This report provides an update to the Sustainability Committee on the work of the County’s Sustainability staff since the Committee last met in August 2019. Key activities during this period are listed below.

• Began developing recommended goals and strategies for the Climate Action Plan (CAP) update and organized community outreach meetings specific to the CAP. Met with community groups to discuss the same. Community meetings are scheduled for September 19 in Central County (Walnut Creek), September 26 in West County (Crockett), October 1 in North Richmond, and October 15 in East County (Antioch). Staff is working in partnership with community groups, the Sustainability Commission, and the City of Antioch to plan and host these meetings.
• Researched how other jurisdictions are approaching updates to their Climate Action Plans. Staff is working in collaboration with other Bay Area counties in considering whether a coordinated approach on some CAP issues may be useful.
• Presented on Contra Costa Centre as an example of transit-oriented development at the California Climate Action Planning Conference. Presented on County sustainability initiatives at the Watershed Forum. On September 27, the Sustainability Coordinator will be speaking at the California Health Officers Association on how Contra Costa County has pursued funding for sustainability and climate initiatives.
• Continued working with the Contra Costa Transportation Authority on the Electric Vehicle Readiness Blueprint,which was completed July 1, 2019. The CCTA Board accepted the report in July. CCTA and the County will host a conversation on options for implementing the Blueprint at the staff level at the September 26 Sustainability Exchange meeting. CCTA will present on the Blueprint at the October 3 meeting of the Mayors Conference.
• Continued working on the Cleaner Contra Costa Challenge.
• This summer, the Public Works Department constructed three Active Transportation projects that include improving bicycle and pedestrian facilities in Contra Costa. The projects include:
  • Camino Tassajara Bike Lane Gap Closure Project (Finley to Windemere Pkwy)
  • Tara Hills Pedestrian Infrastructure Project
  • San Pablo Dam Road Sidewalk Gap Closure Project
• Assisted the Board of Supervisors in creating an additional environmental justice seat on the Sustainability Commission and in advertising that new position plus two vacancies, in the District 3 and 5 alternate seats.
• Developed a draft solar overlay-zoning ordinance, as directed by the Board of Supervisors in December 2018, when it received the Renewable Resource Potential Study. Presented to the Board of the Discovery Bay Community Services District in August, and will be presenting to other interested municipal advisory councils in coming months.
• Hosted two briefings for County staff by students from the UC Berkeley Goldman School of Public Policy on suggestions for governance and implementation of the Adapting to Rising Tides studies.
• Participated in two working groups of the Urban Sustainability Directors Network (USDN). The first is focused on strategies for increasing local government engagement on sustainability issues with State regulatory and legislative bodies; the Local Government Sustainable Energy Coalition (of which the County is a member) is one of the few organizations doing this type of work in the nation. Staff is helping co-chair a second USDN group focused on counties.
• Continued working with the County Library to deploy the energy efficiency toolkits. The toolkits are expected to be available to library patrons soon.
• County staff learned that PG&E will not be funding the East Bay Energy Watch (EBEW) after this fiscal year. Major impacts to the County include: (1) Elimination of subsidy provided to our region for future CivicSpark Fellows; (2) no funding to update greenhouse gas inventory work for all jurisdictions in EBEW territory (Alameda and Contra Costa Counties); and (3) Lack of oversight or knowledge of PG&E third-party programs implementing energy efficiency programs in Contra Costa County.
• Collaborated with County staff working on topics including land use and transportation, hazardous materials, green business program, economic development health, Planning Integration Team for Community Health (PITCH), codes, solid waste, energy, and related.
• Participated in regional activities.