Agenda

Return

SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE

RECORD OF ACTION FOR
May 24, 2021

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

Present:	John Gioia, Chair
	Federal D. Glover, Vice Chair
Staff Present:	Jody London, Sustainability Coordinator; Jason Crapo, Deputy Director, Conservation and Development; John Kopchik, Director, Conservation and Development; Demian Hardman-Saldana, Senior Energy Planner, Conservation and Development; Joe Yee, Deputy Director, Public Works; Maureen Toms, Deputy Director, Conservation and Development; Dom Pruett, Field Representative, Office of Supervisor Andersen; Lisa Chow, District Representative, Office of Supervisor Mitchoff; Michael Kent, Hazardous Materials Ombudsman; Will Nelson, Principal Planner, Conservation and Development; Maureen Parkes, Senior Planning Technician, Department of Conservation and Development; Daniel Barrios, Senior Planner, Department of Conservation and Development; Erin Steffen, Management Analyst, County Administrator’s Office; Luz Gomez, Building Healthy Communities Manager, Health Services; Nicole Shimizu, Climate Corps Fellow, Conservation and Development
Attendees:	Wes Sullens, Marti Roach, Gary Farber, Carol Weed, Lisa Jackson, Ogie Strogatz, Jackie Garcia Mann, Dan Bonetti, Betty Lobos, Denice Dennis, Jim Naprawa, Lisa Marshall, Nick Despota, Sean Sevilla, Mike Moore, Christine Coody

Introductions

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.

The Record of Action from the April 26, 2021 Special Meeting of the Sustainability Committee was approved

AYE:	Chair John Gioia
	Vice Chair Federal D. Glover

Attachments:

April Record of Minutes and Presentation

RECEIVE UPDATE on Conversion of County Fleet to Electric Vehicles, and PROVIDE DIRECTION.

Joe Yee, Public Works Deputy Director, presented an update of the County’s fleet electrification progress. Yee pointed to funding for electric charging station installation at County facilities as the major roadblock to electrifying the County’s fleet. Yee reported that Public Works is taking steps to simultaneously install solar projects and electric vehicle (EV) charging station infrastructure to make County facilities EV charging station-ready. In addition, Public Works is exploring the use of commercially available charging stations as a way to encourage electric vehicle (EV) adoption by County departments.

The Sustainability Committee made it clear that EV charging stations on-site at County facilities are a necessity as the County fleet electrifies; the use of commercially available chargers off-site is not sufficient. The Committee stated that it would like to establish County policy to direct County department adoption of EVs as long as they are useful, appropriate, and have sufficient mileage. The Committee stressed the importance of equity on the issue of distribution and accessibility to EV chargers across the County.

The Sustainability Committee requested that Public Works come back to the Committee at its next regular meeting in July with an updated report of EV charging station needs at County facilities and a cost analysis of installing EV chargers at those facilities. The Committee asked Public Works to create a summary of the total number of hybrid, electric, and internal combustion engine vehicles purchased by each County department over the last two years; an inventory of all the charging stations that exist at County facilities including their type and who can access them; an updated list of which County facilities will need more chargers to successfully electrify the County’s fleet, where the infrastructure would go, and how much it would cost; a status update on the sustainability fund which could potentially fund this work; and an assessment of existing County policies around EV chargers and fleet electrification.

During public comment, Betty Lobos suggested exploring solar-powered charging stations. Gary Farber stated that policy on EV adoption needs to come from the Board of Supervisors rather than leaving it up to individual departments’ choice. Farber suggested installing solar photovoltaic and battery storage systems at EV charging stations and differentiating between plug-in versus conventional hybrid vehicles when Public Works conducts its County fleet inventory. Marti Roach suggested that the EV implementation plan include measurable goals and a timeline to gauge progress.

Attachments:

Status of EV Implementation in County Fleet

RECEIVE REPORT on building electrification reach code requirements and PROVIDE DIRECTION as appropriate.

Demian Hardman, Senior Energy Planner, provided a report summarizing the legal process for reach code adoption and possible options for the County to consider in the adoption of its own building electrification reach code. Hardman posited the following questions for the Committee’s consideration: should the reach code be developed for the current code or postponed until the 2022 Building Code cycle, what type of reach code the County should pursue, and should the County or the State develop cost-effectiveness studies for building types not already examined. Hardman noted that a building electrification reach code could be pursued for building types already studied and that the code could be amended to include other building types once the additional studies have been completed.

During public comment, members of the public were overwhelmingly in support of the development and adoption of a prescriptive building electrification reach code as soon as possible citing the Climate Emergency Resolution, health outcomes, and the risk of locking natural gas infrastructure into new buildings as key motivators. One person noted that stakeholder engagement should be conducted and another person suggested the County consider waivers to address equity issues.

The Committee recommended that the full Board pursue a building electrification reach code ordinance for building types contained in existing cost-effectiveness studies including single-family, multifamily up to three stories, office, retail, and hotel buildings. The Committee directed staff to request that the State conduct the cost-effectiveness studies of restaurants, accessory dwelling units (ADUs), and high-rise multifamily buildings above three stories. The Committee requested staff to explore and report back on the inclusion of life sciences or industrial buildings in a building electrification reach code ordinance.

The Committee requested that staff conduct outreach to the local Building Industry Association and to the East Bay Leadership Council.

Attachments:

Staff Presentation - Electrification Reach Code Options

RECEIVE report from Sustainability Commission Chair, or designee.

Wes Sullens summarized the main points of the Sustainability Commission’s April meeting. The Commission received two presentations: the first focused on the Vision Zero framework for Contra Costa County while the second focused on green buildings and Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards. The Commission created two working groups in response to the presentations which will report back at the Commission’s next meeting in June. The Commission continues to have discourse around Just Transition.

The Sustainability Committee asked if the Sustainability Commission would provide a recommendation to the Board of Supervisors regarding the building electrification reach code

RECEIVE report from Sustainability Coordinator.

Jody London highlighted ongoing work on the Interdepartmental Climate Action Task Force’s next report to the Board of Supervisors, ongoing work on the carbon sequestration grant which just released its request for proposals (RFP), the Solid Waste team’s work on SB 1383 which will come to the Committee soon, Public Works’ Active Transportation Plan’s virtual community workshops, and the potential to coordinate with MCE and Drive Clean Bay Area for County employee EV incentives

The next meeting is currently scheduled for June 28, 2021.

Adjourn

For Additional Information Contact:

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