San Diego Environment Committee Meeting - February 15, 2024
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San Diego Environment Committee Meeting - February 15, 2024
The Environment Committee of the San Diego City Council met on February 15, 2024, at 9:00 AM PST. The meeting was chaired by Councilmember Joel Lacava (District 1) and attended by Vice Chair Von Wilpert and Councilmember Campbell. Agenda items included approval of consent agenda items (chemical treatment contract amendment and coastal erosion monitoring contract), a $4.5 million contract award for a cost-of-service study for residential waste collection, the 2024 committee work plan, and a resolution supporting Senate Bill 1137 (oil and gas well setbacks). The committee also heard public testimony on a wide range of environmental and community issues.
Consent Calendar
- Item 1: Third amendment to contract with U.S. Peroxide for odor control at multiple wastewater facilities. Approved unanimously (3-0).
- Item 2: Second amendment to sole source agreement with HDR Engineering for coastal erosion monitoring at Point Loma Wastewater Treatment Plant. Approved unanimously (3-0). Councilmember Campbell requested a future committee report on erosion risks and alternative access plans.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Non-agenda public comment: Multiple speakers addressed SeaWorld's fireworks (opposition, citing pollution, wildlife harm, and noise; support for drone alternatives), stormwater infrastructure and flood recovery funding (speakers urged use of the Climate Equity Fund for January 2024 flood victims), cannabis social equity retail in transit priority areas, climate and resiliency advisory board vacancies, tobacco/ecigarette waste and smoke-free policies, and the Tijuana River estuary pollution.
- Consent agenda public comment: Commenters raised concerns about chemical pricing and diversity of contractor workforce, and supported the emergency erosion monitoring.
- Item 3 (cost-of-service study): Public comment included support for the process but concerns about cost and impact on low-income residents; a speaker questioned the inflationary effect and noted the city's mayor is a 'crook' (position of candidate Dan Schwiowski); another speaker urged workforce diversity in consultant hiring.
- Item 5 (2024 work plan): Speakers from Audubon, Climate Action Campaign, pediatricians, and community groups praised the plan and urged prioritization of wetland restoration (ReWild Mission Bay), stormwater green infrastructure, native plants, and equal funding for elderly fixed-income residents.
- Item 4 (SB 1137 resolution): Multiple youth advocates (Abby Decker, Kiala Minichau, Ryan Berbrett, Sydney Chan, Rami Kabakibi) urged support for upholding oil well setbacks, citing health impacts and environmental justice. Physicians and community organizers also spoke in favor. No opposition testimony was heard.
Discussion Items
- Item 3 – Award of consultant services agreement to HDR Engineering for a cost-of-service study for residential collection services: Environmental Services Department presented the $4.5 million contract (with up to 5-year term) to study costs of waste collection and develop fee options under Measure B (People’s Ordinance amendment). Key components include extensive community engagement (47% of cost), operational efficiency analysis, and Prop 218 compliance. Councilmembers questioned the high cost and timeline; Vice Chair Von Wilpert requested unfettered IBA access to the consultant and advocated for outsourcing billing. The motion to approve passed unanimously (3-0).
- Item 5 – Environment Committee 2024 work plan: Presented by committee consultant Brian Elliott. The plan covers climate action implementation, building electrification, fossil fuel phase-out, stormwater infrastructure, natural resources (wetlands, trees), circular economy (zero waste), and mobility. Core principles include equity, transparency, and high-quality green jobs. The item was informational; no vote needed.
- Item 4 – Resolution in support of upholding prohibitions on new oil and gas wells in California (SB 1137): Youth vs. Oil representatives Abby Decker and Kiala Minichau presented the resolution opposing a referendum to overturn SB 1137. The resolution directs the City Attorney to draft a resolution supporting the setback law. Councilmembers praised the youth advocacy and expressed strong support. Motion to approve passed unanimously (3-0).
Key Outcomes
- The consent agenda (Items 1 & 2) was approved 3-0.
