San Diego Environment Committee Meeting – October 10, 2024
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San Diego Environment Committee Meeting – October 10, 2024
The Environment Committee of the San Diego City Council met on Thursday, October 10, 2024, at 1:00 p.m. Chair Joe LaCava (District 1) presided, with Vice Chair Marni von Wilpert, Council President Sean Elo-Rivera present, and Councilmember Jennifer Campbell absent. The committee addressed consent items, a vessel replacement contract, a hazardous waste management contract, and received informational updates on the Energy Cooperation Agreement, stormwater infrastructure, and the Chollas Blue-Green Vision.
Consent Calendar
- Item 1: Approval of committee minutes from September 12, 2024.
- Item 2: Second amendment to the funding agreement with the San Diego County Water Authority for the Hodges Watershed Improvement Project.
- Item 4: First amendment to the energy cost recovery and reduction services contract with Procure America.
- Item 3 was returned to staff and will be heard later.
- Action: Motion by Vice Chair von Wilpert, seconded by Council President Elo-Rivera. Passed 3-0.
Public Comments & Testimony
Non-Agenda Public Comment (Students from High Tech High Point Loma)
- Jaden Joseph (11th grade) urged protection of San Diego's vernal pools, noting only two people monitor 1,468 pools and 97% have been destroyed by development. Cited the Vernal Pool Habitat Conservation Master Plan.
- Annalise Mendoza Castro (junior) requested rewilding riparian areas along the San Diego River by adding vegetation and removing litter/waste to reduce flooding, filter pollution, and meet climate goals. Mentioned support from the San Diego River Park Foundation.
- Weston Kicklighter (16 years old) advocated adding marshland at Fiesta Island, citing that wetlands sequester carbon 430–500% more effectively than forests and that 75 organizations support the effort. Stated the city needs 700 acres of new marsh by 2030.
- Andrew Vargas (junior) urged protection of nesting terns on Ski Island by amending the Local Coastal Permit that allows SeaWorld fireworks. Reported that July 4th fireworks caused 6,000–7,000 birds to panic, leading to lethal collisions and egg loss, violating state and federal bird protections.
- Sophia Bahaba (16 years old) urged further rewilding of San Dieguito Lagoon with native coastal sage scrub, which declined from 4,585 acres (2007) to 2,205 acres today. Noted SANDAG and the San Diego River Conservancy support restoration.
- Damien Verdugo (16 years old) requested resources for the Parks & Recreation Department to complete 21 MHPA conservation plans. Only 7 of 21 plans are completed; plans for Crest Canyon have stalled for eight years.
- Sam Sanchez (16 years old) similarly urged more funding for Parks & Rec to finish the Multi-Habitat Planning Area (MHPA) plans, warning that failure threatens biodiversity and tourism.
Non-Agenda Public Comment (Other speakers)
- Anne Feige (former CFAB chair) highlighted vacancies on climate advisory boards (Districts 8 and 9, resiliency board, CFAB Districts 3 and 9), noted CFAB meetings canceled for three months due to lack of quorum, and criticized staff for not consulting CFAB on a $10 million ready-set-grow grant.
- Judy Strang thanked the students and recommended a smoke-free public places policy to reduce litter and water pollution.
Public Comment on Item 5 (Ocean monitoring vessel)
- Lori Saldaña supported the vessel purchase but urged the committee to act on monitoring data, referencing her past experience with a lawsuit on the border treatment plant. She also raised concerns about underrepresentation of women and Latinos in the contractor's workforce.
Public Comment on Item 6 (Hazardous waste contract)
- Lori Saldaña again criticized the contractor (Clean Harbors) for failing to meet workforce diversity goals in categories such as sales, management, and technical/operative workers, and urged the city to enforce better representation.
Public Comment on Item 8 (Stormwater update)
- Lori Saldaña criticized the mayor and past administrations for diverting stormwater funds to the 101 Ash Street purchase instead of maintaining infrastructure, and warned of raw sewage overflows into storm drains.
- Courtney Brown (San Diego Coastkeeper) applauded the planned repairs at Smugglers Gulch and called for dedicated stormwater funding, noting that history will repeat without action. She urged support for ballot measure E (sales tax increase) to fund stormwater.
