Agenda

Return

C.150

To:	Board of Supervisors
From:	John Kopchik, Director, Conservation & Development Department
Date:	September 10, 2019

Contra

Costa

County

Subject:

ACCEPT the report “Climate Resilience in Contra Costa County: Implementing the ART Study,” prepared by the UC Berkeley Goldman School of Public Policy

APPROVE	OTHER
RECOMMENDATION OF CNTY ADMINISTRATOR	RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE

Action of Board On: 09/10/2019

APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED

OTHER

Clerks Notes:

VOTE OF SUPERVISORS

AYE:

Candace Andersen, District II Supervisor
Diane Burgis, District III Supervisor
Karen Mitchoff, District IV Supervisor
Federal D. Glover, District V Supervisor

ABSENT:

John Gioia, District I Supervisor

Contact:

Jody London, 925-674-7871

I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of an action taken and entered on the minutes of the Board of Supervisors on the date shown.
ATTESTED: September 10, 2019
David Twa,

BY:	, Deputy

RECOMMENDATION(S):

ACCEPT the report “Climate Resilience in Contra Costa County: Implementing the ART Study,” prepared by students from the UC Berkeley Goldman School of Public Policy under commission from the Department of Conservation and Development, and REFER the report to the Sustainability Committee for further consideration.

FISCAL IMPACT:

None

BACKGROUND:

In 2015-2016, the Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC) worked with Contra Costa County (County) and shoreline cities, property owners, community groups, and other stakeholders in West County (Richmond to Pittsburg) to develop the Adapting to Rising Tides (ART) study. The ART study examines the potential for sea level rise, and catalogs potential impacts on all sectors of the economy, including critical infrastructure and public services.

BACKGROUND: (CONT'D)

In 2017, the Delta Stewardship Council asked BCDC and the County to conduct an ART study for East County (Pittsburg to the eastern boundary of the County). The Board of Supervisors on May 23, 2017, invited BCDC to extend the study to eastern Contra Costa County, as recommended by the Ad Hoc Committee for the Northern Waterfront Economic Development Initiative. That study is ongoing and is expected to conclude later this year.

When the ART Study for East County is complete, the County will have even more data about potential impacts of rising waters along the Contra Costa shoreline. What the ART studies do not provide are recommendations for how to take action with this information, including how to govern and fund any initiatives that might be formed to address these issues.

The Department of Conservation and Development (DCD) successfully applied in November 2018 to the UC Berkeley Goldman School of Public Policy for a student team to examine the ART studies and recommend potential actions the County and its many partners can take moving forward. The Goldman School team worked pro bono under the direction of the County’s Sustainability Coordinator to develop a written report (attached). Following completion of the report, two members of the team worked this summer as interns in DCD and the Department of Health Services, and provided two lunchtime seminars for County staff on the ART studies and the recommendations in the Goldman School report (see attached presentation).

The Goldman School report recommends the County create a cross-sector working group to review vulnerabilities from rising tides, share information, coordinate policies, and develop a long-term vision regarding adapting to rising tides. Other governance structures considered in the report, and recommended for future consideration as collaboration around climate resilience deepens across the County, include memoranda of understanding and joint powers authorities. The report details the key steps in launching a working group and recommends an initial list of stakeholder organizations to engage. It also provides information on potential funding sources that could be pursued to fund implementation of the ART studies.

Staff recommends the Board of Supervisors accept the UC Berkeley Goldman School ART report and, refer the report to the Sustainability Committee for further consideration.

CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:

Failure to accept the report, consider its findings, and make it available to the public means the County foregoes an opportunity to anticipate and plan for potential hazards that could impact life and property in Contra Costa County.