Jun 26, 2024 Joint Sustainability Committee

[00:00:08]

ALRIGHT,

[CALL TO ORDER ]

I'M GONNA CALL THIS MEETING THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE TO ORDER.

IT IS 6:16 PM ON WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26TH, 2024.

WE'RE IN THE PERMITTING AND DEVELOPMENT CENTER.

OKAY.

[PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL ]

DO WE HAVE ANY SPEAKERS SIGN UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.

THANK YOU.

KATHY, YOU WANNA COME ON HERE? GREAT.

THINK THIS IS PROBABLY A GOOD SPOT FOR YOU, WOULD BE.

OKAY.

CAN DO ALL A PIECE OF PAPER, DON'T DO MINE.

AND YOU HAVE QUESTION.

OKAY.

SO YOU'RE AWARE.

GOOD.

UM, MY NAME IS KATHY MITCHELL.

I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF THE COALITION THAT CREATES THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT BUDGET.

THIS IS OUR THIRD YEAR, AND I WANNA HIGHLIGHT SOME THINGS THAT ARE NEW BECAUSE THE PURPOSE OF THIS BUDGET IS TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM THAT BUDGETING IS CONSERVATIVE BY NATURE.

BUDGETS ARE BASED ON PRIOR YEAR BUDGETS.

IF WE WANT TO DO SOMETHING NEW, IT'S DIFFICULT TO DO.

IT'S EVEN HARDER IF YOU CAN'T FUND IT.

SO WE STARTED THIS PROJECT EARLY ON, IN PART BECAUSE THERE WERE PLACES WHERE THE CITY BUDGET KIND OF CONSISTENTLY FAILED AND NEW IDEAS WAS ONE OF THOSE PLACES.

SO THIS YEAR, UM, WE HAVE ENJOYED THE CLIMATE, UH, PLAN.

THE CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN HAS BEEN RELEASED RECENTLY ALONG WITH THE FOOD SUSTAINABILITY PLAN, AND NEITHER OF THOSE ARE CURRENTLY FUNDED.

SO THE CONCERN THAT THE COALITION HAD WAS THAT WITHOUT FUNDING, AT LEAST FOR A STAFFING STRUCTURE, TO ENSURE THAT THE THING BEGAN TO OCCUR, THAT THE THING WOULD NOT BEGIN TO OCCUR.

THAT WE CAN HAVE IDEAS AND WE CAN PUT 'EM ON PAPER AND THEY CAN GO ON A SHELF.

AND SO, IN PART WHAT'S IN HERE THAT'S NEW ARE, UH, STAFFING STRUCTURES PROPOSED TO GIVE THOSE PLANS A GOOD FIRST YEAR.

THESE ARE NOT PAYING FOR EVERYTHING IN THOSE PLANS.

THIS IS A, IF YOU WILL, UM, AND WE HAVE COPIES, I HAVE COPIES OF THE FULL PLAN.

IT'S JUST A SUMMARY.

BUT FOR EXAMPLE, THERE'S A CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN, PROJECT MANAGER, UH, PROPOSED.

THERE'S A SUSTAINABLE PURCHASING POSITION.

UM, THERE'S A CONTINUATION OF THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY'S ENGAGEMENT ASSOCIATE, WHICH IS CURRENTLY A ONE TIME TEMPORARY KIND OF DEAL.

UM, THAT'S HOW WE SAW THIS YEAR.

IF WE ARE GONNA HAVE THESE BIG COMMUNITY PLAN AND WE'RE GONNA MAKE IT HAPPEN, WE SHOULD AT LEAST PROVIDE A FRAMEWORK FOR STAFFING IT IN YEAR ONE SO THAT THOSE PEOPLE WILL THEN HELP THE CITY WORK OUT EVERYTHING THAT THEY SHOULD DO GOING FORWARD.

SO, UH, THOSE ARE THE KIND OF THINGS THAT ARE IN HERE.

THERE ARE A LOT OF OTHER THINGS IN HERE.

UH, MANY OF THEM ARE, UH, CONTINUING THE KINDS OF INVESTMENTS THAT WERE NEW IN PRIOR YEARS.

SO, FOR EXAMPLE, THERE'S AN ONGOING AND GROWING SUCCESS STORY AROUND OUR ALTERNATIVES TO, UM, FIRST RESPONSE FOR MENTAL HEALTH, SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND FAMILY CRISIS.

UH, WHEN YOU HAVE A CRISIS THAT IS NOT NECESSARILY A CRIME, DO YOU NEED TO SEND POLICE OR ARE THERE BETTER PEOPLE WHO SHOULD GO? THE CITY HAS BEEN GROWING A PROGRAM OF SENDING AN APPROPRIATE RE FIRST RESPONSE THAT'S BASED ON THE PROBLEM AT HAND.

AND THAT IS READY TO REALLY, TO OFF THIS YEAR.

BUT IT'S GONNA REQUIRE FUNDING FOR INTEGRAL CARE AND FUNDING, MORE FUNDING FOR EMS. SO THAT'S THE KIND OF THING THAT'S IN HERE.

NEW IDEAS FROM LAST YEAR AND THE YEAR BEFORE THAT WE ACTUALLY THINK WE SHOULD NOW DO.

NOW WE'RE READY TO DO THEM.

THEY'RE NOT NEW, BUT THEY'RE ESTABLISHED AND THEY WORK.

SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING.

UH, WE'D LOVE YOUR ENDORSEMENT.

WE'D LOVE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

I KNOW I, I'VE RUN OUT OF TIME, SO I'LL STOP NOW.

THANKS VERY MUCH, .

UM, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE SPEAKER? ANNA, KEVIN OFF MUTE

[00:05:06]

BEGINNING WHEEL OF DEATH.

UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

UH, COULD YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT THAT ENDORSEMENT MIGHT LOOK LIKE AND ANY TIMEFRAME NECESSARY FOR THAT? RIGHT? LIKE, IS THIS PART OF THE BUDGETARY PROCESS? IS THIS BEFORE SOMETHING'S GOING TO COUNCIL OR SOME OTHER TIMELINE? YEAH, SO THIS IS PART OF THE BUDGET PROCESS.

OBVIOUSLY THAT PROCESS MOVES VERY QUICKLY FROM HERE.

SO, YOU KNOW, WHICH WE ARE TRYING TO GARNER ENDORSEMENTS BEFORE THE BUDGET HITS COUNCIL, WHICH IS IN, UH, MID, MID-AUGUST.

COUNCIL HEARINGS ON THE BUDGET START AT THE END OF JULY.

UM, WE REALLY WOULD LIKE, YOU KNOW, TO THE EXTENT THAT THESE 44 GROUPS, YOU KNOW, SORT OF REPRESENTED A DIVERSE CROSS-SECTION OF THE COMMUNITY AND THAT YOU ALL REPRESENT KIND OF THE THOUGHT LEADERS IN ALL THESE DIFFERENT AREAS.

WE WOULD LIKE ENDORSEMENTS PRIOR TO THE BEGINNING OF THE HEARINGS.

SO THAT'S LIKE A MONTH.

I WOULD ALSO ACCEPT INDIVIDUAL MEMBER ENDORSEMENTS.

AND I, I PUT MY EMAIL ADDRESS ON THE PAPER THAT I HANDED OUT AND I BET YOUR, UH, CHAIR WOULD SHARE THAT WITH EVERYBODY.

I'LL SHARE THAT OUT.

I'LL SAY WE HAVE, WE'RE NOT POSTED TO ACT ON SUNDAY.

I KNOW TODAY OUR NEXT MEETING IS JULY 21, THIRD SECOND, I THINK LIKE THAT.

SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

SO, UM, IF THERE ARE TWO CO-SPONSORS, I IMAGINE PROBABLY TWO OUT OF US MAY BE WILLING TO SPONSOR A RECOMMENDATION TO ENDORSE THAT.

THEN WE CERTAINLY CAN POST THAT FOR DISCUSSION AND ACTION.

THEN I WOULD BE HAPPY TO COME BACK FOR THAT AND ANSWER ALL QUESTIONS.

AND, AND I CAN SEND YOU, WE HAVE THE FULL PROPOSAL WITH ALL THE DETAIL.

WE HAVE IT IN SPANISH.

