All right.

Um, we're going to get started.

Good afternoon, everyone.

Welcome to the environment committee meeting of October sixteenth, twenty twenty-five.

Our committee liaison, Sarah Jordan will provide information and instruction for the public to participate in today's meeting.

Sarah, please proceed.

Members of the public who wish to provide testimony via a call-in or an internet-based service option must enter the virtual speaking queue within five minutes after conclusion of in-person public testimony or before the virtual speaking queue is exhausted, whichever occurs first.

Council President Lacava.

Chair Eli Rivera.

Also attending the meeting today is City Attorney Representative Nicole Dino, Mayor Representative Randy Wilde, and the IBA representative Jordan Moore.

If you are in person, please complete a speaker slip located at the entrance of chambers and place it in the speaker slip box at the table at the front of the room.

Please do so in a timely manner to ensure proper meeting management.

Members of the public can 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.

To join the Zoom webinar by telephone, please dial 1669-2545252.

And when prompted, input webinar ID 161907-2156 pound.

This information is also available on the agenda and it will appear on the screen during the public comment period during each agenda item.

Please note that if you're 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.

And 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 if you are a Zoom participant or if you're a call and participant by selecting star nine on your cell phone or landline.

If you raise your hand during a non-comment period, your hand will be lowered.

Thank you, Sarah.

Let's start with non-agenda public comment.

Do we have any?

Thank you, Chair.

Yes, we've received one speaker slip here in chambers, and there's a few hands going up in the virtual queue.

So we'll be again with Blair Beekman.

If you can please approach the lectern, you will have two minutes.

Hi, everyone.

Uh good to be here live today.

Um I've moved up to San Francisco, believe it or not, for the next four months.

I'll be back here in March.

Um this was my big week to be here, and all the meetings, five meetings in total, four of them were canceled.

Shoot, I wish I was here for more of them.

But I'm here live today for this one and for tonight's PAP meeting, important meeting, by the way.

Um I hope uh to talk about environmental issues at public comment time here.

I hope city council, city government staff, land and building applicants, and everyday community are continuing to talk and question in what seems a very legitimate environmental concerns of building ADUs on the future hillsides of the Encanto and Radio Towers area.

I hope those conversations are going uh well and that an environmental ideas are being supported.

In the future efforts to limit erosion along the city of San Diego coastlines.

I'm learning that good maintenance and upkeep of drainage issues on San Diego City streets along the coastlines is an incredibly important concept, and that may need to be more openly and regularly talked about in the San Diego public process.

From this, I also hope we can acknowledge sea level rise and how it can continue to be an important factor in how to consider our future decision making and planning in San Diego for the coast for the coastline.

Um I also wanted to comment that uh in in dealing with uh technology and surveillance, uh policies created for wildlife trails.

Um actually uh can be an interesting field.

Uh it was started initially in 2015 by the city of Davis.

They had some awesome policies in place that we can follow.

And what I'm trying to learn is how tech policies like that can be examples, how it can be easier to share our policies, and we don't fear sharing it, because obviously we have serious fears of sharing our technology and uh as a community process.

Uh good luck in these sort of uh ideas and efforts.

Thank you.

Thank you.

That concludes public testimony here in chambers.

And if you're watching on City TV or the live stream online, and you'd like to dial in to provide an on-agenda public comment, you can dial 1669-254-5252, inputting webinar ID 161-907-2156 pound.

We will begin with Ari.

If you can please unmute and begin.

You will have two minutes.

Hi, my name is Andrea Ebbing, and I just wanted to uh get some assistance.

Hopefully, I'm in District 7, so Mr.

Campillo, uh, hopefully your office can help.

I know you're a city attorney.

Um, and I'm quite sure that some of the things I've told you guys throughout this time period has been alarming and far-fetched, but it is not far-fetched.

It is very alarming, and it's true that my children were abducted from San Diego County.

I have three daughters.

Um, there is a really outrageous case uh in which my county contracted rehab owner, the owner of Apex Recovery, which the county uh awarded five million dollars in contracts to over the time period that all of this was taking place.

So I mean incredible reports, felony charges, uh felony TV charges went missing.

My children were abducted.

Um just I would say the worst possible living nightmare you could ever imagine.

Um, and so recently, I'd say this weekend, I found a state audit from the office of uh Malaya Cohen, California State Controller, um, who over the time period that my children were abducted and not recovered, because our district attorney Summer Stefan has the only uh child abduction recovery unit in the county.

She's also partners with my ex for her diversion programs for Prop 36.

Uh, it looks like over the time period when my children were abducted, she was audited by the state controller's office for the child abduction recovery unit.

Um, she made uh $3,400,000 plus in um falsified fraudulent claims, of which the audit found that only 43,000 was allowable because she was not doing her job and she was not recovering children, and my three are three that she did not recover.

So I would love some help.

Um, there's no there, I have evidence beyond a reasonable doubt.

I just um don't have 80,000 to try and get the help.

Thank you.

Thank you for your testimony.

Our next speaker is Terry Ann Skelly.

Please unmute and begin.

Good afternoon, environment committee chair Ilo Rivera.

My name is Terry Ann Skelly.

I'm a member of one of San Diego's planning groups that has a lot of hills, canyons, and hiking trails, and poorly paid winding roads.

I appreciate your attention to the pure water program and household hazardous waste collection and improved air quality.

Two years ago, city council member and environmental committee member Campbell drew our attention to the issue of tobacco waste and San Diego's environment.

She stated in a quote the negative impacts of tobacco products on San Diego continues to be felt throughout our city.

From the health consequences, the environmental impacts, and the litter left behind.

San Diego is ready for a more serious conversation about what the future of tobacco products is in our city.

In 2021, this city council passed an ordinance banning all flavored tobacco products in San Diego.

End quote.

The San Diego State University Center for Tobacco and Environment could present to the committee on this topic.

Their expertise and national reputation on research regarding the damage that tobacco products create in the environment would definitely support the banning of these products.

San Diego State University Center for Tobacco and Environment found an incredible amount of tobacco trash in our cities of San Diego County, including San Diego, that have found its ways into our city's waterways and our outlets.

Thanks for considering a presentation from them.

I think you would find it very beneficial.

Thank you for your testimony.

Our next speaker is Madison.

Please unmute and begin.

Recently, the BBC reported a devastating house fire that started from a single vape left charging overnight.

Experts there are sounding the alarm, and we should listen.

E-cigarettes and vapes use lithium-ion batteries.

The same kind found in phones and scooters.

But when overcharged, damaged, or improperly disposed of, they can ignite with explosive force.

Fire officials warn never leave these devices charging unattended or overnight.

This is not just a household safety issue.

It's a growing environmental crisis.

In the UK alone, over 1,200 fires in 2023 were linked to discarded lithium-ion batteries, many from vapes tossed into trash bins or recycling loads.

These fires have been called the vape pocalypse.

And the trend is spreading globally.

Beyond fire risk, vaping devices release toxic substances, including lead, mercury, and flame retardants that can leach into our soil and water when discarded improperly.

What starts as a personal habit can quickly become a public hazard, contaminating ecosystems and threatening community health.

The solution is simple but urgent.

Proper disposal.

Used vapes and batteries must go to designated drop-off sites, not household trash.

Campaigns like battery safety now make it easy.

Their motto says it all.

Skip the bin, turn your batteries in.

As San Diego continues to lead on environmental stewardship, I urge this commission to consider expanding public education, increasing collection points for vaping devices, and partnering with local retailers to promote safe disposal.

A single vape may seem small, but left unchecked, it can spark these fires and endanger our neighborhoods.

Thank you.

Thank you.

The five-minute timer has concluded.

