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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021/12/01 - ADMIN - Minutes - Environment & Sustainability Commission - Regular Official minutes Environment & sustainability commission St. Louis Park, Minnesota 12/1/2021 1. Call to order 1a. Roll call Members present: Chair Marisa Bayer, Shaina Ashare, Ryan Griffin, Holly Johnson, Dave Wilsey, Eric Zweber, Tatiana Giraldo, Paige Kane, JD Moore Members absent: Sasha Shahidi, Andrew Willette, Lillian Hertel Staff present: Emily Ziring, Sustainability Manager Guests: Nancy Rose - resident 3. Approval of minutes – November 3, 2021 The minutes were approved as presented with Commissioner Moore abstaining. 4. Takeaways from 2015-2020 greenhouse gas emissions inventory and analysis Ms. Ziring presented the takeaways. She stated that the inventory looked at 2015-2020 data and reminded the group that most Climate Action Plan programs did not begin until 2020. The pandemic has also reduced greenhouse gases overall, a trend that will likely not continue without more effort. The areas where most improvement is needed are natural gas consumption and travel. She added goals were not hit in 2019 but they were in 2020, noting that electricity is trending down as the grid is getting cleaner. She stated building efficiency measures will be needed especially when it comes to natural gas. Ms. Ziring added that walking and biking data will be collected in the city starting in 2022. This is an Engineering Department task. Commissioner Griffin asked if council had any feedback about the inventory. Ms. Ziring stated during her presentation to council there were a lot of questions about solid waste, yard waste and recycling. Ms. Ziring added there were also questions from council on emissions of leaf blowers. Overall, she noted, council agreed with the analysis, adding next steps will be discussed at a future meeting with council. Commissioner Zweber asked about cleaner electricity. Ms. Ziring stated numbers are trending in the right direction, but there is still much work to do as compared to the forecast with business as usual. Chair Bayer stated she would be interested in seeing per capita results year over year for natural gas use. Ms. Ziring showed this data on the Regional Indicators website. ESC meeting Dec. 1, 2021 Commissioner Zweber asked if travel is for all residents or for all travel. Ms. Ziring stated this is travel throughout all of the city, even those passing through the city and not stopping. Ms. Ziring added with many working from home in 2020-21, building operations changed significantly, noting there will be more work to be done here. It appears that more workers began working from home but that there was not a corresponding reduction in commercial energy consumption. She added that some commercial natural gas usage is from multifamily buildings. Commissioner Griffin asked whether the greenhouse gas benefits of less commuting from remote work outweighs the increased emissions from residential buildings. He added that it would be better to target large commercial buildings for energy reductions than the dozens of residential buildings that would be required to equal the same amount of reductions. Commissioner Wilsey asked about the breakdown of residential gas uses. Ms. Ziring stated space heating is the largest percentage, followed by water heating. Commissioner Giraldo asked where the most impact can be made and if this is an area for education. Ms. Ziring stated this is something that will be looked at more in 2022 and at the ESC retreat. Commissioner Kane asked if information could be given to commercial building owners as it relates to energy used when people are not working in the building. Ms. Ziring stated the Energy Star program may have something on this that could be distributed. 5. Staff updates Ms. Ziring noted the following updates: • Greenhouse gas emissions report • Report to city council related to 2022 programs • Rec Center solar bid quotes ended today, and contract will be rewarded in January 2022 • Closed Solar Sundown portal – ended at 1.25 MW new solar • Declaration preparation for study session • Retreat on Sunday, Dec. 5 at noon at Westwood Hills Nature Center - agenda will be forthcoming, along with 2021 workplan for review and reflection 6. Climate Emergency Declaration work group: review draft declaration The ESC reviewed the draft declaration. Commissioner Zweber stated Ms. Pottorff worked on the document in advance of meeting with the work group. Ms. Ziring stated that it was suggested that 2022 is branded as the “Year of Climate Action,” and events can be held around this. She added this will be discussed further at the retreat. Commissioner Zweber added there will be some more detail and specifics about environmental justice added to the document. Ms. Ziring stated more detail was added around the clauses about the Justice 40 Initiative from the federal government for funding of communities in need. ESC meeting Dec. 1, 2021 Ms. Ziring added resiliency is not mentioned in the resolution and asked for feedback about that omission. Commissioner Zweber stated he supports the resiliency language. He asked if anything is lost by replacing mitigation with resiliency. Commissioner Griffin stated “resiliency” is not a proper substitute for “mitigation.” He stated mitigation is reducing emissions. Ms. Ziring stated that people define “resiliency” in a few different ways. Chair Bayer stated she agrees with Commissioner Zweber’s comments. Commissioner Zweber made a motion, seconded by Commissioner Griffin to recommend the climate emergency declaration as written, to the city council for further action. The motion passed unanimously. Commissioner Griffin asked about the idling reduction policy. Ms. Ziring stated council did approve a policy for fleet vehicles and a public education campaign to be marketed in the spring. 7. City Council written reports-none 8. Environmental Justice open discussion Chair Bayer stated she had not heard of the Justice 40 Initiative, noting that it is exciting that funding is being directed in this manner. She stated she is excited to dive more into this and see where and how funding will be disbursed. Ms. Ziring explained the Just Deeds program in St. Louis Park and showed the map where restrictive covenants are located. Commissioner Zweber stated that a recent Met Council presentation on concentrated affluence was interesting and would be helpful to the ESC. Ms. Ziring added seeing this on the map was eye opening. 9. Upcoming events a. ESC retreat – Dec. 5, 2021, Westwood Hills Nature Center b. ESC elections – Jan 2022 10. Adjournment - 7:36 p.m. ______________________________________ ______________________________________ Emily Ziring, liaison Marisa Bayer, chair member