WE HAVE A BRIEF SLIDE DECK, AND WE HAVE THE SUMMARY.

YOU, LAST YEAR WE HAD SOMEONE FROM, UM, COMMUNITY INVESTMENT BUDGET PRESENT.

SO IF THERE ARE TWO PEOPLE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPONSOR THAT, THAT COULD ALSO BE A, AN OPTION TO HAVE.

YES.

IF Y'ALL, Y'ALL ARE WILLING YES, ABSOLUTELY.

WE CAN PRESENT.

UH, I'M CERTAINLY SUPPORTIVE OF PUTTING THIS ON THE AGENDA.

CHARLOTTE, I THINK MY ONLY QUESTION IS IF, IF THERE'S ALREADY LIKE AN ENDORSEMENT LETTER THAT'S GOING AROUND OR WOULD WE POTENTIALLY NEED TO GRAB NO, WE'RE JUST ASK, WE'RE JUST ASKING GROUPS TO SAY WE ENDORSE.

THAT LOOKS LIKE A VERY SHORT TEXT.

THANK YOU .

REALLY APPRECIATE Y'ALL.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR LETTING ME INTRODUCE IT TO YOU.

THANK YOU.

OKAY.

UH, NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA

[1. Approval of minutes from the May 22, 2024 meeting of the Joint Sustainability Committee. ]

UM, I HAD ONE, UM, ONE CORRECTION THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE.

AND THAT IS ON ITEM NUMBER TWO TO HAVE THE MINUTES REFLECT THAT NO ACTION WAS TAKEN.

ARE THERE ANY OTHER, UM, COMMENTS, CHANGES OR DISCUSSION ABOUT THE MINUTES? NOT I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION.

MOTION TO APPROVE YOUR SECOND MOTION.

AND A SECOND.

UH, ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

VOTING.

ALL RIGHT.

LOOKS LIKE, UH, HEATHER DID, DID SHE BOTH? I WASN'T THERE, SO I'M UPSTANDING.

OKAY.

UM, WITH, WITH THE CORE OF AS IT IS, UH, WE CANNOT APPROVE THE MINUTES.

WOW.

OKAY.

THANK YOU.

OKAY.

IT IS UNANIM.

OKAY.

UM, WE'RE GONNA SHIFT A LITTLE BIT IN THE AGENDA.

ITEM NUMBER TWO, WHICH

[2. Recommendation of investments the City should fund as part of council resolution 20240215-025 ‘Environmental Investment Plan’. ]

UM, WE ARE GONNA STRIKE THIS ITEM.

WE DID NOT MAKE, UH, THE CHANGE IN TIME FOR POSTING.

UM, SO WE WERE UNABLE TO GET IT REMOVED.

IS, UH, UNLESS THERE'S ANY, YOU KNOW, WE'VE ALREADY ADOPTED 33 RECOMMENDATIONS AT OUR SPECIAL CALL MEETING ON APRIL 30TH, 2024.

UM, SO IF THERE'S, UNLESS THERE'S ANY OBJECTION, WE'LL STRIKE THIS ITEM AND MOVE ON.

IT'D BE GREAT IF WE COULD DO THE PRESENTATIONS PRIOR TO THE, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION.

YES, THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT.

AND THAT IS PERFECT TEE UP, UH, ROHAN,

[00:10:01]

WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND MOVE UP THE PRESENTA STAFF PRESENTATION ON CLIMATE FEE BEST PRACTICES AND CASE STUDIES.

CAN WE START WITH THE OTHER ONE, JUST SO MOLLY CAN GET OUTTA HERE AT A REASONABLE TIME? SURE.

ABSOLUTELY.

OKAY.

THANK, I'D LOVE TO SAY .

OKAY, PERFECT.

UM, LET'S MOVE TO NUMBER FOUR.

[4. Update on regional climate planning efforts as part of the EPA’s Climate Pollution Reduction Grant Program – Mali Calvo and Rohan Lilauwala, Office of Sustainability]

OKAY.

LEMME JUST GET .

UM, YEAH, YOU CAN GO FINE.

SORRY.

OKAY.

JUST EVERYONE GETS A TEASER.

WHAT'S TO COME AND DO I JUST CLICK IF I WANNA CHANGE SLIDES? SOMETHING.

AH, THANKS, .

UM, ALL RIGHT.

HI EVERYONE.

UH, MY NAME'S MOLLY CALVO.

I USE SHE HER PRONOUNS.

THIS IS MY FIRST TIME, UH, PRESENTING TO THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE, SO I'M EXCITED TO MEET YOU ALL.

UM, I'M A PROJECT COORDINATOR FOR THE SUSTAINABILITY OFFICE, AND WHAT I'LL BE PRESENTING ON TODAY IS THE CLIMATE POLLUTION REDUCTION GRANT.

WE CALL IT CPRG BECAUSE WE LOVE ACRONYMS, UM, APPARENTLY.

AND, UH, YEAH, WHAT IT IS BASICALLY IS A REGIONAL CLIMATE PLAN FOR GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSION REDUCTIONS, WHICH I THINK IS PRETTY EXCITING.

YOU KNOW, REGIONAL COLLABORATION AND PLANNING IS SORT OF, I THINK, SOMEWHAT INNOVATIVE AS AN APPROACH.

UM, AND SORT OF THE GOAL OF THIS PRESENTATION IS TO LEAVE YOU ALL WITH AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH THE PROGRAM AND ALSO SOME ACTION ITEMS IF YOU CHOOSE TO GET MORE INVOLVED.

AND THERE WE GO.

ALL RIGHT, NOW THE, THE SLIDE THAT YOU ALREADY GOT TO SEE, UM, WE'LL START WITH BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON THE PROGRAM, SOME CONTEXT, AND THEN LOOK AT THE FIRST DELIVERABLE, WHICH WAS THE PRIORITY CLIMATE ACTION PLAN.

IT ALREADY HAPPENED, WE SUBMITTED IT IN MARCH.

UM, MAYBE SOME OF YOU HAVE READ IT OR LOOKED AT THE WEBPAGE.

UM, AND RIGHT NOW WE'RE WORKING ON THE COMPREHENSIVE CLIMATE ACTION PLAN.

SO WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT AS WELL.

UM, SO STEPPING BACK AND GIVING YOU THE CONTEXT, THIS IS, UH, FUNDED THROUGH THE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT.

UH, THE CLIMATE POLLUTION REDUCTION GRANT PROGRAM IS BEING, OR, I MEAN, TONS OF MSAS ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE PARTICIPATING IN THE PROGRAM.

UM, AND LIKE I SAID, IT'S FOR REGIONAL AND STATE CLIMATE PLANNING.

UH, SO WE'LL BE DOING THE REGIONAL LEVEL, UM, THE FIVE COUNTY REGION, TRAVIS WILLIAMSON, HAYES, BASTROP, AND CALDWELL.

UM, WE'RE COLLABORATING CLOSELY WITH TRAVIS COUNTY FOR LEADERSHIP AS WELL.

AND, UM, THEY'LL BE HELPING US COMPLETE THE SEVERAL DELIVERABLES OVER THE NEXT, I GUESS, THREE YEARS REMAINING.

UH, THAT FIRST DELIVERABLE IS THE PRIORITY CLIMATE ACTION PLAN.

UH, IT WAS COMPLETED VERY QUICKLY.

WE HAD UNDER SIX MONTHS TO GET THE WHOLE PROCESS GOING.

UM, BUT I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT OUR EFFORTS.

WE HAVE A FOCUS LIST OF NEAR TERM HIGH IMPACT GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSION REDUCTION MEASURES.

UM, AND LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT IT.

SO HERE'S THE COVER.

UM, LIKE I SAID, WE SUBMITTED IT IN MARCH.

UH, SOME OF THE COMPONENTS OF THE PLAN INCLUDE A REGIONAL GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS INVENTORY, WHICH SINCE OUR ANALYSTS HAVE BROKEN DOWN TO NOT JUST A COMPREHENSIVE REGIONAL, BUT, UM, EACH BY EACH COUNTY, UM, WE'LL LOOK AT THAT.

I THINK IT'S PROBABLY REALLY INTERESTING FOR FOLKS.

UM, AND THEN WE HAVE THOSE EMISSION REDUCTION MEASURES.