We have three hands remaining in the queue, and we'll take no other callers beyond these three individuals.

And Faggy, please unmute and begin.

Yeah, this is Ann, can you hear me?

We can hear you.

Please proceed.

Super.

As the Environment Committee provides oversight for the urban forestry program, and I'm bringing some great concern about some free remotes.

Yesterday I first saw photos of many stumps of large trees cut down in Belmont Park, a small area.

But these parks, that park and those huge shade trees have been a neighborhood and citywide treasure for decades for play cool places to rest or socialize.

Many of us, many of us go to that park or go to the mission bay area.

It is a wide, grassy area that absorbs storm water.

It is near there are nearby parking lots and the Belmont Cove area that only have tall palms that provide no shade.

It's unthinkable that so many shade trees have been removed and are now gone.

I will also provide this comment at today's park and recreation board meeting and ask for the reasons for the fences and tree removals, whatever there was in a decision and notification process, and an accounting of the losses, the loss of trees, the loss of shade, public recreation opportunities.

In our city, we have precious limited park areas and mature large trees.

And this is another tragedy for us in the city.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Becky Rapp, please unmute and begin.

Good afternoon.

My name is Becky Rapp, and I'm a public health educator here in San Diego.

Recently, the San Diego Imperial Valley Haida released its 2025 California marijuana impact report, which raises serious concerns about high potency THC products and how they're affecting the health and safety of our community, especially our youth.

The data shows that in 2022, 43% of suicides among individuals under 25 in San Diego County involved THC.

Statewide emergency visits related to marijuana have increased by more than 500%.

And youth ages 12 to 17 now make up nearly 38% of marijuana treatment admissions.

Experts are seeing direct links between high potency cannabis use, psychosis, addiction, and self-harm.

As policymakers, you often focus on how toxins and pollutants harm our natural environment, our air, soil, and water.

But we also need to recognize that chemical toxins and high potency drugs are harming our internal environments, our brains, our bodies, and our mental health.

The same attention we show for preserving our environment should be matched with the same attention we show in protecting the human body, especially the developing brains of our youth.

I urge this committee to recognize that community wellness and environmental safety go hand in hand.

Prevention, education, and awareness must be the focus of the conversation as we work to protect both our people and our planet.

Thank you.

Thank you.

And the final speaker in the queue is Judy Strang.

Please unmute and provide your comment.

Good afternoon, environmental committee and ditto to the comments about the loss of trees in the Belmont Park area.

I was born in Pacific Beach, and I care a great deal about the coastal areas.

And I have been kind of following the work that San Diego State University, my alma mater, has been doing at their Center for Tobacco Environment that a previous speaker mentioned.

The recent research indicates in Pacific Beach that as they looked at tobacco waste, 90% of the tobacco waste that they found in Pacific Beach returned to storm drain areas within eight weeks.

Land as well as water.

There's your example.

A later article by the marine debris uh report by the San Diego Coast Keepers and Surfrider Foundation said that 70,000 cigarette butts had been collected so far in 2025.

I think we need to remember that as a cigarette filter breaks down as they find their way into our waterways, they release harmful chemicals into the water, including nicotine, heavy metals, and carcinogens.

Can you just imagine how this affects everyone's health, particularly those in the marine environment?

But our water and what happens to it affects all of us.

And the harm to wire wildlife that draws water from our waterways.

I think the idea of having a ban on all tobacco products is a really great idea.

But if nothing else, we could at least start with a ban on single-use plastic cigarette filters.

This would get to the heart of one of our greatest cigarette product waste.

Let's take a look at it.

That's a quick and easy way to make it clear.

We don't want tobacco waste in our environment.

Thank you.

Thank you.

And Chair, this concludes an agenda public comment.

All right, thank you so much.

Do we have any uh committee mayor, city attorney, or IBA comments?

All right, hearing none.

Any requests for continuance?

Hearing none of those, we will move to our agenda for the day.

Beginning with the consent item.

Any requests to pull?

Hearing none, let's hear public comment on the consent agenda.

Thank you, Chair.

We've received one speaker slip here in chambers, so I'll begin the one minute timer.

We will begin with Blair Beekman.

Hi, uh Blair Beekman.

I'll be back here in November, and I'm living in San Francisco, but traveling to Oakland and San Jose a lot also.

Um I wanted to quickly mention the consent calendar item three.

Um acceptance uh from the consent calendar and from the previous agenda.

Acceptance of floating restroom from the California Department of Parks and Recreation.

Um this is an item that's been here a few times, uh, and it's always of interest to me.

Uh, a floating restroom in the middle of a lake of San Diego in these tough budget times that we can have this sort of item is kind of nice, I think.

I wish we can always be having these sort of conversations in city uh council and public meeting process.

Good luck how this sort of item can get us thinking about public restroom use in the downtown area, how there can always be better access for that.

Um, it's an important uh idea.

And just this item is nice for for thinking of uh imaginative uh solutions to our city issues.

So thank you.

Thank you for your testimony and chair.

There are no hands up in the virtual queue, concluding testimony for the consent agenda.

All right.

Uh then do we have um any comments or a motion to approve the consent agenda?

We've got a motion here.

We've got a second, we've got a motion from Councilman Campbell, a second from Councilor President Lakava.

Uh, all those in favor of approving the consent agenda, please say aye.

Aye.

All right.

That passes unanimously.

That brings us to our information agenda.

Sarah, if you'd please introduce item two.

Thank you, Chair.

Item number two is the Miramar landfill and greenery update.

If you're watching on City TV or the live stream online and you'd like to dial in to speak, please call 1669-2545252.

Inputting webinar ID 161907-2156 pound.

Chair.

All right.

Um we'll hand it over to staff for the presentation.

If so if you'd please introduce yourself for the record and tell them tell us how much time you'd like for the presentation.

I'll just quickly make comments to the committee.

Um I know both of you know this, but um the landfill plays an incredibly important role for the city in a variety of ways.

Um it's both an important obligation and responsibility.

I think that there's significant responsibility uh there's significant opportunity there as well.

Um so uh this update is meant to kind of kick off what I think will be a multi-part conversation about um the status of the landfill and the future of the landfill.

Um so uh thank you all for being here, and I'll hand it over to you.

Thank you.

Good afternoon, committee chair and committee members.

My name is Jeremy Caluco, interim assistant director of environmental services, and with me today is Jen Winfrey, assistant deputy director of disposal division within environmental services, and we will need about 15 minutes for presentation.

So, our intention of today's presentation is to provide an overview of the Miramar landfill that includes historical context, current operations, and a vision for the future of waste management within the city of San Diego.

It is also to set the stage for future briefings to environment committee and city council.

Miramar Landfill is served as the city's primary landfill and waste disposal site since 1959, processing approximately 900,000 tons of trash and 162,000 tons of organic material annually.

The site spans over 1,500 acres of leased land from the United States Navy, operating as San Diego's only active municipal landfill and serving a population of approximately 1.4 million.

Additionally, the site serves as a regional resource to the Navy and surrounding communities.

One of the key takeaways for today's presentation is an understanding that the Miramar Landfill, after over 65 years of operation, is approaching capacity with an estimated closure between 2029 and 2031.

With that, the Environmental Services Department with input from key stakeholders is actively working to implement solutions to effectively and sustainably meet the city's waste disposal needs and develop a future a vision for a cleaner and greener San Diego.

Miramar Landfill is located just north of the 52 freeway between the 805 and 163 freeways.

The site sits south of Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, directly adjacent to the air station's active aircraft runways.

This plays a key factor in height limits associated with the city's landfilling operations.

Located in the northwest corner of the site is the area known as West Phase 2.

