Sacramento Environmental Commission Meeting - July 29, 2024

The Sacramento Environmental Commission met on July 29, 2024, to hear reports from commissioners who attended SMUD's virtual forum on the 2030 zero carbon plan, receive an update from the County Sustainability Manager on the draft Climate Action Plan and reach codes, and discuss various agency monitoring reports. The meeting included roll call, approval of previous minutes, and formation of a subcommittee to review the Climate Action Plan.

Consent Calendar

• The draft minutes from June 17, 2024 were approved unanimously. (Roll call: all present voted aye.)

Public Comments & Testimony

• No members of the public offered comments.

Discussion Items

• SMUD 2030 Zero Carbon Plan (Agenda Item 5): Commissioners Eugene Lee and Gage Martini reported on a SMUD virtual forum. The plan aims to eliminate 100% of greenhouse gas emissions from electric generation by 2030. Key strategies include a $2.5 billion investment to repurpose natural gas generation and expand proven clean technology, piloting new technology (e.g., iron flow battery storage from ESS), pursuing financing, and ensuring community benefits. Two major solar+storage projects—Country Acres (enough to power 80,000 homes, equivalent to removing 25,000 cars annually) and Coyote Creek—are delayed from 2026 to approximately 2028. SMUD is in the transition phase, with annual reliability studies. Commissioner Lee noted that the plan currently targets a 90% GHG reduction, with the last 10–15% being the most difficult. Questions were raised about lifecycle emissions from construction and the payback period for residential battery storage (one commissioner calculated 195 years without rebates). The commission expressed strong support for SMUD's leadership.
• County Sustainability Update (Agenda Item 6): John Lundgren, Sacramento County Sustainability Manager, reported that the draft 2024 Climate Action Plan (CAP) was released on July 29, 2024, with a 45-day public review period ending approximately in early September. He urged the commission to focus on prioritized, consensus-based comments to help the county advance decarbonization. His priority is to position the county to adopt a reach code (energy efficiency beyond state code) in the next building code cycle, avoiding a fight over natural gas bans. He emphasized co-benefits with homelessness and public safety. The commission formed a subcommittee (Richard Hunt, lead, with Eugene Lee, Gage Martini, and Stephanie Holstead) to review the CAP and prepare comments. A full presentation by Todd Smith is scheduled for the August 19 meeting.
• EMD Director's Report (Agenda Item 8): Rolando Early, speaking for the Environmental Management Department, reported on State Fair food safety inspections (over 150 booths inspected by 16 specialists) and an air show (40 food booths). He showed a short video clip promoting the department's work. Commissioner noted the inspector was not wearing gloves; Early explained gloves are not required for inspectors and only for certain food facilities (e.g., chain stores).
• Commissioners' Agency Reports (Agenda Item 9):
  • Richard Hunt reported on the American River Salmonid Habitat Program: a certificate of consistency filed for a 2024 project involving habitat restoration from Hagan Park to Nimbus Fish Hatchery, with a virtual public session on July 24.
  • Gage Martini reported on the Water Forum and American River Parkway Advisory Committee: the 2024 habitat restoration project will restore 5 acres of spawning habitat and 3 acres of rearing habitat for fall-run Chinook salmon and steelhead trout, plus 2 acres of riparian landscape, construction August–October, with virtual session July 24.
  • Laura Nickerson reported on City of Sacramento Community Services: an EIR and public comment period for the Stockton Boulevard plan focusing on multimodal transportation.
  • Stephanie Holstead noted the City of Sacramento is updating roadway design standards, debating minimum vs. maximum lane widths.
  • Dr. Anthony DeRiggy reported that the city of Citiville received a $141,000 Caltrans sustainable transportation planning grant to develop a heat-resilient transportation implementation plan addressing urban heat island mitigation (cool pavement, shading).
• Awards Subcommittee Update (Agenda Item 10): Christine Casey reported that the PDF award nomination form was fixed (fillable). Submissions close at end of August; the subcommittee will use an existing rubric. A push for more nominations was encouraged.
• Outreach Subcommittee Formation: Chair suggested forming an outreach subcommittee to increase awareness of the SEC mission. Richard Hunt volunteered to draft a vision and action plan for presentation at the next meeting. Potential members include the yet-to-be-appointed commissioner. Current commissioners may volunteer.

Key Outcomes

• The June 17, 2024 minutes were approved unanimously.
• A subcommittee (Richard Hunt, Eugene Lee, Gage Martini, Stephanie Holstead) was formed to review the draft Climate Action Plan and prepare comments for the August 19 meeting.
• Richard Hunt will develop a proposal for an outreach subcommittee to be discussed at the next meeting.
• The next regular meeting is scheduled for August 19, 2024 at 6:00 PM.