UM, FOR EACH, WE COMPLETED THIS LIST OF ANALYSES, UM, SORT OF A BALANCE BETWEEN QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE COMMUNITY AND AIR QUALITY AND FUNDING AND IMPLEMENTATION AUTHORITY.

SO, UM, YEAH, SO HERE'S THAT EMISSIONS INVENTORY PIE CHART.

UM, THE TOTAL EMISSIONS FOR OUR FIVE COUNTY REGION ARE 24.3 MILLION METRIC TONS OF CO2 EQUIVALENT.

UM, THAT'S ACTUALLY NOT A TON WHEN YOU LOOK AT OTHER METRO AREAS.

SO WE'RE DOING PRETTY WELL THERE.

AND MOSTLY THAT'LL COME DOWN TO THE INDUSTRIAL.

UM, IF YOU CAN SEE, THAT'S THE GREEN ONE ON THE PIE CHART AT 9%, UM, PER CAPITA, THAT'S ABOUT 10 METRIC TONS.

AND IF YOU BIKE OR ARE PART OF THIS COALITION, MAYBE YOU GET TO BE LESS THAN THAT PER CAPITA.

UM, BUT YEAH, SO YOU CAN SEE HOUSTON GALVESTON 31 METRIC TONS, AND WE'LL ACTUALLY LOOK AT A BUNCH OF AREAS.

SO THAT STAR IS, IS, UM, OUR FIVE COUNTY REGION.

AND THEN ALL OF THE OTHER ONES ARE ALL OF THE OTHER PARTICIPATING MSAS.

SO SOME IN, IN LOUISIANA

[00:15:01]

UM, YEAH, THIS IS MORE OF A, A LOOKOUT LATER TYPE OF THING.

SOME OF THE, BEFORE WE GO TOO FAR, SOME OF THE ONES THAT YOU SEE THAT ARE REALLY LOW OR, UM, MAYBE EVEN NON-EXISTENT ARE, UH, WE WE'RE PRETTY SURE THAT THE METHODOLOGY THEY USE IS EXTREMELY SIMPLIFIED AND DOESN'T ACCURATELY CAPTURE THEIR FULL EMISSIONS INVENTORY.

AND WE THINK THAT ONCE THEY DO A COMPREHENSIVE INVENTORY AT FUTURE STAGES OF THIS PROGRAM, UH, THAT THOSE, THOSE BARS ARE GONNA GO UP SIGNIFICANTLY.

SO WE THINK THAT AUSTIN IS, UH, COMPARATIVELY DOING PRETTY WELL, UH, IN TERMS OF A PER CAPITA GREENHOUSE GAS FOOTPRINT.

YEAH, I DID FORGET TO MENTION THAT OUR, OUR ANALYSTS WORKED REALLY HARD TO HAVE, EVEN IN A SHORT TIMEFRAME, I THINK A HIGHLY DEFENSIBLE METHODOLOGY THAT WE'LL BARELY, I THINK, HAVE TO ADD ONTO FOR THE NEXT DELIVERABLE.

AND THAT'S REALLY, UM, EXCITING FOR US.

ALL RIGHT, SO NOW TO BRING IT BACK LOCALLY, UM, WE HAVE OUR FIVE COUNTY REGION, AND YOU CAN LOOK AT, UM, THAT LITTLE BROWN BOX WITH THE, WITH THE NUMBER IN.

IT WILL BE THE PER CAPITA EMISSIONS, AND THE BAR IS GONNA BE THE TOTAL EMISSIONS FOR THAT COUNTY.

UM, SO YOU CAN JUST TAKE A COMPARATIVE LOOK.

UM, TRAVIS COUNTY IS, UM, PRETTY LOW, BUT THEN ACTUALLY WILLIAMSON ENDED UP LOWER PER CAPITA.

UM, YOU CAN SORT OF LOOK AT THE DISTINCTION IN WHAT SECTORS WERE CONTRIBUTING MOST FOR EACH, ALTHOUGH EVERYONE'S GREATEST IS, UM, TRANSPORTATION.

OKAY? SO THAT INVENTORY WAS A REALLY KEY COMPONENT OF THE PRIORITY CLIMATE ACTION PLAN.

UM, BUT THE MEAT OF THE PLAN IS THESE ARE THESE MEASURES.

UM, AND IT TOOK A LOT TO GET US THERE.

WE STARTED WITH A REALLY LONG LIST FROM MANY SOURCES, WHETHER IT WAS A COMMUNITY INPUT OR THROUGH OUR BIWEEKLY MSA STAFF MEETINGS.

UM, WE ALSO HELD A WORKSHOP TO HELP GENERATE IDEAS AND COLLABORATE AND HAD A STAFF INTAKE FORM THAT WAS MOSTLY FOR LIKE EXISTING PROJECTS AND PRO PROGRAMS THAT PEOPLE WANTED TO SEE, UM, REFLECTED IN THE PLAN.

SO WE GOT THE LONG LIST OF MEASURES, AND THEN WE PUT THEM THROUGH THAT, UH, FILTER.

SO STARTING TO THINK ABOUT THE POTENTIAL GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSION REDUCTION, IS THE SCOPE REGIONAL, WILL IT BENEFIT LOW INCOME AND DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES, AND CAN IT BE IMPLEMENTED QUICKLY? AND SO THOSE WERE GIVEN TO US BY, UM, BY THE EPA AS PART OF WHAT WE, THE CRITERIA WE NEEDED TO MEET TO INCLUDE THINGS IN THIS PLAN.

UM, THE NEXT DELIVERABLE WILL BE A LITTLE BIT MORE OPEN-ENDED IN THIS REGARD.

UM, AND YOU CAN SEE SORT OF THIS FUNNEL IMAGE.

SO WE HAVE THE LONG LIST, AND WE STARTED TO SCOPE IT, GOT COMMUNITY FEEDBACK, DID SOME MORE ANALYSIS.

IT WAS KIND OF A, LIKE A FUNNEL WITH A FEW LITTLE ARROWS IN BETWEEN IT.

UM, AND THEN FINALLY WE WERE ABLE TO INCLUDE SIX MEASURES IN THE P CAP.

SO THESE ARE THOSE SIX MEASURES.

AND, UM, SOMETHING THAT I FORGOT TO MENTION PREVIOUSLY THAT I THINK YOU'LL ALL FIND INTERESTING IS THAT WE ALSO WERE ABLE TO SHARE THE LONG LIST OF MEASURES OUT, UM, TO COMMUNITY THROUGH A SURVEY.

AND SO, YEAH, THAT'S AN ADDITIONAL LAYER OF, UM, SUPPORT THAT THESE WERE ALL GIVEN.

UM, THE EXCEPTIONS SORT OF BEING ENCOURAGED AND SUBSIDIZED.

RENEWABLE DIESEL PEOPLE DON'T KNOW A TON ABOUT THAT GENERALLY, AND WE'RE HAPPY TO TALK MORE.

UM, BUT THE IMPACTS, IF YOU CAN LOOK THERE FOR EMISSION REDUCTIONS ARE SUPER HIGH.

I'LL JUST GIVE EVERYONE A MOMENT TO READ THESE.

UM, OKAY.

UM, HERE'S JUST ANOTHER LOOK AT THOSE EMISSION REDUCTION POTENTIALS.

AND AGAIN, YOU CAN SEE THE RENEWABLE DIESEL HAS REALLY HIGH POTENTIAL THERE IN THE SHORT TERM.

THERE WE GO.

UM, SO PART OF THE PROGRAM IS IMPLEMENTATION GRANTS.

UH, WE WERE ABLE TO SUBMIT ANY TWO MEASURES, UH, FOR POTENTIAL FUNDING.

SO WE SUBMITTED, ONE IS THIS TRANSPORTATION DEMAND MANAGEMENT PROJECT.

UM, LOOKING AT THE CONTEXT OF I 35 CONSTRUCTION, THIS FELT REALLY ACTIONABLE, UM, ESPECIALLY AND, AND ESPECIALLY PAIRING PEOPLE'S LIVES.

UM, SO OUR TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT IS COLLABORATING WITH TXDOT CAP METRO AND CARTS TO PROJECT MANAGE.

