HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021-03-08 SSC Minutes MINUTES OF VIRTUAL REGULAR MEETING
OF THE SUSTAINABILITY COMMISSION
OF THE CITY OF CHULA VISTA
March 8, 2021 5:00 PM
A Virtual Regular Meeting of the Sustainability Commission of the City of Chula Vista via WebEx was
called to order by Chair Matthias at 5:08 pm.
ROLL CALL
PRESENT: Commissioners JoEllen Baugh, Chair Tina Matthias,John Richeson, Vice Chair Edward Legaspi,
Adriana Guevara-Gluyas, Christos Korgan, and Angelica Rodriguez.
STAFF PRESENT: Chief Sustainability Officer Dennis Gakunga, Environmental Sustainability Manager
Coleen Wisniewski, Environmental Services Manager Manuel Medrano, and Sustainability Specialists Cory
Downs,Yasemin Corrales and Robert Coleman.
1. APPROVAL OF CONSENT CALENDER AND MEETING MINUTES: The Consent Calendar and the February 8
meeting minutes were motioned for approval by Commissioner Richeson, seconded by Commissioner
Korgan, approved and carried the following vote:
Yes—5- Baugh,Chair Matthias, Richeson,Vice Chair Legaspi, Guevara-Gluyas, Korgan, and Rodriguez.
PUBLIC COMMENTS: No eComments were submitted on the Consent Calendar or the February 8 meeting
minutes.
INFORMATION ITEMS
2. SAN DIEGO COMMUNITY POWER UPDATE
A presentation was made by Carolyn Scofield,San Diego Community Power Advisory Committee
Member.She showed images and information on key items on the San Diego Community Power(SDLP)
website including the Home Page and the Your Choice, Billing and Rates,About and Resources tabs
where site users can compare service plans and learn more. Plans available are: Power On 50%with 50%
renewable energy with an average cost of$87.92 per month; Power On 100%with 100%renewable
energy with an average cost of$90.18 per month. Power On plans will be 2-3%below SDG&E prices.
Power On 100 is comparable to the SDG&E price but only contains 31% renewable energy.She noted that
SDG&E prices are not shown on the SDCP website at this time.There is also a Frequently Asked Questions
tab that focuses on what changes and what stays the same. SDCP will be creating a tool to allow potential
customers to compare rates with SDG&E.
There will be four rollout mailers for each rollout phase. Phase 1 is for municipal customers
(approximately 700 accounts, 3%of total power)which launched on March 1. Phase 2 industrial and
commercial customers(approximately 72,000 accounts, 59%of total power) launches June 1. Phase 3 for
residential and solar customers(approximately 695,000 accounts, 38%of total power) launches early
next year. Rollout is based on SDG&E service types. Customers are automatically opted-in;to not
participate customers need to opt-out.A feed-in-tariff program will eventually be coming out for solar
customers where they can sell back electricity to SbCP. Ms.Wisniewski said that all City of Chula Vista
accounts for its buildings (municipal phase)will be 100% renewable energy.
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puauC COMMENTS: One econonmentwas submitted conveying congratulations onthe launch.
a. PRESENTATION FROM CIOPRO, INC,AN ORGANIZATION OFFERING SERVICES THAT HELP CITIES ACHIEVE
SUSTAINABILITY GOALS
Chair Mathias said she was approached bvthe presenter Elias Cortez ofoopn«»' anorganization that
helps cities,through the nonprofit Heartland Coalition and she feels Commissioners would enjoy the
presentation. Mr.Cortez said in his review of the Climate Change Working Group's seven key
recommendations, particularly the recommendation to eliminate use of single-use plastics. He presented
a proprietary solution mc»pnO isworking on. It to nnv|d create fuel from plastic waste that is not
currently recyclable, »ereferred tothis as"dirty n|asuc.^ Hesaid this technology would help the region
combat the plastic problem facing cities, haulers, landfills and the recycling and waste disposal industries.
