San Diego Environment Committee Meeting - September 24, 2020
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San Diego Environment Committee Meeting - September 24, 2020
The Environment Committee of the San Diego City Council met on September 24, 2020, via teleconference due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The meeting covered a consent agenda item on solid waste collection franchises, a discussion item on the Southern California Coastal Water Research Project (SQRP) joint powers agreement, an informational presentation on the Municipal Energy Strategy, and a follow-up performance audit of the Industrial Wastewater Control Program. Public comment was received on agenda items and during a non-agenda period.
Consent Calendar
- Item 1: Transfer of Non-Exclusive Solid Waste Collection Franchises – Approved unanimously. One public speaker (Montferrals) opposed the franchise, stating it was "the worst thing I ever heard of." Another caller inquired about non-agenda public comment.
Discussion Items
- Item 2: Tenth Amended Joint Powers Agreement for Southern California Coastal Water Research Project (SQRP) – Presented by Ryan Kempster, Senior Marine Biologist. The JPA would fund SQRP at just over $2.7 million over five years starting fiscal year 2022. The project conducts unbiased coastal water quality research and is required by city permits. Public comment: Martha Welch criticized the city's environmental record and alleged corruption without stating a clear position on the item. The committee unanimously approved the item. Chair Campbell praised SQRP as a world-renowned organization.
- Item 3: Returned to staff without objection.
Informational Item
- Item 4: City of San Diego Municipal Energy Strategy – Presented by Cody Hoovin (Director of Sustainability) and Lindsay Haas (Municipal Energy Program Manager). The strategy outlines a path to zero emissions for city facilities, with targets to reduce energy use by 15% by 2020 and an additional 25% by 2035 from a 2010 baseline. Key strategies include energy efficiency, building energy management systems, renewable energy, zero-emission policies, smart distributed energy resources, workforce training, and an equity focus using the Climate Equity Index. The city has achieved only half the required reductions so far. Public comment: Seven callers. Supporters included Barbara Gunther (Center for Sustainable Energy), Rosalind Hurst (Sustainable Energy Advisory Board), Jason Anderson (Cleantech San Diego), and Matthew Vasilakis (Climate Action Campaign) who expressed support but disappointment that a related funding item (energy savings performance contracts) was pulled. Several callers attempted to speak on non-agenda topics (gas leaf blowers, sea lion protection) and were redirected. Committee discussion: Councilmember Moreno asked about timeline and equity priorities, suggesting use of CalEnviroScreen. Chair Campbell noted this was an informational item only. No vote was taken.
Key Outcomes
- Consent agenda approved unanimously.
- Item 2 (SQRP JPA) approved unanimously.
- Item 3 returned to staff.
- Item 4 was informational; staff committed to bringing an implementation plan by the end of the fiscal year.
- Item 5: Follow-up Performance Audit of the Industrial Wastewater Control Program (IWCP) – Presented by Andy Hanow (Interim Assistant City Auditor) and Shadi Mittar. The audit found that cost recovery issues from 2013 remained unresolved: 86% of program costs ($30 million over 10 years) were passed to non-regulated wastewater customers, potentially violating Proposition 218. Fees had not been updated since 1984. Additionally, billing lapses resulted in $850,000 in unbilled costs from fiscal years 2008-2012, and new lapses occurred since fiscal year 2017. Public Utilities Director Shauna Laurence accepted all nine recommendations and reported progress: back invoices sent, cost-of-service study underway, and negotiations with participating agencies. The committee (led by Councilmember Moreno) expressed strong concern and requested a six-month update. Staff aims to bring updated fees to City Council in January 2021.
Non-Agenda Public Comments
- Sea Lion Protection at La Jolla – Carol Archibald, Robin Davidoff (Sierra Club/Seal Society), and Alan Shively requested a municipal code amendment defining a safe viewing distance from sea lions. They reported ongoing harassment and cited NOAA recommendations. They requested the item be placed on a future committee agenda.
- Gas-Powered Leaf Blower Ban – Patty Kushner, Marjorie Nass, and others requested a ban in La Jolla, citing noise, health, and environmental impacts. They noted that neighboring cities (Coronado, Encinitas, Solana Beach, Del Mar) have already enacted bans.
- Energy Franchise Agreement Opposition – Joyce Lane (San Diego 350), Tara Hammond (Hammond Climate Solutions), and Matthew Vasilakis (Climate Action Campaign) strongly opposed the mayor's proposed 20-year franchise agreement with SDG&E, calling it a "sweetheart deal" that undervalues public assets and lacks accountability or an exit strategy. They urged rejection and a one-year extension.