UM, IT'LL LOOK LIKE MOBILITY HUBS, UH, THINGS THAT WILL ENCOURAGE BEHAVIOR CHANGE, UM, SERVICE IMPROVEMENTS AND ALSO DATA COLLECTION.

AND SOME OF THE COMMUNITY BENEFITS WE SEE HERE ARE INCENTIVES FOR BEHAVIOR CHANGE, UM, IMPROVED CONNECTIVITY, UH, IMPROVED TRIPS

[00:20:01]

UM, WE'RE ALSO LOOKING TO MAKE A PLATFORM FOR THE FOUNDATION OF REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PROGRAMS. SO IT'S NOT LIKE, HERE'S MY FOUR DIFFERENT APPS.

UM, YOU KNOW, JUST MAKING IT EASIER FOR FOLKS AND REALLY SPENDING SOME TIME, MONEY AND ATTENTION TO, TO THAT PROCESS.

THE NEXT IS THE MUNICIPAL BUILDING DECARBONIZATION PROGRAM.

UM, THIS IS GONNA BE MANAGED BY TRAVIS COUNTY IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR OFFICE.

UM, IT'S A PROGRAM TO DECARBONIZE PUBLIC FACING MUNICIPAL BUILDINGS ACROSS THE REGION.

AND IT'LL WORK SORT OF LIKE A, A POT OF MONEY THAT DIFFERENT BUILDINGS AND MUNICIPALITIES CAN APPLY TO.

WE'LL GIVE PRIORITY TO THOSE BUILDINGS THAT SERVE OUR LOW INCOME AND DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES.

UM, THE SORT OF CO-BENEFIT THERE THAT IS, IS MOST IMPORTANT IS RESILIENCE.

UM, LOOKING TO WEATHERIZE AND MAKE MORE EFFICIENT.

THESE BUILDINGS HAVE MORE CONSISTENT SOLAR AND BATTERY STORAGE.

AND THIS SLIDE LOOKS A LITTLE INTIMIDATING, BUT IT'S SORT OF THE BRIDGE TO PUBLIC HEALTH BENEFITS.

UM, LOOKING AT THE CRITERIA POLLUTANTS AND HOW EACH OF THESE MEASURES WILL IMPACT AIR QUALITY.

UM, OUR REGION RECENTLY BECAME OUT OF COM, OUT OF COMPLIANCE WITH THE LOWERED STANDARDS, UM, FOR PARTICULATE MATTER AND OZONE.

UM, SO THAT'LL LEAD TO A LOT OF DIFFICULTIES IN THE FUTURE.

AND IT'S, UM, YEAH, IT'LL BE A PRIORITY TO TRY AND GET THOSE DOWN.

PART OF THE ANALYSIS WE'RE DOING FOR EACH MEASURE IS WORKFORCE BENEFITS.

SO LOOKING AT NET JOBS GAINED AND THE GAINING INDUSTRIES, MAKING SURE THEIR QUALITY JOBS.

UM, THESE ARE THE THREE MEASURES THAT ARE GONNA BRING IN THE MOST WORKFORCE BENEFITS, ALTHOUGH WE'LL BE WORKING TO, UM, COLLABORATE MORE WITH SOME, UM, SOME WORKFORCE ACCELERATOR PROGRAMS. AND, UM, YEAH, DOING MORE OF THAT IN THE COMPREHENSIVE CLIMATE ACTION PLAN, WHICH WE'LL TALK ABOUT NOW.

OKAY.

SO OUR SECOND DELIVERABLE, IT'LL BE DUE IN LATE SUMMER OR EARLY FALL OF NEXT YEAR.

UM, AND WE'LL HAVE A LOT MORE TIME FOR ENGAGEMENT OUTREACH, AND REALLY EVERY SINGLE COMPONENT, UM, IT'S A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF GREENHOUSE GAS REDUCTION MEASURES ACROSS ALL SECTORS, AND MANY PRIORITIES CAN BE INCLUDED.

SO WE'LL START BY GOING BACK TO THAT LONG LIST AND ALSO ADDING THINGS THAT WE'VE LEARNED SINCE.

UM, A LITTLE LOOK AT OUR PROCESS FOR DEVELOPING THIS PLAN.

WE HAVE SORT OF A STRUCTURE THAT IS LIKE MUNICIPAL STAFF AND THEN ALSO COMMUNITY AND STAKEHOLDERS.

AND BOTH OF THOSE ARE GONNA MEET EVERY OTHER MONTH, UM, SEPARATELY TO PROVIDE HIGH LEVEL OF OVERSIGHT AND INPUT ON THE PROJECT.

FOR MSA STAFF, IT'LL BE MORE HOW IS THIS PROJECT GOING TO ALIGN WITH EXISTING PRIORITIES AND PROGRAMS. AND FOR THE COMMUNITY AND STAKEHOLDER ADVISORY GROUP, WE'LL BE LOOKING MORE AT WHAT ARE POTENTIAL DISBENEFITS TO LOW INCOME AND DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES, AND WHAT ARE OPPORTUNITIES TO BE INCLUDING, YOU KNOW, VOICES FROM THOSE COMMUNITIES IN THE SELECTION OF DIFFERENT MEASURES.

UM, THESE GROUPS WILL COME TOGETHER FOR DIFFERENT SECTOR-BASED WORKSHOPS.

SO, YOU KNOW, ONE FOR BUILDINGS AND ELECTRIC POWER, ONE FOR TRANSPORTATION.

UM, AND WE THINK IT'LL BE REALLY IMPORTANT TO HAVE THOSE VOICES SORT OF COLLABORATING WITH EACH OTHER ALONGSIDE TECHNICAL EXPERTS.

WE JUST GO TO THAT SLIDE.

UM, YEAH, SO WE'RE EXCITED TO SORT OF HAVE THIS NEW FORMAT, UM, AND SPEND A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME.

UH, THE FIRST WORKSHOP WE'RE IMAGINING WILL BE A DEEP DIVE.

SO KNOWLEDGE SHARING, WHAT IS YOUR MUNICIPALITY OR COMMUNITY DOING IN THE ELECTRIC POWER AND BUILDING SECTOR OR WITH WASTE WATER AND SUSTAINABLE MATERIALS.

UM, AND, YOU KNOW, WHAT STRATEGIES CAN WE SHARE? WORKSHOP TWO WILL BE SELECTING GREENHOUSE GAS REDUCTION MEASURES.

AND IN THE THIRD WORKSHOP WE'LL BE SCOPING THEM.

SO STARTING TO ASK THOSE QUESTIONS OF WHAT ARE THE AIR QUALITY BENEFITS? DO WE HAVE IMPLEMENTATION AUTHORITY? UM, WHAT BENEFITS TO LOW INCOME AND DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES WILL EACH MEASURE BRING? AND JUST TO BACK UP, I KNOW I SAID THE WORD COMMUNITY AND STAKEHOLDER ADVISORY GROUP A FEW TIMES.

UM, AND TO GIVE YOU MORE CONTEXT ON THE GOALS OF THIS GROUP, WE REALLY WANT TO HAVE COMMUNITY PROVIDING OVERSIGHT AND DIRECTIONAL GUIDANCE TO OUR PROCESS.

UM, JUST, ARE WE ON THE RIGHT TRACK? AND WHO ELSE DO WE NEED AT THE TABLE? UM, SO WE WANT PEOPLE TO IDENTIFY AND INVITE MORE COMMUNITIES THAT ARE MISSING,

[00:25:01]

AND THAT'S, UM, IT'S, IT'S A LOT OF PEOPLE TO OUTREACH TO.

IT'S A BIG CHALLENGE.

AND WE WANT TO BE LEANING ON PEOPLE WHO HAVE EXPRESSED INTEREST, UM, UM, ALSO TO HIGHLIGHT COMMUNITY SPECIFIC CONCERNS, ASPIRATIONS, AND SHARED GOALS.

AND FINALLY, TO BE INVESTED IN ACHIEVING A POSITIVE OUTCOME AND FINAL PRODUCT.

HERE'S THE GENERAL TIMELINE.

IT'S SORT OF SPLIT INTO NOW THE END AND THE IN BETWEEN.

THERE'S SOMEWHAT OF AN INTERCHANGE BETWEEN THE MIDDLE TWO PILLAR.

