIST DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
SO THEY'RE THE CODE ENFORCEMENT BODY WITHIN THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
IT'S THEIR JOB TO, UM, ENFORCE THE BUILDING CODES.
BUT BECAUSE WE HAVE A VESTED INTEREST IN ENERGY CODE, UM, AND BECAUSE WE HAVE TECHNICAL EXPERTISE ON MY TEAM, UM, WE LEAD, UH, THE PROCESS TOGETHER, THAT STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT, WE LEAD THE PROCESS TO DEVELOP WHAT WE THINK THE RIGHT, UH, LOCAL AMENDMENTS ARE.
SO WE'RE PRO WE'RE LEADING THAT PIECE OF IT, BUT THEY WILL CARRY THE, THE RCA.
UM, AND I WASN'T ABLE TO, THIS IS PROBABLY JUST ME, BUT I WASN'T ACTUALLY ABLE TO FIND THE IEC 2024 DOCUMENT ANYWHERE.
IT'S NOT OUT THAT EXPLAINS IT.
SO JUST GOING OFF OF WHAT IS IN THE POWERPOINT YEP.
UM, I HAD A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS AROUND E VSES.
SO TWO QUESTION ONE IS, IS THERE ANY CONSIDERATION GIVEN FOR CHARGING STANDARD IN THE EVAC REQUIREMENTS? UM, I DON'T BELIEVE SO.
I BELIEVE THE, I MEAN THERE'S ESSENTIALLY, YOU WOULD JUST HAVE TO PUT AN EVSC IS A CHARGING STATION FULLY EQUIPPED AND FULLY SERVICEABLE.
UM, SO, UM, IN TERMS OF ANY LIMITATION AROUND WHAT THAT CHARGING STATION, UH, SPEC IS, I DON'T THINK THAT'S IN THERE.
I WOULD, IS IT JUST A REASON TO, OKAY.
IT WOULD MOST LIKELY BE PEOPLE TO THE ELECTRIC CODE SAFETY ASPECTS.
THE CODE IS THE PART THAT'S REQUIRING THEM TO DO
AND THE ELECTRIC ELECTRIC CODE MAKES NO DISTINCTION FOR CHARGING INTERFACE TYPE.
UM, ELECTRICAL CODE IS ALWAYS ON THE, THE OTHER SIDE.
[01:40:01]
I THINK IT'S, IT'S MEANINGFUL AND REASONABLE TO LIKE SUGGEST TO, UM, TO SPECIFY CHARGING STANDARDS BECAUSE WE ARE IN LIKE A TRANSITIONARY STATE IN NORTH AMERICA OF GOING FROM LIKE TWO STANDARDS TO ONE.SO OVER THE NEXT, YOU KNOW, SET FEW YEARS, THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF VERY CHEAP AND DEFUNCT, UH, EV VSES.
THAT WILL, I WORRY WOULD FIND THEIR WAY INTO ESPECIALLY COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES JUST TO LIKE CHECK THE BOX, RIGHT? WE, WE ARE ACTUALLY PROBABLY, AND I'M TALKING WITH OUR EVT ABOUT THIS, WE ARE PROBABLY GONNA LEAN INTO THE EV CAPABLE PIECE OF THE CODE.
UM, SO MAKING SURE THAT THAT, UH, CONDUIT, UM, CAPACITY IS THERE SO THAT THEY CAN ADD THE RIGHT CHARGING STATIONS AS THE DEMAND FOR THEM COMES ONLINE, I THINK IS GONNA BE THE MOST IMPORTANT AND MOST COST EFFECTIVE THING THAT WE CAN DO.
UM, I WORRY ABOUT DEPLOYING, REQUIRING A DEPLOYMENT OF TOO MANY ACTUAL CHARGING STATIONS RIGHT NOW, AS YOU SAID, AS THOSE STANDARDS AND THE EQUIPMENT IS ACTUALLY CHANGING.
SO, UM, OUR EMPHASIS IS LIKELY GONNA BE ON THE, ON THE CAPABLE.
BUT THAT'S A GOOD, THAT'S A GOOD POINT.
