SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT

Transcription

1 Agenda Item No: 8.b Meeting Date: March 19, 2018 SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT Department: CITY MANAGER Prepared by: Cory Bytof, Sustainability & Volunteer Program Coordinator City Manager Approval: TOPIC: SUBJECT: ANNUAL GREENHOUSE GAS REDUCTION UPDATE RECEIVE AND ACCEPT SAN RAFAEL GREENHOUSE GAS REDUCTION STRATEGY REPORT RECOMMENDATION: Accept the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Strategy Annual Report for 2015 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: The Greenhouse Gas Reduction Strategy Annual Report for 2015 shows an overall emissions reduction of approximately 16% since With continued effort, and if reductions continue at the current rate, the City will hopefully be able to accomplish its interim goal of a 25% reduction in GHG emissions by BACKGROUND: Climate change continues to be one of the most significant issues of our time was the third hottest year on record, and 10 of the hottest have happened since Meanwhile, 2017 was by far the hottest year on record for the world s oceans a significant fact since warmer oceans affect weather patterns, cause more powerful tropical storms, and impact sea life. Warmer oceans are also one of the main causes of rising sea levels. A Columbia University study in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences claims that human-induced climate change has doubled the area affected by forest fires in the Western U.S. over the last 30 years, causing fires to spread an additional 16,000 square miles an area larger than the states of Massachusetts and Connecticut combined. Financially, the World Economic Forum recently released a report that contends that environmental threats due to extreme weather, natural disasters, and failure to mitigate climate change are the biggest risks to the global economy. In 2017 the economic losses from natural and man-made disasters alone reached $306 billion, almost double the previous year s cost. Locally, the BayWAVE report on Marin s sea level rise vulnerability shows that billions of dollars of private property and public FOR CITY CLERK ONLY File No.: Council Meeting: Disposition:

2 SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT / Page: 2 infrastructure are threatened, with 12,000 structures and over 13,500 acres of land at risk in worst-case projections. Greenhouse gas reduction strategies are aimed at reducing the emissions that cause climate change. State Targets The State of California has responded to growing concerns over the effects of climate change by adopting a comprehensive approach to addressing emissions in the public and private sectors. This approach was officially initiated with the passage of the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (AB 32), which requires the state to reduce its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to 1990 levels by The AB 32 Scoping Plan was developed to identify strategies for meeting the AB 32 goal, and was adopted by the California Air Resources Board in December Among many other strategies, it encourages local governments to reduce emissions in their jurisdictions by 15 percent below current (2008) levels by 2020, and discussed longer-term goals established by Executive Order S-3-05 to reduce emissions 80 percent below 1990 levels by In 2016, the State Legislature passed SB 32, which set interim targets of 40% reductions below 1990 levels by Qualified GHG Reduction Strategy The City s Climate Change Action Plan (CCAP) sets targets to meet the State s emissions reduction goals, which are incorporated into the City s GHG Reduction Strategy. The Strategy meets both the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) guidance and expectations for a qualified Greenhouse Gas Reduction Strategy. It commits the City to track implementation measures and emissions reductions while providing a valuable streamlining tool for reviewing new development and building projects. It allows applicants to demonstrate that they comply with Greenhouse Gas Reduction Strategy measures through utilization of a compliance checklist, saving time and cost for contractors and staff, while ensuring that GHG emissions reduction activities are included in projects. During this time frame twenty projects were able to utilize this compliance checklist. San Rafael is currently the only local jurisdiction in Marin County with a Qualified Greenhouse Gas Reduction Strategy. City Actions And Plans A snapshot of activities the City has undertaken to codify our goals and targets related to the State s actions follows: 2006 Mayor Al Boro signed U.S. Conference of Mayors Climate Protection Agreement 2008 City developed first GHG inventory for 2005 calendar year 2009 City adopted Climate Change Action Plan (CCAP), formally setting GHG reduction targets and identifying implementation strategies to achieve them 2011 City incorporates CCAP into General Plan as Sustainability Element 2011 City develops GHG Reduction Strategy with tracking mechanisms, which is subsequently approved by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District 2013 City completes 2010 GHG inventory & 2011 GHG Reduction Strategy Annual Report 2015 City completes 2012 and 2013 GHG Reduction Strategy Annual Reports 2016 City completes 2014 GHG Reduction Strategy Annual Report San Rafael s Climate Change Action Plan and GHG Reduction Strategy include a 15% reduction from implementing CCAP programs and an additional 10% stretch reduction by 2020 from cumulative federal, state, regional and community actions. This year the City is updating its CCAP to match the new