SO RIGHT NOW WE'RE BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS.

WE KICKED OFF OUR C SAG AND MSA MEETINGS ALREADY.

UM, BUT WE'RE REALLY IN THE PHASE OF WHO ELSE CAN BE AT THE TABLE.

UM, HOW CAN WE EXPAND OUR OUTREACH? THE NEXT PHASE WILL BE WORKSHOPS AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.

SO WE'LL HAVE OUR COMMUNITY AND STAKEHOLDER ADVISORY GROUP HELP TO IDENTIFY, UM, SUCCESSFUL METHODS OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND CO-DEVELOP THAT WITH A CONSULTANT THAT WILL BE PULLING ON BOARD.

UM, AND AT THE SAME TIME WE'LL BE BUILDING THIS INCREASED, UM, OR THIS INVENTORY THAT IS MAYBE A LITTLE BIT MORE SPECIFIC, SETTING EMISSIONS TARGETS FOR EACH, UH, COUNTY AND STARTING TO DO SOME ANALYSIS ON MEASURES THAT WE MAYBE FEEL, UM, WE'RE ALREADY READY TO PUT IN THE PLAN.

UH, FINALLY THE FI FINAL PHASE WILL BE REPORT DEVELOPMENT.

THE CCAP WILL BE DUE IN, LIKE I SAID, THAT LATE SUMMER, EARLY FALL TIMELINE.

AND, UM, YEAH, THERE'S A FEW DIFFERENT WAYS TO GET INVOLVED.

YOU CAN JOIN THAT COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDER ADVISORY GROUP.

UM, LIKE I SAID, WE MEET BIMONTHLY.

UM, THOSE AREN'T REQUIRED.

SO IF YOU ARE A LITTLE BIT AFRAID OF THE TIME COMMITMENT, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN JUST BE PART OF THE EMAIL LIST AS WELL.

UM, YOU CAN ATTEND A WORKSHOP.

THE DATES ARE TO BE DETERMINED, BUT ANY OF THOSE SECTORS, IF THEY'RE OF PARTICULAR INTEREST TO YOU, UM, AND THEN YOU CAN ALSO CONNECT US TO OTHER PEOPLE.

IF YOU THINK THAT THIS IS, UM, THAT THIS BELONGS ON SOMEONE'S RADAR, UH, PLEASE TELL US AND YEAH, HELP US SPREAD THE WORD.

THAT'S A LOT.

THANKS FOLKS.

THANK YOU.

THAT'S GREAT.

UM, YEAH, ANY QUESTIONS? YEAH, I HAD A QUESTION.

UM, FOR THE WORKSHOPS, YOU KNOW, YOU MENTIONED THAT YOU'RE GOING TO TRY TO FOCUS ON THE FIVE COUNTY, UH, AREA.

SO ARE YOU GOING TO HAVE WORKSHOPS? OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, WE KNOW CITY OF AUSTIN'S A BIG CITY, YOU KNOW, ALL WORK FOR CITY AUSTIN.

WE'RE GOING OUT WORKSHOPS THERE.

BUT FOR LIKE THE OTHER AREAS WHERE YOU'D BE DOING IT MORE ON LIKE A COUNTY BASIS, LIKE, OKAY, HERE'S THE MEETING FOR, YOU KNOW, CALDWELL COUNTY, HERE'S A MEETING FOR COUNTY.

OR IT'D BE MORE LIKE, BASED ON LIKE CITIES WITHIN THOSE COUNTIES, YOU KNOW, LIKE, I MEAN, FOR HAYES COUNTY, RIGHT? I'D PROBABLY JUST BE LIKE SAN MARCUS, KYLE, YOU, I DON'T EVEN REMEMBER THE OTHER CITIES, HAYES COUNTY, BUT REALLY OUT KNOW, UM, YOU KNOW, FOR WILLIAMSON COUNTY, OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LARGE POPULATION THERE.

YEAH.

SO I'M JUST CURIOUS TO HOW STRATEGY WAS THERE.

YEAH, TOTALLY.

I THINK A LOT OF THAT IS, UM, BEING ADDRESSED IN OUR OUTREACH PHASE NOW.

SO WE'RE LOOKING AT WHO ARE OUR STAFF CONTEXTS IN EACH COUNTY AND EACH CITY, AND DO WE HAVE REPRESENTATION FROM EVERY COMMUNITY OR MUNICIPALITY? UM, STARTING TO ASK ALL OF THEM IF THEY HAVE DIFFERENT POINTS OF CONTACT FOR EACH WORKSHOP, UM, DOING THAT WORK, THE WORKSHOPS THEMSELVES WE'RE HOPING TO DESIGN TO BE IN DIFFERENT COUNTIES, UM, DIFFERENT AREAS AND LOCATIONS, AND HOPEFULLY LEANING ON OR HIGHLIGHTING SOMETHING LOCAL IN EACH OF THOSE PLACES.

UM, BUT OUR, UM, WE'RE OPEN TO SUGGESTIONS AND I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING WE'RE WORKING OUT STILL IN OUR MSA AND CS A GROUPS.

YEAH, I THINK WE SORT OF, WE DISCUSSED DIFFERENT WAYS TO ORGANIZE THE WORKSHOPS AND WE FELT THAT THE SECTORS MADE THE MOST SENSE, JUST 'CAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF EXPERTISE AND, UM, INSIGHT THAT WE COULD TAP INTO.

AND THE WAY WE'RE HOPING TO ENCOURAGE THE DIFFERENT GOVERNMENTS IS, UM, THROUGH A VARIETY OF SOURCES THROUGH ONE-ON-ONE MEETINGS, AND ONE-ON-ONE OUTREACH.

YOU KNOW, WE'VE OFFERED TO DO, GO OUT AND DO LIKE A LUNCH AND LEARN OR A, UM, A SMALL GROUP MEETING.

UM, WE'VE BEEN PRESENTING AND ARE PLANNING TO PRESENT IN THE FUTURE AT CAP COGS, CLEAN AIR COUNCIL MEETINGS.

UM, WE'RE LOOKING TO SEE IF WE CAN TIE INTO CAMPOS MOBILE EMISSIONS REDUCTION PROGRAM EFFORTS.

SO WE'RE, WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN GET IN FRONT OF STAFF IN, UM, IN SOME OF THESE SURROUNDING CITIES AND COUNTIES, UM, AS WELL.

AND IT'S CHALLENGING BECAUSE A LOT OF THEM, YOU KNOW, HAVE, DON'T HAVE THE NUMBER OF STAFF THAT WORK ON ENVIRONMENT THAT WE DO IN AUSTIN.

SOMETIMES IT'S ONE PERSON THAT DOES ALL

[00:30:01]

SOMETIMES IT'S ONE PERSON THAT DOES SOMETHING ELSE.

THAT ENVIRONMENT IS A, YOU KNOW, 5% OF THEIR JOB.

SO WE'RE TRYING TO MEET PEOPLE WHERE THEY ARE AND, UM, HELP FIGURE OUT HOW THOSE THINGS WE CAN DO CAN, UM, HELP ADVANCE THEIR GOALS AND PRIORITIES AS WELL.

SO I GUESS THAT BEGS THE QUESTION, DO WE HAVE A BREAKDOWN OF LIKE HOW DIFFERENT COUNTIES INVEST IN SORT OF ENVIRONMENTAL STUFF? I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, WE'RE BASED IN THE OPPOSITE OF TRAVIS COUNTY, RIGHT.

BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW, UM, ENVIRONMENTAL STUFF'S VERY MUCH LIKE A BUTTERFLY EFFECT TYPE OF THING, RIGHT? SO I THINK HAVING A GREATER GRASP ON LIKE WHAT THE SITUATION IS, LIKE, YOU KNOW, MSA WISE AND YOU KNOW, SORT OF WHAT WE CAN DO TO TRY AND GET DIFFERENT COUNTIES TO, YOU KNOW, REALIZE THAT THIS IS GOING TO BECOME, IT NEEDS TO BE MORE OF A PRIORITY IF IT'S NOT ALREADY ONE.

I THINK THAT CERTAINLY CAN BE AN INTEREST PIECE MISSION FOR SURE.

ABSOLUTELY.

SO YOU HAD THE, A STRUCTURE OF THE THREE MEETINGS.