UM, ON THE EV CAPABLE KIND OF COMMERCIAL SIDE.
UM, FOR THE EV CAPABLE ASPECT, WHICH IS THAT LIKE, UM, IF YOU, IF YOU, IF YOU SUPPLY ENOUGH POWER TO A, LET'S SAY A PARKING GARAGE TO BE ABLE TO CHARGE, UH, LET'S SAY 10 CARS ALL AT THE SAME TIME, YOU END UP WITH LIKE A WAY OVERSIZED ELECTRICAL SERVICE.
SEEMS LIKE YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THIS PROBLEM.
SO, UM, I GUESS I WOULD JUST ASK THAT, LIKE, THAT, UM, IS, IS ACCOUNTED FOR.
'CAUSE IT MAKES AN ENORMOUS DIFFERENCE IN LIKE HOW E VSCS CAN BE DEPLOYED TO LIKE, MULTI DWELLING, UM, PARKING AREAS.
UM, AND THEN WHEN DO WE GET TO READ THE ACTUAL IECC? I WILL LET YOU KNOW AS SOON AS WE DO WHEN IT IS PUBLISHED AND AVAILABLE.
WE'RE EXPECTING PROBABLY EARLY MAY.
THAT'S THE LATEST WE'VE HEARD FROM ICC AND, AND PRE-PUBLISHED DRAFTS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO BE, UH, CIRCULATED.
SO THERE ARE, UM, THERE ARE VARIOUS VERSIONS OF DRAFTS OUT THERE THAT WERE, UM, OUT FOR PUBLIC COMMENT AT VARIOUS STAGES.
UM, I'M NOT AWARE OF ANYTHING THAT'S A COMPLETE VERSION.
SO, UM, I COULD POINT YOU TO WHERE THERE THOSE PREVIOUS PUBLIC DRAFT COMMENT, UM, VERSIONS ARE, BUT MY CONCERN WOULD BE THAT, UM, THERE HAVE BEEN CHANGES MADE SINCE.
INTRODUCE YOURSELF IN THE FUTURE, UH, WITH THAT, COMMISSIONER JOHNSON HAD RAISED A HAND.
UH, AND I THINK A PRETTY LOW LEVEL EASIER QUESTION.
SO, UM, CAN YOU CLARIFY OR REMIND US THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN, UM, WHERE, WHERE'D THE SLIDE GO? EV READY AND EV THE SECOND ONE?
UM, SO IS THAT JUST LIKE EV CAPABLE, OR EXCUSE ME, EV READY HAS A TWO, HAS A TWO 40 VOL OUTLET, AND THE OTHER ONE JUST HAS THE WIRING TO, UH, SO I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT.
SO CAPACITY DOESN'T ACTUALLY, EV CAPABLE DOESN'T ACTUALLY INCLUDE THE WIRING, IT JUST INCLUDES THE CONDUIT AND THE CAPACITY IN YOUR PANELS.
UM, THE EV READY ADDS THE, THE WIRING IN THE OUTLET.
AND WHAT IS THE CONDUIT SPECIFICALLY SINCE THIS IS NOT, YOU KNOW, BUILDINGS, MY IN THEMSELF ARE NOT MY AREA OF EXPERTISE.
UM, SO THE CONDUIT WOULD BE THE CHANNEL THROUGH WHICH YOU WOULD RUN THE WIRING.
SO IF YOU'RE, FOR INSTANCE, YOU'RE PUTTING THIS INTO A PARKING LOT, YOU DON'T RUN YOUR BARE WIRE THROUGH THE CONCRETE, UM, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE A CONDUIT THAT YOU'RE GONNA THEN PULL THE WIRE THROUGH.
UM, SO IT'S, IT'S THE CHANNEL THAT ENCASES THE WIRING.
SO THE BE THANKS FOR CLARIFYING.
THE BENEFIT OF HAVING THAT CONDUIT IS THAT THEN YOU DON'T, UM, YOU'RE NOT GONNA HAVE TO DIG OUT YOUR CONCRETE OR DO ANY TRENCHING DOWN THE ROAD.