The solution called Plastic to Fuel (p2F) involves apatent-pending technology that coverts plastic back to
its hydrocarbon state. Hesaid itwould result inremoving the problem ofnon-recyclable dirty waste
plastic, eliminate the need for the U.S.to export plastic to Asian and other countries.The process would
produce,from the dirty plastic, clean high-performance gasoline and diesel for cars, commercial trucks
and buses.The plastic is shredded and placed into the system and through a heat process and conversion
system the plastic is turned into its original form to create hi-grade gasoline, diesel, kerosene, paraffin
(vvax)' LoaPand residues./\scaled-down pilot plant has been developed in San Bernardino with a closed-
loop, nonpolluting system where the exhaust isrouted through athermal oxidizer./\t full capacity,the
pilot plant can produce 6,000 to 7,000 gallons of fuel per day.This equates to 7 to 9 tanker trucks a week.
Mr. Cortez is proposing a public-private sector partnership where a plant could be constructed locally to
produce the high-grade fuels from discarded plastics where fuels would be available to cities for use in
their fleets. He said preparation of a proposal would involve the firms SCS and EFI.This would also involve
working with the Heartland Coalition, alocal nonprofit that would develop vocational programs to
support employment and workers atsuch aplant.
Some Commissioners expressed interest in having the City pursue such an opportunity in a quick fashion.
Mr. Gauunmaexplained that City management has communicated with the Chair and Co-Chair and has
reached out to Mr.Cortez and his team, and the City has a process for engaging with cold callers or, as in
this case,from a referral pursing innovative pilot projects. Mr. Cortez was asked to submit a formal
proposal. It will be evaluated to determine if the firm meets all the criteria for which it can engage with
the City.This includes evaluating if the proposal meets the City's priorities. It would also undergo a legal
review by the City Attorney.Then a determination would be made regarding proceeding further. He said
astatus update would beprovided etthe next Commission meeting.
PUBLIC COMMENTS: moeCnmnrnentswere submitted.
ACTION |TErms
4. REVIEW FULL CLIMATE EQUITY INDEX REPORT
Mr. Downs made apresentation onupdating orthe Chula Vista Climate Equity Index Report and the
attached report prepared by the Energy Policy Initiatives Center(EPIC). He pointed out changes to
graphics and color coding in maps, additional information and refinements to the report findings that
were recommended by the Sustainability Commission when these documents were presented at the
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December 14, 2020 meeting would make the report more user friendly.A key finding was emphasized
that persons of color(non-White and White Hispanic populations) make up a higher percentage of the
population in those census tracts that have higher Climate Equity Index(CEI) scores.The City's
recommendations in the report include working with City staff to incorporate CEI scores into programs
and policies to: 1) increase outreach efforts to and engagement with high scoring census tracts, 2)seek
funding for high scoring census tracts,and 3) update the CEI approximately every 5 years.The draft
report is available on the City's website for the public to view and was sent to stakeholders.The goal
today is to present the full report(both documents constitute the CEI)to the Commission requesting
approval to present it to the City Council in April and publish the full report online with a report map with
overlays to solicit more input.After Council approval implementation would begin.
Commissioner Korgan took note the EPIC report has a very detailed methodology but is problematic in its
statistical analysis and needs to be improved.Specifically, he said the methodologies are conflating a
descriptive analysis with an inferential analysis and the report disallows for group differences and causal
interpretations. He suggested to inform EPIC by asking, does the construct satisfactorily hang together
with what is being measured?Commissioner Rodriguez suggested that EPIC should publish a paper on
the methodologies so that it can undergo the peer review process and be cited in further work with
additional cities that may be looking to implement a similar study. Peer review is a critical piece of
academic work and it provides the opportunity for other specialists in the field to critique the methods of
the study to ensure they are not flawed Also, she stated that the existing equity efforts(CAP Actions,
Digital Inclusion Plan, Housing Support,Welcoming City, Library Sustainability Kits and Labs for Students)
be included in the report as examples of what can be implemented. Mr. Downs said the detailed
technical comments were requested at the December 6 meeting when EPIC was still under contract.