Public Comment on Item 9 (Chollas Blue-Green Vision)
- Lori Saldaña praised the presentation and highlighted the importance of trees and coastal sage scrub as natural stormwater management systems, noting San Diego's biodiversity and the need to reverse degradation.
Discussion Items
Item 5 – Contract with All American Marine to Build an Ocean Monitoring Vessel
- Staff Presentation: Ryan Kempster (senior environmental scientist, PUD) presented. The city needs to replace the 40-year-old vessel Monitor 3, which is costly to maintain and will not meet CARB 2025 emission standards. The new 73-foot vessel will cost $9.3 million, funded from wastewater metro funds. Only one bidder responded; similar vessels were purchased by Orange County Sanitation District and City of LA. Performance bond timing was adjusted to industry standard.
- Committee Discussion: Vice Chair von Wilpert asked about CARB compliance and price lock. Council President Elo-Rivera questioned equal opportunity contracting underrepresentation. Chair LaCava noted safety improvements and explained cost-sharing (33% from partner agencies, plus $1.2M/year from the International Boundary and Water Commission).
- Vote: Motion by von Wilpert, seconded by Elo-Rivera. Passed 3-0.
Item 6 – Contract with Clean Harbors for Household Hazardous Waste Management
- Staff Presentation: Jessica Weisslogel (program manager, ESD) presented. The current contract expires; new contract is for two years plus three one-year options, total $20 million (not from general fund). The program includes the Miramar transfer facility (serviced 10,000 homes in FY24), auto recycling events, door-to-door service, and new full-service collection events. Will expand operating days up to six per week.
- Committee Discussion: Council President Elo-Rivera asked about options (one at a time) and how to incentivize contractor diversity. Vice Chair von Wilpert inquired about lithium-ion battery recycling and the timeline for expanded hours. Chair LaCava asked about monitoring waste disposal (cradle-to-grave manifests).
- Vote: Motion by Elo-Rivera, seconded by von Wilpert. Passed 3-0.
Item 7 – Update on Energy Cooperation Agreement (ECA)
- Staff Presentation: Megan Ong (program manager, Sustainability & Mobility) provided an informational update. The ECA with SDG&E requires quarterly meetings and a triennial summit. The summit began in September and will continue through October. Major topics: updating commitments to be measurable, aligning with the 2022 CAP, and supporting citywide electrification.
- Committee Discussion: Vice Chair von Wilpert thanked staff and discussed EV charger permitting challenges, wildfire mitigation, and the possibility of requiring SDG&E to guarantee best rates. Council President Elo-Rivera raised concerns about SDG&E delays on affordable housing projects (e.g., nine months for an ADU) and infrastructure coordination. He stressed expanding solar equity and tree planting programs. Caitlin (SDG&E) noted CPUC constraints but said they are exploring a concierge service for affordable housing developers.
Item 8 – 2024 Annual Stormwater Department Update
- Staff Presentation: Director Todd Snyder presented a 15-minute overview. Key points: After the January 22, 2024 thousand-year storm, the department cleared 18 miles of channels (12 in Chollas Creek), removed 10,000 tons of debris, and addressed 18 new storm drain emergencies. The WIFIA loan ($733M) is funding major projects, with $235M in the Chollas Creek watershed. 8 projects are expected to break ground this fiscal year. Challenges include a $1.6B infrastructure funding gap, rising capital costs (bids 38–65% above estimates), regulatory deadlines (TMDLs), and the need for dedicated funding.
- Committee Discussion: Vice Chair von Wilpert asked about benchmarking costs with other cities and number of projects breaking ground. Council President Elo-Rivera noted improvements from state law AB 327 (streamlining CEQA) and emphasized the need for predictable, ongoing revenue. Chair LaCava highlighted the Penasquitos Lagoon project (not all city-funded) and the importance of prioritizing projects within asset classes.
Item 9 – Choice Blue-Green Vision Collaborative
- Staff Presentation: Vicky Estrada (board president, Groundwork San Diego) and Jen Eastman (fellow) presented. The collaborative promotes blue-green infrastructure (BGI) – natural systems to manage stormwater, reduce flooding, improve air/water quality, and provide community benefits. Principles include centering community, prioritizing benefits, ensuring maintenance, partnering, and creating green jobs. Examples: permeable pavements, rain gardens, floodable parks, green alleys, and stream restoration. The group is working on projects like the Federal Boulevard re-vegetation and the Mary Lou Green Alley.
