HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff Report 435-07City of Palo Alto
City Manager’s Report
TO:
ATTN:
HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL
CITY COUNCIL
8
FROM:CITY MANAGER DEPARTMENT: CITY MANAGER
DATE: DECEMBER 3, 2007 CMR: 435:07
SUBJECT: RECOMMENDATION TO ACCEPT 2005 GREENHOUSE GAS
EMISSIONS INVENTORY AND CLIMATE PROTECTION PLAN WITH RELATED
GOALS FOR CARBON EMISSIONS REDUCTIONS; AND TO AUTHORIZE $100,000
TO REFINE COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS OF PROPOSED REDUCTIONS AND
FACILITATE COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION PLAN
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that Council:
1)Accept the 2005 emissions inventory as presented in the CPP;
2)Adopt the goals recommended for City and Community carbon emissions
reductions;
3)Approve an expenditure of $I00,000 to: a) refine and complete the cost benefit
analysis of short-, medium- and long-term actions and prioritize those that will
provide maximum emissions reduction potential at a minimal cost and report back
to Council by June 2008, and b) begin the public engagement process to gain
public acceptance of and participation in implementing the Climate Protection
Plan;
4)Direct City staff to begin implementing short-term actions that have budgeted
resources, or are cost neutral within the fiscal year, in order to assist the City to
reach its 5% reduction goal, and to report to Council in July 2008 on which
actions are being implemented and the projected reductions in greenhouse gases;
5)Direct the City Manager to submit to Council the list of short-term actions to
pursue as part of the 2008-09 budget and report on the short-term actions being
carried out which have already been budgeted as part of recommendation 4
(above).
DISCUSSION
Attached to this report is the City’s first Climate Protection Plan (CPP). The CPP recommends a
series of reductions of greenhouse gas (GHG) emission levels for both the City government and
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the greater Palo Alto community. The recommendations call for 5% reduction (3,266 metric tons
of CO2) in greenhouse gas emissions from City operations within 18 months, a 5% reduction
(39,702 metric tons of CO2) in emissions from both the City and the Community by 2012, and a
15% reduction (119,107 metric tons of CO2) in City and community-generated emissions by
2020. This 2020 goal is in line with the target mandated by the State of California’s AB32
legislation. The CPP also carries out initial cost benefit and budget impact analyses of many of
the actions considered. The CPP includes a far-reaching emissions inventory, to present an
accurate and complete picture of the community’s 2005 emissions levels, within the limitations
of the measurement tools currently available. The inventory includes emissions by individuals
who live, work, visit or transit the City limits, suggesting that on a per capita basis, Palo Altans
emit roughly 14 metric tons of CO_~ per year. The inventory shows that the greatest sources of
emissions are: 1) transportation, 2) energy use, and 3) emissions associated with landfill waste
and with the disposal of recyclable materials, such as aluminum cans and plastic bags, into the
waste stream.
The CPP identifies a number of actions that may be undertaken by the City immediately, some of
which have already been assessed for their cost and emissions-reducing potential. Criteria for
slating these actions as achievable in the short-term included: low or cost-neutral project cost; the
project is already in progress; or the project may be achievable within one year. These actions
include increasing the purchase of recycled office items, lowering the carbon intensity of the
electric supply, and augmenting the "green" building codes for City facilities, and commercial
and residential buildings. Staff recommends that additional cost benefit analyses of these actions
be completed and that, if warranted, funding be included in the 2008-2009 Budget.
The CPP identifies a second group of actions that require additional cost benefit analysis and
which should be implemented within the next two to four years. These actions require greater
investment levels for the City or the community, are more difficult, or take longer to implement.
The CPP recommends exploring the feasibility and cost/benefits of these or other actions that
will help the City meet its medium-term goal of 5% GHG reduction goal for the City and the
community. The actions to be researched include more aggressive optimization of the City
vehicle fleet, working with the School District to reduce emissions from the school commute,
implementing sustainable purchasing procedures, reducing paper consumption by the City, and
achieving a 68% diversion rate for the waste program.
A third group of actions would significantly reduce Palo Alto’s total emission levels, but require
a greater commitment from the City and community, as well as additional study because of
higher costs. These actions include, for example, the full implementation of the Zero Waste Plan
with 90% diversion rates, the introduction of incentives to reduce City employee parking and
increase use of public transit and carpooling, and a greater commitment by the community for
public transit-friendly housing development. Again, as with the medium term recommendations,
staff recommends more thorough cost-benefit analysis prior to consideration for incorporation in
the 2008-2009 or subsequent budgets.
In order to implement this all three groups of actions, the CPP recommends that an education and
motivation program be established for the City and the community along with a new community
engagement process to implement actions aimed at reducing carbon emissions and achieving the
recommended reductions.
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RESOURCE IMPACT
The CPP details the resource impacts of recommendations wherever possible. The $100,000
requested and any financial impacts of implementing some of the short term actions are
discussed in the report. Commitment to the long term reduction goals outlined in this report will
have major resource impacts in the long term. The level of resource commitments required will
need to be determined as the cost benefit analyses are completed and the plan is implemented.
POLICY IMPLICATIONS
The Climate Protection Plan is a tool for Council’s use in making policy decisions regarding the
allocation of resources.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
This report does not require California Environmenta! Quality Act (CEQA) review.
PREPARED BY:KARL VAN ORSDOL
Energy Risk Manager/Sustainability Team
WENDY HEDIGER
Solid Waste Coordinator/Sustainability Team
NANCY NAGEL
Senior Financial Analyst/Sustainability Team Leader
JULIE WEISS
Sustainability Team
.....
DEPARTMENTAL HEAD APPROVAL:~(//’((~.~ /
{’~’~M I L Y"~-’~A RRI S~N
Assistant City Manager
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