May 22, 2024 Joint Sustainability Committee

[00:00:02]

OKAY, WE HAVE A QUORUM.

UH, WE'RE GONNA CALL

[CALL TO ORDER]

OKAY.

SO, UM, IF YOU'RE JOINING REMOTELY, PLEASE BE ON CAMERA.

THANK YOU.

OKAY.

UH, ARE THERE

[PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL ]

OKAY.

PLEASE COME UP.

GOOD EVENING.

I'M KAYLA REESE.

I'M THE ADVOCACY MANAGER WITH AUSTIN PARKS FOUNDATION, AND I JUST WANTED TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO THANK Y'ALL FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU HAVE DONE ON THE RECOMMENDATIONS AND, UM, MAKE A SUGGESTION THAT PARKS BE ADDED TO THE RECOMMENDATIONS.

I KNOW THAT THERE'S SEVERAL GREAT, UM, 18 AND 19 ABOUT AGRICULTURAL LAND RECOMMENDATIONS.

UM, AND A LOT OF THAT BIG LAND OBVIOUSLY IS GONNA HELP ANY EASEMENTS WE CAN GET, REDUCE THE HEAT ISLAND EFFECT.

UM, THAT'S GREAT.

AND SO I WOULD JUST ENCOURAGE ALL TO LOOK AT THE PARKLAND AND ALSO INCLUDE THE PARK AND, UH, RECREATIONS LONG RANGE PLAN.

IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE ONE OF THE PLANS THAT WAS INCLUDED IN KIND OF THE, THE RECOMMENDATIONS AND, UM, THE TREE INVENTORY IS SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE AS WELL.

UM, AND I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, I WOULD LOVE TO BE A RESOURCE OR THERE'S LOTS OF PARKS ADVOCATES WHO WOULD LOVE TO BE RESOURCES AS WELL.

IF, IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT RECOMMENDATIONS AROUND PARKLAND, UM, I THINK IT'S CRUCIAL THAT WE TAKE PARKLAND CONSIDERATIONS WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT CLIMATE MITIGATION.

UM, SO I APPRECIATE Y'ALL'S WORK ON THIS.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING.

DO I HAVE ANOTHER SPEAKER? HI, MIKE KANATI.

I'M WITH THE BOARD OF THE FRIENDS OF BARTON SPRINGS POOL AND BARTON SPRINGS CONSERVANCY, AND I'M ALSO HERE TO URGE YOU TO CONSIDER INCLUDING PARKLAND ACQUISITION IN WHATEVER THE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE.

I WOULD JUST, I'M SORRY, I HAVEN'T QUITE READ THE DETAILS OF THE RECOMMENDATION YOU PUT TOGETHER, BUT AT LEAST IN THE FUNDING NEEDS THAT WERE LISTED AT THE FRONT, I DIDN'T SEE PARKLAND, WHICH, IF THE GOAL OF THIS IS TO TRY TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS TO OUR CLIMATE SITUATION, PREVENTING DEVELOPMENT, KEEPING THINGS GREEN, THAT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT.

UM, THERE'S SOME GREAT, UH, POSSIBILITIES IDENTIFIED IN THE LONG RANGE PLAN FOR THE PARKS DEPARTMENT AS THIS PREVIOUS SPEAKER INDICATED, UH, THERE'S A REALLY LOVELY GOLF COURSE PROPERTY CALLED LINES MUNICIPAL GOLF COURSE THAT ACTUALLY WOULD BE A GREAT THING FOR THE CITY TO ACQUIRE.

IT'S CURRENTLY OWNED BY THE STATE.

UH, AND THAT WOULD BE A GREAT GREEN OASIS AND A GREAT CLIMATE PROMOTER IN OUR CITY.

UM, SO IN CLOSING, I URGE YOU TO LOOK AT THE LONG RANGE PLAN AND, UM, JUST KEEP IN MIND THE BEST TIME TO BUY PARKS AND GREEN SPACE IS 10 YEARS AGO.

SO BUY NOW.

.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU, SCOTT.

GOOD MORNING, J OR GOOD AFTERNOON.

GOOD EVENING.

JSC MEMBERS.

MY NAME IS SCOTT JONES.

I'VE SPOKEN BEFORE TO Y'ALL.

I DID ADVOCATE THAT THE COOL TECHNOLOGY ASPHALT THAT THEY'D DONE A PILOT PROJECT ON IT THAT YOU HEARD ABOUT LAST TIME IN THE PERMITTING CENTER IS SOMETHING THAT I THINK IS WORTHWHILE.

APPARENTLY IT DIDN'T MAKE IT INTO THE NEXT ROUND OF CONSIDERATION, BUT I HAVE SOMETHING ELSE TO SHARE WITH YOU TODAY.

I DEVELOPED A CONCEPT FOR THIS SHOWCASE DEMO DAY BACK IN THE TWO THOUSANDS.

WE DID IT TWICE BACK THEN, BUT THERE WAS NOT BATTERY ELECTRIC TECHNOLOGY AVAILABLE NOW IN COLLABORATION WITH THE LOCAL CLEAN CITIES COALITION, A DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY PROGRAM.

WE'RE GONNA HAVE A DEMO DAY THAT Y'ALL WOULD BE WELCOME TO COME TO NEXT WEEK FROM 10 TO TWO OUT AT FIESTA GARDENS WEST PARKING LOT, WHICH IS AT THE INTERSECTION OF CHICON.

VERY EXCITING STUFF.

WE, OF COURSE, WANT TO PROMOTE LANDSCAPING TECHNOLOGY THAT'S BATTERY ELECTRIC TRACTORS FOR PARD PARS MAINTENANCE BUDGET AND ACQUISITION BUDGET HAS HISTORICALLY BEEN UNDERFUNDED AS THE ADVOCATES FOR, FOR PARKS AND OPEN SPACE, UNFORTUNATELY, HAVE OVERWHELMED THE CONVERSATION.

I'M NOT TRYING TO CRITICIZE THE PEOPLE HERE.

I'M AN A PF SUPPORTER AND OTHERS, BUT WE NEED TO GET MORE MONEY INTO THE ACQUISITION SIDE OF IT TO BUY TECHNOLOGY THAT CAN REDUCE CARBON EMISSIONS, AND THAT WOULD BE TRACTORS AND HANDHELD EQUIPMENT.

ANOTHER EXCITING OPPORTUNITY IS THAT FOR THE FIRST TIME, A NEW TO THE MARKET PRODUCT IS AN ELECTRIC BATTERY, ELECTRIC BACKHOE FOR CONSTRUCTION,

[00:05:01]

SO THIS IS REALLY TO TRY TO ADDRESS THE RESOLUTION THAT'S ITEM 20 ON THE MARCH 7TH CITY COUNCIL AGENDA.

AND THAT WAS ASKING STAFF TO COME BACK WITH A PLAN TO INCENTIVIZE RESIDENTIAL TRANSITION FROM GASOLINE POWER TO BATTERY ELECTRIC, WHICH IS HAPPENING TO A MUCH GREATER EXTENT THAN THE COMMERCIAL SIDE.

BUT THEY'RE ALSO TASKED WITH COMING FORWARD WITH AN IDEA OR A PLAN FOR COMMERCIAL LANDSCAPE AND EQUIPMENT, WHICH IS MOSTLY GASOLINE POWERED.

AND THERE ARE ONLY ABOUT THREE COMPANIES THAT OFFER SERVICES FOR RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS TO USE BATTERY, ELECTRIC, SOLAR PANEL CIRCUITRY TO CHARGE THE BATTERIES ON THE RUN.

ONE OF THOSE PERS ONE OF THOSE COMPANIES IS PLANNING TO BE AT OUR DEMO DAY SHOWCASE.

