Redwood Coast Energy Authority
633 3rd Street, Eureka, CA 95501
Phone: (707) 269-1700 Toll-Free (800) 931-7232 Fax: (707) 269-1777 E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.redwoodenergy.org
BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING MINUTES
Jefferson Community Center Auditorium June 22, 2023
1000 B Street, Eureka, CA 95501 Thursday, 3:30 p.m.
Chair Sheri Woo called a regular meeting of the Board of Directors of the Redwood Coast Energy Authority to order on the above date at 3:32 p.m. Notice of this meeting was posted on June 16, 2023.
PRESENT: Natalie Arroyo, Alt. Dir. Renee Contreras-DeLoach, Skip Jorgensen, Kris Mobley, Alt. Dir. Sherri Provolt, Jason Ramos, Elise Scafani, Vice Chair Sarah Schaefer, Frank Wilson, Chair Sheri Woo. ABSENT: Scott Bauer, Frankie Myers, Jack Tuttle.
STAFF AND OTHERS PRESENT: General Counsel Nancy Diamond; Power Resources Director Richard Engel; Demand-Side Management Director Stephen Kullmann; Executive Director Matthew Marshall; County of Humboldt Supervising Planner Michael Richardson; Community Strategies Manager Nancy Stephenson; Board Clerk Lori Taketa;.
REMOTE DIRECTION PARTICIPATION
General Counsel Diamond reviewed Brown Act open meeting remote participation rules and reminded the Board to refrain from texting during meetings to maintain transparency. Chair Woo requested and obtained agreement from the growing Board to follow Rosenburg’s Rules of Order more closely to streamline meeting discussion.
REPORTS FROM MEMBER ENTITIES / ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
Chair Woo reported that the Humboldt Bay Municipal Water District now runs on 100% solar electricity, and that the Ruth Lake hydropower plant has been unable to connect to the grid and generate income for the agency for over a month due to a substation failure at Low Gap.
PG&E has not indicated when the substation will be repaired.
Member of the public Jesse Noell submitted written comment in support of rooftop solar electricity and of considering the impact costs of other forms of utility scale solar energy. No other public comments were presented at the meeting.
CONSENT CALENDAR
4.1 Approve Minutes of May 25, 2023, Board Meeting.
4.2 Approve Disbursements Report.
4.3 Accept Financial Reports.
4.4 Authorize the Executive Director to Contact Any or All Banking Services that RCEA Currently Uses or Will Use in the Future and Request They Stop Funding Fossil Fuel Expansion and Support Transitioning to Clean, Efficient and Renewable Energy Sources.
RCEA June 22, 2023, Board of Directors Meeting Minutes
Member of the public J.A. Savage submitted written comment on item 4.4 in support of RCEA doing business with more responsible banking institutions than Wells Fargo or First Republic.
No director nor member of the public requested items be removed from the consent calendar.
M/S: Arroyo, Schaefer: Approve Consent Calendar items.
The motion passed with a unanimous roll call vote. Ayes: Arroyo, Contreras-DeLoach, Jorgensen, Mobley, Provolt, Ramos, Scafani, Schaefer, Wilson, Woo. Noes: None.
Absent: Tuttle. Abstain: None.
OLD BUSINESS
6.1 Climate Action Plan Update (Information only)
Executive Director Matthews described RCEA’s participation in the countywide climate action planning process. Humboldt County Supervising Planner Richardson reported on the regional approach to reduce greenhouse gas emissions throughout Humboldt County. The project is at the Environmental Impact Report preparation phase, after which the County and all jurisdictions within the County will enter the adoption and implementation phases. The goal is for all jurisdictions to adopt the Climate Action Plan by April 2024.
The community will have opportunities to comment on the draft EIR from July through December 2023, and on the final EIR in January and February 2024. Comments need not be limited to the EIR and can include input on implementation measures and targets. The Community Advisory Committee formed a Climate Action Plan Outreach Subcommittee to assist the cities and county with public engagement after the notice of EIR preparation is issued.
Currently there is debate about including GHG reductions from regional large industry loss in reduction calculations. Doing so would make achieving the 2030 goal of a 40% GHG reduction from 1990 levels achievable with little effort but would make reaching the 2045 statewide goal of 100% carbon emissions offset through reductions extremely difficult. There was no public comment on this agenda item.
6.2 Rural REN Update (Information only)
Demand-Side Management Director Stephen Kullmann reported that the California Public Utilities Commission is expected to give final approval for the proposed RuralREN statewide rural and hard-to-reach energy efficiency program this month. Director Kullmann described the RuralREN’s vision of making GHG-reducing energy efficiency programs as accessible for rural customers as they are for urban ratepayers. RuralREN programs will serve almost half the geographic area of the state. People to be served include residents of 66 California Tribal territories. Over 90% of RuralREN’s service area is designated as low-income.
Director Kullmann described RuralREN’s governance model and services, which may include providing rebates for and installation of energy efficient systems, and bridge loans for residential, business and public agency efficiency measures. Other RuralREN programs will address helping jurisdictions and contractors comply with reach codes, and workforce training. The Directors praised staff for playing a leadership role, coordinating with other rural communities, and for highlighting tribal organization participation.
RCEA June 22, 2023, Board of Directors Meeting Minutes
NEW BUSINESS
7.1 Fiscal Year 2023-2024 Proposed Budget
Executive Director Marshall presented the revised proposed budget. The largest adjustment was to wholesale power costs, which were reduced by $2.6 million after the Board adopted revised 2023 procurement targets at the May Board meeting. RuralREN program budget amounts have not been changed as final CPUC approval has not yet happened and is anticipated to take place on June 29. Staff reminded the Directors that 2024 power procurement forecasts, which will take place in the second half of the fiscal year, are uncertain and may be affected by Sandrini solar project delay damage payments. There was no public comment on this item.
M/S: Schaefer, Mobley: Adopt the proposed RCEA Fiscal Year 2023-24 Budget.
The motion passed with a unanimous vote. Ayes: Arroyo, Contreras-DeLoach, Jorgensen, Mobley, Provolt, Ramos, Scafani, Schaefer, Wilson, Woo. Noes: None.
Absent: Tuttle. Abstain: None.
STAFF REPORTS
8.1 Executive Director’s Report
Executive Director Marshall reported that USDA rural electric utility low-interest loans, the same loan program that financed the Airport Microgrid project, have been enhanced for renewable energy projects such as solar or solar and storage system deployment. These projects are now eligible for 40 to 60% loan forgiveness plus 30% in direct pay provisions, depending on whether the project serves Tribes or is developed by non-taxed entities. Staff will submit concept papers for many local projects and the Directors expressed support for this effort. There were no public comments on this agenda item.
FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS
Director Arroyo requested a report on projects for which RCEA is applying for USDA loans.
There were no future agenda item requests from the public.
CLOSED SESSION
10.1 CONFERENCE WITH REAL PROPERTY NEGOTIATIONS Pursuant to Government Code § 54956.8 in re: APN 001-131-007; RCEA negotiator: Executive Director; Owner’s negotiating party: Greg Casagrande; Under negotiation: price and terms.
There were no public comments for this closed session item. The Board adjourned to closed session at 5:05 p.m. and reconvened in open session at 5:36 p.m. Chair Woo stated there was nothing to report out from the closed session and adjourned the meeting at 5:37 p.m.
Lori Taketa
Clerk of the Board