San Diego Environment Committee Meeting - July 17, 2025

The Environment Committee of the San Diego City Council met on July 17, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. (local time) to consider the consent agenda and a major item on water and wastewater rate adjustments. The meeting included public testimony on a range of environmental topics, including climate action plan implementation, toxic waste from disposable vapes, smoke-free beach enforcement, and concerns about the Point Loma wastewater treatment plant. The committee approved the consent agenda unanimously and advanced a resolution to set a public hearing for water and sewer rate increases, with a modification removing automatic pass-through authority for wholesale water cost increases.

Consent Calendar

• Item 1: Approval of committee minutes from June 12, 2025.
• Item 2: Authorization to execute a contract with Ferguson Waterworks for pipes, couplings, valves, and related components.
• Item 3: Authorization to execute a contract with NMS Management Incorporated for janitorial services at PUD water and wastewater facilities.
• Item 4: Authorization to execute the First Amendment to the 2020 permit to access and stage with Martin Marietta San Diego Aggregates.
• All consent items were approved unanimously (2-0 at the time, with Vice Chair Campbell absent; later she joined remotely).

Public Comments & Testimony

Non-Agenda Public Comments:

• Cesar Javier (District 9 resident): Alleged widespread corruption in city government, including the mayor and council, and criticized the handling of environmental issues, air pollution, and water quality. He claimed the city's governance is a monopoly without accountability.
• Anthony Dang (Policy Advocate, Climate Action Campaign): Expressed support for the city's Climate Action Plan (CAP) but raised concerns: 2023 greenhouse gas emissions rose back to 2021 levels; San Diego is one of only two large U.S. cities without a dedicated sustainability department; the 2024 budget includes over $1 million in CAP reductions; and the annual CAP report is late again. He asked how budget cuts will impact the upcoming CAP implementation plan update.
• Madison: Urged the committee to explore local restrictions on disposable vape sales, citing a UC Davis study that found hazardous levels of heavy metals (lead, nickel) in illegal e-cigarettes, with one brand exposing users to as much lead as smoking 19 packs of cigarettes. She called for public education and treating these devices as hazardous waste.
• Terry Ann Skelly (parent, community volunteer, planning group member): Supported making public places smoke-free and vape-free, noting that parks and beaches are heavily used in summer, and that cigarette and vape debris and odors affect children. She stated that there is no safe level of exposure to smoke and vapors, and that clean air is a fundamental right.
• Blair Beekman: Commented on the sloping hillside issue for ADUs from the Tuesday council meeting, asking for further discussion on whether building on slopes is legal. He also mentioned the need for cooperative dialogue with Mexico and SANDAG on coastal resilience, and noted the importance of open public process.
• Joyce (District 3 resident): Requested a tour of the Point Loma wastewater treatment plant, citing extensive damage from the January 2024 storms, including a slope failure that affected mechanical and electrical components. She expressed concern about the plant's vulnerability and the ongoing waivers.
• Megan Stewart: Called for a ban on disposable vapes, highlighting the UC Davis study linking them to toxic heavy metals and carcinogens. She noted that over 70% of disposables are discarded improperly, leaking lithium batteries and hazardous chemicals, and that youth use remains high (over 50% of high school vapers use disposables). She urged San Diego to lead locally.
• Livia Buden (Partner, Coast Law Group, representing Coastal Environmental Rights Foundation (SURF)): Stated that the city is not meeting the spirit or letter of the CAP lawsuit settlement, which required frequent updates on progress. The 2023 annual report was late, and the 2024 report has not been released. She criticized the lack of transparency on GHG reductions from building decarbonization measures.
• Judy Strang: Spoke on the role of tobacco and marijuana waste in degrading the environment, especially waterways and the ocean. She urged the committee to consider smoke-free public places policies, noting that several other cities have already enacted such ordinances. She also expressed concern about AB 2939, which she said could affect equitable access to parks and beaches.
• Sawyer Patton (Intern, Coastal Environmental Rights Foundation, San Diego resident): Presented forecasts showing that the city's current emissions trajectory will not meet CAP targets. He projected that reaching net zero will be delayed by 35 years (to 2070) unless drastic changes are made.
• Becky Rapp: Described an incident at La Jolla Shores where she found a disposable vape that looked like candy and witnessed a woman openly vaping marijuana. She called for enforcement of the city's smoke-free beach ordinance, including signage, fines, and officers, similar to parking enforcement.

Public Comments on Consent Agenda:

• Cesar Javier: Repeated allegations of corruption and criticized the city's procurement processes. He also commented on the minutes, requesting a standard agenda format and questioning the placement of non-agenda items.
• Blair Beekman: Thanked the city for addressing water issues and mentioned the coastal resilience master plan from the June committee meeting, stressing the importance of collaboration with SANDAG and Mexico.
• Phone number ending in 870 (Joyce): Spoke on items 2, 3, and 4. She supported the Ferguson Waterworks contract but noted workforce underrepresentation. She also supported the NMS management contract and the Martin Marietta permit amendment, highlighting the importance of stormwater maintenance and community benefits (flood safety, water quality, open space).

Public Comments on Item 5 (Water and Sewer Rate Adjustments):

• Cesar Javier: Continued his criticism of the city's governance, alleging corruption and questioning the water quality. He suggested using the Jockey Creek hole as a catchment basin and called for modern thinking on water management.
• Phone number ending in 870 (Joyce): Quoted Shakespeare and expressed skepticism about the water authority's financial practices. She argued that the public should be wary of rate increases tied to preservation plans, and criticized the water authority's borrowing for oversized infrastructure.
• Blair Beekman: Acknowledged the efforts of the committee and staff to reduce rate increases, but urged continued open dialogue with the community and avoiding a top-down approach.
• Michael Dwyer: Raised two issues: the sewer cost of service report is marked as a draft, and the report shows expenses exceeding projected revenue by $20 million, which he found confusing.
• Michael Schmidt: Agreed with previous speakers and asked the committee to stop raising water rates, calling the increases