YEAH.

SO PIGGYBACKING ON HARRIS'S QUESTION, SO BIG REGION FIVE COUNTIES WAS THIS THOUGHT OF HAVING THESE THREE LIKE, MEETINGS, LIKE TOGETHER AS BLACK COUNTIES OR WILLIAMSON COUNTY HAVING THREE, SO, OKAY.

WELL, IT WOULD BE THREE MEETINGS PER SECTOR.

SO WE DECIDED THAT 12, OH YEAH, SORRY, 12 MEETINGS.

EPS, UM, IS PROBABLY AT THE, AT THE LIMIT OF OKAY.

OF WHAT OUR STAFF COULD ACCOMPLISH.

YEAH.

SO MEAN THERE, THERE'LL BE, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE COMING IN FROM OTHER YEAH.

THE IDEA IS WE'VE HAD, WE'VE HAD, WE'LL HAVE CITY STAFF FROM THE REGION, COMMUNITY AND STAKEHOLDERS FROM THE REGION AND, AND MAYBE SOME EXPERTS AS WELL FROM THE REGION.

AND EACH MEETING WOULD BE, THE MEETINGS WOULD BE SEQUENTIAL.

SO EACH ONE WOULD BUILD ON EACH OTHER AND THERE'D BE THE PARALLEL TRACKS OF THE DIFFERENT SECTORS PUSHING FORWARD.

AND WE'LL TRY AND DO 'EM, YOU KNOW, AT TIMES WHEN PEOPLE AREN'T FIGHTING THROUGH TRAFFIC TO GET INTO AUSTIN OR WHEREVER THE MEETINGS ARE GONNA BE.

AND, UM, THAT'S SUCH A TIME EVEN EXIST NOT 10 FRIDAY, FRIDAY, 10 30 TO NOON OR 10 31 1.

YEP.

SEE, UH, RODRIGO'S HAND.

UH, DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION? YEAH.

AND THANKS SO MUCH FOR THIS UPDATE.

UM, I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY.

SO YOU HAD MENTIONED THAT TWO OF THE PRIORITY REDUCTION MEASURES FROM THE PRIORITY CLIMATE ACTION PLAN, SO THOSE WERE LIKE DEVELOPED INTO, OR SCOPED INTO PROJECTS THAT WERE SUBMITTED TO EPA FOR FUNDING CONSIDERATION.

IS THAT RIGHT? YES.

OKAY, COOL.

SO, UM, WHAT, WHAT KIND OF FUNDING AVENUES ARE YOU EXPLORING FOR THE OTHER FOUR, UH, MEASURES? OH, YEAH.

UM, THAT IS, THAT'S PART OF THE ANALYSIS THAT WE CONDUCTED.

SO IF YOU ARE CURIOUS FOR EACH OF THE MEASURES, WE HAVE A LIST OF POTENTIAL FUNDING SOURCES.

OF COURSE THAT CHANGES BASED ON DIFFERENT GRANT CYCLES.

BUT, UM, UH, YEAH, WE, WE THINK THAT THAT'S SORT OF PART OF THE, THE INCENTIVE TO, UM, ATTEND THESE WORKSHOPS AND, AND GET INVOLVED REGIONALLY, IS THAT WILL BE MAPPING THAT OUT.

WE'RE, WE'RE OPPORTUNISTIC ABOUT YES, FUNDING AND, AND WHEN IT BECOMES AVAILABLE, WE DO OUR BEST TO PURSUE IT.

SO ONE OF THE MEASURES IDENTIFIED WAS A, UM, COMMUNITY DRIVEN TREE PLANTING, UH, PROGRAM.

WE, UM, LAST YEAR WE SUPPORTED A COALITION OF COMMUNITY GROUPS SUBMITTED, UH, TO THE USDA'S URBAN FORESTRY GRANT.

UM, THAT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL.

BUT WE HAVE FORMED, OR I GUESS THE, THE COALITION WAS, WAS STILL ACTIVE AND WE, UH, ARE SUPPORTING THEM AGAIN AS THEY APPLY FOR AN EPA COMMUNITY CHANGE GRANT, UM, TO DO SOME SORT OF SIMILAR WORK AROUND TREE PLANTING AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.

SO AS OPPORTUNITIES COME UP, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE LOOKING TO PUSH THIS STUFF FORWARD.

UM, AUSTIN ENERGY, UH, IS PART OF A SUCCESSFUL SOLAR FOR ALL, UM, GRANT APPLICATION WHERE THEIR, UM, YOU KNOW, TEXAS COALITION WAS AWARDED $250 MILLION FOR, UM, ESSENTIALLY, UM, AUSTIN ENERGY SHARE IS GONNA BE SPENT ON COMMUNITY SOLAR, WHICH IS ALIGNS WITH ONE OF THE MEASURES IN THE PLAN.

SO WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING FOR WAYS TO, TO PUSH THIS FORWARD WHERE WE CAN.

THANK YOU.

QUESTION ON, YOU'RE, YOU'RE, YOU'RE IN THE OUTREACH PLANNING PLANNING PHASE.

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON, I MEAN, THESE ARE SOME LARGE COUNTIES, AND SO WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS, INITIAL THOUGHTS ON HOW TO ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY TO PARTICIPATE? LIKE WHAT ARE Y'ALL, WHAT IS YOUR STRATEGY ON THAT? YEAH, WE ARE ARE HIRING A CONSULTANT TO HELP US FIGURE OUT THAT VERY COMPLEX QUESTION NOW.

UM, YEAH, WE'VE, WE'VE MET WITH A FEW DIFFERENT FOLKS ABOUT POTENTIAL STRATEGIES, WHETHER IT'S

[00:35:01]

AND I THINK WE'RE CONSIDERING EVERYTHING RIGHT NOW.

OKAY.

AND YEAH, LEANING HEAVILY ON SORT OF THE GRASS TOPS GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATIONS AND HOPING THEY'LL JOIN OUR COMMUNITY AND STAKEHOLDER ADVISORY GROUP TO HELP PROVIDE US WITH SOME MORE INTEL ON THOSE COMMUNITIES WE HAVEN'T OUTREACHED TO BEFORE AND WE DON'T HAVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH YET.

OKAY.

UH, ARE THERE OTHER QUESTIONS FROM REMOTE FOLKS? I HAVE A, A QUESTION.

I'M CURIOUS ABOUT THE RENEWABLE DIESEL.

IS THERE LIKE A 32ND TOP LINE YOU CAN, CAN GIVE US ABOUT WHAT THAT PROJECT ENTAILS, WHAT IT'S, SURE.

YEAH.

SO RENEWABLE DIESEL IS, UH, ESSENTIALLY CHEMICALLY IDENTICAL TO CONVENTIONAL DIESEL, BUT IT'S MADE FROM RENEWABLE SOURCES LIKE, UM, WASTE OILS OR AGRICULTURAL WASTE.

UM, AND THE IDEA IS THAT THERE'S A, A COST PREMIUM TO ACQUIRE RENEWABLE DIESEL AND, UM, BECAUSE OF THE COST PREMIUM AND BECAUSE THERE ISN'T SORT OF A, A MARKETPLACE FOR RENEWABLE DIESEL, IT'S NOT AVAILABLE IN CENTRAL TEXAS, IT IS AVAILABLE IN PLACES LIKE CALIFORNIA AND I THINK SOME PARTS OF THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST.

UM, AND THE IDEA IS THAT, UM, INVESTING IN, OR, YOU KNOW, PAYING DOWN SOME OF THAT COST DIFFERENCE, UH, FROM CONVENTIONAL DIESELS, RENEWABLE DIESEL CAN HELP, UM, REDUCE EMISSIONS ASSOCIATED WITH HEAVY VEHICLES AND OTHER HARD TO ELECTRIFY, UM, VEHICLES IN, IN FLEETS.

UM, SOME OF THE, YOU KNOW, THE MORE IN THE WEED STUFF AND THE ASSUMPTIONS AROUND, UM, THE COST DIFFERENCE AND THE, UH, EMISSIONS INTENSITY, UM, SOME OF THAT STUFF IS IN THE, IN THE PCAP APPENDIX.

UH, AND I'M NOT WELL VERSED ENOUGH TO, I THINK GO TOO MUCH FURTHER INTO THE WEEDS ON IT.

