San Diego Environment Committee Meeting - June 23, 2022

The San Diego City Council Environment Committee met on June 23, 2022, to approve consent agenda items, receive an informational presentation on the solar equity program, and vote on amendments to the Scripps Institution of Oceanography mooring agreement. The meeting also included non-agenda public comments and updates from the mayor's office.

Consent Calendar

• Items 1-3: Approved unanimously (4-0) authorizing contracts with Polydyne Inc. for anionic and cationic polymers ($24.5 million total) and with Vulcan Materials Company for disposal sites ($28 million). Committee member Campillo requested an explanation for retroactive approvals on two purchase orders ($400,000 and $1.4 million), and Public Utilities Department staff acknowledged the timing issue and committed to improvement.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Non-agenda public comments:
  • Terry Ann Skelly (property owner) expressed opposition to marijuana secondhand smoke, citing health impacts and a statistic that 10% of the population has strong allergic reactions. She urged the committee to ban flavored marijuana products.
  • Lori Saldonia criticized the city for destroying bicycles and mobility devices during homeless encampment sweeps, arguing it contradicts efforts to promote non-vehicular transportation.
  • Becky Rapp (public health educator) thanked the committee for banning flavored tobacco and urged an extension to flavored marijuana products, citing environmental harm from microplastics in cigarette butts.
• Consent agenda public comments:
  • Lori Saldonia (same speaker) argued that Polydyne and Vulcan Materials fail to meet workforce diversity goals, citing underrepresentation of African Americans, Latinos, Asians, Native Americans, and women in multiple job categories. She called for the committee to require these contractors to present equity plans as was done with RIC Engineering.
• Item 5 (solar equity program) public comments:
  • Jay Powell (formerly of City Heights Community Development Corporation) encouraged a community-based approach and suggested CSE engage with community-based organizations beyond equity advocacy groups, and recommended filling the Sustainable Energy Advisory Board.
  • Lori Saldonia (again) urged expanding geographic eligibility for the solar program beyond communities of concern, citing high utility payment burdens citywide, and recommended broadening energy efficiency education to the public.
  • Christina Marquez (IBEW Local 569) expressed strong support for the program's inclusion of prevailing wages, state certification, and job training, emphasizing its alignment with clean energy and middle-class job creation.
  • Karina Gonzalez (Hammond Climate Solutions) thanked CSE for stakeholder outreach and encouraged the committee to track program performance and monitor the impact of net energy metering 3.0.

Discussion Items

• Item 5: Review of the Center for Sustainable Energy (CSE) Solar Equity Program Design (Informational):
  • Heather Werner (Sustainability and Mobility Department) introduced the program, born from the SDG&E Energy Cooperation Agreement, funded by $1 million annually in shareholder funds for 10 years. CSE's Dima Zamaris presented the design: a flat incentive of $4 per watt to cover full solar installation costs, plus $3,500 for electrical panel upgrades and $1,000 for job training (40 trainee hours). Eligibility is income-based (≤120% of area median income, with tiers: 60% of funds for ≤80% AMI, 20% for 80-100%, 20% for 100-120%), limited to communities of concern per the climate equity index, and requires host customer ownership. Installers must pay prevailing wage and provide energy efficiency education. The program aims to launch applications by August 2022. Committee members Campillo and Von Wilpert praised the program; Chair Lacava requested a fall update on application numbers and geographic distribution. No vote required.
• Item 4: First Amendment to Agreement with Scripps Institution of Oceanography for Real-Time Oceanographic Mooring Systems:
  • Ryan Kempster (Public Utilities Department) presented a five-year, $1.25 million extension (through 2027) to support moorings at the Point Loma and South Bay ocean outfalls. The moorings track wastewater plume dispersion, ocean currents, acidification, and harmful algal blooms, fulfilling NPDES permit requirements. The amendment was approved by Metro TAC and Metro JPA. Committee members Campbell and Von Wilpert asked about data sharing and integration with Scripps researchers; Kempster noted all data is freely available via the city's open data portal and annual reports. Chair Lacava inquired about Tijuana River impacts and the effect of Pure Water on monitoring; Kempster clarified that the moorings focus on outfall impacts but regional data covers the Tijuana River area, and permit changes would occur through five-year renewal cycles.

Key Outcomes

• Approval of minutes from May 26, 2022: Passed 4-0.
• Consent agenda (items 1-3): Approved 4-0.
• Item 4 (Scripps mooring amendment): Approved 3-0 (member Campillo left the meeting). The item will proceed to full City Council for confirmation.
• Item 5 (solar equity program): No action required; informational item concluded. Committee requested an informal update in fall 2022 on application uptake.
• Next meeting: Special meeting of the Environment Committee on June 30, 2022, to consider the updated Climate Action Plan.