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AD HOC COMMITTEE ON SUSTAINABILITY

Meeting Date:	10/24/2016
Subject: RECEIVE report on creation of Sustainability Advisory Committee and DIRECT staff regarding next steps.
Submitted For:	John Kopchik, Director, Conservation & Development Department
Department:	Conservation & Development
Referral No.:
Referral Name:
Presenter:	Jody London, DCD	Contact:	Jody London (925)674-7871

Information

Referral History:

The Ad Hoc Sustainability Committee at its August 22, 2016 meeting discussed the creation of a Sustainability Advisory Committee, and asked staff to develop a recommendation for consideration by the Board of Supervisors. The Internal Operations Committee discussed creation of a Sustainability Advisory Committee on September 26, 2016, and asked staff from the Department of Conservation and Development and Health Services to coordinate to ensure that a Sustainability Advisory Committee’s mission include relevant issues previously addressed by the Public and Environmental Health Advisory Board. That coordination has occurred.

Referral Update:

BACKGROUND
In December 2015, the Board of Supervisors adopted the County’s Climate Action Plan (CAP). The CAP establishes goals for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in Contra Costa County by 2020 and 2035. These emission reduction goals are in six sectors: energy efficiency, renewable energy, land use and transportation, waste, water, and government operations. The goals encompass the unincorporated areas of the County government operations.

Contra Costa County residents, community groups, and businesses have deep interest, expertise, and experience in sustainability issues. Some gravitate more to specific aspects of sustainability and the CAP, and/or work on these issues in a region of the County. As the County deepens its work on sustainability, it should take advantage of the human resources within the County that can advise on successful implementation of the CAP, including suggestions on how that work can be performed more efficiently and effectively.

Staff notes that the recommendation to establish a Sustainability Advisory Committee is unrelated to any other recommendations the Board may be considering regarding other Advisory Committees. In particular, the Internal Operations Committee has discussed the future of the Public and Environmental Health Advisory Board (PEHAB). It is not intended that the Sustainability Advisory Committee would substitute for PEHAB, which has a different mission. Matters related to climate change would come to the Sustainability Advisory Committee¹. The Public Health Director has indicated interest in having a group that can advise the County on public health accreditation and matters concerning public health.

Below are details on the recommended function, composition, and other operating protocols for the Sustainability Advisory Committee.

Function:
The function of the Sustainability Advisory Committee would be to provide advice on successful implementation of the Climate Action Plan, including suggestions on how that work can be performed more efficiently and effectively.

Sunset Date: None.
Reports To: Board of Supervisors.
Membership: Ten members, selected as follows:

•One appointed by each Supervisor (5);
•Two representing community groups whose mission includes sustainability &/or environmental issues (2);
•Two representing commercial groups or organizations whose business focuses on sustainability &/or environmental issues (2); and
•One representing environmental justice issues (1).

Committee meetings operate under the County’s Better Government Ordinance and are open to the public.

Office Term: Two years, with initial terms being staggered in order to maintain continuity of committee deliberations.
Term Limits: None.
Meeting Time: To be determined.
Compensation: None.

^{1 - The PEHAB mission, established in 1986 is: 1. Anticipate emerging health needs and initiate prevention programs; 2. Focus public health interventions in communities with greatest needs; 3. Balance available resources with growing needs; and 4. Advocate for increased County action to improve community health.}

Recommendation(s)/Next Step(s):

ACCEPT recommendation for the Board of Supervisors establish a Sustainability Advisory Committee, and RECOMMEND to the Board of Supervisors the creation of a Sustainability Advisory Committee that would advise the Board on issues related to the County’s Climate Action Plan.

Fiscal Impact (if any):

The fiscal impact of establishing a Sustainability Advisory Committee will consist of in-kind time and resources from the County to select and staff the citizen advisory committee. These services will be provided by the Sustainability Coordinator, who is based in the Department of Conservation and Development (DCD).

Attachments
No file(s) attached.