- The $4.5 million contract with HDR Engineering for a waste collection cost-of-service study (Item 3) was approved 3-0. The contract will include community engagement in all council districts, with an initial engagement plan by May 2024 and fee options expected by summer 2025.
- The committee received the 2024 work plan (Item 5) as information; no vote required.
- A resolution supporting SB 1137 (Item 4) was approved 3-0 to go to full council. The resolution urges upholding oil well setbacks and opposing the November 2024 referendum to repeal SB 1137.
- The committee requested a future report from Public Utilities on coastal erosion risks at Point Loma and alternative access plans (related to Item 2).
Meeting Transcript
All right, good afternoon, and welcome to the environment committee meeting of February 15, 2024. I'm Joel Ocava, Councilmember for District One and Chair of the Committee. Our committee's manager, Ty Birch will go over instructions for today's meeting. Ty. Thank you very much, Chair Locava. While members of the public are able to attend this meeting in person, the meeting is being televised and live streamed on the city's website, and council administration will continue to make arrangements for the public to comment using the Zoom webinar platform. Members of the public who wish to provide virtual testimony must enter the virtual speaking queue by raising their hand before the virtual queue closes. The queue will close when the last virtual speaker finishes speaking or five minutes after in-person testimony concludes, whichever occurs first. This will allow for very many management between the two platforms and ensure the committee is able to manage and conduct safe business. We appreciate the public's cooperation. Chair. Thank you, Ty. I will now call the environment committee meeting of Thursday, February 15th, 2024 to order. Call the roll. Vice Chair Von Wolpert. Present. Council Member Campbell. I am here, so we have a full health. And also attending the meeting today is Jordan Moore with the office of the independent budget analyst, lead deputy city attorney, Nicole Dino, Randy Wilde with the Office of Mayor Todd Gloria, and Bride Elliott, our committee consultant. Hi, please continue with public comment instructions. Members of the public can also join the Zoom webinar by computer tablet or smartphone by accessing the link, which is listed online in the preamble language of the agenda on the city's webpage. If you need to participate by phone, you may dial 1669-254-5252 and input webinar ID 160-670-8143 pound. Members of the public who wish to provide virtual testimony must enter the virtual speaking queue by raising their hand before the virtual queue closes. You may unmute yourself. You know, and we they dissolves bodies. I think we need to be more mindful when we're putting toxic poison into the water than you know, be letting the people know that you're putting these toxins in there besides just you know uh through a meeting like this. Um, because it's important that they understand it's like a Prop 65 sign when you go into a building that has cancerous agents and um same kind of thing. I mean, this is a potentially can cause um death to people, so I think that you need to be telling them that. And you know, especially you know, with this whole poo water initiative and your phasing and consulting for that and you know, security for the public utilities. Uh, you need to be, you know. I I just don't understand why we continue to give people their own sewage back and say that it's good that needs to be um mitigated because you're just lying to the people and acting like that's the only way we can give them water. Thank you very much for your comments. Our next speaker we have Lori Soldania. Ms. Sadani, you may unmute yourself. You will have one minute on the past actions. Uh yes, thank you. Can you hear me okay? Yes, we can hear you. Uh on the comments, the public comments at the last meeting. Three people commented separately on the same topic, which was the convention center board's failure to participate in the climate action plan to decarbonize the convention center. You had Kelly Linden speaking to that from the electrification uh council in San Diego. Uh, you had uh Serena Pelka from the Climate Action Campaign speaking about these electric appliances that were not installed in the convention center's kitchen, a recent remodel and upgrade. And then I also commented on the fact that they're actually using more uh burn units in the gas appliances that will be used in the remodel. So I want to propose a simple solution to this. Every building that is failing to comply with the climate action plan should have to be post a notice that they are failing to comply with the city's climate action plan until they come into compliance. There are plaques commemorating and honoring people. We need something to show buildings that are not in compliance and let people decide if they want to use those buildings. Thank you. Thank you very much for your comments.
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