FAIRFAX TOWN COUNCIL MEETING
STAFF REPORT
AGENDA ITEM #10
MEETING DATE: January 24, 2024
PREPARED FOR: Mayor and Town Council
PREPARED BY: Sean Youra, Climate Action Coordinator
SUBJECT: Receive Climate & Environment Department Quarterly Update
RECOMMENDATION
Receive the Climate & Envionment Department quarterly report.
BACKGROUND
The quarterly Climate & Environment Department report details progress made by staff in implementing the Town’s Climate Action Plan (CAP).
DISCUSSION
This report details progress made in implementing the CAP since the last report provided to Council on November 1, 2023. The table below details actions taken by staff during the past quarter to implement the CAP and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The applicable measures from the CAP along with the estimated GHG emissions reduction that would result from achieving the targets for each of the applicable measures are provided for reference for each action taken.
Action CAP Measure Estimated
GHG
Emissions
Reduction
in 2030 (in
MTCO2e)
Continued to serve on the Marin Countywide Building Electrification Plan Steering Committee to develop a building electrification plan/roadmap in collaboration with community stakeholders. The third and final stakeholder workshop was completed and the Steering Committee has now begun drafting the building electrification plan.
The current goal is to publish the building electrification plan by the end of March after receiving feedback from stakeholders including jurisdiction staff that would have some responsibility for the implementation of the plan.
R-1: Building
and Appliance
Electrification
9,138
O-2:
Community
Outreach
N/A
Developed a new home electrification pilot program in partnership with Carbon Free Homes. Carbon Free Homes acquired
ReadySetReplace, whose staff were previously working with on the initial water heater electrification pilot program. The new MOU that was signed with Carbon Free Homes will allow us to expand the program offering for homeowners in Fairfax and San Anselmo to R-1: Building
and Appliance
Electrification
9,138
E-4: Energy
Efficiency
Programs
1,369
2 cover whole home electrification. Both the campaign webpage and the Town’s Green Building & Electrification webpage have been updated to reflect the new program. Staff has been promoting the program through the Town newsletter and social media, as well as organizing in-person educational workshops. The program will address some of the pain points associated with electrifying homes from finding qualified contractors to reducing the upfront cost to install electric appliances.
O-1:
Community
Education
N/A
O-2:
Community
Outreach
N/A
Developed and presented a resolution to the Town Council to adopt a fleet zero-emissions vehicle (ZEV) policy that will transition the fleet to ZEVs over time, which was adopted unanimously by the Council.
The policy will also support the use of alternative fuels like renewable diesel as a transition fuel for current fleet vehicles.
T-1: Zero
Emission
Vehicles
10,648
T-9:
Renewable
Carbon Fuels
105
Continued to implement SB 1383, the State organic waste diversion law, in collaboration with Zero Waste Marin (ZWM), Marin Sanitary Service (MSS), and Marin Climate & Energy Partnership (MCEP) members. ZWM helped Fairfax and other Marin jurisdictions meet their organic waste product procurement target for 2023 through a contract with Agromin, which produces compost and mulch. ZWM also applied for the new funding cycle of the CalRecycle SB 1383 Local Assistance Grant on behalf of Marin jurisdictions, which will support outreach and education, compost infrastructure, inspection and compliance software, management of the edible food recovery program, and continuing to meet each jurisdiction’s organic waste product procurement targets. Staff posted the Town’s franchise agreement with MSS on the Town website and sent to CalRecycle to ensure compliance with AB 2048.
W-1:
Residential
Organic
Waste and
Waste
Diversion
1,201
W-3:
Commercial
Edible Food
Recovery
46 W-4:
Commercial
Organic
Waste
537
S-2: Habitat
Restoration
and Soil
Regeneration
N/A
Presented to the Town Council with Christine O’Rourke on Fairfax’s 2021 GHG Inventory report and the progress that has been made in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
I-2: Update
GHG
Emissions
Inventories
N/A
Created an EV charging access survey for tenants in collaboration with the Climate Action Committee (CAC) and Ride and Drive Clean to gauge tenant interest and need for EV charging access at their apartment buildings. Staff sent the survey to property managers in the Town that had indicated interest in installing Orange Outlets at their properties to provide a low-cost solution for EV charging. The goal is to have the property managers then distribute the survey to their tenants to start collecting data that can inform where Orange Outlets and other EV charging solutions should be deployed to provide equitable access.
T-1: Zero
Emission
Vehicles
10,648
O-2:
Community
Outreach
N/A
3 Prepared and sent a funding proposal to the Transportation Authority of Marin (TAM) to request funding for an EV & E-bike show in Fairfax, tentatively scheduled in April 2024.
I-3: Identify
and Secure
Funding
Sources
N/A
Promoted the Resilient Neighborhoods climate action workshops, the County’s green home improvement webinar series, the Next Gen Trades Academy pre-apprenticeship green workforce training program, and the Carbon Free Homes electrification event in the Town newsletter.
O-1:
Community
Education
N/A
O-2:
Community
Outreach
N/A
In addition, staff is continuing to:
• Serve as a staff liaison to the CAC, provide updates on CAP implementation during the CAC meetings, and provide feedback on CAC proposed initiatives. • Identify new climate action funding opportunities and manage existing grant funds (Applicable to CAP Measure O-5: Funding Strategies; Measure I-3: Identify and Secure Funding Sources). • Educate community members about climate action-related incentives, programs, events, and regulations through the Town’s newsletter, social media, website, flyers, etc. (Applicable to CAP Measure O-1: Community Education; Measure O-2: Community Outreach). • Coordinate with MCEP members to discuss and develop plans, policies, programs, and strategies that can assist in CAP implementation across all Marin jurisdictions. • Monitor CAP implementation progress and prioritize projects to meet the CAP goals. • Stay abreast of new climate-related state and federal regulations, technological innovations, and opportunities to further the Town’s climate action efforts.
FISCAL IMPACT
None
ATTACHMENTS
None