AND THE OUTLET IN THIS CASE, WOULD THAT JUST BE A TWO 40 VOLT? YEAH, GENERALLY SPEAKING, YES.
[01:45:01]
FOR EDSE, IS THAT LEVEL THREE OR IT COULD BE LEVEL TWO OR LEVEL THREE? UH, GENERALLY THAT'S GONNA BE YOUR LEVEL TWO.UM, DO YOU HAVE ANY ESTIMATE OF THE EXTRA COST FOR EV READY OR ELECTRIC READY? SO WE'RE, WE'RE DEVELOPING A, UM, COST ESTIMATE WITH HOUSING AT THE MOMENT.
SO I DON'T HAVE THAT WITH ME TONIGHT.
I'LL BE INTERESTED IN SEEING IT WHEN IT'S DONE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION FROM THE COMMISSION? I ACTUALLY DO HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION.
UH, DO Y'ALL HAVE ESTIMATES OF WHAT THE COST DIFFERENCE WOULD BE FOR A DEVELOPER OR WHOEVER, UH, TO DO EV READY VERSUS EV EV CAPABLE? I DON'T HAVE THAT WITH ME RIGHT NOW.
YEAH, IF Y'ALL COULD FOLLOW UP WITH, UH, TO THE COMMISSION WITH THAT, THAT'D BE REALLY HELPFUL FOR ME.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
[8. Discussion of the Joint Sustainability Committee's work in progress development of recommendations for an Environmental Investment Plan]
AGENDA, WE'RE ON TO ITEM NUMBER EIGHT, DISCUSSION OF JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE'S WORK IN PROCE PROGRESS DEVELOPMENT OF RECOMMENDATIONS FOR AN ENVIRONMENTAL INVESTMENT PLAN.UH, COMMISSIONER DAVIS, I UNDERSTAND THIS IS YOURS.
UM, SO COMMISSIONERS, I AM NOT GONNA TAKE A TON OF TIME, UM, BUT I JUST WANTED TO BRING THIS TO YOU, UM, SO THAT YOU KIND OF HAVE AN IDEA WHAT WE'RE WORKING ON ON THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE.
SO, AS YOU RECALL, THE CITY COUNCIL PASSED A RESOLUTION IN FEBRUARY, UM, THAT WAS SPONSORED BY COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN ALTER DIRECTING THE JSC AND THE CITY MANAGER TO DEVELOP RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PROJECTS AND PROGRAMS TO ACHIEVE THE CITY'S MANY AMBITIOUS ENVIRONMENTAL GOALS, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE AUSTIN CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN.
UM, IN FACT, THE PROJECTS TO BE CONSIDERED CAN COME FROM ONE OR MORE OF ANY OF THESE 12 PLUS CITY PLANS OR, OR EVEN BEYOND THEM.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN ALTER'S OFFICE INDICATED THAT THE PROJECTS THAT THEY WANT TO SEE ARE NOT JUST SORT OF BUSINESS AS USUAL, UM, REGULAR POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS OR SPENDING TO ACHIEVE INCREMENTAL ANNUAL GAINS, BUT RATHER THEY WANT THE ENVIRONMENTAL INVESTMENT PLAN TO CLOSE THE GAP BETWEEN OUR CURRENT TRAJECTORY, UM, OF, YOU KNOW, TOWARDS MEETING THESE, THESE GOALS AND, AND FULLY MEETING THEM.
UM, AS YOU KNOW, MOST OF THE TIME THESE PLANS ARE, ARE PUT TOGETHER.
THEY DO NOT COME WITH FUNDING, UH, A LOT OF TIMES THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, UNFUNDED AND ASPIRATIONAL.
UM, SO NOW, UH, THE COUNCIL IS REALLY LOOKING FOR, UM, OPTIONS TO FULFILL ALL OF THE OBJECTIVES WITHIN THESE PLANS OR SPECIFIC ELEMENTS OF THEM, UH, EVEN AHEAD OF SCHEDULE, UH, OF THEIR TARGET DATES.