SO THIS IS SHOW AND TELL NO SALES ARE GONNA BE MADE AT THIS EVENT, BUT HOPEFULLY SOME NEAR TERM SALES WILL HAPPEN WITH LANDSCAPING COMPANIES AND POSSIBLY WITH COMPANIES OR PARTICULARLY GOVERNMENTS, CITIES AND COUNTIES THAT, THAT BUY AND OWN THEIR OWN CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT, SUCH AS THE CITY OF AUSTIN.

SO YOUR HELP IN A JUNE PHASE OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL, UH, PLAN THAT YOU'RE CONSIDERING NOW, OR A JULY PHASE MIGHT INCLUDE FUNDING FOR THAT, THE CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT QUESTIONS.

GREAT.

THANK YOU.

ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE SPEAKER? UM, I CAN'T SEE ANYONE WHO'S ON WHO MAY BE ON THE WEBEX, SO IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION, YOU CAN SPEAK UP.

OKAY.

THANK YOU FOR COMING.

YOU'RE WELCOME.

ARE THERE ANY MORE SPEAKERS ARE OKAY.

UM, THE FIRST ITEM

[1. Approval of minutes from the April 30, 2024 special called meeting of the Joint Sustainability Committee.]

THE MINUTES WERE POSTED AS BACKUP.

UM, EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE ACCESS TO THEM.

I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION.

I WILL MOTION TO APPROVE.

I'LL SECOND ON THAT.

WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.

UH, ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MINUTES OF THE APRIL 30TH MEETING.

PLEASE RAISE YOUR HANDS CAMERA ON SO WE CAN SEE YOU IF YOU'RE ON WEBEX.

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11.

WE HAVE LOOKS LIKE 11.

YES.

SO THE, THE MINUTES PASS.

DO WE NEED NOS OR ABSTENTIONS ON MINUTES? NO.

OKAY.

OKAY.

UH, MOVING, JUST FOR THE RECORD, THAT WAS A YES.

SORRY.

THANK YOU.

THAT'S 12.

12.

YES.

DID ALICE, DID YOU, I I'M ABSTAINING.

SHE ABSTAINED ABLE TO ATTEND THAT MEETING.

OKAY.

OKAY.

UM, WE'RE GONNA SWITCH THE ORDER UP A LITTLE BIT, UH, AND MOVE TO

[3. Staff update to the response to the council resolution 20240215-025 ‘Environmental Investment Plan’ – Rohan Lilauwala, Office of Sustainability]

OKAY.

HI EVERYONE.

UH, ZACH BAUMER, CHIEF SUSTAINABILITY OFFICER.

OKAY.

SO THIS HAS BEEN A LONG PROCESS TO RESPOND TO THIS, UM, COUNCIL RESOLUTION FROM FEBRUARY, UH, THAT'S BEEN TITLED THE ENVIRONMENTAL INVESTMENT PLAN.

UH, SO STAFF, UH, DELIVERED OUR MEMO TO MAYOR AND COUNCIL YESTERDAY.

AND THEN THE MAYOR, THE MEMO BECAME PUBLIC TODAY, AND YOU ALL, YOU ALL HAVE SEEN IT NOW.

UM, THE MEMO, UH, WE'LL JUST SORT OF SUMMARIZE THE HIGH POINTS OF SORT OF WHAT WE DID HERE.

UM, ROHAN'S GOING TO GO INTO A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL ON THE PROJECTS THAT WERE ACTUALLY INCLUDED IN THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION, AND THEN WE CAN, UH, ANSWER QUESTIONS.

SO, UM, AS YOU'LL SEE IN THE MEMO, THERE'S SORT OF, THERE ARE THREE PARTS.

THE FIRST PART IS JUST THE SUMMARY OF WHAT WAS COMPLETED AND THE SUMMARY TABLES.

THE SECOND THING IS THE MORE DETAILED TABLES THAT HAVE MORE DETAIL ON PROJECT DESCRIPTIONS, MORE DETAIL ON, UM, POTENTIAL FUNDING MECHANISMS. AND THEN THE THIRD THING IS THE ATTACHMENT, WHICH IS THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS.

SO WE SORT OF SAW THIS AS A PARALLEL PROCESS THAT STAFF WORKED OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST THREE MONTHS TO ANALYZE OUR PLANS, ANALYZE GAPS, UM, ACROSS OUR DEPARTMENTS AND, UM, ACROSS LIKE 17 DIFFERENT

[00:10:01]

SO THOSE ARE THE MAJOR CATEGORIES THAT WE LOOKED AT.

UM, YOU'LL, YOU'LL SEE IN THE MEMO THAT WE ACTUALLY, WE CALL OUT WHETHER THINGS WE COULD BE FUNDED BY, UM, GRANTS, UTILITY FEES, GENERAL FUND, OR GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS.

UM, I WOULD NOT WORRY AS MUCH ABOUT THOSE FOUR CATEGORIES.

UM, GENERALLY ALMOST NOTHING WAS QUANTI WAS CLASSIFIED AS GRANTS BECAUSE YOU NEVER REALLY KNOW WHAT THE GRANT PROGRAM IS.

IT'S REALLY HARD TO PLAN FOR SOMETHING FOR A GRANT PROGRAM THAT YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GONNA BE.

UM, GENERAL FUND THINGS THAT WERE TAGGED AS GENERAL FUND WERE BASICALLY ALL THING, ALL PROJECTS THAT WERE PROPOSED FROM A GENERAL FUND DEPARTMENT.

UM, THE UTILITY RATES AND FEES SECTION, THAT'S ALMOST ALL THINGS THAT WERE PROPOSED BY AUSTIN ENERGY OR AUSTIN WATER, AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY, WATERSHED PROTECTION PUBLIC WORKS.

BASICALLY THINGS ASSOCIATED WITH ENTERPRISE DEPARTMENTS.

UM, BECAUSE THOSE, UM, THERE'S SOME COMPLICATION WITH WHAT CAN BE, WHAT CAN A GENERAL OBLIGATION BOND BE APPLIED, BE APPLIED TO AND NOT APPLIED TO.

SO, FOR INSTANCE, GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS, UH, FUNDING FROM THOSE, THAT, THAT FUNDING MECHANISM CAN'T BE APPLIED TO AUSTIN ENERGY OR AUSTIN WATER ACTIVITIES, UM, BECAUSE THEY HAVE THEIR OWN BONDING, UM, UH, ROUTES TO, TO FUND THOSE THINGS.

SO I WOULD FOCUS LESS OR, AND WORRY ABOUT LESS ABOUT THE FUNDING MECHANISMS AND MORE JUST LOOK AT THE PROJECTS AND ACTUALLY WHAT WAS PROPOSED.

UM, SO AFTER, UM, I GUESS SOME, SOME OTHER THINGS IS THAT, UM, THE, UH, I WILL BE GIVING A BRIEFING ON A RESPONSE AND THE SUMMARY OF ALL THIS AT THE CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION NEXT, NEXT TUESDAY, UH, WHICH IS MAY 28TH.

AND, UH, IT'S NOT, IT WASN'T ON THE INITIAL COUNCIL AGENDA THAT WAS RELEASED FOR MAY 30TH.

UM, BUT WE HAVE AN ITEM THAT WILL BE POSTED, UH, ON THE AGENDA ADDENDUM ON FRIDAY, WHICH WILL BE AN ITEM FOR A PUBLIC HEARING, UM, ON THIS TOPIC.

SO, UM, WE THINK THAT, THAT, THIS IS NOT A SORT OF COMMON THING THAT WE DO, BUT, UM, I THINK THAT THE CO THE PUBLIC HEARING WILL ESSENTIALLY JUST BE THE FLOOR IS OPEN FOR COUNCIL TO DISCUSS WHAT THE STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS WERE, WHAT THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY RECOMMENDATIONS WERE, UM, AND WHAT THEY'RE INTERESTED IN DOING NEXT.

UM, THAT'S KIND OF AN INTERESTING PART OF THIS IS THAT COUNCIL ASKED FOR THIS LIST, UM, BUT THE BALL IS NOW KIND OF IN THEIR COURT IN TERMS OF DO THEY LIKE THE PROJECTS, WHICH PROJECTS, WHAT DO THEY SEE, UM, AS THE NEXT STEPS GOING FORWARD.

