FAIRFAX TOWN COUNCIL MEETING
STAFF REPORT
AGENDA ITEM #6.l.
MEETING DATE
PREPARED FOR
PREPARED BY
SUBJECT
May 7, 2025
Mayor and Town Council
Bridget Wipfler, Climate Action Coordinator
Receive Informational Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Inventory report.
RECOMMENDATION
Accept informational greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory report from 2023 data.
BACKGROUND
Each year, greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory reports are completed for all Marin Climate & Energy Partnership (MCEP) member jurisdictions including Fairfax. These reports are prepared by Christine O’Rourke, Sustainability Coordinator for MCEP, with review and feedback from staff.
Annual GHG inventories help the Town to monitor its progress in meeting its local GHG reduction goals to reduce emissions to zero by 2030 and meet the statewide goal to reduce emissions 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2030. The inventories calculate individual GHGs (e.g., carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide) and convert each GHG emission to a standard metric, known as “carbon dioxide equivalents” or CO2e, to provide an apple-to-apples comparison among the various emissions. GHG emissions are reported as metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents, or MTCO2e.
The inventories include emissions generated from the community that are categorized into seven sectors: Built Environment -- Electricity, Built Environment – Natural Gas, Transportation, Off-Road Vehicles and Equipment, Waste, Water, and Wastewater. Consumption-based emissions such as from air travel and the production of goods produced outside the Town are not included in the inventories.
DISCUSSION
Figure 1 shows the relative contribution of emissions from these sectors in 2023. Transportation emissions represent the largest share of communitywide emissions (56%), while the use of natural gas and propane in the Built Environment accounts for 37% of emissions.
FIGURE 1: EMISSIONS BY SECTOR, 2023
The latest Fairfax GHG inventory report, with data available through 2023, is attached. It reviews Built Environment - Electricity
1%
Transportation
56%
Waste
5%
Water & Wastewater
<1%
Off-Road
1%
Built Environment -
Natural Gas
37%
emissions from 2005 to 2023, with a focus on 2023 data. The findings suggest Fairfax must accelerate reductions in transportation and building-related emissions. While community emissions are down 31% since 2005, a 69% reduction is still needed to meet the 2030 target. Below is a sector-by-sector summary:
Built Environment – Electricity: From 2005 to 2023, electricity use in Fairfax homes and businesses fell 11%, while emissions from electricity dropped 93% due to cleaner energy sources. In 2023, PG&E’s mix was 33% renewable, 14% large hydro, and 53% nuclear; MCE Light Green was 60% renewable and 40% hydro. That year, 16.4% of MCE electricity used in Fairfax, including by the Town, was 100% renewable Deep Green.
Built Environment – Natural Gas: Natural gas is used in buildings for heating and appliances, with usage varying by weather. In 2023, consumption rose 5% from the previous year but remained 7% below 2005 levels. Unlike electricity, emissions from natural gas are based solely on how much is used.
Transportation: Transportation made up 56% of Fairfax’s 2023 emissions. Though emissions are down 19% since 2005 due to cleaner vehicles, vehicle miles traveled increased by 4%. Passenger vehicles account for 81% of transportation emissions. Fairfax’s Climate Action Plan supports reductions through EV infrastructure, land use policy, and active transportation improvements.
Currently, 8.2% of registered vehicles in Fairfax are electric.
Waste Disposal: Landfilled waste increased 2% from 2022 to 2023 but is 23% lower than in 2005.
Emissions from waste disposal dropped 48% due to less organic content and alternative landfill cover materials. The Town, with Marin Sanitary Service and Zero Waste Marin, continues to promote waste sorting and provide multi-stream receptacles.
Water Use: Since 2005, water use in Fairfax has declined 28%. Emissions from water-related energy use dropped 100% between 2005 and 2022, as water agencies transitioned to carbon-free electricity— Marin Water uses MCE Deep Green, and Sonoma County Water Agency uses renewables. Marin Water supports conservation through rebates, water-use evaluations, and efficient fixtures, with the Town promoting these efforts.
GENERAL PLAN CONSISTENCY
The Conservation Element of the General Plan includes a program on creating Greenhouse Gas Inventories (CON-1.1.1.1).
CEQA AND CLIMATE ACTION PLAN CONSISTENCY
The Council’s acceptance of the 2023 GHG inventory report is not a “project” under the California Environmental Quality Act, because it does not involve an activity which has the potential to cause a direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment (Cal. Pub. Res. Code § 21065). This report is consistent with the following measures of the adopted CAP:
- I-2: Update GHG Emissions Inventories: Update the greenhouse gas emissions inventory for community emissions annually and every five years for government operations.