UM, BUT THE IDEA IS, IS THAT YOU WOULD PAY DOWN SOME OF THE, THE COST DIFFERENCE AND, AND WHO ARE WE, WHO WOULD YOU PAY THE COST DOWN FOR? IS THIS LIKE SHIPPING COMPANIES, TRUCKING COMPANIES? ARE THEY EXTERNAL TO TEXAS? AND CERTAINLY THE FIVE COUNTY REGIONS, THESE ARE TRUCKS THAT ARE GOING THROUGH, I'M PRETTY SURE, PRETTY SURE IN THE PRIORITY CLIMATE ACTION PLAN.

IT IS PUBLIC FLEETS, MAYBE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE FLEETS, BUT I THINK IT'S JUST PUBLIC FLEETS.

THANK YOU.

ALRIGHT.

IT LOOKS LIKE BEST QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH, MOLLY.

APPRECIATE THAT.

NO, THANKS EVERYONE.

REALLY GREAT QUESTIONS TOO.

AWESOME.

OKAY.

UM, SO

[5. Climate Fee Best Practices and Case Studies – Rohan Lilauwala, Office of Sustainability ]

OKAY.

OOPS, BACK AT THE BEGINNING, SORRY.

OKAY.

SO DOES NOT WANNA GO AWAY.

OKAY.

SO, UM, I'M GONNA BE TALKING ABOUT THE CLIMATE FEE, UM, AND, UM, PROVIDING SOME CASE STUDIES OF WHERE THIS HAS BEEN IMPLEMENTED IN OTHER, UM, LOCALES AND, AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.

AND, UH, WHAT, IF ANY, LESSONS THERE ARE TO LEARN, UM, FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN.

SO, TO SET THE STAGE, UM, YOU KNOW, AUSTIN IS A LEADER IN CLIMATE ACTION.

WE SAW THE, UM, THE GRAPH OR THE, SOME OF THE STATS SHOWING WHERE WE ARE.

UM, WE ARE ONLY ONE OF FOUR MAJOR CITIES WITH THE MOST AGGRESSIVE CLIMATE GOAL, NET ZERO BY 2040.

UH, AND WE ARE ONE OF ONLY FIVE THAT CENTERS EQUITY.

SO, UM, IN TERMS OF, UH, WHERE WE ARE IN THIS SPACE, WE ARE LEADERS AND WE SEE OURSELVES AS LEADERS.

UM, COMMUNITY MEMBERS, ORGANIZATIONS, ACTIVISTS, STAKEHOLDERS, THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE COUNCIL ARE PUSHING TO MAKE MORE PROGRESS ON THE CLIMATE AND ENVIRONMENTAL GOALS THAT WE'VE SET.

UM, WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING IN THE PAST IS CREATING AND PASSING PLANS LIKE THE AUSTIN CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN WITH NO BUDGET, NO DEDICATED BUDGET, AND NO DEDICATED FUNDING PLAN.

AND THAT HAS SORT OF SET US UP FOR, FOR FAILURE OR AT THE VERY LEAST, DISAPPOINTMENT.

UM, COUNCIL RESOLUTION, UM, AROUND THE ENVIRONMENTAL INVESTMENT PLAN FORCED US TO HAVE A CONVERSATION AROUND, UM, WHAT PROJECTS SHOULD BE PRIORITIES, HOW DO WE PRIORITIZE PROJECTS, HOW WE IDENTIFY PROJECTS, AND HOW DO WE FIGURE OUT WAYS TO PAY FOR THESE PROJECTS? SO, UM, THAT, YOU KNOW, REALLY SPURRED THIS CONVERSATION,

[00:40:02]

SO, UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT THIS ENDS UP, UM, DOING IS WE HAVE TOO MANY PROJECTS.

'CAUSE THERE ARE ALWAYS NEEDS AT THE CITY.

UM, IT BECOMES HARD TO PRIORITIZE, HARD TO CATEGORIZE, UH, AND HARD TO EVEN SORT OF SCOPE THESE PROJECTS BECAUSE THERE'S NO PROMISE THAT THERE'S GONNA BE MONEY AT THE END OF THE DAY.

UM, MAYBE WE FIND MONEY, MAYBE WE DON'T.

UH, BUT NO MATTER HOW MUCH MONEY IS FOUND, STAKEHOLDER ARE STAKEHOLDERS ARE UNHAPPY BECAUSE NOT EVERYTHING IS GONNA BE FUNDED.

THE PROCESS IS UNCLEAR.

UH, WE'RE NOT REALLY SURE HOW THINGS ARE HAPPENING OR, UM, HOW DECISIONS ARE BEING MADE.

UM, THE, THE IDEA OF A CLIMATE FEE TURNS THAT APPROACH ON ITS HEAD.

AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THIS ESSENTIALLY SWITCHES THAT TO THE, HAVE THE MONEY, THEN WE IDENTIFY AND SPEND ON PROJECTS.

SO IN THE SCENARIO OF A CLIMATE FEE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A SET DOLLAR AMOUNT OF MONEY TO SPEND, UH, AND THAT'S CLEAR TO EVERYONE.

EVERYONE KNOWS THIS IS THE BUCKET OF MONEY AVAILABLE.

UM, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, AS THIS MONEY'S AVAILABLE, UM, STAKEHOLDERS CAN GENERATE PROJECT IDEAS, UH, ANALYZE THEM, PRIORITIZE, AND THEN FIT INTO THE AVAILABLE BUDGET.

UM, YOU KNOW, IN EVERY CASE, PEOPLE AREN'T GONNA GET WHAT THEY WANT.

THE NEED IS ALWAYS GONNA BE GREATER THAN THE RESOURCES AVAILABLE.

BUT IN THIS SORT OF SCENARIO, STAKEHOLDERS COULD FEEL HEARD, UH, AND SPENDING AMOUNTS AND PROCESSES OF DECISION MAKING, UM, CAN BE MORE TRANSPARENT AND ACCOUNTABLE.

UH, AND THIS HAS BEEN DONE IN A FEW PLACES.

SO I'M GONNA WALK THROUGH A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES OF PLACES WHERE THAT I'VE ATTEMPTED OR, OR PUT IN PLACE A CLIMATE FEE.

UM, FIRST IS PORTLAND, OREGON.

UH, THE PORTLAND CLEAN ENERGY FUND, UH, IS FUNDED BY A 1% GROSS RECEIPTS TAX ON LARGE RETAILERS.

UM, IT'S, IT WAS APPROVED BY VOTERS IN 2018, UH, WITH 65% IN SUPPORT.

UH, AND IT WAS SUPPORTED BY, YOU KNOW, BROAD COALITION OF COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS.

UH, AND SORT OF THE MISSION OF THE CLEAN ENERGY FUND IS CLEAN ENERGY PROJECTS AND JOB TRAINING, UM, THAT IS ROOTED IN CLIMATE AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE.

IT IS GUIDED BY A COMMITTEE, THE PCEF COMMITTEE, WHICH IS CHARGED WITH EVALUATING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE PROGRAM.

UH, IN ACHIEVING THE GOALS LAID OUT IN THE CLIMATE INVESTMENT PLAN.

UM, IT EXPECTS TO RAISE $750 MILLION BY 2028, UH, AND THERE WAS A SPENDING PLAN PASSED IN 2023.

UM, THERE'S A LINK ON THERE THAT YOU KNOW, UH, YOU CAN ACCESS IN THE BACKUP.

UM, IT FEATURES THINGS LIKE PLANTING 25,000 TREES AND HEAT BUILDER RURAL NEIGHBORHOODS, UM, ADDING ENERGY EFFICIENT AND RENEWABLE TECHNOLOGIES AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING, MAKING SCHOOLS MORE RESILIENT AND PROVIDING MAGIC FUNDS FOR FEDERAL GRANT APPLICATIONS.

UM, THEY WERE IN THE ENVIABLE POSITION OF HAVING UNEXPECTED REVENUE.

UM, AND SO THEY HAD AN OPEN, OPEN CALL FOR AN ADDITIONAL $150 MILLION WORTH OF PROJECTS.

SO ESSENTIALLY THEY ASKED CITY DEPARTMENTS AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS TO SUBMIT GRANT APP, GRANT OR PROJECT APPLICATIONS, ESSENTIALLY.

