EBCE is committed to protecting our environment and is proud to be a Certified California Green Business
Executive Committee Meeting
Draft Minutes
Friday, June 24, 2022
12:00 pm
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/998209098
Dial(for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location):
US: +1 669 900 6833 or +1 346 248 7799 or +1 253 215 8782 or +1 929 205 6099 or +1 301 715 8592 or 888 475 4499 (Toll Free) or 877 853 5257 (Toll Free) Webinar ID: 998 209 098
Meetings are accessible to people with disabilities. Individuals who need special assistance or a disability-related modification or accommodation to participate in this meeting, or who have a disability and wish to request an alternative format for the meeting materials, should contact the Clerk of the Board at least 2 working days before the meeting at (510) 906-0491 or [email protected].
If you have anything that you wish to be distributed to the Executive Committee, please email it to the clerk by 5:00 pm the day prior to the meeting.
1. Welcome & Roll Call
Present: Directors: Arriola (Tracy), Mei (Fremont), and Chair Lopez (San Leandro), Excused: Kalb (Oakland), Martinez (Emeryville),
Member Kalb joined the meeting at 12:16pm.
2. Public Comment
This item is reserved for persons wishing to address the Executive Committee on any EBCE-related matters that are not otherwise on this meeting agenda. Public comments on matters listed on the agenda shall be heard at the time the matter is called. As with all public comment, members of the public who wish to address the Committee are customarily limited to three minutes per speaker and must complete an electronic speaker slip. The Executive Committee Chair may increase or decrease the time allotted to each speaker.
Tom Kelly spoke regarding the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade and proposed EBCE not sign any contracts with companies or states that have made it impossible for a woman to get an abortion, such as the contract EBCE has signed with Vistra Energy, a fossil fuel company in Texas. Tom Kelly endorsed the letter that EBCE received from Mr. White regarding pulling the grant from Benioff Children's Hospital and opening up the process so other organizations that address climate change and East Bay Community Energy
Board of Directors Page | 2
energy efficiency could be given an opportunity to apply for that grant money. Tom Kelly also added that EBCE’s JPA requires EBCE to beat PG&E on greenhouse gas emissions, and it has not, and there should be a Board discussion regarding why that is and what can be done to correct it.
REGULAR AGENDA
3. Approval of Minutes from April 29, 2022, May 16, 2022, and May 27, 2022:
Member Kalb joined the meeting at 12:16pm.
Director Arriola motioned to approve the minutes as presented. Director Mei seconded the motion which passed 4/0. Excused: Director Martinez.
5. Joint Rate Mailer & 2021 Power Content (Informational Item) Overview of the contents in the upcoming Joint Rate Mailer Tom Kelly, who has spoken previously about how EBCE is supposed to be better than PG&E on greenhouse gas emissions, but is not, has never received an answer. Tom Kelly believes EBCE is buying renewable power from sites outside California, then taking the renewable energy credits associated with that power and applying it to system power in California, which is dirty, and that is the reason why all other CCAs in Northern California are so much better on greenhouse gas in spite of what their power mix is.
Tom Kelly said this feels like a con, because EBCE says they are doing better than PG&E on renewables, but PG&E’s renewables are carbon-free. Tom Kelly asked for an explanation of why EBCE is three times worse than PG&E on greenhouse gas emissions and hundreds of times worse than other CCAs.
Cynthia Landry spoke regarding the Bright Choice composition and asked what the 40% unspecified is. Cynthia Landry echoed Tom Kelly’s comments and requested EBCE specify what renewables are being talked about. Cynthia Landry liked Chair Lopez’s comments regarding not taking any nuclear. Cynthia Landry asked if EBCE is moving to lower than 40% unspecified next year?
The Committee Discussed:
• Having the mailer that goes out in October be multilingual, with portions in English, Spanish, and written Chinese, and phone numbers to get information in those languages.
• Clarifying information in the mailer that the PCIA is around transmission of energy, which is not part of EBCE’s infrastructure, and that be in bullet points or footnotes in EBCE’s communications with the public.
4. Legislative Update (Action Item)
Approval of Legislative Positions
There were not speakers for public comment.
East Bay Community Energy
Board of Directors Page | 3
Director Kalb motioned to approve staff’s recommended positions on SB 833 and SB 1158. Director Mei seconded the motion which passed 4/0. Excused: Director Martinez.
6. Committee Member and Staff Announcements including requests to place items on future Committee Agendas
Director Mei recently joined the Silicon Valley Leadership Group and several other CCAs in discussing ESG and carbon-free, and hoped they could continue to partner to create awareness.
7. Adjourned at 1:00pm to Friday, July 22, 2022, at noon.