San Francisco Public Utilities Commission Regular Meeting, June 14, 2022
STREAMING COPY IN PREPARATION — RECORDING AVAILABLE FROM THE ORIGINAL SOURCE
San Francisco Public Utilities Commission Regular Meeting, June 14, 2022
The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) held its regular meeting on June 14, 2022, at City Hall, Room 400, beginning at 9:45 AM. The Commission addressed a range of items including drought updates, capital program reports, wildfire mitigation, financial agreements, and a resolution supporting LGBTQ+ Pride Month. All votes were unanimous unless noted.
Consent Calendar
- Approved minutes of May 24, 2022.
- Approved six consent items including amendments to consulting contracts, contract contingencies, job order contracts, assignment of grant agreements, and contract work acceptance.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Francisco de Costa requested regular reports on treatment plant compliance with EPA mandates and raised concerns about diversity in management positions.
- Caller on floodplain funding urged the Commission to advocate for $110 million in state funds for San Joaquin River floodplain planning and restoration.
- Alex Herr (recreational paddler) expressed support for maintaining recreational releases on the Tuolumne River throughout the summer.
- Nathan Rangell (President, California Outdoors) voiced continued support for SFPUC's work on the Tuolumne River and its economic and recreational importance.
- Dave Warner (Palo Alto) criticized staff transparency and responsiveness, citing a Public Records Act request that revealed previously undisclosed drought analysis. He urged commissioners to address governance issues.
- David Pilpell commented on retirements, offered condolences for Ken Kramarz, and requested updates to SFPUC.org references from outdated FFwater.org links.
- Peter Dreckmeyer (Tuolumne River Trust) noted that water available to the city this year is 245,000 acre-feet (Tuolumne plus Bay Area), exceeding current demand of 220,000 acre-feet, and downplayed concerns about the Bay Delta Plan.
- Public comment on Power contracts supported granting delegated authority to the General Manager for electricity purchases to enable faster, cost-effective renewable energy procurement.
- Public comment on LGBTQ+ resolution urged unanimous support and full inclusion.
Discussion Items
Drought Conditions Update (Item 7a): Steve Ritchie reported that Hetch Hetchy, Cherry, and Eleanor reservoirs are full, while the water bank has been drawn down by about 240,000 acre-feet. Statewide drought persists, with Shasta and Oroville reservoirs critically low. San Francisco's water available from the Tuolumne is about 200,000 acre-feet (later noted as 245,000 including Bay Area sources). The SFPUC has not changed operations despite state curtailments, as irrigation districts continue diversions under existing agreements. Commissioners discussed irrigation efficiency and research efforts.
CleanPowerSF Integrated Resource Plan (Item 7d): Cheryl Taylor presented the 2022 IRP, which must be submitted to the CPUC by November 1. The plan models six portfolios to achieve 100% renewable energy by 2025, considering electrification targets, affordability, reliability, and community input. Two virtual workshops were scheduled for June 21 and 23. The preferred portfolio will be presented for Commission approval in October.
Power Purchase/Sale Contract Delegation (Item 11): Barbara Hale requested authorization for the General Manager to execute form contracts for electricity wholesale transactions, with delegation limited to five years, $150 million annual expenditure cap, and $10 million annual revenue cap. The resolution includes quarterly reporting to the Commission. Commissioners discussed waivers of city requirements (e.g., local hiring for commodity purchases) and oversight mechanisms.
Wastewater Arrearage Relief (Item 12): Isabel Hane presented a retroactive resolution to accept and expend $9.3 million in federal ARPA funds for wastewater customer debt relief. Funds were already distributed to eligible residential and commercial customers who accrued arrears between March 2020 and June 2021. The program reduced delinquent accounts, which had more than doubled and owed over 500% more since January 2020. Arrears are concentrated in low-income and environmental justice areas.
Wildfire Mitigation Plan (Item 13): The Commission approved the 2022 Wildfire Mitigation Plan, detailing SFPUC's strategies to minimize wildfire risk from its electrical assets in high-fire-threat districts. Accomplishments include enhanced inspections, tree removal contractors, and adoption of risk-assessment software.
Tuolumne County Agreement (Item 15): Approved a six-year, $2,497,197 agreement with Tuolumne County for enhanced essential services (fire, sheriff, road maintenance) related to the Hetch Hetchy Water and Power Project.