SO THE TASK AT HAND IS TO, UM, IDENTIFY CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS OR PROGRAMS, UM, TO DELIVER A MENU OF, OF PROGRAMS THAT REDUCE CARBON EMISSIONS, DECREASE WATER USAGE, IMPROVE WATER QUALITY, ADVANCE THE SUSTAINABILITY OF THE CITY'S OPERATIONS, AND IMPROVE COMMUNITY RESILIENCE.
UM, WE'RE ALSO LOOKING TO MAXIMIZE THE BENEFITS FROM THE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT.
UM, AND FUNDING, UH, FOR, FOR THESE PROGRAMS COULD COME FROM ANY, UM, COMBINATION OF UTILITY BASE RATES, GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES FROM THE CITY BUDGET, UH, GRANTS, INCLUDING THOSE, UH, FEDERAL GRANTS FROM THE IRA OR, OR OTHERS, UM, AND OR BOND INSTRUMENTS.
SO THE TIMING, WE, WE HELD OUR FIRST PUBLIC INPUT HEARING ON MARCH 27TH.
UM, THERE'S SEVERAL WORKING GROUPS THAT ARE, UH, WORKING TO IDENTIFY PROGRAMS AS WE SPEAK.
UM, WE, YOU KNOW, ARE IN THE PROCESS OF KIND OF REFINING THOSE NEXT WEEK.
THERE WILL BE, UM, SOME DRAFT RECOMMENDATIONS PRESENTED AT THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE MEETING.
UM, AND THEN THE FINAL RECOMMENDATIONS ARE DUE TO COUNCIL MAY 1ST, THEN THERE WILL BE A, A PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER THEM ON THE 30TH OF MAY.
[01:50:01]
UM, THE FOCUS WILL BE ON MATCHING THE PROGRAMS TO THE FUNDING MECHANISMS. UM, NEXT SLIDE.SO THERE ARE STILL TIME FOR INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANIZATIONS TO PROVIDE INPUT.
UM, WE'RE, YOU KNOW, PAST THE POINT OF COMMISSION PROVIDING AN, UH, INPUT AS, AS, UH, THE DEADLINE IS COMING UP ON MAY 1ST.
UM, BUT THERE, THERE ARE WAYS IF YOU AS AN INDIVIDUAL OR, OR FOLKS THAT YOU KNOW, WANT TO SUBMIT WRITTEN INPUT, THERE'S A FORM THAT'S LINKED IN THIS PRESENTATION IN YOUR PACKET, OR YOU CAN SCAN THE QR CODE.
UM, I MENTIONED THERE'LL BE PUBLIC COMMENT, UH, OPPORTUNITY NEXT WEEK ON APRIL 24TH AT THE JSC MEETING.
I BELIEVE THAT ONE'S GONNA BE AT THE PERMITTING AND DEVELOPMENT CENTER.
YOU CAN COMMENT IN PERSON OR REMOTELY.
UM, THERE'S A SPECIAL CALL MEET CALLED MEETING ON APRIL 30TH AS WELL, AND THE CITY COUNCIL PUBLIC HEARING ON MAY 30TH.
UM, AND AS FOR THIS BODY, FOR THIS COMMISSION, UM, AS I MENTIONED, WE DON'T HAVE, UH, THE TIME TO ACT ON ANY SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS PRIOR TO THAT MAY 1ST DEADLINE.
HOWEVER, UM, IF THERE ARE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT ARE APPROVED BY THE JSC IN APRIL, UM, THAT ARE RELEVANT TO THE RMCS PURPOSE, SO WATER CONSERVATION, ENERGY CONSERVATION, SOLAR STORAGE, THINGS LIKE THAT, UM, I MAY BE BRINGING THOSE BACK TO THIS COMMISSION IN MAY FOR SORT OF A, YOU KNOW, DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION AS A POTENTIALLY VOTE IN SUPPORT, UM, OF THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS.
SO THAT'S BASICALLY JUST WHAT I WANTED TO, TO SHARE, UM, JUST, UH, FOR UPDATE PURPOSES AND I'LL KEEP IT SHORT AND SWEET UNLESS ANYONE HAS ANY COMMENTS, ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE COMMISSION FOLKS PLAYING AT HOME, THERE BEING NONE.