This is the current active landfilling site.

Directly to the east is West Phase 1, which served as an active landfilling site from 1983 to 1993.

West Phase 1 is currently the location of the Miramar Greenery, our active mulching and composting facility.

North Miramar was active from 1973 to 1983 and is the future site of organics processing facility that Jen will provide information about later in the presentation.

Once the organics processing facility becomes operational, the greenery operations will move to that facility.

At that time, we will resume landfilling activity on West Phase 1 to utilize the remaining capacity at that location.

South Miramar served as the first disposal location and operated until 1973.

This area is the current location of the landfill entrance, fee booths and scales, household hazardous waste mattress and tire drop-off facility, and the recycling buyback center.

The public utility department's Metro Biosolids Center is also located on the southern portion of the leasehold.

As we transition to the next phase of operations at the Miramar landfill, it is important to understand that we must change the way we view and utilize the site.

In order to meet the needs of current and future San Diegans, a transition is needed from a disposal focused operation to one that prioritizes sustainable and efficient resource management.

To meet this challenge, environmental services is currently developing a strategic plan that will position Miramar as a resource management hub.

Shifting our fork our focus towards a circular economy where materials are reused or repurposed will provide an opportunity to invest in infrastructure that prioritizes resource recovery and the recycling of materials.

Additionally, maximizing the collection and conversion of landfill gas into green energy will serve as a clean energy resource for the city and community partners for years to come.

This shift will continue to provide a reliable revenue source to support landfill closure activities and Miramar site operations into the future.

Infrastructure improvements will also include a responsible and efficient location for city collection services to dispose of city-generated waste that cannot be reused or recycled.

As we move through the transition from disposal to resource management, there are several key initiatives we would like to highlight.

We are currently in negotiations with the United States Navy for a height increase at our current disposal location, West Phase 2.

This will allow us to continue to fill at our current location until the new organics processing facility is operational and we are able to resume landfilling at West Phase 1.

Expanding operating hours at the Household Hazardous Waste Facility are planned for late spring next year, allowing us to provide a safe location for community members to dispose of acceptable items.

This safely removes hazardous items from the community while ensuring they do not end up in the landfill.

Improvements to the landfill gas to energy system, as well as the construction and activation of the organics processing facility, a resource recovery facility, and transfer station are all anticipated prior to the estimated end of active landfilling operations.

A brief overview of each of these projects will be provided in the slides to follow.

It is also important to note the current lease with the United States Navy for the entire site expires in 2045.

Plans for a lease extension beyond 2045 will be included in the strategic plan that is currently developed.

I will now turn the presentation over to Jen for more information on the major projects listed in the timeline.

The city has long been a regional leader in managing organic waste, advancing sustainable materials recovery, and supporting healthy soils and landscapes.

In the early 1990s, staff implemented a green waste chip and grind operation.

Operations then expanded to include composting and opened windrows and a robust commercial food waste program.

By 2020, our department had launched a new pilot for composting using aerated static pile or ASP technology.

The ASP method increases efficiency, reducing composting time and the need for frequent turning, while improving moisture retention.

With our pilot success, several other composting facilities have adopted the ASP system, expanding overall organics processing capacity in our region.

The organics processing facility builds on the success of the city's pilot program, expanding our aerated static pile composting capacity by 31%.

This expansion is critical to managing the city's growing organic waste stream, which has increased substantially following the implementation of Senate Bill 1383, California's landmark law aimed at reducing short-lived climate pollutants such as methane by diverting organic waste from landfills.

Since the expansion of the city's green bin program in 2023 to include food and yard waste for all single family residences receiving city collection, the amount of organics delivered to the Marmar Greenery has increased by 66%.

The organic processing facility to be located on the inactive North Miramar landfill is projected to be operational at the end of 2027, providing the infrastructure needed to meet regulatory goals and reduce methane emissions through the continued diversion of organic waste from landfills.

The Miramar Greenery sells high quality compost, mulch, and wood chips to the public and provide City of San Diego residents with up to two cubic yards of free compost or mulch.

To make these free products more easily available to the public, pickup is available Monday through Saturday at the Miramar Greenery, and our department organizes periodic giveaway events in neighborhoods throughout the city.

Compost and mulch help improve soil quality by retaining moisture, adding nutrients, and promoting healthy plant growth.

They can also help reduce erosion, suppress weeds, and decrease the need for chemical fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides, supporting a healthier, more sustainable landscape.

In addition to the environmental benefits of composting organic waste, including extending the life of the landfill, the organics processing facility provides a cost-efficient receiving facility for city greenbend materials.

To ensure the city can continue providing environmentally operationally and fiscally efficient waste and resource management after the closure of the Maramar landfill, plans are underway for a resource recovery facility and transfer station.

The resource recovery facility will capture recyclable and reusable materials from self-haul customers using sorting technologies.

This will increase material recovery, improve the city's diversion rate, and reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills.

The transfer station will consolidate waste from collection and self-hall vehicles into larger transfer trucks for transport to a landfill.

This process reduces vehicles mile traffic vehicle miles traveled, greenhouse gas emissions and roadware, and improves the operational efficiency of city collection services.

Together, these three facilities will provide a sustainable long-term waste and resource management solution for the city and the region following the closure of the Marmar Landfill.

The decomposition of waste in the landfill will continue to generate landfill gas, including methane for decades to come.

This gas is captured to protect the public and environmental health of our region.

Currently, about 60% of the landfill gas is used to be converted into renewable energy, transforming an environmental challenge into a valuable green energy resource that helps offset fossil fuel use, reduce reduces greenhouse gas emissions, and supports local energy resilience.

The electricity generated helps power the Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, operations at the Marymar landfill, and the Metropolitan Biosolids Center.

The remaining gas is safely destroyed in landfill gas flares to prevent methane emissions.

The environmental services department is committed to continuous improvement, actively evaluating new technologies and strategies to maximize the beneficial use of landfill gas.

These efforts ensure that captured methane remains a clean, reliable source of green energy that benefits the region.

As mentioned earlier, this presentation is intended to set the stage for ongoing coordination and updates to this committee and city council.

We anticipate returning several times over the next year and years to come as we progress through our transition.

Although we have presented several major projects necessary to continue the efficiency and sustainably meet the city's waste disposal needs, this is not a closed plan.

Environmental services is committed to continue to explore new and innovative ideas that complement and expand our ability to create a clean greener San Diego.

This includes building partnerships with research, education, and community partners invested in this vision.

This concludes our presentation.

Thanks for the presentation.

All right, uh, let's hear public comment, please.

Thank you, Chair.

We've received one speaker slip here in chambers.

Blair Beekman, if you can please approach the lectern, you will have two minutes.

Hi, Blair Beekman.

Uh thanks a lot for this item today.

A lot of things are now more clear to myself than what uh I used to understand about this item.

Um this item has been coming to council for I've been living here since 2022, and it's been here all these years now.

So I'm I'm better and better understanding.

So thank you.

Um at the time this past summer of uh you know our garbage issues, I was very much concerned that the Miramar project was a bit of a boondoggle.

And so I had concerns, and those are being addressed here today, and I think it sounds interesting what you're doing.

I hope you can continue these same sort of uh public efforts and agenda items for the future of our garbage issues overall, this poll.

I think it can help provide a clarity for people to better understand the process that you're trying to develop, and to hear you know, better ideas and input from the public how to uh better develop the programs overall.

So good luck in those efforts to make it a really engaging process because I'm better understanding things now.

Thank you.

Um I had a question um if can't be answered at this time sometime soon.

That where is our uh new organic or inorganic material going to be uh stored and placed uh after 2031 once Miramar is deemed full and it will just be an organic facility.