3 SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT / Page: 3 State targets and update measures accordingly. ANALYSIS: This 2015 Report provides the City Council with an overview of community-wide emissions as well as status of City actions accomplished in that same year. This is the fourth report issued for the GHG Reduction Strategy, and covers calendar year Emissions factors are not yet available from all of the utilities for 2016 or 2017, and thus there is always a lag period. The Greenhouse Gas Reduction Strategy Annual Report for 2015 maintains our CEQA streamlining tool for development projects and is meant to update the Council on San Rafael s implementation actions related to the CCAP. The City of San Rafael partners with the Marin Climate and Energy Partnership (MCEP) for conducting the inventory and developing the report. MCEP is a coalition of local governments and public utilities working together to develop inventories, climate action plans, and to implement major activities in our climate action plans. In this way MCEP and all the member jurisdictions can achieve economies of scale and leverage resources in order to implement our programs efficiently. Last year, the City offered MCEP the use of the GHG Reduction Strategy tool so that all cities and towns in Marin could use it to conduct annual inventories. MCEP publishes all the results at MarinTracker.org so that members of our community can easily access the data using an interactive map GHG Reduction Strategy Report Results The 2015 Report provides broad category, best-estimate community-wide emissions data for the years based on publicly available data. Four major emissions sectors are separated in the report: Electricity, Natural Gas, Transportation, and Waste. This data shows an overall reduction of approximately 16% since 2005, including an approximate 1% reduction between 2014 and This report only deals with community emissions since BAAQMD has primarily focused on reducing community emissions. City operations and facilities amount to less than 2% of our overall community emissions and are typically done every five years as part of the comprehensive GHG inventory. The municipal inventory will be completed later this year. The Report also identifies areas of implementation the City accomplished or initiated in Following are a sampling of programs and policies the City undertook to reduce GHG emissions that year: Continued design and operation work for SMART rail planning Authorized four new Property Assessed Clean Energy programs to operate in San Rafael Streamlined the permitting process for residential rooftop solar installations Completed additional LED/high-efficiency streetlight and traffic light conversions Hosted an electric vehicle ride-and-drive event in downtown San Rafael Completed a multi-use path that connects North San Rafael to downtown Conducted commercial / multi-family recycling outreach Purchased and installed public recycling containers in City facilities & public areas Hired an intern to assist with Zero Waste efforts in City departments and in the community Conducted a water conservation pilot for residents Supported residential and commercial outreach programs such as Resilient Neighborhoods, California Youth Environmental Services Green House Calls, the Chamber Green Business Committee, the Electric Vehicle Working Group, and Marin School of Environmental Leadership, among others

4 SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT / Page: 4 The City has made significant progress towards implementation of its CCAP and has a strong commitment toward continuing to implement policies and programs. The designation of a City Council Sustainability Liaison and annual adoption of Work Plan Priorities, as well as the Council s decision to have staff dedicated to sustainability, demonstrates that commitment. In addition, City management and staff across all departments have embraced a sustainability ethos and provide staff time and resources toward accomplishing our sustainability goals. This report shows a 16% reduction in ten years, between If emissions reductions continue at the current rate, the City should be able to accomplish its interim goal of a 25% reduction in GHG emissions by However, some of the emissions reductions may be related to economic conditions and changes in the economy could slow the rate of reductions and require further actions to keep on track. In addition, in order to meet the our CCAP targets of 80% reductions by 2050, San Rafael will need to continue to innovate and be at the forefront of local GHG reduction strategies. COMMUNITY OUTREACH: San Rafael made the commitment to community engagement with our Climate Change Action Plan when it was adopted. Since then the City has hosted quarterly CCAP implementation forums that regularly attract up to thirty community members from various backgrounds. Staff gave a presentation on this Report at the most recent CCAP forum on Thursday, January 18, Should Council accept this report it will be posted to the City web site and Green Initiatives social media platforms. FISCAL IMPACT: There is no fiscal impact associated with reviewing and accepting this informational report. The consultant costs for preparing the updated strategy were provided by the Marin Climate and Energy Partnership, of which the City has been a member of since its inception in RECOMMENDED ACTION: Accept report. ATTACHMENTS: Attachment A: Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Strategy 2015 Annual Report

5 Attachment A COMMUNITY GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS INVENTORY FOR YEAR 2015 February 2018 Prepared by the Marin Climate & Energy Partnership