- Other – Martha Wells made general allegations of corruption and improper handling of funds.
Meeting Transcript
Oh God have mercy on me. Everybody, everybody rise for you. Everybody, everybody cries, like I do. We all wanna what it's like to be with you. Maybe it's better if I never know. Put my head down and just let it go. I scream all night in the my pillow. I get it. I'm not in your lead too hard. Help me make it stop. God have mercy on me. Everybody, everybody rise for you. Everybody, everybody cries, like I do. Now my heart's on a full When you push back your head, and I love you some way over there. Everybody, everybody rise. Everybody, everybody. Yeah, everybody, everybody rise. Oh, what a wicked world. I'm just a little girl, keeping my heart to myself when you could have had it all. We could had it all. See my whole life, better hold tight when I fly away with you. Like I read fight. I just wanna know, gotta know what it's like to be with you. Everybody, everybody rise for you. Everybody, everybody cries, like I do. We all wanna know what it's like to be with you now, my heart's on the floor. When you push back your head, and I love you some way over there. Everybody, everybody rise. Everybody rise, everybody, everybody rise. Everybody here comes from somewhere. But they would just as soon forget the summer camp where you volunteer. No one saw your face, no one saw your fear if that apparition here to keep up and away from space and search humiliation of your teenage station Nobody cares, no one remembers, and nobody cares. Buckles in the road, start to say the detail smart with the stories the same. You don't have to explain, you don't have to explain humiliation. Yeah, you cried and you cried alive, you survive cried and you cried and you cried and you're fantasy dressed up in travesty yourself, let me know with that Everybody here Come she somewhere that they successfully forget disguise There you cried and you cried He's alive you survive Yeah he cried and cried and you cried and you cried Are you kind of Now there's nothing there's nothing weird Don't be afraid I won't hold you here I swear first betray no talking say celebration of your genius station Everybody here comes to somewhere that takes a fast forget disguise There you cry and cry He's alive you so lie and cried and cried and cry I tried now there's nothing dark and there's nothing weird Don't be afraid I will hold you feel enough to say I swear the first betray no talking say celebration of your teenage station It's an experience delirious super natural serious an experience deliberately natural super swirls gonna bring me down oceans rising trying There's a place where you and I can know we can start this whole mess all mean to grow our sales are proximately careless and free try to tell me there's no second say your goodbyes and put your suitcase What's the point of try to say this play There's another space from the well and sunset McClor Sands all be careful free You and I are gonna get in life We will make the same mistakes twice everybody's gonna take you out little plants for trying to cry Proxmoke I will never be carelessly free so I think from where in the science and galaxy stars we see Who do you think you're talking to? Is it the man that was here before me? Through all the wreck you heart and walk Cause if it isn't I let you talk It's clear that something you're still working through But who do you think you're talking to Where do you think you are right now? Is there a reason you're still digging off the past Because you haven't touched your drink And you haven't stopped to think If that holds you back from anyone that cares for you Who do you think you're talking to What do you want me to say today? Frankly I think we would be remiss If we don't wanna find ourselves to share the faithful memories too tell me who you need to be wrong Can you find your own right home and is that still a past that you can't bear to leave Jesus call hanging al his pictures on the wall is that what I share trained in the sea Obey the train the Lost I flooding soon I don't know how long it's been since you walked away and after all I said so far the tender of this bars the only people left him and me and you So buddy who do you think you're talking to What do you want me to say to this? I think we would be released if we don't remind ourselves to share the painful memories too better telling you you think you talking to you think you talking to Who you think you talking to make it talking to Who do you think you talking to? Who do you think it talk is true? Who do you think you talking to? Who is being dark and too uneventful days, uneventful nights Living in the dark, waiting for the light cut up in these never ending battle lines Everything has changed when it feels right No, no, I know I know it's gone No I love it's talk Yeah Never ending days, never ending nights Living I say no can't get right in the moon me that life You might know my name, you don't know my mind I don't even know what it is without the shit Only ten minutes to leave me cool I don't even know the dilemma from my work without you know no one I know you don't know gonna leave me alone until days, uneventful nights Living in the dark, waiting for the light Nothing you could take and make it come to life I don't ever wait and make you change your mind No I know I know it's gone woe I know I love his song Yeah Never ending days, never ending nights Time is moving slow and line They meet him and then they mould me that life gotta win to Oh no, no, I know. It's gone. I know I love it. So yeah. Never ending days, never ending nights. Time is moving so I don't leave them line.
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