Specialized Technical Services Contracts (Item 17): Approved four as-needed professional service contracts worth up to $5 million each over five years for water enterprise technical support. Discussion centered on the DEI scoring mechanism (pass/fail for having a DEI plan, 0.5% of total score). Commissioners urged staff to develop more robust, equitable criteria that consider smaller diverse firms, and to track outcomes.
Key Outcomes
- All consent calendar items approved (unanimous, 4-0).
- Resolution supporting LGBTQ+ Pride Month passed unanimously (4-0).
- Power contract delegation approved (4-0) with quarterly reporting and expanded oversight on waivers.
- Wastewater arrearage relief accepted retroactively (3-0, one commissioner absent).
- Wildfire Mitigation Plan approved unanimously (4-0).
- Water Enterprise Security Mitigation Plan approved unanimously (4-0).
- Tuolumne County Agreement approved unanimously (4-0).
- US Forest Service Collection Agreement approved unanimously (4-0).
- Specialized technical services contracts approved unanimously (4-0).
Meeting Transcript
Good afternoon. I'd like to call to order the June 14th, 2022 meeting of the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission. Madam Secretary, please call the roll. President Moran. Aye. Here. Vice President Ajami. Here. I'd like to note that Vice President Ajami is attending this meeting remotely via the 45th supplement to the Mayor Proclamation declaring the existence of a local emergency, dedicated February 25th, 2020. Commissioner Maxwell. Here. Commissioner Paulson. We have a quorum. This meeting is being held in person at San Francisco City Hall, Room 400, as authorized by the California Government Code Section 54953E, and Mayor Breed's 45th supplement to our February 25th, 2020 emergency proclamation. I would like to remind all individuals present in attending the meeting in person today that all health and safety protocols and building rules must be adhered to at all times. Hand sanitizer stations are available throughout the building and masks are available available upon request at all city hall entrances. We welcome the public's participation during public comment periods. For each item, the commission will take two minutes of public comment, first from those attending the meeting in person and then from those attending the meeting remotely. Members of the public may provide remote public comment by dialing 1 415 655 000 one meeting ID 2481 759-6071 pound pound and pressing star three to raise your hand to speak. Please note that you must limit your comments to the topic of the agenda item being discussed unless you are speaking under general public comment and remind you if you do not stay on the topic, the chair can interrupt and ask you to limit your comment to the agenda item. We ask that public comment be made in a civil and respectful manner and that you address your remarks to the commission as a whole, not to individual commissioners or staff. On behalf of the commission, I would like to extend our thanks to SFGTV staff and SFPUCIT staff for their assistance during this meeting. If you've not already done so, please silence your electronic devices. Thank you. And before calling the first item, I'd like to announce that the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission acknowledges that it owns and are stewards of the unceded lands located within the ethno historic territory of the Moekma Loney tribe and other familial descendants of the historic federally recognized Mission San Jose Verona Band of Alameda County. The SFPUC also recognizes that every citizen residing within the Greater Bay Area has and continues to benefit from the use and occupation of the Moekma Loney tribes of Aboriginal lands since before and after the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission's founding in 1932. It is vitally important that we not only recognize the history of the tribal lands on which we reside, but also we acknowledge and honor the fact that the Mawakma Loney people have established a working partnership with the SFPUC and a productive and flourishing members within the many greater Bay San Francisco Bay Area communities today. Madam Secretary, would you call the first item? First item is item three, adopt renewed findings under state urgency legislation to allow hybrid in-person meetings during the COVID-19 emergency and direct the Commission Secretary to agendize a similar resolution at a commission meeting within the next 30 days. And would you open public comment, please? Members of the public who wish to make two minutes of remote public comment specifically on item number three state urgency legislation, please press star three to raise your hand to speak. Do you have any members of the public present who wish to provide comment on this item? Seeing then, Mr. Moderator, are there any speakers with our hands raised? Madam Secretary, there are no speakers in the queue right now. Thank you. Public comment on item three is closed. Thank you. Uh any discussion by the commission? Seeing none, uh, could I have a motion or second? Moved and seconded. Uh roll call, please. President Moran. Aye. Vice President Ajami. Aye. Commissioner Maxwell. Aye. Commissioner Paulson. Yeah, four ayes.
openpublica.com