UM, SO THAT WOULD PROBABLY BE COME AS A DIRECTION SORT OF BACK TO STAFF.

UM, AND I THINK I'LL JUST LEAVE IT RIGHT THERE AND I'LL LET ROHAN, UH, COME UP AND TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE SUMMARY OF, UH, WHAT WAS PROPOSED IN THE FOUR CATEGORIES.

THANKS.

HI, EVERYONE.

ROHAN LALALA, CLIMATE PROJECT MANAGER.

UM, DANIEL, DO YOU MIND SCROLLING UP TO THE NEXT PAGE? YEAH.

OKAY.

SO I'M GONNA TALK ABOUT THE, THE PROJECTS THAT WERE IDENTIFIED BY STAFF.

UM, AND THEY FELL, UM, AS ZACH MENTIONED, VAGUE BROADLY INTO THE CATEGORIES OF REDUCED CARBON EMISSIONS, UM, WATER QUALITY, QUANTITY AND LAND, UH, CITY OPERATIONS, AND IMPROVED COMMUNITY RESILIENCE.

BUT AS YOU MIGHT INTUIT, MANY OF THE PROJECTS CUT ACROSS THESE CATEGORIES AND PROVIDE BENEFITS, UM, IN, IN MORE THAN ONE OF THESE FOCUS AREAS.

WE JUST TRIED TO CATEGORIZE THEM WHERE THEY, UH, MIGHT FIT THE BEST.

SO I'M JUST GONNA WALK FAIRLY QUICKLY THROUGH SOME OF THE PROJECTS THAT WERE IDENTIFIED BY STAFF.

UM, UNDER THE CARBON EMISSIONS CATEGORY, UM, THERE WERE, UH, A COUPLE OF AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY PROJECTS.

ONE, UH, AROUND A, UH, A TRANSFER STATION FOR A RR, WHICH WOULD HELP TO, UM, IMPROVE THE SUSTAINABILITY OF A RR OPERATIONS, AS WELL AS ENABLE, UM, ELECTRIFICATION OF ITS FLEET, UM, AS WELL AS AN EV CHARGING NETWORK.

AND THE ESTIMATE ON THAT WAS A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS FOR THE TRANSFER STATION.

UH, THERE WAS NO ESTIMATE AVAILABLE FOR THE COST OF, UM, THE EV CHARGING NETWORK.

UM, ALSO A RECYCLING AND REUSE DROP-OFF FACILITY, WHICH COULD BE

[00:15:01]

UM, THAT WAS ANOTHER A RR PROJECT OF THE A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS.

UM, THOSE, A COUPLE OF AUSTIN ENERGY PROGRAMS AROUND, UH, WEATHERIZATION, UH, AND EV CHARGING PROGRAMS FOR LOW AND MODERATE INCOME CUSTOMERS.

UM, SOME OF THESE ALIGN WITH JSC RECOMMENDATIONS.

AS YOU CAN SEE.

UM, IN THE MEMO, WE TRIED TO IDENTIFY WHERE, UH, THERE WAS ALIGNMENT, UM, ALSO, UH, FACILITIES TO PROCESS COMPOST, REUSE MATERIALS AND RECYCLE CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS.

UH, ANOTHER PROJECT PROPOSED BY A RR, UM, ANOTHER, A AUSTIN ENERGY PROJECT, UM, OR PROPOSAL TO CREATE A MATCHING FUND TO HELP, UH, SUPPORT AND PROVIDE A, A LOCAL MATCH FOR FEDERAL CLEAN ENERGY AND RESILIENCE GRANTS.

UM, THERE WAS A PROPOSAL FOR TRANSPORTATION DEMAND MANAGEMENT AND SAFETY PROGRAMMING SOLAR AT THE, UM, AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY FM EIGHT 12 LANDFILL COMMERCIAL BUILDING ENERGY AUDITS, AND A PILOT VIRTUAL POWER PLANT PROJECT.

UH, AND SOME OF THESE, AS YOU CAN SEE ONCE AGAIN, DO ALIGN WITH THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT JSC MADE.

UM, THE NEXT CATEGORY IS WATER QUALITY, QUANTITY, AND LAND.

UH, AND, UH, THIS IS A, A FAIRLY BROAD CATEGORY THAT INVOLVED, UH, DISCUSSIONS WITH, UM, SEVERAL DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS, UH, AND CONSOLIDATING THEIR PROJECTS INTO, INTO ONES THAT SORT OF MADE SENSE.

UH, THE BIG PROPOSAL HERE, OR THE BIG NEED IS, UH, AROUND LAND ACQUISITION.

UH, AND THE CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN CALLS OUT, UH, PROTECTING AND ACQUIRING 20,000 ACRES OF NATURAL LANDS.

UH, SO THAT WAS THE, THE NUMBER THAT STAFF, UH, FELT WAS THE, THE RIGHT ONE TO PUT FORWARD.

UH, AND THIS LAND COULD BE, UM, USED FOR A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT PURPOSES FOR, UH, FLOOD PROTECTION, UH, FLOOD MITIGATION, WATER QUALITY IMPROVEMENTS, UM, SOURCE WATER PROTECTION, UM, PARKLAND AGRICULTURAL LAND.

UM, SORT OF A, A RANGE OF DIFFERENT NEEDS COULD BE MET, UM, THROUGH THIS LAND ACQUISITION.

UH, ALSO THE CREATION OF A FOOD HUB AND A FARM INCUBATOR, A TREE ASSESSMENT, INVENTORY AND MANAGEMENT PLAN, UH, FUNDING THE AUSTIN CIVILIAN CONSERVATION CORPS MOVING FORWARD, A CITYWIDE GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN AND A CLIMATE CHANGE AND NATURAL SYSTEMS ANALYSIS.

UH, THESE WERE ALL THE PROJECTS THAT WERE PUT FORWARD UNDER THE WATER QUALITY, QUANTITY AND LAND CATEGORY.

YOU COULD SCROLL DOWN, PLEASE.

UM, THE NEXT CATEGORY WAS AROUND COMMUNITY RESILIENCE.

UH, AND THE IDEA IS PROJECTS THAT WOULD INCREASE RESILIENCE FOR BOTH THE COMMUNITY AS WELL AS FOR CITY ASSETS.

UM, THE, THE, THE FIRST PROJECT HERE WAS AROUND ENHANCING CITY-OWNED COMMUNITY FACILITIES, SO THINGS LIKE, UM, LIBRARIES, REC CENTERS, HEALTH CENTERS, UM, AS PART OF THE RESILIENCE HUB NETWORK.

UH, ANOTHER, UH, PROJECT IDENTIFIED WAS, UH, THE BROAD CATEGORY OF SUPPORTING COMMUNITY RESILIENCE PROGRAMS THAT INCLUDE, UH, FIRE RESILIENCE, WATER USE, REDUCTION, BATTERY STORAGE, AND SORT OF OTHER PROGRAMS THAT HELP RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL, UM, PROPERTY OWNERS AND, AND, AND TENANTS IN AUSTIN INCREASE THEIR RESILIENCE.

UH, THERE WAS A COUPLE OF AUSTIN ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE HARDENING PROPOSALS AROUND, UH, IMPROVEMENTS TO THE, THE FALWELL LANE, UH, WHICH IS WHERE THE, I BELIEVE THE SANDHILL, UM, ENERGY GENERATION AND THE SOUTH AUSTIN WATER TREATMENT PLANT ARE, ALONG WITH IMPROVEMENTS TO THE DECKER DAM AND THE DECKER RIVER WATER PUMP.

UH, AND THEN THERE WAS A COUPLE OF, UH, AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH PROPOSALS AROUND, UH, CLIMATE AND HEALTH INVESTMENTS AND A CLIMATE HEALTH ASSESSMENT.