UM, THEY DID DO AN ASSESSMENT OF, UH, WHAT THEIR PLANS WOULD COST TO ACHIEVE.

UH, AND IT'S PRETTY SOBERING, YOU KNOW, THEY ESTIMATED THAT IT WOULD COST $49 BILLION TO ACHIEVE THEIR PLANS OVER FOR 30 YEARS.

AND THAT ONLY INCLUDED GOALS RELATED TO ENERGY EFFICIENCY, SOLAR TREE CANOPY, AND EV CHARGING.

UH, WHICH IF YOU COMPARE TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL INVESTMENT PLAN, IS A LOT NARROWER OF A SLICE OF PRIORITIES.

UM, SO WHILE $750 MILLION IS A LOT OF MONEY, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S ONLY A FRACTION OF, OF THE TOTAL NEED.

UM, A QUICK SIDEBAR.

UM, THEY ALSO PUT INTO PLACE, UH, I THINK IT WAS IN 2022, UH, THE PARK PARKING CLIMATE AND EQUITABLE MOBILITY TRANSPORTATION FEE, WHICH IS A 20 CENT FEE ON PARKING METER TRANSACTIONS.

UH, AND THE IDEA IS TO SEND A PRICE SIGNAL ABOUT THE COST OF DRIVING, UH, AND DEMONSTRATE THE NEGATIVE EXTERNALITIES.

UM, IT GENERATES $2 MILLION ANNUALLY, SO A SMALLER AMOUNT.

UM, AND THE FUNDS GENERATED ARE TO BE INVESTED IN, UM, TRANSPORTATION AFFORDABILITY PROGRAMS, UM, AND OTHER SORT OF CLIMATE AND EQUITY WORK.

SO

[00:45:01]

UM, ANOTHER EXAMPLE IS OUT OF DENVER, UH, THE DENVER CLIMATE PROTECTION FUND.

UH, IN 2020, DENVER VOTERS APPROVED A BALLOT MEASURE TO RAISE THE SALES TAX IN THE CITY, CITY, AND COUNTY OF DENVER, UM, BY 0.25%.

UH, AND THEY VOTED FOR THAT BY A 62 TO 38% MARGIN, UM, TO FUND PROJECTS, UM, THAT FALL INTO THAT LIST.

AND THAT LIST IS LIMITED.

IT'S PART OF THE ORDINANCE.

SO THAT'S ALL THAT CAN BE FUNDED, UM, THROUGH THIS TAX, JOB CREATION WORKFORCE, SOLAR BATTERY, RENEWABLE ENERGY, UM, ENVIRONMENTAL AND CLIMATE JUSTICE PROGRAMS, CLIMATE ADAPTATION AND RESILIENCE, TRANSPORTATION PROGRAMS, AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY.

UM, AND THE, THE FUND AIMS TO, OR I THINK, UM, SPECIFIES THAT 50% OF PROJECTS SHOULD GO DIRECTLY INTO THE COMMUNITY WITH A FOCUS ON EQUITY, RACE, SOCIAL JUSTICE.

UM, THE PRIORITIES, UH, ARE DETERMINED BY THE SUSTAINABILITY ADVISORY COUNCIL, COUNCIL AND SIX STANDING COMMITTEES, UH, OF 120 PEOPLE.

UH, SO THAT'S A LOT OF JSCS WORTH THE, UM, OFFICE OF CLIMATE ACTION SUSTAINABILITY AND RESILIENCE IS RESPONSIBLE OVER SPENDING THIS MONEY.

UH, IT'S APPROXIMATELY $40 MILLION A YEAR.

UM, THE FUND REDUCES AN ANNUAL REPORT FOR TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY.

UM, AND DENVER ALSO DID SORT OF A, A BIG PICTURE ASSESSMENT OF THE NEED TO, UH, THE FUNDING NEED TO MEET THEIR EMISSION REDUCTIONS GOALS.

UH, AND THEY CAME UP WITH $200 MILLION A YEAR.

SO ONCE AGAIN, THIS FEE WHILE, UM, SUBSTANTIAL, UM, YOU KNOW, DOESN'T COME CLOSE TO MEETING ALL OF THE GOALS OR ALL OF THE, THE NEEDS TO MEET THE EMISSION REDUCTIONS.

UH, AND THAT BAR CHART OVER THERE SHOWS, UM, THE, THE SORT OF PERCENT OF OF FUNDING THAT'S GONNA GO TO VARIOUS SECTORS OF BUILDINGS, RENEWABLE ENERGY WORKFORCE, AND SO ON.

UM, GETTING SOME, SOME PIECES OF HIGH THERE.

UM, AND THEN THE THIRD, UH, EXAMPLE WE HAVE HERE IS MINNEAPOLIS CLIMATE LEGACY INITIATIVE.

UM, THIS IN CONTRAST TO DENVER, PORTLAND WAS PASSED BY COUNCIL, UH, AND IT'S FUNDED BY AN INCREASE IN THE UTILITY FRANCHISE FEE, UH, APPROVED BY CITY COUNCIL TO FUND, UM, THEIR PLAN, WHICH IS ALSO CALLED THE CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN, UM, WHICH WAS AFTER OURS.

SO WE WERE FIRST, OURS WERE THE FIRST CLOUD EQUITY PLAN, UH, BEGINNING IN 2024.

UM, THEY HAVE, UH, IN MINNEAPOLIS, UM, IT, THEY HAVE A, A, A NON CITY OWNED UTILITY LIKE AUSTIN.

UM, SO WE PAY A UTILITY FRANCHISE FEE.

UH, AND ESSENTIALLY, UH, WHAT THIS MEANT WAS THAT RESIDENTIAL ELECTRICITY AND GAS RATES INCREASED BY 0.25 AND 1% RESPECTIVELY, UH, TO 5.25% AND 6%.

UH, AND THIS GENERATES APPROXIMATELY $10 MILLION A YEAR, WHICH WAS, UH, ABOUT A TRIPLING OF THE CITY'S FUNDING ON CLIMATE ACTION.

UM, THERE'S A COMMITMENT AS PART OF THE, THE INITIATIVE THAT 40% OF INVESTMENTS WILL GO TO ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE COMMUNITIES.

SO-CALLED GREEN ZONES MINNEAPOLIS, UH, AND PROJECTS THAT SERVE LOW INCOME POPULATIONS TO DATE THAT NUMBERS IN MORE LIKE 60%.

SO THEY'RE SORT OF OVERSHOOTING OR EXCEEDING THEIR TARGETS OF, OF EQUITY AND SOCIAL JUSTICE.

UM, THE INITIATIVE IS ADMINISTERED BY THIS OF SUSTAINABILITY AND OVERSEEN BY THE CLIMATE AND INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE OF CITY COUNCIL.

UM, AND THEY HAVE SORT OF A LIST OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF PROJECTS THAT, UM, SOMEWHAT ALIGNS WITH THE ONES IN DENVER, BUT ARE ALSO A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.

SO GREEN JOBS, RENEWABLE ENERGY, COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT, TREE PLANTING, UM, CARBON STORAGE, FOOD WASTE PRODUCTION, EV CHARGING, AND THEN SORT OF ADMINISTRATION AND POLICY.

SO THOSE ARE SORT OF THE EXAMPLES OF OTHER PLACES.

UM, THE ONE THING WE'VE SORT OF ALSO LOOKED AT WAS WHAT ARE SOME OF THE FEES WE PAY IN AUSTIN? UM, AND THESE INCLUDE THINGS LIKE THE CLEAN COMMUNITY FEE, UH, OF $9 70 CENTS PER MONTH, WHICH INCLUDES THINGS LIKE STREET SWEEPING, UM, LITTER ABATEMENT, UM, REUSE CENTERS, ZERO WASTE AND, AND SO ON.

UM, AUSTIN ENERGY'S COMMUNITY BENEFIT CHARGE OF 0.79 CENTS A KILOWATT HOUR FUNDS THE CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, STREET LIGHTING ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROGRAMS, THE WATER COMMUNITY BENEFIT CHARGE, AND THE WATER GO PURPLE COMMUNITY BENEFIT CHARGE, EACH OF WHICH ARE 15 CENTS