6 The Takeaway San Rafael s greenhouse gas emissions dropped 16% between 2005 and 2015, meaning the City is making progress towards meeting its local goal and has met the statewide reduction goal for The largest reductions were due to decreases in vehicle miles traveled and electricity and natural gas use and emissions. San Rafael is currently updating its Climate Change Action Plan in order to develop policies and programs that will meet the State s goal to reduce emissions 40% below 1990 levels by This annual report has been prepared to support the City s continued use of the Climate Change Action Plan (CCAP) as a qualified greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction strategy, as defined by the California Environmental Quality Act and supported by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District s (BAAQMD) GHG Plan Level Guidance. Background In 2011, the City completed an update to the CCAP to allow the City to utilize it as a qualified GHG reduction strategy pursuant to section of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines. Once adopted, a qualified GHG reduction strategy may be used in the cumulative impacts analysis of later projects such as development or infrastructure projects, thereby sparing them the time and expense of developing project-specific GHG emissions analyses and required mitigation measures. The City routinely evaluates all projects seeking a planning approval for compliance with the City s CCAP. In 2015, the City utilized the GHG emissions reduction strategy in reviewing and taking action on many projects that would have typically required the preparation of individual GHG assessments. During this time, approximately 20 projects were verified for compliance with the strategy utilizing a compliance checklist. Projects benefiting from the use of the compliance checklist include, among others, the expansion of the Mark Day School (39 Trellis Drive), the development of a new Marin Airporter Transit Terminal (1011 Andersen Drive), and relocation and development of a new WildCare facility (301 Smith Ranch Road). Over 100 other smaller projects were approved without the use of the verification checklist as the use and improvements involved in these projects would not result in additional GHG emissions above the current baseline. Several large projects were processed and approved during this period, which required the preparation of an individual GHG assessment. Individual GHG assessments were prepared for the approval of the Marin Sanitary Service Master Plan (1050 Andersen Drive) and the office expansion for BioMarin at the San Rafael Corporate Center (Lindaro Street). 1

7 Annual Monitoring and Reporting As part of the 2011 CCAP update, the City committed to preparing an annual assessment of the City s GHG emissions, progress toward achieving the local and state-recommended GHG reduction targets, and status of state and local policies implemented to reduce GHG emissions. This report was developed in conjunction with the Marin Climate and Energy Partnership (MCEP) and fulfills the City s monitoring and reporting policies included in the CCAP. This report reviews emissions generated from the community from 2005 through 2015 (the most recent year data is available). As new data and improved calculation methodologies become available, emissions are updated for earlier years and, as a result, may differ slightly from previous GHG inventories. The inventory shows that the City is making progress toward achieving this target, with emissions 16% below baseline emissions in Emissions dropped from about 473,880 metric tons carbon dioxide equivalent (MTCO 2 e) in 2005 to 399,830 MTCO 2 e in The emissions trend and targets are shown below. 600,000 San Rafael GHG Emissions and Targets 500, , , , State Goal 2020 Local Goal 2030 State Goal 100, Recognizing the need for a collaborative approach to greenhouse gas reductions, City and county leaders launched the Marin Climate and Energy Partnership (MCEP) in The City of San Rafael is a member of MCEP and works with representatives from the County of Marin and all of the other Marin cities and towns to address and streamline the implementation of a variety of greenhouse gas reduction measures. Funding for this inventory was provided by the Marin County Energy Watch Partnership which administers public goods charges collected by PG&E. The annual inventories will be available on the MCEP website at marinclimate.org and will be used to update the Marin Sustainability Tracker at marintracker.org. 2