Um, where will our inorganic material material be placed?

Um if that can be made clear and understandable, uh that's community work in action and uh you're doing some nice work here.

Um keep up the good efforts, and that it is a full community process uh and I of ideas, and good luck we work together.

Thank you.

Thank you.

And that concludes public testimony here in chambers and seeing no hands go up in the virtual queue.

This concludes testimony for item two.

All right, uh, thank you so much.

Um with that, let's open it up to the committee members for questions and comments.

Uh, as a reminder, this is an information item only, and we will start with Council President Lakaba.

Um thank you, Chair.

Uh, thank you for the presentation.

Um, I I want to be mindful that this is kind of like the opening conversation.

Um, and so I don't want to get too much into the weeds.

Um I don't think there was a pun there, was there?

I don't know.

Um, I the only clarification I think you mentioned if did I hear it correctly that you're looking to raise the heights of the West phase two.

And is the three 30 2031 assuming that you will get that, or would that extend the life of the landfill?

The the 2031 date does take into account the current um height increase that we are requesting.

Okay.

Um, I think the city's had a pretty good relationship with the Navy for those periodic adjustments of height, so we can count that in.

Um okay.

Well, look forward to um again that continuing presentations and how you actually move forward on those individual steps going forward.

So I know it's always that's one of the biggest challenges.

And if when no, excuse me, if when we meet our both our organic recycling and our um and our recycling goals, then that will be the key really to extend the life of that landfill.

So I appreciate what ESD does to really get the word out to the public and to hold our private haulers accountable that they meet that obligation as well.

So, with that concludes my comments, and thank you.

Thank you, uh Council President.

Um I will dive in here.

Thank you again for um for the presentation and and beginning this conversation here.

I think um what I one of the reasons I wanted to start this conversation now is uh this is a massive operation that's been in place for a very very long time.

So any changes in theory would will take some time.

Um it's also highly regulated space, uh which means that our ability to be agile um is a little it's more challenging to to pivot.

Um that being said, I also uh want to make sure that we're not seeing uh seeing certain things as inevitabilities when they don't necessarily need to be.

And uh especially if those inevitabilities or those things that we are seeing as inevitable could um increase cost for the city or run counter to some of our our broader policy goals, especially as it relates to climate change.

So I I've got a few questions um to kind of help us understand um the the box that we're working with in.

Um I think I I've shared this um with city staff at various points in time.

Sometimes the the box that you all are working in is um it's created by federal mandate, uh sometimes it's created by state requirements, and sometimes it's created right here in within the city.

Um and every once in a while it's not actually a box that's closed, and it can actually be pretty easily opened up.

And so um I I want to make sure that we have an understanding of of kind of of not just what the parameters are but where those parameters are coming from, um, so that if they're acting as a barrier to achieving longer term goals, we can address those as well.

So I'm we've got this kind of timeline that we're looking at for when we'll stop being able to use the landfill in the way that it's being used.

And once again, that timeline is is what 2029 to 2031.

Okay.

And at that point, what are the implications of the landfill not being able to be used in the way that it currently is?

Or uh our our plans are to have a location on site to take care of our organics material as well as continue our recycling that the way that we process and utilize recycling material.

What our challenge will be is for those materials that are no longer that don't meet those requirements and we cannot repurpose or recycle, we will need to find a efficient location for those materials off site.

And from a financial standpoint, what would that likely mean?

For our that that would be the intent of the transfer station.

So that is the largest the the purpose of generating or building a transfer station on site that would be a site for our city collections vehicles to still dispose of the that material on the Miramar site, that material would then be um loaded into transfer trucks and shipped most likely initially towards to the Sycamore landfill location, just um on the other side of the and there would be financial cost to that.

There would be financial costs to that.

And then is there revenue that we would no longer be receiving when we get to that phase of operating the landfill?

Potentially, it depends on how we structure the the creation of the transfer station, the building of the resource recovery facility.

We have some options there that could continue to generate revenue from the tipping of our non-city collections facilities if that transfer station is open to those.

Um there's also private public private partnerships that could be explored.

And um we we currently have a franchise agreement with the sycamore landfill, and that creates a favorable disposal and tipping rate for us at that location.

So it's not without cost is the simple way of is it that's would that be accurate?

Correct.

Yeah.

Um and this is a somewhat it's this is not a fun conversation right now, but like it we just can't get to a better place if we don't acknowledge some of the the situation that we're we're staring at.

So there's the the if I understand correctly, the main driver of that timeline being what it is is max uh is is hitting the the the cap of how high we can go.

Is that that's correct?

That is correct.

Are there other reasons why we would need to close during that window or are we we're estimating to close during that window besides height?

The other um factor that could play a role in that would be um any major projects that occur in the community that that generate waste and and that need to be disposed of at the Miramar site.

Also, if we um reach significant delays in the building and creation of the organics processing facility, and we're not able to move those and utilize that space at West Miramar or West Phase One, then that could limit us as well.

Are those all related to one another though?

Meaning if it doesn't end up at the or if the organics facility it would end up in the landfill and we would end up higher faster.

Is that the project waste would would result in us you know reaching capacity faster?

However, the organic material would still be processed at our greenery location, so we are still able to process the green material.

What we wouldn't be able to do is utilize that landfilling space that sits below the greenery location right now.

We need to move the greenery off of West Phase One in order to utilize that space.

Got it.

So that leads me to the next question.

What are we doing to extend the life?

What if anything to make sure that it you know one?

Would it be closing earlier but for certain actions that are being taken now?

Two, are we taking actions to attempt to push out from 2029 to 2031 to a later period of time?

Yeah, we're we're exploring all options and availabilities currently.

We um with the passage and the approval of the the city collections fee and the uh weekly recycling that will come online here in in about two years, that will help us divert materials from the landfill, um, help us push towards that 2031 date.

Also, our city collections fleets when we service the South Bay communities we are already utilizing when available, the Otai landfill in that community helps us save time for our drivers, trans, you know, transporting back and forth between those communities and Miramar, but also saves us space at that Miramar location as well.

Got it.

Are there any policies at the city or state level that are either speeding up the timeline for by which we think we need to close or inhibiting our ability to extend the life of the landfill?

So the main prohibitor to extending the life of the landfill through a height increase is the the Navy operations at Miramar, um, and that includes FAA requirements.

Um regulations make within the state make it difficult to expand an existing landfill like Miramar into additional space outside of that.

So there is some level of complication there.

Um however, for for Miramar, which has been on this site for a very long time, it is primarily the reaching that maximum height that is our main um limiter.

And then as Jeremy had said, um, moving the current greenery to the north Miramar landfill with the organic processing facility would open up additional landfill capacity space for us.

Um so making sure that that's going through with our local regulators and getting the approvals to to make that transition of the facility site is an important consideration for the future life of the landfill.

Got it.

Um actually, can I also add that there are initiatives statewide that will help us push as well that are currently in development?

Any of the efforts towards producing um reducing single-use plastics, right?

The efforts that are going on at the state level for increased um producer responsibilities and any um of the the initiatives that are that are underway to looking at textiles and the reuse and repurpose and recycling of textiles as well, are all things that are going to help us extend that life of the landfill and push us towards that 31 date as well.

So it's not only at the local level that we are working on things, there are state-run initiatives that if you know there's like what policies are are um slowing down the inflow into the landfill, and then what policies are kind of inhibiting our ability to deal with what that's what's uh at the landfill right now to that point, you know, I the it's far from an expert on any of this stuff, but have ended up pretty deep down the rabbit hole on on this.

Um in what ways are we exploring?

