Sustainability Commission

Sustainability Advisory Committee MEETING AGENDA Thursday, September 1, 2022 6:00 PM-7:30 PM Via Zoom – Link to join will be emailed to committee members. . Meeting notice will be posted on the Sustainability Advisory Committee webpage at https://www.albanyny.gov/342/Sustainability-Advisory-Committee, the Sustainable Albany Facebook page and Albany Office of Sustainability Facebook page. Meeting will be livestreamed via Facebook. Advance questions/comments from the public can be sent via Facebook message or emailed to: Sustainability@albanyny.gov Attendees: Tina Lieberman, Dan Kirk-Davidoff, David Hochfelder, Gaby Cebada Mora, Andre Lake, Scott Kellogg, Michelle Rogat, Joe Coffey, Randy Milano, Violetta De Rosa, Bill Trudeau, Frank Zeoli, Jason West Absent: Harriet Lewis Other: Brad Glass, Chris Cech, Emma Morse ● Regular Business – 10 minutes o Call to Order and roll call – Commissioners, please send designee if unable to attend o Review/Approval of June 2, 2022 minutes o Public Comment Period (Approx. 3 minutes per comment) ▪ None ● New Business –80 minutes o (5 minutes) Welcome Michael Corso ▪ Joined but needs to step away o (30 minutes) Planning a Climate Agenda for 2022-2023 (Dan, Jason) ▪ Update to City Climate Goals ▪ Potential Code Changes ▪ New Gas Connection Restrictions ▪ External Outreach/Business Development/Proposal Efforts ● Discussion on elements listed in draft letter to potentially submit to Common Council/Mayor o How to maintain economic vitality, not lose economic advantages o Provide incentives vs bans/ combination of both 1  o Climate Action Plans – 50/50 funding through DEC, apply next July for funding and start plan in 2024 ▪ Update 2030 plan (appendix D) o Full transition off oil? o Disadvantaged community threshold (35-40% benefit from any actions) o Proactively include climate consideration in all action (ex: traffic studies) o SAC committee voted to not submit draft letter as proposed, smaller group would work on redrafting, and bring before SAC October meeting for review and vote on submission ● o (15 minutes) Proposed By-laws Changes (Tina) ▪ Reduce quorum ▪ Allow for information-only meeting in the absence of a quorum ● Current bylaws enforce unexcused absences ● Can have quorum based on vacancies and can revise bylaws to be majority of active members excluding vacancies – Chris will look into this ● If quorum is not reached can committee still meet and discuss? Chris will look into o (5 min) Update on Clean Energy Community Campaigns – 3 campaigns (Energy Efficiency/Heat Pumps, Community Solar and Electric Vehicles) approved by NYSERDA on 10-18-2021. (Tina, Jason, Jackie) ▪ $70,000 received thus far in DECNYSERDA grants Commented [TL1]: I thought we'd only get $15,000 per campaign. Check $ with Jason ● $ being used to buy two Chevy volt EVs for use at City Hall (delivery TbdBD due to supply chain issues) Commented [TL2]: Confirm with Jason ● Need 10 EV purchases within city (currently have 5) to receive additional grant funding ● Mailer went out in Water Dept bill for community solar. Albany has highest number of sign-ons of any community at 385+ o (10 min) Review, Approval of Annual Report (Gaby) ▪ Working on report o (15 min) Director of Sustainability, Commissioners and Subcommittee Chairs: Updates ▪ Tina: several events coming up, City cannot use Food Scraps 360 any longer without a contract ▪ Gaby: no meetings over summer, reconvene in the Fall ▪ Andre: no meeting this past month 2  ▪ Daniel: Energy subcommittee reconstituted – discusses CLCPA, Dan will be temporary chair, will meet monthly ▪ Violetta: had Sandy from CDTA speak on available federal funding ● Upcoming events, calls for Volunteers o Need volunteers for upcoming events for Zero Waste and SAC tabling (need table for Madison Ave street fair – DGS will have table there and would take last min volunteer) o Jazz Fest (Saturday Sept 10th - 12 noon to 8 pm at Jennings Landing, Albany) We need a good number of volunteers to help out with Zero Waste and to share materials about energy efficiency, electrification and community solar. Please sign up HERE. o Sheridan Hollow Annual Block Party (Saturday Sept 10th -11 am to 2 pm, 100 block Sheridan Ave, Albany). Traditional neighborhood event co- sponsored by CDPHP. Food, music, Albany info tables. Volunteers needed to help at a Sustainability Advisory Committee and Zero Waste table, please sign up HERE. o Upper Madison Ave Street Fair -(Sunday Oct. 2 - 12 noon to 5 pm Between S. Allen and W. Lawrence Streets. We need volunteers to help out with Zero Waste/food scraps diversion. Please sign up HERE. If anyone would like to manage setting up and organizing a table for the Sustainability Advisory Committee, please let Tina or Jason know or email sustainability@Albanyny.gov. Next meeting –Thurs. October 6, 2022 at 6 pm. Adjournment: 3