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RECORD OF ACTION
AD HOC COMMITTEE ON SUSTAINABILITY

January 22, 2018
12:30 P.M.
651 Pine Street, Room 101, Martinez

Supervisor John Gioia, Chair
Supervisor Federal D. Glover, Vice Chair

Agenda Items:

Items may be taken out of order based on the business of the day and preference of the Committee

Present:	John Gioia, Chair
	Federal D. Glover, Vice Chair

Staff Present:	Jill Ray, BOS District 2
	Frank DiMassa, Energy Manager, Public Works Department
	Michael Kent, Hazardous Materials Ombudsman, Health Services Department
	Jody London, Sustainability Coordinator
Attendees:	Jan Warren
	Shoshana Wechsler
	Victoria Smith
	Mark Thomson
	J.R. Killigrew
	Howdy Goudey
	Charles Davidson

Introductions

Staff recommends approval of the attached Record of Action for the November 13, 2018, meeting of the Ad Hoc Committee on Sustainability with any necessary corrections.

The Record of Action was approved as submitted.

Vice Chair Federal D. Glover,

AYE:	Chair John Gioia, Vice Chair Federal D. Glover
Passed

Attachments:

11-13-17 Meeting Minutes

11-13-17 Handout - BayRen

11-13-17 Handout - MCE Customer Prgms

11-13-17 Handout - MCE Local Workforce

Public comment on any item under the jurisdiction of the Committee and not on this agenda (speakers may be limited to three minutes).

There was no public comment.

RECEIVE information on costs and benefits of enrolling in MCE Deep Green and an evaluation of an alternative course of action to achieve Climate Action Plan goals and PROVIDE DIRECTION regarding next steps.

J.R. Killigrew, Community Development Manager with MCE, provided an update on the timeline for switching customers to MCE service. The first round of ads will be posted online in January, with notices going to customers in February and March. The actual switch to MCE service will occur as customers' meters are read in April. There will be two more notices mailed to customers after the switch. MCE is attending as many community events as possible. Jody London noted that MCE is providing training sessions for city and County staff who may receive questions from the public. MCE also is establishing three Community Leadership Advisory Groups across the County.

Frank DiMassa provided a report on the advantages and costs of switching all eligible County accounts to MCE's Deep Green service. DiMassa recommends the County wait for one year before considering Deep Green. The County should use that time to develop and implement a distributed energy resource (DER) plan. This plan would include:

Grid-connected renewable energy resources, especially solar and energy efficiency
Energy storage
Electric vehicles
Demand response

DiMassa explained that the County currently owns or has power purchase agreements (PPAs) for a little over 5 megawatts (MW) of solar energy. Some of those systems were installed in 2002 and are being taken offline.

In December the Board authorized the Department of Public Works to take advantage of an opportunity created by the California Public Utilities Commission for schools and municipalities to sign up for interconnection agreements for solar installations under the current tariff, before it changes. The County submitted 12 interconnection agreements for 5 MW.

Specific to MCE's Deep Green service, the Board would need to budget for the additional cost, which is estimated to be about $404,000. Public Works estimates that purchasing solar power under a power purchase agreement would save the County $412,000 against current PG&E rates. DiMassa recommends that the County install the solar projects, which will reduce the amount of electricity the County is purchasing, and then re-evaluate the Deep Green option. DiMassa also recommends that the Ad Hoc Committee direct staff to develop a Distributed Energy Resources Plan, which could be presented at the Committee's March 26 meeting.

Attachments:

Attachments to Staff Report on MCE Deep Green Product

RECEIVE report on preparation of an Electric Vehicle Readiness Blueprint.

Jody London reported that County staff is working with the Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA) on two grant applications for funding to support development of an Electric Vehicle Readiness Blueprint. The grant applications are due in February.

Attachments:

EV Readiness Need Statement Fact Sheet

RECEIVE report from the Contra Costa County Sustainability Commission Chair.

Victoria Smith reviewed the Sustainability Commission's annual report and work plan, which were approved by the Board of Supervisors earlier in January. Smith reported that individual Commission members are investigating issues of interest to them and making recommendations to the Commission for future action. Smith pointed out the tracking tool the Sustainability Commission is using to monitor progress in meeting Climate Action Plan goals.

Smith suggested there are issues on which the Board may want to receive input from the Sustainability Commission before it takes action, for example taking service under MCE's Deep Green tariff.

Attachments:

2017 Sustainabiltiy Commission Annual Report

Implementation Goals w Lead Staff

RECEIVE update on Renewable Resource Potential Study.

Jody London reported that staff is completing contract negotiations with Meister Consultants Group, a Cadmus company, and hopes to begin work soon.

RECEIVE update from the County’s Sustainability Coordinator.

Jody London reviewed the items in the written report included with the agenda.

Michael Kent reported that the Hazardous Materials Commission has been talking about school siting. Kent noted the Resilient by Design challenge has chosen North Richmond for a design project; an advisory group is beginning to meet in relation to that project. Kent also noted the regional Adapting to Rising Tides (ART) study being performed by the Bay Conservation and Development Commission. He confirmed with the Committee that governance issues being discussed in the regional ART process should be brought to the Ad Hoc Committee on Sustainability.

Charles Davidson noted that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is determining whether the Selby Slag Superfund site can be repurposed.

The next meeting is currently scheduled for Monday, March 26, 2018, 12:30 p.m.

10.

Adjourn

The Ad Hoc Committee on Sustainability will provide reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities planning to attend Ad Hoc Committee on Sustainability meetings. Contact the staff person listed below at least 72 hours before the meeting.

Any disclosable public records related to an open session item on a regular meeting agenda and distributed by the County to a majority of members of the Ad Hoc Committee on Sustainability less than 96 hours prior to that meeting are available for public inspection at 651 Pine Street, 1st floor, during normal business hours.

Public comment may be submitted via electronic mail on agenda items at least one full work day prior to the published meeting time.

For Additional Information Contact:

Jody London, Sustainability Coordinator
Phone: (925) 674-7871
Jody.London@dcd.cccounty.us