And you said we're kind of exploring everything, but as I understand it, there's there's um work happening around mining of of landfills of pulling out materials that could have value in one way or another, not necessarily just recyclables, but but plastics, but um textiles, um which in theory could you know extend life in a in a different way while providing a a an asset or a resource to the city.

If there have been any conversations around that, are there any policies that would inhibit our ability to do that?

We we have had conversations in that in that regard, looking at um you know exactly what you said, mining of the current material.

Um the problem with some of those technologies is they're very early in their infancy.

They're um they have not necessarily passed through regulation requirements.

Um there's not proof of concepts within the state of California, which has a little bit more stringent regulatory requirements than a lot of other areas, and so we don't we are having those conversations, and those are the new technologies that we are open to exploring.

Um we just don't have that solution that's solidified and proven that we could implement at this time.

Completely understand.

I and I'm glad the conversations are happening because I you know recognizing the kind of fiscal and environmental impacts of not being able to use the landfill in in the way that we are.

I think there's lots of incentives there, and then again, there's the you know, where's I think there's some opportunity in that as well.

And I I understand the um, you know, this is like a uh emerging technology, these are emerging technologies.

That part about the the regulatory piece though, I think that's a very important thing for us to know as a council and um you know to to partner with the mayor's office, perhaps if we're unnecessarily being boxed in by regulation either that that we've created here, that's the easiest to change, obviously, or that exists at the state level.

Um, as I understand it, this is an issue that's not San Diego's on a loan and facing.

Um I I've I've kind of heard that in certain at times our desire to create um positive environmental policy actually makes it more difficult to have the positive environmental impact that we we are um aiming for, and sometimes materials get outsourced where there's far less regulation and it has a uh of a worse overall environmental impact.

Um that's obviously not a wet a net win, and those are the sort of things that we need to know so that we can again either take the action here or advocate for the action at the state level.

And the last question I have in terms of making maximum use of this space right now is to what extent there's been conversations with San Diego Community Power about potential for utilizing either the the I think you referenced X excess methane.

I assume that's not a tremendous amount, um, but you know, are there opportunities for solar um projects?

Is that a conversation that happens on a uh that has happened?

Is it happen on a regular basis?

What what does that look like we don't have active conversations around that um those topics currently with with that community partner, however, we are open to and and will be exploring those.

Uh a lot of we're I know it seems like a long time ago, but really COVID shut down a lot of operations and a lot of those community partnerships and those conversations and relationships, and so we're working to rebuild those and explore um those opportunities.

Um got it.

I'm actually without putting you on the spot, Council President, with one your experience having chaired this committee to your time serving as on the community power board, just kind of want to pivot to you and see if you it if you think that that's a conversation that should be happening uh well the great question.

The simple answer is yes.

The other thing I think about is it's not our land.

So every square inch that we have accessible for landfill, we're gonna want to use as a landfill or recycling or organics, et cetera.

But that doesn't mean we shouldn't raise the conversation, especially on those portions where we still have rights until 2045, and as long as it doesn't comply, you know, I mean um conflict with the Navy operations, uh, that there may be a willingness, and of course, there's always a tipping point about how long do you have that and you know whether it's worth the investment.

But yeah, absolutely.

Um I think community power is actually especially hungry to kind of create energy projects within the the member cities rather than constantly going out to Nevada or far-flung areas where there's less development and therefore more land that can be converted.

So it's worth the conversation.

It it'll be a very interesting one to explore.

I think so too.

I I there's for a variety of reasons.

One of them being if there's an opportunity to bring in some revenue there, I think you know that could be useful, especially if we're gonna be losing some of the revenue that comes from tipping fees and having to spend initiating the conversation earlier rather than later about similar to water non non-rate payer revenue, right?

So that um we've done everything we can ahead of time to ensure that increased costs are not being borne um by by residents.

Um we've explored every avenue possible to to squeeze other um revenue out of uh out of these um resources.

Anyway, that this is uh part of the the conversation that I'm hoping we can have in the in the months to come because it this is a just super super important, and I I don't want us to be um caught flat footed or um for anyone to be surprised when there's significant impacts you know down the road if we if there are.

So um thank you again for being here.

I know it took a lot of work to get this presentation going.

I know that you all are still doing a lot um to implement the changes that have occurred over the last um few months.

So uh thank you for that.

I don't see any additional uh requests to uh speak.

So um with that, let's move to our next item, please.

Thank you, Chair.

Item number three is San Diego Gas and Electrics presentation on climate equity, customer equity, and undergrounding.

If you're watching on City TV or the live stream online and you'd like to dial in to speak, please call 1669-2545252 inputting webinar ID 161907-2156 pound.

Chair.

All right.

Um again, this is uh an information item.

Um we'll thank our um guests for attending today and giving them a chance to settle in.

So I'm just kind of filibustering here.

Umce you all are are settled in, please feel free to introduce yourselves and let us know much time you'd like.

Thank you, Chair Elo Rivera and committee for having us today.

We really appreciate it.

Uh, we kindly request 20 minutes uh for our presentation today.

Please proceed.

Awesome.

Um, just a reminder this presentation is part of a newly negotiated energy cooperation agreement approved by uh San Diego City Council this past summer.

So stating that once a year SCGNE shall offer to present to the appropriate city council committee on the following presentations climate equity, customer equity, and undergrounding.

So without further ado, I'll go ahead and get started.

I do want to just quickly introduce.

I have with me today my name's Bernette Buckwood, senior public affairs manager, uh helping with implementation of the franchise.

We also have Kazim Omejidi, um, the director of customer programs, our new director.

And we also have Kelly Fitzgerald, uh, our franchise manager uh overseeing much of the undergrounding.

So diving in.

Um, under this newly executed agreement, uh, we actually were able, along with city staff, to align this with the CAP 2.0 strategies with the city.

Um, so in strategy one, the decarbonization of the built environment.

Um we work to ensure that the city has good visibility over their usage.

Uh recently there was enhancements to um this energy dashboard that updates things like you know, uh both gas consumption, electric consumption, uh, there's enhanced search functionalities for easier data retrieval and uh updated monthly demand and gas usage charts.

Um in the building performance standards, we have dedicated staff that meet bi-monthly with city staff uh on a various uh different topics, including code enforcement, um, Zimbabwe and other items uh around affordable housing.

So it's probably the one that you hear the most about from many of your constituents.

Uh SCGE, we're committed to being a trusted partner in our community we serve.

So we're supporting everything from small business to large infrastructure and housing developments.

In 2024 alone, SCGE received approximately 20,000 requests for upgraded service or new interconnections, uh, highlighting the sale and importance of timely energization.

Uh in 2025, SDG engaged with nearly 75 local developers, affordable housing developers, uh, and municipal partners to gather feedback on these energization processes.

Um obviously things like improved communication, um clearer timelines or all mentioned, but some things that SEGE is also looking to implement is like single points of contact and a technology modernization upgrade.

Right now, uh a lot of this is emailing back and forth.

Uh we are looking to have a portal that you can see all communications with SDG, no matter what department you may be in during your process.

Um, my most exciting part the encouraged diversity in uh local energy workforce.

So since the establishment of the franchise in 2021, SDG needs participated in over 200 hiring events across San Diego and posted over 400 job openings across a diverse range of San Diego based organizations.

But our workforce development is probably the best part.

So competitive edge program, job training program that we have established is a six-week, this is in partnership with the Central San Diego Black Chamber of Commerce.

It's a six-week training course, including a 22 an hour wage for participants.

72 graduates here and 82% job placement since 2022.

The utility arborist line clearance training program, we actually just had a graduation this summer.

We partnered with the San Diego College of Continuing Education, providing a 1.2 million dollar grant for a three-year program, five weeks, 200 hour course.