WE HAVE REACHED THE END OF THE AGENDA, UH, FOR DISCUSSION.
[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]
ANY FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS? I'M AWARE THAT WE HAVE TEXAS GAS DOING ITS QUARTERLY UPDATE NEXT MONTH AND GETTING A NOD YES FROM NATASHA AND AUSTIN WATER IS ALSO SCHEDULED FOR ITS QUARTERLY UPDATE AS WELL.SO IT WOULD PROBABLY BEHOOVE THEM EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE NO LONGER HERE TO HAVE THE DATA THAT YOU WOULD ASK FOR EARLIER, BECAUSE YOU'LL BE ABLE TO PE ON ABOUT THAT AGAIN NEXT MONTH.
UH, IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT PEOPLE WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO HAVE ADDED ON THE AGENDA FOR DISCUSSION IN FUTURE MEETINGS? YES.
YOU MAY HAVE TO HELP ME WITH THE MECHANICS HERE, BUT, UM, I WOULD LIKE SOME TIME, UH, AT THE NEXT POSSIBLE MEETING, UH, TO PRESENT SORT OF WORKING TITLE HERE, A SUMMARY AND CRITIQUE OF AUSTIN ENERGY POLICIES REGARDING SOLAR AND STORAGE DEPLOYMENT FROM A NON-INVESTMENT PERSPECTIVE WITH SUGGESTIONS ON HOW TO MAKE AUSTIN AN EXAMPLE FOR OTHER CITIES TO FOLLOW ON HOW WE CAN HAVE THE MOST EFFICIENT DEPLOYMENT OF SOLAR AND STORAGE WORKING TITLE.
I BELIEVE YOU GOT A HUM OF INTEREST OUT OF, UH, OUR VICE CHAIR OVER THERE.
SO WHAT YOU DO IN THAT, YOU BASICALLY FIND SOMEBODY TO CO-SPONSOR OR SECOND YOUR, YOUR PROPOSED AGENDA ITEM, CREATE WHATEVER DOCUMENTATION GOES ALONG WITH IT ALONG WITH POSTING LANGUAGE, LIKE WHAT YOU SEE HERE.
SO LIKE FOR EXAMPLE, UNDER ITEM EIGHT THAT CAME FROM COMMISSIONER DAVIS, SHE SAID, THIS IS WHAT I WANTED TO SAY THAT IS SENT ALONG TO NATASHA, UH, IN ADVANCE OF THE MEETING, A WEEK AND A HALF, GIVE OR TAKE, SO THAT SHE HAS THE FIVE BUSINESS DAYS ADVANCE TO POST AND THEN IT WILL APPEAR AS A DISCUSSION ITEM JUST LIKE THAT ONE THERE.
AND THEN IF YOU GET TO THE POINT WHERE YOU CRAFTED SOMETHING LIKE A RESOLUTION, FOR EXAMPLE, THEN THAT BECOMES SOMETHING TO GET VOTED ON, THEN THAT WOULD THEN MOVE HIGHER UP ON THE AGENDA.
AND THAT'S KIND OF THE PROCESS THERE.
I WOULD RECOMMEND CALLING SOMEBODY LIKE PAUL WHO'S SWOONED WHEN YOU MENTION THAT AND MAYBE WORK WITH HIM ON HAVING, YOU KNOW, SOME SORT OF A CO-SPONSOR TYPE THING.
YOU GUYS COULD FLESH THAT OUT AND THEN SUBMIT THAT ON TO NATASHA FOR THE NEXT AGENDA.
IF YOU'LL, I'M, I'M NOT THE ONLY, UH, COMMISSIONER THAT MIGHT CO-SPONSOR THIS, BUT IF YOU'LL SEND ME THE WORDING, THERE'S A 90% CHANCE THAT I WILL BE A CO-SPONSOR.
UH, IS IT APPROPRIATE TO SEND IT TO THE WHOLE, UH, AS A GENERAL RULE, WE TELL PEOPLE DON'T TRY SENDING OUT EMAILS TO THE COMMISSION YOURSELF.