UH, AND THEN FINALLY THE LAST CATEGORY WAS AROUND CITY OPERATIONS TO ALLOW THE CITY TO LEAD BY EXAMPLE, UH, REDUCE ITS, UM, REDUCE EMISSIONS GENERATED BY CITY OPERATIONS AND HELP BUILD COMMUNITY RESILIENCE.

UH, AND THE FIRST PROJECT HERE WAS A UNIFIED CITY FACILITIES OPERATIONS MAINTENANCE AND IMPROVEMENT PLAN, WHICH WOULD, WOULD INCLUDE AN ASSESSMENT OF CITY FACILITIES, UH, AND THEN INVESTMENTS TO HELP IMPROVE RESILIENCE, UH, INVESTMENTS THAT COULD INCLUDE ELECTRIFICATION, ENERGY AND WATER USE REDUCTION AND MORE.

THIS WAS A REALLY BROAD PROPOSAL TO IMPROVE THE SUSTAINABILITY OF SORT OF THE, THE RANGE OF CITY FACILITIES.

UM, AND THEN THE, THE, THE OTHER CITY OPERATIONS PROPOSAL WAS, UH, TO ADVANCE THE DECARBONIZATION OF THE CITY'S FLEET, UH, AND BUILD OUT CITY AND COMMUNITY-WIDE EV INFRASTRUCTURE.

UH,

[00:20:01]

I'LL ALSO ADD THAT IN, UH, IN THE MEMO.

UH, WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE SPREADSHEETS, THERE'S ALSO A SPREADSHEET THAT'S ENTITLED OTHER, UM, THE OTHER PROJECTS OR PROJECTS THAT WERE PUT FORWARD BY TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS AND WATERSHED.

UM, THOSE PROJECTS SUPPORT REDUCING CARBON EMISSIONS, THEY SUPPORT WATER ISSUES.

THOSE PROJECTS ARE ALL IN THOSE DEPARTMENT'S.

LONG-TERM CAPITAL PLANS, THEY'RE NOT FUNDED AT THE MOMENT, BUT THOSE DEPARTMENTS, UH, WILL EVENTUALLY MOVE TO FUND ALL THOSE PROJECTS.

SO IT WASN'T REALLY CLEAR IF THEY WERE, IT WAS IN THE SCOPE OF THIS RESOLUTION OR NOT.

SO WE INCLUDED THEM IN THE LIST.

UM, AND THEN THE LAST THING I'LL SAY IN THESE NEXT STEPS IS THAT THROUGHOUT THIS ENTIRE PROCESS, IT BECAME REALLY CLEAR THAT THERE ARE SO MANY NEEDS, UM, THAT THE CITY IS ALREADY SPENDING, YOU KNOW, MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO ADVANCE ALL THESE ISSUES, BUT THERE CAN ALWAYS BE MORE TO GET DONE.

RIGHT.

OUR, OUR PLANS ARE AMBITIOUS.

OUR CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN'S AMBITIOUS, EVERY PLAN THAT THE CITY COMPLETES IS AMBITIOUS.

AND, UM, IT WOULD BE A MUCH MORE SORT OF SUSTAINABLE APPROACH TO THIS WHOLE THING IF WE HAD SOME KIND OF FEE OR FUND THAT WAS DEDICATED.

UH, AND THERE WAS FUNDING EVERY YEAR TO FUND A LIST OF PROJECTS, RIGHT? UM, INSTEAD OF HAVING NO FUNDING AND THEN GOING THROUGH AN EXERCISE TO DEVELOP A HUGE LIST AND THEN TRY TO DECIDE WHAT'S IMPORTANT ON THAT LIST, IT WOULD ALMOST BE BETTER IF THIS WAS FLIPPED ON ITS HEAD.

AND WE HAD A COMMUNITY PROCESS THAT, UM, HAD FUNDING AND THERE WERE COMMUNITY MEMBERS, AND THAT WORKED WITH STAFF TO ESSENTIALLY IDENTIFY PROJECTS AND SPEND DOWN THAT MONEY EVERY SINGLE YEAR.

SO, UM, THAT'S ONE OF OUR SORT OF RECOMMENDATIONS BACK TO COUNCIL TO NOT ONLY CONSIDER THESE PROJECTS, BUT CONSIDER HOW WE MIGHT CREATE A MORE SUSTAINABLE FUNDING MECHANISM FOR THIS INSTEAD OF RUSHING AROUND EVERY FEW YEARS.

SO, THAT'S IT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

UM, THERE'S A LOT OF OF GOOD STUFF IN HERE.

UM, I KNOW I PERSONALLY HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO, TO DIG IN AS, AS CLOSELY AS I WOULD LIKE TO.

UM, I, I DON'T THINK I'M THE ONLY ONE.

UH, ARE THERE QUESTIONS FROM MY FELLOW COMMITTEE MEMBERS? HARRIS? HEY, Y'ALL APPRECIATE THE REPORT.

LOOKS SUPER COOL.

UM, YEAH, I HAD A COUPLE QUESTIONS.

UM, WHAT WOULD BE LIKE THE BEST WAY TO DISSEMINATE THIS TO THE PUBLIC? JUST LIKE SHARING THE LINK THAT'S IN THE, UH, COMMITTEE WEBSITE PAGE.

LIKE THE MEETINGS PAGE OR WHATEVER.

YEAH, SHARING THE LINK, AND THEN THERE'LL BE A PRESENTATION NEXT TUESDAY AT CITY COUNCIL.

SO THEY'LL, AND THEN THERE'LL BE IT IN PRESENTATION FORMAT AND IT'LL BE RECORDED.

I MEAN, AS THIS MEETING IS TOO.

YEAH, FOR SURE.

AND THEN MY SECOND QUESTION WAS, YOU KNOW, YOU MENTIONED SORT OF LIKE, UM, MORE PERMANENT OR, UH, MORE SANE SORT OF PROCESS FOR THIS.

UM, OBVIOUSLY THIS IS SUPER EARLY, BUT DO YOU ENVISION SOMETHING LIKE THE HOT TAX OR SOMETHING TO BE ABLE TO FUND THIS AS OPPOSED TO LIKE BONDS? LIKE WHAT, OBVIOUSLY THIS IS MORE OFF THE CUFF, RIGHT? BUT WHAT IS SORT OF YOUR GUT FEELING ON THIS? YEAH, I THINK THAT THERE, WE WOULD NEED TO HAVE COUNCIL SUPPORT THAT WE WANTED TO CREATE SOMETHING LIKE THAT AND LIKE HAVE THE DIRECTION TO DO IT.

UM, AND THEN COME UP WITH SOME DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT OPTIONS AND GET COMMUNITY INPUT, GET COUNCIL INPUT ON WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TO DO IT.

BUT YEAH, SOME KIND OF TAX OR A FEE, SOMETHING, UM, SOMETHING THAT GENERATES ONGOING REVENUE.

YEAH, THOSE ARE MY QUESTIONS.

APPRECIATE THE WORK Y'ALL.

YEAH.

OTHER QUESTIONS? UH, I SEE A HAND.

IT'S VERY, OH, KIBA, GO AHEAD.

I DON'T, IT'S NOT GIVING ME THE OPTION FOR THE VIRTUAL HAND.

UM, I WAS JUST WONDERING, I NOTICED THAT THE, I MEAN, IT'S NOT A TON OF MONEY, BUT THE, UH, A PUMP FOR , UM, AND HERE, AND I WAS JUST WONDERING IF SOMEBODY COULD ELABORATE ON THAT.

KABA, YOU'RE BREAKING UP A LITTLE BIT, BUT I THINK YOU, YOU WERE ASKING ABOUT THE COST OF THE, THE PUMP FOR DECKER LAKE 500,000.

I'M ACTUALLY CURIOUS, SORRY.

SORRY IF, UM, MY CONNECTION ISN'T GREAT, UM, I WAS ACTUALLY JUST WONDERING WHAT THE PURPOSE OF THAT IS.

