City of Alexandria, Virginia
________________
MEMORANDUM
DATE: MARCH 29, 2022
TO: THE HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL
THROUGH: JAMES F. PARAJON, CITY MANAGER /s/
FROM: LAURA TRIGGS, DEPUTY CITY MANAGER
EMILY A. BAKER, DEPUTY CITY MANAGER
JEREMY MCPIKE, DIRECTOR, GENERAL SERVICES
YON LAMBERT, DIRECTOR, TRANSPORTATION & ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES (T&ES)
BILL SKRABAK, DEPUTY DIRECTOR, T&ES
BILL EGER, ENERGY MANAGER, GENERAL SERVICES
ELLEN EGGERTON, SUSTAINABILITY COORDINATOR, T&ES
JESSICA LASSETTER, SENIOR ENVIRONMENTAL SPECIALIST, T&ES
DOCKET TITLE:
TITLE
Resolution to Extend the Ad Hoc Energy and Climate Change Task Force.
[ROLL-CALL VOTE]
BODY
_________________________________________________________________
ISSUE: Consideration of a resolution to extend the sunset date for the Ad Hoc Energy and Climate Change Task Force.
RECOMMENDATION: That City Council approve the attached resolution (Attachment 3) to extend the Ad Hoc Energy and Climate Change Task Force.
BACKGROUND: The City Council adopted the City’s Environmental Action Plan 2040 (EAP2040) in July 2019. The EAP2040 establishes a target of reducing community-wide greenhouse gas emissions by 50 percent by FY 2030 and 80 to 100 percent by FY 2050 (base year 2005) supported by significant contributions at the state and federal level toward renewable energy and energy efficiency mandates. This target supports meeting the goal of increasing the City’s preparedness to respond to the impacts of climate change and environmental emergencies. To work towards meeting this target and goal, the EAP2040 includes Action 1.1.1 where “by
FY 2021, establish a multidisciplinary task force to guide an update of the Energy and Climate Change Action Plan.”
Energy and Climate Change Task Force
On September 22, 2020 the Alexandria City Council approved Resolution 2958 (Attachment 1) to establish an Energy and Climate Change Task Force (ECCTF) to provide guidance to the City of Alexandria during the process to update the City’s Energy and Climate Change Action Plan (ECCAP).
The ECCTF is comprised of 13 members appointed by the City Manager and includes general community representation; environmental advocates; energy, climate, and related technical experts; representatives from Alexandria’s youth and representing equity issues; and those representing engagement with Alexandria’s businesses and institutional partners. The Environmental Policy Commission (EPC) designated their own representative.
The City accepted applications for ECCTF membership in November and December 2020. In April 2021, the City Manager the appointed 13 ECCTF members, including the EPC’s designee, based on their familiarity and representation of the community, contribution to the role they applied for, and ability to contribute to the mission of the ECCTF. A list of current Task Force members, and their roles, is found in Attachment 2.
The ECCTF held their first meeting on May 4, 2021. To date, the ECCTF held five meetings as indicated in Table 1. The ECCTF’s guidance included insights and recommendations related to the thematic topics of meeting, and to the synergies and interrelationships between each of the ECCAP’s primary areas of focus: actions to reduce community greenhouse gas emissions; understanding climate vulnerabilities (ex. extreme heat/precipitation); adaptation and resiliency actions to reduce climate change’s impacts on the community; and to center equitable outcomes and environmental justice.
Table 1: ECCTF Meetings and Topics
|
ECCTF Meeting Date |
Topic |
|
May 4, 2021 |
ECCAP and City Climate Change Action Overview |
|
July 27, 2021 |
Greenhouse Gas Mitigation |
|
October 5, 2021 |
Greenhouse Gas Mitigation |
|
December 7, 2021 |
Climate Vulnerabilities |
|
February 1, 2022 |
Climate Adaptation/Resiliency |
Community Engagement Workshops
The City has also hosted two community engagement workshops which the ECCTF has been instrumental in supporting. The community engagement workshops included presentations from climate change action experts and those familiar with climate change action opportunities in Alexandria, as well as polling and survey questions, and facilitated roundtable discussions among community-member attendees. The first community engagement workshop - held on November 16, 2021 - focused on opportunities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and included 125 registrants. The second community engagement workshop - held March 1, 2022 - focused on understanding climate change vulnerabilities and adaptation/resiliency opportunities related to flooding and extreme heat and included 78 registrants.
Energy and Climate Change Action Plan Development
City staff has enlisted the consulting firm ICF International to support the ECCAP’s technical analysis, recommendation development, and drafting. In addition, City staff leverage data and analysis from various Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (MWCOG) and Northern Virginia Regional Commission (NVRC) projects to assist in the ECCAP’s development. Moreover, City staff have leveraged additional analysis support through ICLEI Local Governments for Sustainability. The ECCAP’s technical analysis, recommendation development, and drafting is scheduled to complete in Summer 2022 with ECCTF review and community public comments to occur thereafter. Presentation and consideration by City Council is anticipated for Fall 2022.
DISCUSSION: The purpose of the ECCTF is to provide guidance to the City’s effort to update the Energy and Climate Change Action Plan. According to City Code Sec. 2-4-8(b) this temporary committee ends after 365 days and may be extended by City Council for additional 365 day periods.
As the ECCTF’s first meeting occurred on May 4, 2021, an extension of the ECCTF is necessary to facilitate the development and completion of the ECCAP after May 3, 2022. The attached resolution (Attachment 3) extends the ECCTF for the lesser of 365 days or the adoption of the ECCAP by the City Council. The ECCTF does not change in composition, or expectations. In addition, there are no anticipated changes in appointed members or chairpersons.
Staff Support
The ECCTF will continue to be facilitated by relevant staff from the departments of General Services and Transportation and Environmental Services. An estimated 0.25 FTE in total is allocated from existing departmental workplans to support the ECCTF’s continued facilitation and the ECCAP development process. As the ECCAP’s development reflects issues and opportunities that are cross-departmental, representatives from relevant City departments and other local public agencies are asked to provide additional City staff support.
FISCAL IMPACT: The ECCTF’s facilitation relies on existing staffing and resources. Funding for the ECCAP’s development is sourced from prior year Capital Improvement Program project funding.
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment 1: 2020 Resolution establishing ECCTF
Attachment 2: Current ECCTF membership
Attachment 3: Resolution extending ECCTF
Attachment 4: Presentation
STAFF:
Laura Triggs, Deputy City Manager
Emily A. Baker, Deputy City Manager
Jeremy McPike, Director, General Services
Yon Lambert, Director, Transportation and Environmental Services
Bill Skrabak, Deputy Director, Transportation and Environmental Services
Bill Eger, Energy Manager, General Services
Ellen Eggerton, Sustainability Coordinator, Transportation and Environmental Services
Jessica Lassetter, Senior Environmental Specialist, Transportation and Environmental Services