This is for the tree clearance, you know, of our lines to safely do so.

And many of them got job placement into our contractors that we use.

Diving into strategy two, so access to clean energy and renewable energy.

This will also be covered again later in our presentation, but just to highlight a few here, San Diego Community Power, we launched last summer the My Energy Center for customers to have better visibility of their bill and their account.

As many of you know, in August of 2024, CPUC approved the San Diego Regional Energy Network.

This is for energy efficiency programs and other things to be rolled out within our service territory.

And we've been very supportive along the way.

This is something that we've agreed upon within with the city of San Diego.

So we will continue to do so.

So lastly, the energy load and management.

So we have the emergency load and reduction program, the ELRP.

This is available for residents and small businesses, and this is for them to actually save during grid emergencies.

If they power down and help us manage the grid, they can actually look at some savings on their bills.

If you want any more information on that too, please feel feel free to reach out.

And then lastly, the clean transportation efforts.

So in the new ECA, we've we're providing project level load analysis.

So this is helpful to kind of capture the low-hanging fruit of areas that have the capacity for new EV infrastructure.

And then we're also, of course, helping with the city's public EV charging program as Baker Electric looks to roll that out.

Our team is our reading meeting regularly with Baker at this point.

And yeah, and the part oh, Department of General Services is also getting an EV purchasing tool from our team to look at purchasing EV trucks and other things for your fleet.

So less the strategy five, resilient infrastructure and healthy ecosystems.

So as many of you know, we're 80% of the way there on planting our trees, so we're really excited about that.

Lots in District 9, so we can start some love.

But we work closely with the city forester, Brian Wadner, on his priorities, but we also work with nonprofits.

So you actually see us here with San Diego Downtown Partnership planting some trees in East Village earlier this year.

Wildfire safety, I know, sorry, um, Councilmember Campbell, you've already heard much of this in public safety as we came to talk to you about public power safety shutoffs for this fire season.

Um, but I would be remiss if I did not mention again.

So we do provide every day this fire potential index.

It's based on weather data, it's based on topography and all other items for the San Diego Rescue Foundation.

We also have active response capabilities, so two Black Hawk helicopters, that's what you see in this picture here, who have dropped thousands of gallons on fires within the city of San Diego just this year.

I don't have to remind you all, January was a very um tough time for us.

I think we are activated for over 21 days in our emergency operations center.

Um and as you can see, both Ted Williams Fire and Friars Road, uh the Friars Fire were both uh utilized those helicopter capabilities.

Also, they're free for the first two hours to the city covered by um under Cal FIRE.

So the develop uh resiliency review.

So this uh has to do with uh vulnerability assessment that we worked with the city on just to look at our both of our infrastructure throughout the city.

So without further ado, I'd like to turn it over to our director of customer programs, Casine.

Thank you.

Appreciate it.

Um it's an honor and a pleasure to be in front of you all here today.

Um I think some of you may remember me even my previous role as director of community relations at SCGE.

Now in my current role as uh director of uh customer programs.

I'll be providing an overview of our customer assistance programs, which include build discount programs as well as our energy efficiency and uh energy savings programs that we provide to both residential and um commercial customers.

First, I'll I highlight is our California alternate rates for energy, our care program, which provides a 38% electric bill discount on uh customers' bills uh on the electric side, and then 20% on the natural gas side.

Um thing I'll highlight is just the uh enrollment of customers within the city of San Diego.

We're currently at 277,000 uh customers, um, which uh also equates in our total service territory about 101% of uh our enrollment rate.

So we are above 100% of what we were authorized to actually enroll within our service territory.

So it's a it's been a very successful program.

Um as of I would say August or year to date, we're we're currently at a total of 291 total uh customers enrolled, and so 277 of that, 277,000 is based out of uh City of San Diego.

The the next program, which uh folks are also familiar with, is our family electric rate assistance program, which provides uh 18% discount uh on monthly bill.

And again, these discounts are line items on the bill for customers which they they get to see monthly.

Um in the city of San Diego, we have about 16,000 uh customers enrolled uh year to date uh in that program as well.

Uh and then the last bill discount uh that that we we do provide is our medical baseline program, which is called MBL, and that's it basically an additional baseline of electric and gas at the lowest rates.

And so your your base rate is lowered compared to uh customers that are not on that program.

Um this is pro this is the one of the three that is not income based.

So care and FARA are income-based, medical baseline is not only requires that you the qualifications based on the medical condition or qualifying medical equipment.

Um to date, we have about 63 close to 64,000 uh customers within the city of San Diego enrolled uh in our service territory.

We have about 106% of our enrollment cap or our enrollment rate, uh, which is also uh another uh successful uh program uh based on those enrollment rates.

Next slide.

So moving on from bill discounts, this is our customer assistance programs as it relates to uh direct bill uh relief or uh energy efficiency programs.

So ESA, which is our energy savings assistance program.

Um these are programs that provide no cost home upgrades, such as energy efficiency appliance, uh lighting, uh water heaters, uh, HVAC, uh low-flow shower heads.

Uh I have a slide dedicated to the three programs within ESA in our next in the next slide, so uh I won't touch too much about it, but I did provide the income qualifications guidelines for the energy savings assistance again, ESA program for you to to view as well.

The next item I'll talk about is our low-income home energy assistance program, otherwise known as LIP.

There are three types of assistance underneath this specific program, which is uh pro again providing direct payment to customers uh utility bills.

Um, another assistance program under that is the weatherization, so free energy uh efficiency upgrades at the home level, whether that's um you know uh windows window pay window panes to door seals, we provide that weatherization um perspective and and uh measures to our customers and then energy crisis uh intervention program called ESIP, which provides assistance up to uh thousand dollars of households and in a crisis.

This program is actually administered by or overseen by the California Services and Department.

Uh however, we have two local nonprofits that actually run this program as our program administrator, which are both MAC project and the uh campesinos Unidos Incorporation organization as well.

Year to date, we have about 4,750 customers that have participated in this program, and uh which equate to about 4.8 million dollars in uh risk and benefits when you uh add up all three types of assistance under under our our Lightheat program.

Next slide is a deep dive into our energy savings assistance programs.

Um these programs uh provide the energy efficient um measures that we provide to our customers.

And so the three that are on display today are our ESA main, uh our ESA multifamily home building and our Pilot Plus DEEP program.

Uh ESA Main is specific for single family uh and mobile homes, no cost uh upgrades such as HVAC, water heaters, insulation, weather stripping, uh new appliances, lighting, um, low flow shower heads.

So everything you would think from uh from an energy savings perspective that you would see in a home would go under this program.

Year to date, we have about 3,465 homes that have been treated this year alone.

But in the program cycle 2021 to 2026, we have about 33,718 homes treated.

Um our ESA multifamily home building, which is specifically for multi-families, uh multifamily properties, um, five or more units, uh, which also provides the same benefits or energy savings measures such as HVAC, um, smart thermostat installation appliances.

Year to date, we have about 5,000 units that have participated in this program, which consists of about 28 properties.

We go at a property level for economies of scale when we do our multi-family hole building program.

Uh but um this was also again launched in 2023, and this year we've had significant um uh improvements in getting folks enrolled for that program.

And then last but not least is our pilot plus uh pilot deep program, which provides deeper energy savings.

How do we go beyond the lighting?

How do we go beyond the HVAC to provide energy savings for our customers?

Year to date, we have uh 71 enrollments but seven homes treated.

Um our estimate by the end of 2025 is to get 150 homes in the program and in the system.

Last slide for me here uh our decarb or decarbonization programs.