I MEAN, I AM ASSUMING MAYBE SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE, ALTHOUGH ACTUALLY I DON'T EVEN THINK THEY USE WATER TO

[00:25:01]

I'M JUST CURIOUS, LIKE WHAT, WHAT, WHAT'S THAT FOR? IS THAT JUST TO KEEP THE LAKE AT A CONSTANT LEVEL, OR WHAT? YES, IT'S, IT'S FROM AUSTIN IN ENERGY.

WE CAN, WE CAN ASK THEM FOR MORE DETAILS ON IT.

UM, IT SAYS MODERNIZED TRAVELING WATER SCREENS, PUMP DISCHARGE CHECK VALVE, A NEW PUMP GLAND CEILING SYSTEM OF PROVENANCE TO THE RIVER INLET CISTERN.

IT MUST BE THAT THAT WOULD INCREASE THE, THE RESILIENCE AND THE ROBUSTNESS OF THAT SYSTEM.

AND THEY DON'T HAVE FUNDING FOR IT RIGHT NOW.

SO, YEAH, I GUESS I'M ASKING BECAUSE THEY REQUIRE, OR THEY RETIRED THE STEAM UNITS AT DECKER, SO THE ONLY UNITS LEFT THERE CURRENTLY ARE PEAKER PLANTS THAT I DON'T BELIEVE ARE COOLED BY WATER.

UM, SO THAT SOUNDS LIKE SOMETHING THAT MIGHT BE A PREPARATION FOR AN A, A NEW THERMAL GENERATION AT THAT LOCATION.

SO, UM, YEAH, WE'LL FOLLOW UP RAISING A FLAG THERE.

WE'LL FOLLOW UP AND ASK.

MM-HMM, , THANKS.

I HAVE A QUESTION.

YES, GO AHEAD.

UM, COULD Y'ALL EXPLAIN THE RATIONALE BEHIND, LIKE THE OTHER CATEGORY, WHICH IT, IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S QUITE A BIT THAT TOUCH ON TRANSPORTATION AND TRANSIT IMPROVEMENTS, AND THAT SEEMS LIKE, YOU KNOW, GIVEN OUR, UM, COMMUNITY EMISSIONS, THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, SHOULD BE AT THE FORE, BUT IT DOESN'T EVEN MAKE IT TO THE MEMO PORTION.

SO WHAT, WHAT'S THE THINKING BEHIND LIKE THAT OTHER CATEGORY? YEAH, I THINK THE, SO BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S IN THE ATTACHMENT AND IT WAS PROVIDED TO COUNCIL, IT'S BEEN LIGHTED THAT THOSE ARE PROJECTS THAT DON'T HAVE FUNDING YET.

SO IF COUNCIL WANTED TO SUPPORT THOSE PROJECTS OR PICK UP THOSE PROJECTS, THEY COULD PICK UP AND SUPPORT THOSE PROJECTS, JUST LIKE ANY OTHER THING IN THIS MEMO.

SO, UM, I DON'T NECESSARILY THINK MEANING THAT IT'S IN THE DOCUMENT OR IN THE ATTACHMENT, UM, UM, MEANS IT'S MORE OR LESS IMPORTANT.

I THINK WHAT WE HEARD FROM TRANSPORTATION PUBLIC WORKS WAS THAT, UM, THEY, THEY GENERATE FUNDS AND THEY HAVE, THEY USE THE, UM, CITY BOND PROCESS TO FUND ALL THE TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CITY, AND THEY WILL BE ACTIVELY WORKING TO FUND ALL OF THOSE THINGS.

SO IT'S NOT NECESSARILY, UH, AN UNFUNDED GAP THAT WILL JUST BE FOREVER UNFUNDED.

UM, SO I THINK THE THINKING THERE WAS THAT THOSE WILL EVENTUALLY BE FUNDED AND IT WILL EVENTUALLY, UM, COME FORTH, AND THAT IT'S NOT NECESSARILY LIKE A GAP, A CURRENT GAP, LIKE TO MEET A TARGET.

SO IT'S JUST IN A, IT'S IN A GRAY AREA.

UM, I JUST, TO TO, UM, PIGGYBACK ON THAT, THAT QUESTION, RODRIGO'S QUESTION BECAUSE, UM, JUST A LISTENING CHECK, IT SOUNDED LIKE, ZACH, YOU'RE SAYING THAT THE TRANSPORTATION PLANS, UH, MAY HAVE SOME UNFUNDED THINGS, BUT EVENTUALLY THEY WILL BE FUNDED THROUGH WHATEVER PROCESS THEY GO THROUGH.

SO AS PART OF THIS EXERCISE TO IDENTIFY THE GAPS, UM, IT WASN'T PULLED OUT AND, AND SAID SPECIFICALLY WHAT THOSE WERE.

HOWEVER, I THINK FOR WHAT WE DID AS A, UM, AS A COMMITTEE WAS TO PUT FORTH MANY TRANSPORTATION RELATED RECOMMENDATIONS THAT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN EXPLICITLY IN THOSE, UH, IN THOSE PLANS, BUT WERE THINGS THAT ARE NEEDED TO GET TO WHERE WE WANNA BE 2040.

SO, UM, AND CORRECT ME IF, IF I'M WRONG, BUT I, I THINK WHAT I'M KIND OF THINKING ABOUT IS I SEE A NUMBER OF RECOMMENDATIONS HERE THAT ARE, THAT ALIGN WITH WHAT JSC HAS PUT FORWARD, AND THEN THERE'S SOME THAT DON'T NECESSARILY, THAT ARE, ARE JUST FROM, UH, THE OFFICE SUSTAINABILITY WORK ACROSS THE DEPARTMENTS.

UM, AND THEN THERE'S A CATEGORY WHICH IS, UM, LIKE KIND OF UNSEEN HERE, WHICH IS WHAT, WHAT THE JSC RECOMMENDED, BUT THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY CHOSE NOT TO RECOMMEND.

IS THAT FAIR? YEAH, I THINK THINK IT'S, IT'S A VENN DIAGRAM OF JSE RECOMMENDED THINGS THROUGH YOUR PROCESS, STAFF RECOMMENDED THINGS, AND THEN WE HIGHLIGHTED WHERE THERE WAS OVERLAP.

YEAH.

AND ALL OF IT IS BEING SUPPLIED TO CITY COUNCIL, AND IT'S, IT'S ULTIMATELY, I MEAN, THERE'S, WE DON'T HAVE THE, ANY OF THE MONEY.

LIKE WE WERE JUST, WE WERE JUST ASKED TO COME UP WITH THE

[00:30:01]

YEAH.

UH, THANKS ZACH AND RON FOR, FOR ALL OF THIS LIST AND ALL THE WORK.

UH, THIS IS GREAT.

UH, I WAS JUST CURIOUS, SO S YOU SAID NEXT TUESDAY YOU'RE PRESENTING THIS TO COUNSEL.

ARE YOU THINKING OF MOSTLY JUST KIND OF EXPLAINING HOW THESE WERE CAME ABOUT AND KIND OF THE VENN DIAGRAM KINDA EXPLANATION? IS THERE GONNA BE ANY KIND OF LIKE DISCUSSION AT SOME POINT IN, IN TERMS OF LIKE PRIORITY, WHICH ONES WE THINK WOULD HAVE THE BIGGEST IMPACTS, OR IS THAT GONNA BE LIKE A CITY COUNCIL EXERCISE? UH, THAT WOULD PROBABLY BE A NEXT STEP.

THAT WOULD PROBABLY BE SOMETHING THAT CITY COUNCIL WOULD ASK FOR.

UM, MM-HMM.

, I DON'T, WE, I MEAN WE DID, I, YOU KNOW, LIKE GENERAL PRIORITIZATION AND WHAT WOULD CREATE A BIG IMPACT THROUGH OUR PROCESS TO COME UP WITH EVEN THIS LIST, BUT WE DIDN'T HAVE THE TIME OR THE RESOURCES LIKE TO SPECIFICALLY QUANTIFY AND LIKE ORDER THEM IN TERMS OF TOTAL EMISSION REDUCTIONS OR COST PER TON OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

YEAH.