IF YOU'RE GOING TO COMMUNICATE WITH YOUR FELLOW COMMISSIONERS, IF IT'S MORE THAN ONE OR TWO PEOPLE, IT SHOULD GO TO NATASHA.
'CAUSE OTHERWISE IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S, UH, A WALKING QUORUM.
IF YOU WERE TO TRY REACHING OUT TO ENOUGH PEOPLE, THEN THAT COULD CREATE THAT PROBLEM.
NO, TO BE TECHNICAL, WE HAVE AN 11 MEMBER BOARD AND YOU CANNOT THEORETICALLY TALK TO MORE THAN FIVE
[01:55:01]
PEOPLE, UH, ON THIS 11 MEMBER BOARD BECAUSE THAT'S LESS THAN A QUORUM WITH, WITHOUT IT GOING TO NATASHA.SO YOU CAN, SO MECHANICALLY, THE BEST THING TO DO HERE IS SEE EMAIL NATASHA WITH THIS.
WELL, I MEAN, LIKE I SAID, IF YOU'RE TRYING TO FLESH THE IDEA OUT, I WOULD SAY REACH OUT TO ONE OR TWO MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION THAT SEEMED FAVORABLE TO WHAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT.
UHHUH,
UM, BUT IF YOU'RE TRYING TO SEE, DO I HAVE SUPPORT FOR THE IDEA, THEN YEAH, THAT'S WHERE YOU PROBABLY WANT TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE CAREFUL BECAUSE LIKE I SAID, IT COULD BE, IT COULD APPEAR AS QUORUM SHOPPING.
SO, AND, AND YOU REACH OUT TO ONE OR TWO PEOPLE, IT'S OKAY, REACH OUT TO FOUR OR FIVE PEOPLE NOW YOU START RUNNING INTO A, A ARREST.
WELL, AGAIN, HE CAN REACH OUT TO FOUR OTHER PEOPLE.
YEAH, BUT NOT FIVE, BUT NOT FIVE
UH, AND MAKE SURE IF YOU WANT IT ON A CERTAIN MEETING TO MEET THE DEADLINE.
UH, THERE, THERE'S A DEADLINE FOR POSTING FOR EVERY MEETING AND IT IS STRICTLY ADHERED TO.
AND, AND IS THERE ANY, UM, PROCESS FOR, UM, CHOOSING WHAT IS AND IS NOT ON THE AGENDA? OR IS IT EVERYONE IS FREE TO LIKE ADD AN AGENDA ITEM AND THEN YOU SORT OF SORT OUT WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT? WHEN IF, IF THINGS ARE, IF THINGS HAVE A, A CO-SPONSOR, THEN THEY WILL MAKE IT ONTO THE AGENDA.
I DO WORK WITH NATASHA AND AMY TO TRY TO LEVEL LOAD MEETINGS A LITTLE BIT.
SO IF, YOU KNOW, IF THINGS ARE BEING VERY HEAVY, YOU KNOW, IF I CAN SEE THAT IT'S STACKING UP VERY HEAVILY, I WOULD REACH OUT TO YOU, FOR EXAMPLE, AND SAY, I KNOW YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE ON THIS MEETING, IS IT OKAY IF WE PUSH YOU BACK A MONTH? I HAVE DONE THAT BEFORE, JUST SO THAT, THAT WAY WE DON'T SIT HERE IN THREE HOUR PLUS LONG MEETINGS.
BUT IN GENERAL, IF YOU GET THINGS IN ON TIME FOR THE NEXT MEETING, THEN IT WILL BE DISCUSSED AT THAT NEXT MEETING.
I SAW COMMISSIONER CAROTTI AND THEN I ALSO SEE COMMISSIONER JOHNSON AFTER HER.
UM, I DID NOT DO MY PART THIS MONTH AND DID MY RESOLUTION FOR THE UTILITY, UM, REBATE WEBSITE.
SO I PLAN ON DOING IT FOR THE NEXT MONTH, THE NEXT AGENDA MEETING.