- Committee Discussion: Council President Elo-Rivera praised the vision and asked about the most exciting project. Estrada cited the Federal Boulevard project and the Earth Lab educational site. Vice Chair von Wilpert asked about costs; Snyder noted that BGI may have higher maintenance costs but the city does not reject projects solely on that basis. Chair LaCava emphasized that groundwork turns community focus toward holistic solutions and that such projects leverage state/federal grants.
Key Outcomes
- Consent Agenda (Items 1, 2, 4) – Approved 3-0 on motion by von Wilpert, second Elo-Rivera.
- Item 5 (Ocean monitoring vessel) – Approved 3-0 on motion by von Wilpert, second Elo-Rivera.
- Item 6 (Hazardous waste contract) – Approved 3-0 on motion by Elo-Rivera, second von Wilpert.
- Item 7 (ECA update) – Received as information; no action required.
- Item 8 (Stormwater update) – Received as information; no action required.
- Item 9 (Chollas Blue-Green Vision) – Received as information; no action required.
- The next environment committee meeting is scheduled for Thursday, November 14, 2024, at 1:00 p.m.
Meeting Transcript
I'm Council Member for District 1 and I'm chair of the committee. Let's turn now to our committee relay is on Sarah Jordan, who'll go over instructions for today's meeting. Sarah? Thank you, Chair Lakava. Well, members of the public are able to attend the meeting in person. This meeting is being televised and live streamed on the city's website, and the 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 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 ends, whichever occurs first. This will allow for better meeting management between the two platforms and ensure that the committee is able to manage and conduct city business. We appreciate the public's cooperation. Chair. Thank you. I'll now call the environment committee meeting of the Thursday, October 10th, 2024 to order, and call the role. Vice Chair Baum Wolpert. Present. Council President Elo Rivera. Present. Councilmember Jennifer Campbell will not be attending today, and I'm present. Also attending the meeting today is Jordan Moore with the Office of the Independent Budget Analyst, or lead Deputy City Attorney, Nicole Dino. Randy Wilde with the Office of the Mayor Todd Gloria, and Brian Elliott Committee Consultant. Sarah, please continue with public comment instructions. Thank you, Chair. If you are in person, please complete a speaker slip located at the entrance of chambers and place it on the top of the box indicated at the front of the room. Please do so in a timely manner to ensure proper meeting management. In person testimony will conclude before virtual testimony begins. Members of the public can also join the 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 telephone, you may dial 1669-2545252 inputting webinar ID 160 67018143 pound. This information is also available on the agenda and it will appear on the screen during the public comment period for each agenda item. As a reminder, members of the public who wish to provide virtual testimony must enter the virtual queue by raising their hand before this queue closes. The queue will close when the last virtual speaker finishes speaking, or five minutes after in-person testimony ends, whichever happens first. Please note that if you are watching via City TV 24 or online, there may be delay. Please participate via the audio on your phone and mute your TV or computer when it is your turn to speak. If you wish to speak to a particular item, please wait for that item to be called and then raise your hand to speak by tapping the raise your hand icon, or if you are a call in participant by pressing star nine on your cell phone or landline. If you raise your hand during a non-comment period, your hand will be lowered. Chair. Thank you, Sarah, for reviewing the instructions for the benefit of the public. Again, a quorum is present, and we will start off with non-agenda public comment. The council members respect and appreciate the public's input and are fully committed to protecting every participant's free speech rights at council and committee meetings. Sarah, please start off with non-agenda public comment. Thank you, Chair. Per Rule 2.7, non-agenda public comment is an opportunity for members of the public to comment on items that are not on the agenda but are within the subject matter jurisdiction of this committee. Each speaker will have two minutes. If you have already joined the Zoom webinar online or by phone, please raise your hand if you wish to speak at this time. If you are in person, please come up to the reserve seats at the front of the room when your name is called and be prepared to come up to the lectern in the order called. If you need to participate by telephone, you may dial 1669-2545252, inputting webinar ID 160670-8143 pound. And this information is available on the agenda and it will appear on the screen during the public comment period for each agenda item. We'll begin with in-person testimony. Jaden Joseph, if you can please approach the lectern. You will have two minutes to provide your testimony. We are 11th grade students that attend uh High Tech High, and we are here to urge you to protect, restore, and work to farther maintain San Diego's vernal pools.
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