SO THAT COULD BE A NEXT STEP.

OKAY.

SOUNDS GOOD.

YEAH, AND I WAS JUST CURIOUS, THIS IS GOING SPECIFICALLY INTO ONE AND YOU KNOW, WE CAN POTENTIALLY DISCUSS THIS LATER, BUT I WAS CURIOUS IF YOU GUYS BEEN IN ANY OF THE DISCUSSIONS IN REGARDS TO THE RENEWABLE DIESEL TRANSITIONING TO THAT? MM-HMM.

, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN HEARING A LOT ABOUT RENEWABLE DIESEL AND YOU KNOW, FROM, FROM MY UNDERSTANDING IS MOSTLY THE EMISSION REDUCTIONS.

THERE ARE MORE LIKE, YOU KNOW, SINCE IT COMES FROM A BIOGENIC SOURCE, IT'S CONSIDERED LIKE, YOU KNOW, CARBON NEUTRAL IN THE UPSTREAM, BUT WHENEVER YOU BURN IT, YOU'RE BASICALLY RELEASING THE SAME AMOUNT OF CARBON THAN TRADITIONAL, UH, DIESEL.

SO IT'S JUST GONNA, I MEAN, TO ME IT SOUNDS LIKE A MUCH BETTER OPTION WOULD BE TO FOCUS ON EV RATHER THAN KIND OF THIS INTERMEDIATE STEP.

SO JUST CURIOUS IF YOU, YOU GUYS HAD DISCUSSIONS ON THAT? YEAH.

YEAH.

SO THERE WAS, THERE IS, THERE'S BOTH IN HERE.

UM, IF YOU LOOK AT THE CITY OPERATIONS, UM, AT SECTION OF THE ATTACHMENT, THERE IS A, UH, A PROJECT OR A PROPOSAL FOR A TRANSITION TO R 99 RENEWABLE DIESEL, BUT THERE'S ALSO A PROPOSAL TO ACQUIRE AN ADDITIONAL 2200 EVS, UH, AND BUILD OUT A CHARGING NETWORK.

SO IT'S, IT'S, IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF BOTH.

SOUNDS GOOD.

THANKS.

UH, AMY, I SAW YOUR HAND UP.

DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION? I DO.

THANK YOU.

SO GENTLEMEN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK.

I KNOW THIS WAS SOME, A CUMBERSOME TASK AND I KINDA WANTED TO ASK ABOUT YOUR OBSERVATIONS AS YOU AND THE TEAMS ARE PULLING THIS TOGETHER.

WERE THERE ANY INSIGHTS, COMMONALITIES OR OBSERVATIONS THAT PERHAPS WEREN'T GERMANE TO PUT INTO THE REPORT, BUT THAT YOU'VE OBSERVED THAT WOULD BE PERTINENT FOR US TO TAKE BACK TO OUR HOME COMMISSIONS? OR JUST TO BE AWARE OF AS THE JSCI? I MEAN, I THINK THAT ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE THINGS PERTINENT IS IT'S, IT'S REALLY DIFFICULT TO PRIORITIZE PROJECTS THAT ACHIEVE DIFFERENT GOALS.

IT'S REALLY HARD TO COMPARE, UH, A CARBON EMISSIONS TRANSPORTATION PROJECT TO A, A WATER QUALITY PROTECTION PROJECT, APPLES TO APPLES.

THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, VERY DIFFERENT PROJECTS AND THEY MIGHT HAVE CO-BENEFITS THAT, THAT EXTEND BEYOND THEIR, THEIR GOALS.

BUT IT'S REALLY DIFFICULT TO, TO BRING MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS INTO THE ROOM AND ASK THEM TO PIT THEIR PRIORITIES AGAINST, UM, OTHER DEPARTMENTS' PRIORITIES.

YEAH, I, I'D SAY ANOTHER THING IS THAT, UM, MOST FUNDING AT THE CITY SORT OF COMES DOWN IN SILOS, RIGHT? LIKE DEPARTMENTS HAVE BUDGETS, DEPARTMENTS TO GET FUNDING TO DO THINGS.

UM, BUT IN THIS CASE, WE WERE BRINGING TOGETHER LOTS OF DEPARTMENTS TOGETHER TO TALK ABOUT SOLUTIONS.

AND I THINK THERE ARE MANY, SORT OF LIKE THE, UH, THE LAND ACQUISITION, WE, AS YOU CAN SEE, IT WASN'T LAND FOR PARKS, LAND FOR WATER.

IT WASN'T, WE LEFT IT TOGETHER BECAUSE I THINK THE IDEA IS THAT IF THERE WAS FUNDING, THE HOPE IS THAT THOSE DEPARTMENTS WOULD WORK TOGETHER ON A PLAN THAT SORT OF MAXIMIZES THE BENEFIT.

UM, A SIMILAR THING WITH THE CITY, UH, FACILITIES THAT AT CITY OWNED FACILITIES, THERE ARE LOTS OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF PROJECTS THAT COULD COME TOGETHER, CONNECTING WATER AND ENERGY, UM, AND FLEE VEHICLES.

BUT A LOT OF TIMES THAT THOSE CONVERSATIONS AREN'T HAD BECAUSE THE DEPARTMENTS ARE KIND OF STUCK IN THEIR LANE THINKING ABOUT THEIR, THEIR ONE SOLUTION.

SO, UM, IT SEEMS LIKE THE, THE APPROACH TO THINK BIG AND THINK ABOUT REALLY JUST WHAT IS THE WORK THAT NEEDS

[00:35:01]

KABA, GO AHEAD.

KABA.

UM, I WAS JUST, I SEE THAT THE, UM, ERA R TRANSFER STATION IS ON THE LIST, BUT, UH, UNLESS, UNLESS I MISSED IT, AND SORRY IF I DID, I'M NOT SEEING ANYTHING ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, ACTUALLY GETTING THE ELECTRIC VEHICLES.

I SEE THAT THERE'S SOME ITEM FOR PLANNING FOR CHARGING.

SO JUST YEAH, WONDERING WHY, WHY THE ELECTRIC VEHICLES ARE NOT INCLUDED.

I, I THINK THAT IT WOULD EITHER BE PICKED UP BY FLEET, UM, IT WOULD BE SORT OF PART OF THAT FLEET TRANSITION, UM, PLAN.

SO THAT'S, IS THAT IN THAT SAME SECTION, I, I, I THINK IT WAS A, A MATTER OF THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE TIME TO CONDUCT THE TYPE OF ANALYSIS REQUIRED TO COME UP WITH THE PRICE TAG, UM, WHEN THE TIMEFRAME AVAILABLE.

UM, THEY DID TALK ABOUT AN EV CHARGING NETWORK THAT COULD IDENTIFY FUTURE EXPANSIONS THAT COULD SUPPORT A FLEET.

UM, SO I THINK IT'S SORT OF A CHICKEN AND AN EGG STORY AS WELL AS WE NEED THE CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THE FLEET.

OKAY.

WELL, UM, I GUESS IT'S TOO LATE TO GET IT ON THIS LIST, BUT I MEAN, I, I KNOW IT'S ON, ON THE WAC, UM, RADAR, AND I HOPE THAT WE CAN COLLECTIVELY KEEP SUPPORTING THAT SENSE.

THERE IS EXTERNAL FUNDING ON THE, YOU KNOW, ON THE TABLE, YOU KNOW, WHICH ISN'T TRUE FOR, FOR EVERYTHING.

SO WE SHOULD TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT.