UM, AND, AND THIS IS ACTUALLY MORE BACK ON THE CLIMATE PLAN, UH, RESOLUTION, BUT, UM, UH, I GUESS FOR, FOR COMMISSIONER DAVIS OR OTHERS, UM, DID, UM, DID, WAS THERE, DO YOU ALL ENVISION OR OR HOPE FOR AN ONGOING ITEM OR, OR WHAT ROLE OR DO YOU SEE, ENVISION ANY TASKS THAT WOULD BE USEFUL FOR COMMISSIONERS TO TAKE ON? UH, O OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, THE FIRST THING I THINK OF IS, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'RE IN A SENSE REPRESENTING OUR CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT.
AND SO I THINK IT WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, FOR SOMETHING LIKE THIS WHERE THERE'S A PUBLIC HEARING COMING UP OR CAN BE INPUT, IT'D BE HELPFUL OR IDEAL FOR COMMISSIONERS TO AT LEAST GET THE WORD OUT TO SOME EXTENT.
SO ARE THERE ANY SPECIFIC TASKS OR NEEDS, UM, FOR THAT, THAT YOU HOPE TO, TO DIVE INTO MORE? OR WOULD, UH, WAS THIS MORE OF AN FYI, UH, AND IF SO, WOULD WE WANT TO CONTINUE? UM, THIS MAY, UH, WHEN THERE'S, UM, YEAH, IF THE TIMELINE MAKES SENSE, WE WANT TO CONTINUE ON NEXT MEETING.
YEAH, I THINK, I THINK THAT'S A, THAT'S A GREAT POINT.
COMMISSIONER JOHNSON, I THINK, UM, REPRESENTING EACH OF OUR DISTRICTS ON THE RMC GETTING WORD OUT TO OUR COMMUNITIES ABOUT INPUT OPPORTUNITIES FOR THIS ENVIRONMENTAL INVESTMENT PLAN, THAT WAS, WAS DEFINITELY, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS I WANTED TO EMPHASIZE.
AND, AND, UM, AS FOR NEXT MEETING, UM, AS I MENTIONED, I DON'T KNOW WHAT, WHAT ALL THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS WILL, WILL BE TODAY, WHAT THEY ARE TODAY.
BUT, UM, I DO EXPECT THAT SEVERAL OF THEM WILL BE RELEVANT TO OUR PURVIEW AS THE RNC.
AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK IN TERMS OF A SHOW OF SUPPORT FOR THAT, THAT COULD BE SOMETHING THAT WE DO IN MAY.
UM, WHILE, UH, THE, THE COUNCIL IS CONSIDERING AND THE CITY MANAGER'S CONSIDERING THE, THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS.
DOES THAT, DOES THAT HELP? YEAH, THAT MAKES SENSE.
AND YEAH, I THINK, UH, I JUST REOPENED THE, THE, THE PRESENTATION AND YEAH, I THINK, UH, IT MAKES SENSE TO DISCUSS ANY RELEVANT TO, TO HAVE AN ITEM, UH, FOR THE NEXT MEETING TO DISCUSS ANY RELEVANT, UM, RECOMMENDATIONS.
SO I HOPE YOU WILL CO-SPONSOR THAT WITH ME THEN.
ONE, UH, I WOULD LIKE TO PUT GREEN CHOICE BACK ON
[02:00:01]
FOR ANOTHER TRY.I PROMISED THIS COMMISSION THAT I WOULD NOT BRING IT BACK TO THE APRIL MEETING, AND I HAVE KEPT MY, BUT NOW IT'S, IT'S TIME AGAIN.
UH, AND I'D LIKE TO FIND OUT IF, UH, THERE ARE, UM, WAYS THAT I CAN ANSWER QUESTIONS FOR THE COMMISSIONERS THAT, UH, UH, WERE ORIGINALLY, UH, CURIOUS.
UH, THE, THE OTHER, UH, THING THAT I'D LIKE TO, UH, REVISIT IS THAT LAST SUMMER, I BELIEVE AT THE JUNE, 2023 MEETING, THIS COMMISSION PASSED A RESOLUTION, UH, ASKING COUNSEL TO BROADEN OUR PURVIEW TO LOOK AT ALL THINGS RELATED TO GAS UTILITIES.