8 Residential Energy Non- Residential Energy Transportation Waste Water Wastewater Off-Road Total Emissions Reductions by Sector This annual assessment tracks emissions in the seven sectors. The Residential Energy and Non-Residential Energy sectors represent emissions generated from the use of electricity, natural gas and propane in San Rafael homes and commercial and governmental buildings and facilities. The Transportation sector includes tailpipe emissions from passenger vehicle trips originating and ending in San Rafael, as well as a share of medium and heavy-duty vehicles and busses traveling on Marin County roads. The methodology for calculating passenger vehicle emissions changed beginning with this inventory to the U.S. Community Protocol preferred methodology. The Off-Road sector represents emissions from off-road vehicles and equipment used for construction and lawn and garden maintenance. The Water and Wastewater sectors represent emissions from energy used to pump, convey and treat water and wastewater, as well as fugitive greenhouse gasses that are created during the wastewater treatment process. The Waste sector includes fugitive methane emissions that are generated over time as organic material decomposes in the landfill. Table 1 shows how emissions in these sectors have changed since The greatest reductions have occurred in the Non-Residential Energy sector (-22,968 MTCO 2 e), the Transportation sector (-22,441), and the Residential Energy sector (-22,090 MTCO 2 e). The likely reasons for the largest emissions decreases are described in further detail in the remainder of this report. Table 1: San Rafael Greenhouse Gas Emissions by Sector, Year % Change from ,940 90, ,187 15,917 2,712 1,479 4, ,881 0% ,228 87, ,602 15,936 2,530 1,481 4, ,524 0% , , ,332 14,597 2,982 1,491 4, ,352 4% , , ,746 12,510 3,127 1,499 4, ,972 4% ,201 89, ,755 10,734 2,683 1,504 4, ,146-1% ,638 76, ,500 10,596 1,776 1,517 4, ,951-8% ,209 75, ,862 10,334 1,478 1,525 4, ,082-8% ,716 75, ,421 10,748 1,518 1,543 4, ,949-9% ,025 74, ,071 10,951 1,602 1,559 4, ,297-10% ,298 68, ,401 11,049 1,311 1,578 4, ,656-15% ,850 67, ,746 11,498 1,166 1,588 4, ,832-16% Change from ,090-22,968-22,441-4,419-1, ,049 % Change -25% -25% -8% -28% -57% 7% -15% -16% 3

9 MTCO2e Major Emissions Sources The following sections provide a year-by-year analysis of the changes in GHG emissions from the City s largest sources: electricity, natural gas, transportation, waste, and water use. Whenever possible, each section discussion includes the change in emissions from previous years and the likely influence of state and local programs or policies and external factors on reducing emissions. Electricity Use and GHG Emissions Electricity use in homes and businesses in San Rafael decreased about 1% between 2014 and 2015, and has dropped 9% since 2005, from about 367 million kwh in 2005 to 336 million kwh in The Residential Energy sector, which uses 36% of all electricity in San Rafael, has reduced its electricity use 9% since Electricity use decreased 8% in the Non-Residential Energy sector over the same period. Electricity reductions have most likely occurred due to improved energy efficiency, conservation, and solar installation. Countywide, distributed (i.e., rooftop, ground-mount and carport) solar systems have been growing at about 20% annually. Distributed solar currently generates about 4% of the County s electricity needs. Electricity-related greenhouse gas emissions in the Residential and Non-Residential Energy sectors decreased 3% between 2014 and Emissions dropped 37% since This is primarily due to the lower carbon intensity of electricity. PG&E electricity has been steadily increasing the amount of renewable energy in its power mix, and its electricity was 17% less carbon intensive in 2015 than it was in MCE, which began providing electricity to San Rafael customers in 2010, has historically provided electricity that is less carbon intensive than PG&E electricity. In 2015, MCE electricity was 18% less carbon intensive than PG&E. MCE carries about 67% of the electricity Electricity Emissions, , ,000 80,000 60,000 40,000 20,000 load in San Rafael. In 2015, about 1.6% of MCE electricity purchased by San Rafael customers was their 100% renewable Deep Green product. Efforts to improve energy efficiency (both electricity and natural gas use) in the community in 2015 included: 0 Authorizing four new Property Assessed Clean Energy programs to operate in San Rafael Streamlining the permitting process for residential rooftop solar installations Completing LED/high-efficiency conversions for all of San Rafael s remaining traffic lights Being recognized again as an EPA Green Power Community for having more than 20% of our electricity come from renewable sources 4

10 Therms Heating Degree Days Supporting the Resilient Neighborhoods program Supporting and promoting the Home Upgrade California, Smart Lights, Green House Calls, and Chamber Green Business programs Natural Gas Use and GHG Emissions Natural gas is used in residential and commercial buildings to provide space and water heating and to power appliances. Use of natural gas is highly variable depending on the weather conditions in a given year. This variability has led natural gas use consumption in San Rafael to fluctuate from year to year, from a high of 18.1 million therms in 2011 to a low of 14.3 million therms in Emissions from natural gas consumption increased 2% between 2014 and 2015, most likely due to colder temperatures. The chart below compares natural gas usage in San Rafael to regional heating degree days, a measure of how much energy is required to warm the interior of a building relative to the outside temperature. Warmer days result in fewer heating degree days. As shown below, natural gas consumption is highly correlated to heating degree days. Reduction in energy use may also be attributed to energy efficiency programs and rebates, local green building ordinances, and State building codes. California s goal is to require all new residential buildings to be net zero electricity use by 2020 and all new commercial buildings to be zero net energy by Nautral Gas Use, ,000,000 15,000,000 10,000,000 5,000, Natural Gas Use Heating Degree Days Source (heating degree days): U.S. Department of Commerce, National Climatic Data Center Transportation and GHG Emissions Transportation activities accounted for approximately 61% of the San Rafael s emissions in Vehicle miles travelled have decreased approximately 5% since Transportation emissions have decreased 8% due, in part, to more fuel-efficient and alternatively fueled cars. Marin County continues to be a leader in zero emission vehicles (ZEVs) second only to Santa Clara County with an estimated 18 ZEVs per thousand residents. ZEVs include battery electric cars, plug-in hybrid electric cars, hydrogen fuel cell cars, and zero-emission motorcycles. 5