OTHER QUESTIONS? I HAD ONE, UH, ADDITIONAL, UM, WITH RESPECT TO THE COST ESTIMATES, SO WHERE THE RECOMMENDATIONS LINED UP WITH, UH, THOSE OF THE JSC, DID THE COSTS ALSO, THE COST ESTIMATES ALSO LINE UP? OR CAN YOU SPEAK ABOUT THAT? GENERALLY? NO.

IN SOME CASES IT DID, BUT, UM, I THINK THAT MANY OF THESE ESTIMATES ARE, UM, YOU KNOW, A, A CAPITAL E, CAPITAL S, CAPITAL T ESTIMATE, UM, A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF WORK WOULD BE NEEDED TO BE DONE TO GET THESE NUMBERS TO BE, UM, SOMETHING THAT A DEPARTMENT WOULD STAND BEHIND WHEN ASKING FOR A DEFINED AMOUNT OF MONEY.

ALRIGHT, LAST CALL FOR QUESTIONS ON THIS ITEM.

ALRIGHT, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS.

UM, REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT HAS GONE INTO THAT.

YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

AND THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU GUYS DID.

I MEAN, WE DID A TON OF WORK, BUT WE KNOW THAT YOU ALL PUT IN A LOT OF WORK AND I THINK WHEN YOU, YOU KNOW, YOU LOOK AT THE COMBINED LIST OF ALL OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS TOGETHER, IT'S, THERE ARE A LOT OF REALLY, REALLY GOOD POTENTIAL THINGS THAT COULD COME FORWARD FROM THIS.

AND HOPEFULLY OUR ABSOLUTELY, OUR CITY COUNCIL AND EVERYTHING SORT OF MOVES FORWARD WITH GETTING MORE WORK DONE.

VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU.

OKAY.

UM, OH, KIBA, YOU HAVE ONE MORE COMMENT? SORRY.

UM, I JUST WAS WONDERING ABOUT THE, UM, THE GRANT, THE MATCHING GRANTS FOR FEDERAL CLEAN ENERGY AND RESILIENCE.

UM, AND I, IT LOOKS LIKE THAT ONE DOESN'T HAVE JSC, UM, NEXT TO IT, BUT IT, I DON'T KNOW, IT AT LEAST SEEMED SIMILAR TO ONE OF OUR RECOMMENDATIONS.

SO JUST CHECKING ON THAT, IF YOU JUST FELT LIKE IT WAS TOO DIFFERENT OR IT, I I THINK THAT THE, SOME OF THE CONTENT LINES UP, BUT THE INTENT IS, IS DIFFERENT.

THE IDEA BEHIND THE RECOMMENDATION HERE IS THAT IT WOULD NOT BE TIED TO ANY SPECIFIC PROJECTS, BUT IT WOULD BE USED, UM, ON AN AS NEEDED BASIS, UM, WHEN GRANTS ARE SUCCESSFULLY APPLIED FOR AND, UH, A MATCH IS NEEDED.

SO I THINK THAT THE INTENT FOR JFC WAS TO, WAS ON SPECIFIC PROJECTS AND THE INTENT AROUND FOR AUSTIN ENERGY WAS TO HAVE, UM, FLEXIBLE MATCHING FUNDS AVAILABLE ON AN AS NEEDED BASIS.

OKAY.

THANKS.

THAT'S HELPFUL.

OKAY, MOVING ON.

WE'RE

[2. Recommendation in support of staff response to council resolution 20240215-025 ‘Environmental Investment Plan’.]

[00:40:01]

UM, DO WE HAVE A RECOMMENDATION TO LOOK AT OR WHO IS KABA? IS THAT, WHO'S GONNA SPEAK TO THAT ONE? YEAH, UM, I, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, I PUT THIS ON OUR AGENDA JUST IN CASE WE WANTED TO, YOU KNOW, MAKE A RECOMMENDATION.

UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK WHATEVER GI GIVEN, GIVEN EVERYTHING THAT'S IN THIS, UM, MAYBE THAT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFICULT AT THIS STAGE.

UM, SO I, YOU KNOW, I, I DON'T FEEL STRONGLY ABOUT IT, BUT I JUST, I PUT IT ON THE AGENDA SO THAT WE, WE COULD MAKE THAT CONSIDERATION.

UM, YOU KNOW, THAT THERE, IF THERE ARE SOME OF THESE THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO, YOU KNOW, ADD OR TO THE ARE NOT, ARE ALREADY, UM, INDICATED AS JSC ITEMS AND, YOU KNOW, WERE POSTED FOR IT.

OKAY.

SO SINCE WE ARE POSTED FOR, FOR ACTION, WE HAVE THE OPTION OF TAKING, UH, A VOTE ON RECOMMENDING, UH, A, A RE MAKING A RECOMMENDATION.

UM, SO I THINK WHAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IS THERE'S A NUMBER OF RECOMMENDATIONS THAT DO ALIGN NICELY WITH THE JSC RECOGNITIONS THAT HAVE ALREADY COME FORWARD.

THERE'S SOME ADDITIONAL ONES.

UM, THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY WILL BE, UH, IN A WORK SESSION WITH COUNSEL ON TUESDAY.

UM, THEY HAVE ALL OF OUR RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE PASSED ON APRIL 30TH PLUS THESE FOR CONSIDERATION.

I AM, I DUNNO IF SOMEONE WANTS TO MAKE A, A SUGGESTION OR A MOTION IN SUPPORT, AND IF NOT, THAT'S OKAY.

IS CHARLOTTE, OR IS, IS, IS THERE BINARY OPTIONS HERE, RIGHT, OR IS THERE LIKE A THIRD OPTION? RIGHT, BECAUSE IT, IT SOUNDS LIKE FROM HEARING OTHER PEOPLE'S COMMENTS, THERE'S SOME QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS ABOUT SPECIFIC SUBPOINTS IN THIS, BUT GENERALLY I, PARDON ME, I PERSONALLY WOULD MOVE IF THERE'S SOME TYPE OF OPTION TO SAY SOMETHING SUPPORTIVE.

LIKE, WE APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT ZACH AND ROHAN DID WE DIRECTIONALLY AGREE WITH THE BREADTH OF THIS DOCUMENT? MAYBE THERE'S SOME SMALL DISAGREEMENTS, BUT IN GENERAL WE WANT THIS PROCESS TO GO FORWARDS.

YEAH, AND YOU KNOW, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, I THINK THE PROCESS IS, IS GOING TO GO FORWARD, UM, REGARDLESS OF A SYMBOLIC ACTION THAT WE MIGHT TAKE THIS EVENING, UM, WE'VE MADE OUR RECOMMENDATIONS, MANY OF THEM ALIGN UP WITH, UM, WHAT ZACH AND ROHAN WILL BE PRESENTING.

SO, UM, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, I, I THINK, UM, IT, IT, IT FEELS A LITTLE CLUNKY TO TRY AND, YOU KNOW, COBBLE TOGETHER A, A RECOMMENDATION KIND OF, YOU KNOW, AD HOC RIGHT HERE FOR SOMETHING THAT MAY NOT HAVE MUCH OF A, OF AN IMPACT BEYOND WHAT'S ALREADY HAPPENING.

SO, BUT I'M WILLING TO, YOU KNOW, I'M OPEN TO WHAT OTHER COMMITTEE MEMBERS THINK AND WOULD LIKE TO, TO DO.

I I AGREE WITH THAT, CHARLOTTE.

I THINK ESPECIALLY BECAUSE THESE PROJECTS, UM, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THEM ARE THE ONES THAT DON'T HAVE JSC NEXT TO THEM, YOU KNOW, ARE SIMILAR TO THINGS THAT WE CONSIDERED, BUT A LOT OF THEM ARE, ARE, ARE NOT, UM, WHICH DOESN'T, YOU KNOW, MEAN THAT THEY'RE BAD, BUT, UM, WE HAVE NOT REALLY HAD CONVERSATION AND VETTED, UM, A LOT OF THESE IDEAS.