Uh how are we providing uh efficient ways to decarbonize um uh not home not only homes but but just uh what I would say energy efficient um strategies and measures for for our customers.

Um one which I I believe you all are are ultimately familiar with is our San Diego Solar Equity Program, which was launched in 2022.

Um this is in in coordination and in partnership with uh Center for Sustainable Energy, CSE, and that contract was actually extended through 2031 with an annual budget of one million per year.

To date, we have 81 completed applicants or applications for solar projects.

Um another interesting element of that is the county of San Diego is also leveraging our structure with this solar equity program with CSC to launch a uh similar program for in for the unincorporated areas.

Um next program I'll highlight is SGIP Self Generation Incentive Program, which provides um incentives for solar plus uh storage or battery projects in low-income homes.

21% of our applications since 2020 have been within the city of San Diego, and that's also been another successful program in partnership with with uh with CSC as well.

Uh the last thing I'll touch on, I don't want to touch on every single element here, but the our customer home electrification readiness program or CHERP.

This is a new program that is set to launch at the end of this year.

I think the two elements of this that's very exciting is the energy advisor, which will provide and educate contractors on the uh installation of distributed energy resources, so solar, battery, fuel cell, uh, what have you, with behind the meter, and that's your case of projects.

So it's to help upscale our uh contractors in the region and in understanding how to approach uh DER projects, and then last but not least is our electrification incentive tool, which will help customers understand all the different potential initiative uh incentives that they can get behind the meter at their homes and integrate energy equipment and technologies seamlessly at the home level.

So I'll hand it over to our franchise planning manager Kelly Fitzgerald for the remaining of the slides.

Great.

Thanks, Casine.

I'm not sure how many minutes I have, but I'll try to keep it short.

Chair, uh, could we add an additional five minutes by chance for undergrounding?

Thank you.

Thank you, and good afternoon.

Um I appreciate the opportunity to present SDGE's update on the city's undergrounding program.

Again, my name is Kelly Fitzgerald, and my role is manager of franchise planning and project management within SDGE's customer project management department.

My team works closely with the city's utility undergrounding program team as well as with engineering and capital programs on relocations and street lighting.

So just a bit about our department.

I'm pleased to be here today to share progress on the undergrounding program.

And I've got fly five slides, so again, I'll try to keep it somewhat short.

I'm gonna be starting with a program overview, followed by a financial snapshot for fiscal year 25 and the forecast for fiscal year 26.

Um I have a great slide that shows all of our upcoming construction schedule.

Um, so hopefully that will be exciting to all of you.

And then finally, we'll talk about some continuous improvement and program efficiencies realized in this last year, and then what program opportunities look like in the year ahead.

So, with that, I'll start with the program overview.

Um, as you all know, the goal of the program is to underground SDGE's overhead facilities across all communities in the city of San Diego.

Over the last year, the joint focus of both the city UUP team and the SDG ⁇ E surcharge team has been on advancing projects through the planning and design process into construction.

Um the current project portfolio includes 175 underground miles across 25 active projects and four legacy projects.

So by the numbers, SDG received notice to proceed from the city for uh three projects in 2024 and eight new projects in 2025.

We currently have two projects in construction, uh Crown Point 2BB, Job 2, and 7T, which is an Allied Gardens.

And the city is currently performing service work on Palm 8R, that's a joint project.

Uh we have five projects in the initiation stage, 10 projects in the planning stage, and nine projects are in design.

We expect to have two more projects in construction by the end of this fiscal year, um, Allied Gardens 7R1 and 2BB Job 2.

Um, as you all know, the Rule 20A program was sunset by the CPUC effective in April of 2022, and our current understanding is that the city will look to incorporate the remaining 13 Rule 20A projects into future surcharge undergrounding boundaries as part of the master plan.

Overall, there's a significant amount of collaboration and coordination that's happened this past year between our teams to move projects forward while also engaging all stakeholders and keeping communities informed of our progress.

Uh there were seven community forums held in 2024 and three in 2025 to date.

Next slide, please.

So this is a financial uh snapshot for fiscal year 25 and the forecast for 26.

So our total spend for fiscal year 25 starting in July of 24 through June of 25 was 28 million.

Um this represents 150% increase year over year from 11 million spent for fiscal year 24, although it was less than our target.

Um and one of the major contributing factors was longer than anticipated durations to move into construction.

Um there's various reasons for that.

Um, but the gap between expenses spend and actual spend was due in large part to fewer than expected projects reaching construction.

Um so our hope is really to tackle that and change that in the coming year or two.

We're addressing this shortfall in a number of ways, including updating our financial forecasting methodology, as well as addressing targeted areas where we see the most delays, such as easement acquisition and permitting, which will be discussed in a later slide.

Our target spend for fiscal year 26 is 45 million.

Um again, that's based on four projects in construction and then ongoing active planning and design work across the portfolio.

Um, and I would just mention again that permitting progress has a direct impact on the budget and remains really an area of opportunity.

We currently have six projects in the permitting process with uh DSD, and so our hope is that we can move those along and get those into construction.

Next slide, please.

So this is the construction schedule that SDGE has put together for projects nearing the construction phase.

And I know this might be a little bit busy and hard to see, but hopefully, what this represents is the upcoming construction work on the horizon.

So there's been a lot of work going on to get us to this place.

And again, we're on the horizon of really starting to see a lot of projects in construction.

The design progress I mentioned earlier is a leading indicator for future construction activity, and as you can see, we're gonna be ramping up construction significantly in 26, 27, and 28.

So just to sort of break down this slide for you a little bit, the calendar year is represented by the solid lines, fiscal year is dotted lines, so we're kind of showing both what we expect to achieve in a calendar year versus fiscal year.

And then the colors represent the various phases of construction.

So starting out with trench and conduit, which is the blue, that's the first step in constructing the backbone distribution system, and then we move to cabling and connections, which is a second step, and then finally the gray is the removals of all of the overhead facilities, including poles and wires.

We're also showing who's performing the work, and so one thing you'll notice is that those stripey areas are areas where we've been able to pull in SDGE crews to start work sooner as opposed to contracting out the work.

We anticipate that we will continue to evaluate resource balancing between internal crews and external crews as more projects move into construction, we're able to balance that work and the timelines.

So again, in calendar year, we expect to have eight projects in construction, and in 27, the number increases to 12 projects.

So as you can see, we're really ramping up.

Next slide.

This slide covers some of the improvements and program efficiencies that we've been able to achieve over this last year.

When we provided the undergrounding update to environment committee last year, we identified a number of potential opportunities to make the program more efficient.

And I'm pleased to report that our teams have implemented new processes, processes and procedures to streamline overall coordination.

We're touching just on a few of the areas today.

Again, a lot of work and collaboration happening, but I think it's worth noting that our collective teams have spent countless hours working through technical details, identifying appropriate handoffs, outlining new procedures, and really using creative problem solving to address issues.

So one of those areas is a more strategic coordination.

We've established regular touch points between SDGE and the city's undergrounding leadership.

And these are in-person touch points where we share timely updates, address challenges, and align on priorities.

We also have a monthly program performance and risk review session, which enables us to proactively mitigate risks and ensures transparency across both organizations.

This past year there's also been a lot of work with the telecommunication companies.

We are engaging them earlier.

We have increased communication and coordination.

And we also appreciate the city's efforts on code enforcement as we think this has contributed to improved timelines as well.

Some design efficiencies that we've made this year.

Now SDG is performing the trench and conduit designs in partnership with the city's UUP team to streamline trench work and just reducing rework.

Again, this is an area of opportunity that we've been working to enhance collaboration with the UUP team as well as DSD.

And this has led to faster permit approvals, especially for joint utility projects.