11 Disposed Waste (tons) While it is difficult to pinpoint exactly how each land use and transportation policy affects emissions, the City has undertaken many efforts to reduce emissions from transportation to encourage workforce housing and make it easier for residents to use alternative modes of transportation, including bicycling, walking and public transportation. These include: Administering an innovative employee commute program and promoting it to other municipalities and businesses Installing new traffic signals and pedestrian infrastructure to support the coming SMART Commuter Rail Hosting an electric vehicle ride-and-drive event in downtown San Rafael Completing a multi-use path that connects North San Rafael to downtown Waste Disposal and GHG Emissions Waste generated by the community hit a low in 2011 but has since increased as shown in the chart below (based on countywide disposal data), presumably due to an improved economy and the increase in online purchasing, which tends to generate more packaging material. Emissions from waste disposal were 28% below 2005 levels in The decrease in emissions from waste disposal is a result of the community s and County s goals to move toward Zero Waste by Ongoing waste diversion programs include a residential food waste composting program and mandatory food waste recycling service for large commercial producers. Local actions completed in 2015 include: Conducting commercial / multi-family recycling outreach Purchasing public recycling containers at City facilities & public areas Hiring an intern to assist with Zero Waste efforts in City departments and in the community Hiring the Downtown Streets Team to implement recycling and composting at the Downtown Farmers Market Festival and other City events Conducting Waste-Wise Business Spotlight case studies to promote local zero waste businesses Conducting waste reduction programs with local high school students and restaurants 80,000 70,000 60,000 50,000 40,000 30,000 20,000 10,000 0 Waste Disposal, Source: CalRecycle 6

12 Gallons Per Capita Per Day Water Use and GHG Emissions Water use declined nearly 7% between 2014 and 2015, and 19% since 2005 due to ongoing conservation efforts and in response to the drought. Emissions, which are based on an estimate of energy used to pump, treat and convey water to users in San Rafael, dropped 57% between 2005 and 2015 due to the lower carbon intensity of electricity. The Marin Municipal Water District began purchasing MCE Light Green electricity in Water Use, Source: Marin Municipal Water District The Marin Municipal Water District (MMWD) provides rebates and programs to reduce water use. Rebates are available to replace fixtures with high-efficiency toilets and clothes washers, and to purchase pool covers, hot water recirculating systems, organic mulch, laundry-to-landscape system components, and rain barrels. MMWD also provides rebates for irrigation improvements for commercial and multi-family customers. MMWD provides free high-efficiency shower heads and faucet aerators, and free home, business, and landscape water use evaluations. Additional Efforts and Priorities In addition to the programs and actions described above, the City pursued a range of outreach activities and participated in several multi-agency efforts, including: Conducting a water conservation pilot for residents Hosting quarterly CCAP implementation meetings with the public Coordinating a robust City Employee Green Team and Employee Commute Committee Utilizing the City s newsletter, social media, and press to promote sustainability efforts Supporting and promoting local green festivals, lectures, workshops and activities Participating in the Marin Climate and Energy Partnership, Chamber Green Committee, Electric Vehicle Working Group, and Marin School of Environmental Leadership, among others Participating in county-wide adaptation planning processes 7

13 While San Rafael has made significant progress in reducing GHG emissions since 2005, the City will need to continue to implement policies and programs that further reduce emissions to achieve the City s 2020 GHG reduction target. The City Council s Liaison to Sustainability continued the practice of setting annual priorities from the GHG Reduction Strategy to implement in These priorities for 2016 included actions from all four of the major sectors listed above, as well as actions geared toward planning for the effects of climate change. Continuing to implement GHG reduction measures and regularly reporting on the City s progress will ensure that the City s CCAP can continue to serve as a qualified GHG reduction strategy and provide streamlining opportunities for new projects in San Rafael. 8