Environment And Infrastructure Committee

COLUMBIA ENVIRONMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA TUESDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2021 The Columbia Environment and Infrastructure Committee will conduct a meeting on Tuesday, October 19, 2021 at 10:00 a.m. at the Busby Street Community Center, 1735 Busby Street, Columbia, SC 29203. You may view the meeting online at www.columbiasc.gov. For questions regarding the meeting, please contact the City Clerk’s Office at (803)545-3045 or cityclerk@columbiasc.gov. The Honorable Tameika Isaac Devine, At-Large, Chair The Honorable Daniel J. Rickenmann, District IV  The Honorable William Brennan, District III CALL TO ORDER COMMITTEE DISCUSSION 1. Columbia's Climate Protection Action Committee Quarterly Update - Ms. Mary Pat Baldauf, Sustainability Administrator for the Public Works Department and Dr. Lori A. Ziolkowski, CPAC Chair 2. Disposal of Grass and Leaf Debris - Mr. Robert Anderson, Public Works Director ADJOURNMENT Page 1 of 1  1 MEETING DATE: October 19, 2021 DEPARTMENT: City Clerk FROM: Erika Hammond, City Clerk SUBJECT: Columbia's Climate Protection Action Committee Quarterly Update - Ms. Mary Pat Baldauf, Sustainability Administrator for the Public Works Department and Dr. Lori A. Ziolkowski, CPAC Chair FUNDING SOURCE & ORIGINAL BUDGET: FOCUS AREAS: Innovative & High Quality Municipal Services ATTACHMENTS:  CPAC Oct 2021 Update (PDF) Updated: 10/14/2021 3:43 PM Page 1 Packet Pg. 2  1.a Columbia’s Attachment: CPAC Oct 2021 Update (7098 : CPAC Quarterly Update - October 2021) Climate Protection Action Committee (CPAC) In this up date: October 2021 update - Energy ev - Renewableents past + future - Conversat cohort update - Ready for ion with Dominion - Communic100 resolution v 2.0 ations wit hin gover nment Observat ions, nex recomme t steps, a ndations nd . Dr. Lori Ziolkowski - chair of CPAC email: loriz@sc.edu Prepared for the City of Columbia Environment and Infrastructure committee meeting October 19th, 2021. Packet Pg. 3  1.a Attachment: CPAC Oct 2021 Update (7098 : CPAC Quarterly Update - October 2021) Reduce greenhouse Previously reported Adapt to climate change gas emissions CPAC efforts Change how we Prepare for more Reduce energy usage generate electricity extreme heat Work with Outreach on incentive Help keep more Dominion (& PSC) and loan programs citizens cool to source renewables Energy consultant (via Energy labelling for Use heat vulnerability to Sierra Club) to advise real estate & rentals guide tree planting on Ready for 100 Packet Pg. 4  1.a Attachment: CPAC Oct 2021 Update (7098 : CPAC Quarterly Update - October 2021) Reduce greenhouse gas emissions Current CPAC efforts Adapt to climate change Change how we Prepare for more Reduce energy usage generate electricity extreme heat Work with Outreach on incentive Help keep more Dominion (& PSC) and loan programs citizens cool to source renewables Energy consultant (via Energy labelling for Use heat vulnerability to Sierra Club) to advise real estate & rentals guide tree planting on Ready for 100 Packet Pg. 5  1.a Latest webinar: Attachment: CPAC Oct 2021 Update (7098 : CPAC Quarterly Update - October 2021) Next (mid-Dec): how climate change factors into faith communities Packet Pg. 6  1.a From the CPAC April 2021 presentation: Attachment: CPAC Oct 2021 Update (7098 : CPAC Quarterly Update - October 2021) Since May 2021, local organizations have been working on this. Packet Pg. 7  1.a Renewable aggregate cohort Attachment: CPAC Oct 2021 Update (7098 : CPAC Quarterly Update - October 2021) Current participants: Goals: - city of Columbia - build large (~100MW) solar facility in the midlands - University of South Carolina - 5 to 25% of each organizations power requirements - Richland One - negotiate this deal with Dominion as a cohort - Columbia Housing - price neutrality, reliability, equity - Richland County Progress: - Dominion is open to this custom deal - Cohort strengthens relationships between midlands organizations - Useful for future procurement? - Limitations: - Price implications currently unclear - At present, this option only available participant organizations (not the citizens)… Packet Pg. 8  1.a Attachment: CPAC Oct 2021 Update (7098 : CPAC Quarterly Update - October 2021) Ready for 100 Resolution 2017 - Mayor Benjamin committed the city to 100% renewable power for the community by 2036 To date, little detailed work on how we are going to achieve this goal. Ready for 100 Resolution v2.0 CPAC is currently drafting on a revised Ready for 100 resolution for the city that is two separate resolutions 1) City operations focused resolutions that encompasses energy savings, and powers as well as o ers their annual electrical usage with solar. 