However,the City would try to work with EPIC to relay input received tonight to make the report clearer
as requested. Mr. Gakunga reminded the Commission that the report is still in draft form at this time and
the City has a strong relationship with EPIC and will work to circle back on the report.As such,the
Commission decided that not to take action at this time.
PUBLIC COMMENTS: Three eComments were submitted all in favor of the CEI report.
STAFF COMMENTS
Mr. Medrano clarified that the City of Chula Vista does not have a pilot project with a small glass recycler
as was stated by a presenter and the extent of that relationship is the City is helping them try to locate a
property. He also clarified that organics collected in Chula Vista will be composted and put back in the
soil to sequester carbon and not processed into other products.This year due to the pandemic, instead
of a live in-person event,the City will conduct South Bay Earth Day at Home virtually online on April 22.
Ms.Wisniewski said the City Clerk's office is conducting a survey on revamping City agendas and is
looking for input. Nominations for the CLEAN Champion Sustainability awards closes March 31 and
Commissioners are encouraged to provide nominations and to get the word out.The Commission has a
Climate Emergency Declaration Subcommittee meeting on March 10.The Benchmarking ordinance was
adopted by the City Council on March 2.City staff is participating in San Diego Building Electric Coalition
meetings.City staff is reaching out to various groups to see if there is interest for participation in a
stakeholder group once the Climate Change Working Group recommendations get formally adopted by
the City Council. Mr.Gakunga thanked the Chair and Co-Chair for putting the City in touch with CIOPRO
and the City is looking forward to learning more about a potential pilot project. The City will become
engaged with the San Diego Green New Deal working groups and is coordinating a date to present to
their Justice
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and Equity Diversion Inclusion group regarding the CEI report and Digital Equity Inclusion group regarding
the City's activities that address the digital divide.Also,the City is coordinating with them to have
representatives from the San Diego Green New Deal address the Commission.The City is having
conversations with the Chair and vice Chair on ways to better open up the lines of communication to
increase engagement and be more responsive.The City, as members of the Climate Mayor's Steering
Committee, is participating in a group meeting with the incoming Chair tomorrow.
CHAIR COMMENTS
Chair Matthias said the Commission Subcommittee on a Single-Use Plastics Ban and Zero Waste will be
meeting with Surfrider on March 11 to continue efforts to create a plastics ban.The North County
Climate Change Alliance has invited the Commission to attend an online screening of the film "Seeding
Change" and attend a virtual follow-up discussion on March 11. City staff will send out the information
and she said pre-registration is required.Sustainable Communities and Hilltop High are working on a 30-
day Sustainability Challenge during Earth Month this April.
COMMISIONERS COMMENTS
Commissioner Baugh said she has checked out one of the Energy Efficiency kits from the library.She
mentioned she is pursuing environmental-friendly products and suggested letting the public know about
such companies.Vice Chair Legaspi, representing the Commission, met with Councilpersons Galvez and
Cardenas and it was suggested the Commission meet with Assemblywoman Gonzalez and County
Supervisor Vargas.All of this is part of the Commission's efforts to become more connected with the
community. He said he will follow up with Assemblywoman Gonzalez's office to see if she could meet
with the Commission on her Assembly Bill 881 regarding plastics. Vice Chair Legaspi said he and Chair
Matthias met with Mr. Gakunga to get a status update on a previous Commission request to change the
Charter to add members from other Commissions and have Sustainability Commissioners sit on the
Planning Commission but it was deemed to not be of value by the previous City Manager. Mr.Gakunga
provided clarification that the current City Manager and Deputy City Manager were in those meetings
and they are aware of the issue. He mentioned that the idea of increasing the Sustainability Commission
from 7 to 9 members would be entertained and the City is recommending adding two student members
and the City Manager supports that, possibly a high school student and a college student.This could be
discussed at an upcoming Commission meeting. Commissioner Richeson asked if the suggested Charter
changes previously presented by the Commission could be re-visited. Mr. Gakunga said the City would
commit to that discussion.
ADJOURNMENT
Chair Matthias adjourned the meeting at 7:49 p.m.
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