UH, AND AT THAT TIME WE DID HAVE PROPOSED WORDING, UH, TO AMEND OUR BYLAWS, BUT THAT PROPOSED WORDING WAS NEVER PASSED AS A RESOLUTION.
IF AND WHEN IT IS, I BELIEVE IT WILL BE FORWARDED TO THE CITY COUNCIL AUDIT COMMITTEE.
AND SO I WOULD LIKE TO BRING THIS BACK SO THAT IF IT PASSES, IT WILL BE, UH, BROUGHT TO THE AUDIT COMMITTEE FOR, UH, OFFICIAL, UM, REVIEW.
UM, AT THE LAST MEETING I SHARED WITH YOU ALL THAT THE CITY THAT, THAT AUSTIN ENERGY IS WORKING ON, UM, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND RESPONDING TO THE GENERATION PLAN WORKING GROUP ON LOOKING TO COME BACK TO CITY COUNCIL IN SEPTEMBER, I THINK SEPTEMBER, RIGHT, RICHARD, WITH A NEW PLAN THAT BETTER REFLECTS THE SENSE OF THE COMMUNITY AND, AND THEY HAVE MADE A COMMITMENT TO WORK WITH THE GENERATION PLAN WORK GROUP, WHICH IS MEMBERS OF THIS COMMISSION AND THE EUC.
AND SO I WOULD LIKE TO ASK TO, TO PUT IN A MARKER NOW FOR US TO GIVE AN UPDATE BOTH THE, THE WORKING WITH STAFF, FIGURE OUT WHAT IT IS WE'RE DOING AND WHAT THE PROGRESS IS BEING MADE AND WHAT THE PASA PATH IS GOING FORWARD FOR THE, THE UTILITIES EXPECTATIONS TO HAVE THAT PLAN COMPLETED AND MORE TO THE COUNCIL AND THE COMMUNITIES LIKING BY SEPTEMBER.
AT THE, UH, UH, RICHARD GENESEE, VICE PRESIDENT OF C UH, CUSTOMER ENERGY SOLUTIONS, AGAIN, THE, UM, THE, UH, AUSTIN ENERGY HAS HIRED A FACILITATOR, UH, FOR RE-ENGAGING THE RESOURCE AND MANAGEMENT OR RESOURCE AND ENERGY, UH, UM, RESOURCE GENERATION PLAN AGAIN.
AND THAT, UM, FACILITATOR HAS COMMITTED TO SOMETHING BY THE END OF THE YEAR, UH, NOT BY END OF SEPTEMBER.
SO I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT.
UH, SHE ACTUALLY SAID THAT SEPTEMBER WOULD BE QUITE AGGRESSIVE AND SHE COULD NOT COMMIT TO THAT.
WE COULD TRY TO, UH, ACHIEVE THAT, BUT SHE WAS NOT, SHE WAS SAYING COMMITTED TO BY THE END OF THE YEAR.
I GUESS I MISUNDERSTOOD WHAT THE CITY COUNCIL'S DIRECTIONS TO YOU WERE.
SO THANKS FOR CORRECTING THE TIMELINE.
SOUNDS LIKE WE'RE TRYING TO STACK UP A PRETTY BEEFY AGENDA FOR NEXT MONTH.
IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE WE'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT FOR NEXT MONTH? WONDERFUL.
UH, THERE BEING NOTHING, NOTHING ELSE BEFORE THIS COMMISSION.
I'M HAPPY TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR ADJOURNMENT.
SO, SO MOVED BY, UH, COMMISSIONER SILVERSTEIN.
I GUESS NOBODY WANTS TO LEAVE
UH, I AM PRESUMING THAT THAT IS AN ACCLIMATION VOTE AND WE DO NOT NEED TO RAISE OUR HANDS FOR THAT ONE.
OH, LOOKS LIKE 8:08 PM 8:08 PM THANK YOU.
THE RECEPTION IN A GLASS BLEEDING MA
[02:05:02]
SHE WAS PRACTICED AT THE ARTS OF WELL, I COULD TELL BY BLOOD.