2) Mechanisms for how the city can partner with 3rd parties to make energy e ciency and solar accessible to the broader community These resolutions will come with interim goals to help prioritize e orts. Expect CPAC to present these revised resolutions to council in 2022. Packet Pg. 9  1.a Dominion visit with CPAC Attachment: CPAC Oct 2021 Update (7098 : CPAC Quarterly Update - October 2021) Danny Kassis VP Customer Relations and Renewables Tues Oct 5th, 2021 -Brief overview of Dominion’s plans and recommendations - They are cautious to roll out solar too quickly - No current large scale plans for wind - Will retire or convert remaining coal generation over next decade - Biogas may be important for balancing the load - Their carbon neutral goals are 2050, which is much slower than the city Opportunities: • Energy e ciency rst priority to lower long term electricity costs • Cohort aggregate is a workable model, may enable community solar • Electri cation for eet and transit is viewed as “bene cial electri cation” • Planning for EV infrastructure • Study what time of use rates would mean for both city operations and residents’ meters & bills • Large interconnection queue: Columbia could engage at PSC to help with interconnection reform Limitations: • Dominion says that Act 62 is what is limiting community solar due to cost shift. That was not the intention of the law. Can we lobby for an updated law? • Dominion suggested we focus on transportation rst, without considering how energy is generated • We want renewables faster than Dominion wants to roll them out. Will require us advocating for ourselves. Packet Pg. 10 fi fi fl fi ffi fi  1.a Attachment: CPAC Oct 2021 Update (7098 : CPAC Quarterly Update - October 2021) Claire Windsor report to CPAC Presentation found on CPAC website https://www.columbiasc.net/depts/cpac/CPAC%20Presentation.pdf Packet Pg. 11  1.a Attachment: CPAC Oct 2021 Update (7098 : CPAC Quarterly Update - October 2021) Reduce greenhouse gas emissions Current CPAC efforts Adapt to climate change Change how we Prepare for more Reduce energy usage generate electricity extreme heat Work with Outreach on incentive Help keep more Dominion (& PSC) and loan programs citizens cool to source renewables Energy consultant (via Energy labelling for Use heat vulnerability to Sierra Club) to advise real estate & rentals guide tree planting on Ready for 100 Packet Pg. 12  1.a Attachment: CPAC Oct 2021 Update (7098 : CPAC Quarterly Update - October 2021) Reduce greenhouse Potential future city wide efforts Adapt to climate gas emissions change This is m ore than committe a e e ort. Reduce energy Electricity Build Prepare for awarenes ing climate Transportation s into depar usage generation across th e city is n more extremes tments eeded. Outreach City sources Keep citizens City eet to EV programs renewables cool Rental energy Ready for 100 EV charging Trees + heat labelling v2.0 network? Energy Community EV COMET? More ooding? ef ciency? solar? Bike lanes Packet Pg. 13 ff fl fl fi  1.a Next steps: - Formation of CPAC subcommittee on communications Questions? Attachment: CPAC Oct 2021 Update (7098 : CPAC Quarterly Update - October 2021) - Continued communication with State Energy O ce - potential funding Comments? - greenbank scoping - CPAC report to city on renewables in franchise agreements (mid Nov) - Renewable aggregate cohort: continue learning and de ning goals Administrative: CPAC leadership election in January Observations: - CPAC has ambitious and passionate volunteers. Current guidance from the city on how we can best help is limited - Currently, the city has limited sta dedicated to helping with this issue, limits ability to focus on new opportunities - Current legal framework in SC limits choices for citizens and small businesses. - City is not currently advocating for helping citizens achieve Ready for 100 goals at either the state house or PSC Recommendations: - Council & city management empower and charge more sta to work on climate change e orts - Greater continuity of e orts if led by sta , and not just volunteer committees - Need more sta up to speed on the technical, nancial, and future looking aspects - Political courage needed from council - Ready for 100 was intended to be community wide. Currently, limited mechanisms to do that. Lobbying will be required - Dominion said Act 62 (Energy Freedom Act) was a limitation for them helping customers more. Can we help update Act 62? loriz@sc.edu Packet Pg. 14 ff fi ffi fi ff ff ff ff  2 MEETING DATE: October 19, 2021 DEPARTMENT: City Clerk FROM: Erika Hammond, City Clerk SUBJECT: Disposal of Grass and Leaf Debris - Mr. Robert Anderson, Public Works Director FUNDING SOURCE & ORIGINAL BUDGET: Updated: 10/14/2021 3:59 PM Page 1 Packet Pg. 15