UM, SO YEAH, I MEAN, I THINK I, I FEEL LIKE WE, WE DID DO, WE DID OUR WORK AND, UM, I THINK IT'S, IT'S WELL REPRESENTED IN THIS DOCUMENT, WHICH I APPRECIATE AND I THINK COUNCIL NEEDS TO DO THEIR WORK NOW.

ALL.

OKAY.

ANY FURTHER THOUGHTS? THAT'S JUST MY .

YEAH.

THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT.

ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS ON THIS ITEM BEFORE WE MOVE ON? OKAY, GOOD DISCUSSION.

THANK YOU.

UM, SO THE NEXT ITEM

[4. Update from the Electric Utility Commission on the Austin Energy Resource Planning Process – Kaiba White]

WE'LL MOVE INTO UPDATE FROM THE ELECTRIC UTILITY COMMISSION ON THE AUSTIN ENERGY RESOURCE PLANNING PROCESS.

KABA, THAT'S YOU.

YEAH.

UM, SO I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT THE LAST UPDATE I GAVE WAS, BUT WE'VE, UH, BEEN IN A BIT OF A HOLDING PATTERN.

UM,

[00:45:01]

THE FIRST ONE IS GONNA BE ON JUNE 7TH, 1130 TO ONE 30.

THEY ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.

IT'LL BE AT AUSTIN ENERGY HEADQUARTERS.

UM, IT'S, I THINK LIKELY THAT THERE IN THE FUTURE WILL BE A VIRTUAL OPTION, ALTHOUGH THAT HAS NOT BEEN SOLIDLY CONFIRMED.

UM, I THINK MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT, YOU KNOW, ANYBODY CAN ATTEND AND LISTEN IN, UM, BUT YOU, YOU HAVE TO BE INVITED IN ORDER TO, TO WEIGH IN OR, OR SPEAK AT THE MEETINGS.

UM, AND AT LEAST THE FIRST ONE IS GONNA BE KIND OF GOING OVER, UM, RELEVANT INFORMATION ABOUT AUSTIN ENERGY AS IT PERTAINS TO GENERATION AND, UH, AND, AND THE RESOURCE PLAN.

UM, SO THAT PROCESS IS SLATED TO TAKE FOUR MONTHS, UH, SO JUNE, JULY, AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER.

UM, WHICH WOULD IMPLY THAT THEN THE ELECTRIC UTILITY COMMISSION WOULD HAVE SOMETHING TO CONSIDER AT THE, UH, OCTOBER MEETING.

UM, THE EUC HAS PUSHED BACK ON THAT TIMELINE AND, AND IS REALLY ENCOURAGING, UM, AUSTIN ENERGY TO, UH, GET US SOMETHING BY, YOU KNOW, FOR OUR SEPTEMBER MEETING.

BUT I THINK, WE'LL, WE'LL SEE HOW THAT GOES, BUT, YOU KNOW, THAT IS, UM, THAT IS WHAT EUC MEMBERS HAVE, HAVE BEEN ASKING FOR.

UM, YEAH, I REALLY JUST KINDA WANTED TO LIKE LET PEOPLE KNOW, SINCE IT IS LIKE A BIG PLANNING PROCESS THAT OBVIOUSLY HAS A CONNECT BIG CONNECTION TO THE CLIMATE PLAN.

UM, IT IS NOT CLEAR ENTIRELY HOW, HOW THE, THIS IS GONNA MESH UP WITH THE CONVERSATIONS THAT NEED TO HAPPEN, UM, AT, AT THE EUC, THE RMC.

SO, UM, THERE'S, I THINK, YEAH, STILL MORE TO BE DETERMINED IN TERMS OF OF PROCESS, UM, BUT SEVERAL, UM, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE MADE CLEAR THAT THEY, YOU KNOW, WANT THIS, UH, AT COUNCIL IN TIME FOR THEM TO VOTE ON IT THIS YEAR.

SO HOPEFULLY THEY WERE ON TRACK FOR THAT.

ANYBODY HAS QUESTIONS? AN ANSWER.

THANK YOU, HABA.

NEXT UP,

[5. Update from the Design Commission on the status of updated design guidelines and timelines – Jon Salinas]

JOHN? YEAH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

UM, WE GOT OUR FIRST DRAFT.

IT'S REALLY, UH, AN OUTLINE OF THE FORMAT THAT WE'LL BE USING MOVING FORWARD.

UH, AT OUR LAST MEETING ON MAY 13TH, UM, WE'RE THE FORMAT IS CHANGING A LITTLE BIT FROM WHAT WE HA CURRENTLY HAVE.

UH, THE TOTAL NUMBER OF GUIDELINES IS, UH, AT 50 AND CURRENTLY WE HAVE 47.

UM, AND SO OUR, THEY'RE BASED AROUND EIGHT, UH, PRIORITIES, UH, GOALS.

UH, AND THEN WE HAVE UNDER THAT WE HAVE EIGHT FOUR PRINCIPLES.

AND WITHIN THOSE PRINCIPLES ARE THOSE VARIOUS GUIDELINES.

SO OUR TIMELINE FOR THAT, WE'RE IN PHASE TWO, WHICH IS THE CREATION PORTION OF IT.

UM, WE'RE TRYING TO WRAP THAT UP BY SEPTEMBER OF THIS YEAR, AND THEN IT'LL BE, UH, CIRCULATED INTO THE DEPARTMENTS.

UH, AND THEN WE'RE HOPING TO FINALIZE IT BY FEBRUARY OF NEXT YEAR.

SO, UM, YEAH, IF ANYONE'S INTERESTED IN TAKING A LOOK AT WHERE WE'RE AT, IT'S IN SOME, IT'S IN OUR BACKUP MATERIAL FROM OUR LAST MEETING.

COOL.

THANK YOU.

ANY QUESTIONS FOR JOHN? OKAY.

UM, UPDATE FROM WATER AND WASTEWATER,

[6. Update from the Water and Wastewater Commission on the Walnut Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant Expansion contracts – Chris Maxwell-Gaines]

THANK YOU CHARLOTTE.

UM, SO AT THE LAST, UM, WATER WASTEWATER COMMISSION MEETING, WE VOTED TO APPROVE THE, UM, WALNUT CREEK WASTEWATER TREATMENT, PLANT RENEWAL AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT.

IT'S A REALLY LARGE GENERATIONAL INVESTMENT PROJECT.

SO I WANTED TO KIND OF HIGHLIGHT THIS FOR EVERYONE.

UH, 'CAUSE THIS IS A MAJOR THING FOR AUSTIN.

AND, UM, SO I'M GONNA PROVIDE SOME BACKGROUND ON THE TREATMENT PLANT

[00:50:01]

NOT ONLY JUST WHAT WE, YOU KNOW, THE PROJECT AND WHAT WE VOTED ON.

UM, SO THE WALNUT CREEK WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT IS LOCATED, UM, SOUTH OF FM 9 69, EAST OF 180 3.

IF YOU CAN IMAGINE THAT QUADRANT THERE.

UM, IT TREATS ROUGHLY 50% OF THE WASTEWATER FLOW FROM CITY OF AUSTIN.

UH, THE OTHER WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT FOR AUSTIN IS THE SOUTH AUSTIN REGIONAL WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT, AND IT'S LOCATED NEAR US, UH, TOLL ONE 30 AND US 71 INTERSECTION.

SO BOTH OF THE TREATMENT PLANTS ARE KIND OF SOUTHEAST, OBVIOUSLY, BECAUSE OF THE FLOW OF WATER DOWN STREAM TO THE COLORADO RIVER.

UM, THE, UH, WATER CREEK, UH, WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT IS PERMITTED TO TREAT AND DISCHARGE AN AVERAGE DAILY FLOW OF 75 MILLION GALLONS PER DAY WITH A TWO HOUR PEAK FLOW OF 165 MILLION GALLONS A DAY.

A PORTION OF THIS PLANT'S EFFLUENT IS USED TO SUPPLY THE, UH, CITY'S GROWING WATER RECLAMATION INITIATIVE.