We're looking to also find those wins with the SDGE projects.

And finally, improvement in schedule management.

We provide upfront alternatives to the city.

We highlight risks to help reduce overall costs and keep the budgets in check.

We've also reprioritized projects based on first ready, right?

So if one project has fallen behind but another has advanced more quickly, then we're allowing those projects to go to construction instead of maintaining the specific project order.

I think that's that slide.

So last slide.

Again, permitting and land approvals is a real opportunity here.

We are looking to create faster timelines through closer coordination with DSD.

We've been putting meetings into place following initial submittals for permits, and we look forward to working closely with city staff to make that a reality.

A new idea that we're also looking into is one touch attachment removals, meaning that rather than having an SDG contractor come out to remove wires and then a telecommunications contractor coming out later, we're looking at the possibility of just having one company that would remove both at the same time to increase uh program efficiency, reduce costs, and expedite pole removal and project closeout.

Um I mentioned construction resourcing earlier.

Uh we're starting to look at using a mix of internal and external crews to improve production.

We know that 27 and 28 will be a high volume, and our goal is to ensure crews are consistently available.

And finally, dashboard creation, that must be a theme because I think I heard that also in Bernadette's um presentation.

Um so I know that the city staff has uh dashboard that they use.

We are now also working on our own dashboard that we'll be sharing with city staff.

Um we're in the process of developing performance targets and reporting tools that will both enhance visibility and accountability, and then finally um providing that better visibility into risks and mitigations uh via timely reporting um and discussions.

So, in closing, um I'd like to share my appreciation for the ongoing collaboration with the CUP team, and I think all of us will be happy to answer any questions that you all may have.

Thank you.

Thank you for your grace, Chair.

Thank you.

Uh appreciate the presentation.

Uh do we have any public comment on this item?

Thank you, Chair.

Yes, we've received one speaker slip here in chambers.

Blair Beekman, you will have two minutes.

Hi, uh Blair Beekman.

Uh thanks for city council uh questions on the previous agenda item.

Um to start uh for this item.

Um it was mentioned on the previous item that uh by council person Lakaba the importance that we are trying to build a future of community energy development.

And it's interesting to consider how these sorts of programs and ideas can be serving the future of a of a more established community uh energy programs uh you know in San Diego in the future.

So good luck how you can integrate this sort of conversation and how it can be helping our uh community energy future.

Um interesting brought out that uh the last uh presenter uh works with streetlight issues and that um the work with uh tech accountability uh in and all these undergrounding things, and in describing that uh SDG is going to be in control of the circuiting and the creating of the poles and everything.

I hope you all really uh work on tech accountability and what that really means.

Um we're entering a future where public safety is important and surveillance tech will be needed for that, but it just has to be balanced with civil rights and civil protections in that public safety.

Public safety is a balanced uh things that we have to be clear with that I hope uh can always be addressed when we talk about these things.

I'm gonna talk about the tonight at PAB, by the way.

And um, so with my remaining time, uh boy, uh this is uh good luck how we can talk about this.

Nice talking about uh programs available for services for people.

Um, a lot of stuff here.

I only have four seconds left.

I wish I had more time.

Good luck.

Um we work together.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Anne chair with no hands up in the virtual queue.

This concludes testimony for item three.

All right, uh turn to the committee members, see if there's any questions or comments uh for our presenters beginning with Council President Lakova.

Uh thank you, Chair.

Uh thank you for the presentation and this annual report.

Uh, there's so much to cover, and a lot of it is just reminding us and the public about the work that is done, the energy cooperation agreement.

We've got built into that and how the city and SDG need a pivoting to kind of meet those requirements.

Um I think it's especially this year.

Um, always fascinating to talk about the programs care and Faro that is available to electric customers that we can't get for other customers uh that are exposed to expensive utilities like water rates, sewer and water stuff, but maybe someday we'll we'll make progress up in Sacramento.

But maybe someday we'll we'll make progress up in Sacramento.

I think the only thing that I wanted to ask about is on the utility undergrounding.

Welcome aboard.

Thank God that someone's willing to jump into the one that has a high profile and is the most challenging given how expensive it is now to do the utility undergrounding.

And the limited resources we have to actually be able to accomplish that.

And the uh the farewell to rule 20A, and we still had some projects that were were in that category.

Um so I was trying to find out because the one that I know I think Bertie Dent remembers that I'm always interested is in Murlands.

And I got a little confused by the two slides because it seemed like Murrand's block 1M1 doesn't have a date on it on the first slide, but actually is shown being activated in the timeline as opposed to Muralens 1M job two, which is listed as FY26 on the listing, but doesn't show up in the timeline.

And I'm trying to remember which one of those is the problem one.

That there's been some disagreement with the city and SDG about the feasibility to do undergrounding.

And I believe a geotechnical report was finished in July, if I remember correctly.

So I'm always curious about are we making any headway from your point of view.

We are actually, and I am confused on which one it is as well, but I know which one you're talking about.

Yeah.

Um and the geotech study was completed, it was shared with the city, and there was actually a walk that occurred in um, I think it was just yesterday is what I heard um to walk the area and talk about what um design changes are going to be required.

So it is definitely moving forward.

Um, from what I understand, our civil engineer was out there walking with them.

Oh, and we have had conversations about that.

So I anticipate that that project will be able to continue to move forward.

Great.

Um, but there will be some redesign required.

Right, okay.

Well, that's the most progress we've heard in a very long time.

So that doesn't mean it's gonna happen tomorrow in case anybody from those neighborhoods are listening in, but at least it's good progress.

And I get um uh challenging assignment uh to move forward both on your side and on the city side, but I'm really grateful for both sides that are really working together and trying to figure out what the roadblocks are, eliminate them and get um a little bit creative about how we can do things differently and more effectively that achieves the safety of actually having lines underground, um, especially with the greater fire risks that we're that we're seeing out there.

Um and yeah, we and we do appreciate um I don't know that District 5 appreciates that only three trees have been planted out there, but I know they certainly appreciate the firefighting capabilities that SDG sends out there because that's that's uh a top priority I know for uh Councilmember Von Walbert and everybody who lives in District 5.

So thank you for your continued progress.

Thank you for taking the time to make the report.

Thank you, Chair.

Thank you, Council President.

Um I don't see any additional requests to speak.

I will say thank you for um for the presentation as always.

Um thank you for being thorough and in the way you presented it as well.

Um I like the way the uh tree distribution has gone thus far.

Um just to be totally transparent there.

Uh that was fantastic.

Um if you want to increase the trees everywhere by all means, um, but uh thank you.

Um we always love to see trees planted.

I actually um was was sharing that um we saw and I don't know if it was actually part of this program or part of the uh broader citywide efforts to plant more trees in city heights.

It's such a dense community.

Um there's so many young people who live there, and it was very, very short on on um on trees, and um given the proximity to freeways, the long standing environmental injustices that have occurred in the community.

Um, every tree that's planted there is a active step uh uh uh is an act of environmental justice, and so um we'd love to see those trees planted in City Heights.

So thank you uh for your work on that.

I also uh don't want to miss the opportunity to say thank you for your participation in some of the community cleanups we've had in City Heights, some of the beautification events we've had.

There's a fantastic um very well attended event uh with City Heights CDC that you all played an important role in and wanted to say thank you for that as well.

So um thank you for the presentation.

Um and with that um we will uh come to the end of our agenda.

I want to say thank you to all of the participants.

Thank you to uh uh the public and staff for your participation participation today.

And we'll adjourn to the next regularly scheduled and uh environment committee meeting on Thursday, November 13th, 2025, at 1 p.m.

We're adjourned.