ATTACHMENTS
2023 GHG Inventory Report
TOWN OF SAN ANSELMO
GREENHOUSE GAS INVENTORY FOR
COMMUNITY EMISSIONS (2016) AND
GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS EMISSIONS (2015)
March 2024
Prepared by the
Marin Climate & Energy Partnership
TOWN OF FAIRFAX
GREENHOUSE GAS INVENTORY FOR
COMMUNITY EMISSIONS FOR THE YEAR 2023
TABLE OF CONTENTS
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1
INTRODUCTION 2
PURPOSE OF INVENTORY 2
GENERAL METHODOLOGY 2
COMMUNITY INVENTORY 4
COMMUNITY INVENTORY SUMMARY 4
PER CAPITA EMISSIONS 6
SIGNIFICANT SOURCES OF EMISSIONS 7
BUILT ENVIRONMENT – ELECTRICITY 7
BUILT ENVIRONMENT – NATURAL GAS 7
TRANSPORTATION 8
WASTE DISPOSAL 10
WATER USE 10
WASTEWATER 11
APPENDIX A-1
Fairfax Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory 1
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Fairfax publishes annual community greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions estimates through the Marin Climate & Energy Partnership (MCEP). Annual inventories help the Town to monitor its progress more closely in meeting its local GHG reduction goals to reduce emissions to zero by 2030 and to meet the statewide goal to reduce emissions 40% below 1990 levels by 2030. In addition to the community inventories, MCEP periodically prepares inventories for government operations emissions. Municipal emissions accounted for less than 1% of community emissions when the municipal inventory was last conducted for year 2016.
This report reviews emissions generated from the community from 2005 through 2023, the most recent year data is available. The inventory shows that the Fairfax community reduced emissions 31% since 2005, which is equivalent to 18% below estimated 1990 levels. Emissions dropped from about 40,303 metric tons carbon dioxide equivalents (MTCO2e) in 2005 to 27,956 MTCO2e in 2023. The community emissions trend and targets are shown below in Figure 1. Fairfax needs to reduce emissions another 7,455 MTCO2e to meet the State target for 2030 and another 22,871 MTCO2e to meet the State’s net zero emissions target for 2045, which includes a GHG mitigation target of 85% below 1990 levels.
FIGURE 1: FAIRFAX GHG EMISSIONS AND TARGETS
Recognizing the need for a collaborative approach to greenhouse gas reductions, city and county leaders launched the Marin Climate and Energy Partnership (MCEP) in 2007. The Town of Fairfax is a member of MCEP and works with representatives from the County of Marin and the other Marin cities and towns to address and streamline the implementation of a variety of greenhouse gas reduction measures. Funding for this inventory was provided by the Marin County Energy Watch Partnership, which administers public goods charges collected by PG&E. Community inventories are available on the MCEP website at marinclimate.org and are used to update the Marin Sustainability Tracker.
0 5,000
10,000
15,000
20,000
25,000
30,000
35,000
40,000
45,000
MTCO2e
The Takeaway: Fairfax needs
to accelerate emissions
reductions from
transportation and the built
environment. Though
community emissions are
down 31% from 2005, the
community still needs to
reduce emissions another
69% to meet its local goal by
2030.
2030 State Goal
2045 State Goal
2030 Fairfax Goal
Fairfax Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory 2
INTRODUCTION
PURPOSE OF INVENTORY
The objective of this greenhouse gas emissions inventory is to identify the sources and quantify the amounts of greenhouse gas emissions generated by the activities of the Fairfax community in 2023. This inventory provides a comparison to 2005 and estimated 1990 emissions and identifies the sectors where significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions have occurred. In some instances, previous year emissions were updated with new data and/or recalculated to ensure the same methodology was employed for all inventory years. In particular, off-road emissions were revised due to an update in the California Air Resources Board OFFROAD model.
GENERAL METHODOLOGY
This inventory uses national standards for the accounting and reporting of greenhouse gas emissions. The U.S.
Community Protocol for Accounting and Reporting of Greenhouse Gas Emissions, version 1.2 (July 2019) was used for the quantification and reporting of community emissions. Quantification methodologies, emission factors, and activity and source data are detailed in the appendix.
Community emissions are categorized according to seven sectors:
Built Environment - Electricity
Built Environment – Natural Gas
Transportation
Off-Road Vehicles and Equipment
Waste
Water
Wastewater
CALCULATING EMISSIONS
Emissions are quantified by multiplying the measurable activity data – e.g., kilowatt hours of electricity, therms of natural gas, and gallons of diesel or gasoline – by emissions factors specific to the energy source. Most emissions factors are the same from year to year. Emission factors for electricity, however, change from year to year due to the specific sources that are used to produce electricity. For example, electricity that is produced from coal generates more greenhouse gases than electricity that is generated from natural gas and therefore has a higher emissions factor. Electricity that is produced solely from renewable energy sources such as solar and wind has an emissions factor of zero.
This inventory calculates individual greenhouse gases – e.g., carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide – and converts each greenhouse gas emission to a standard metric, known as “carbon dioxide equivalents” or CO2e, to provide an apple-to-apples comparison among the various emissions. Table 1 shows the greenhouse gases identified in this inventory and their global warming potential (GWP), a measure of the amount of warming each gas causes when compared to a similar amount of carbon dioxide. Methane, for example, is 28 times as potent as carbon dioxide over 100 years; therefore, one metric ton of methane is equivalent to 28 metric tons of carbon dioxide. Greenhouse gas emissions are reported in this inventory as metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents, or MTCO2e.
Fairfax Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory 3
TABLE 1: GREENHOUSE GASES
Gas Chemical
Formula Emission Source Global Warming Potential
Carbon Dioxide CO2
Combustion of natural gas, gasoline,
diesel, and other fuels 1
Methane CH4
Combustion, anaerobic decomposition
of organic waste in landfills and
wastewater treatment
28 Nitrous Oxide N2O Combustion, wastewater treatment 265 Source: IPCC Fifth Assessment Report (2014)
TYPES OF EMISSIONS
Emissions from each of the greenhouse gases can come in a number of forms:
Stationary or mobile combustion resulting from the on-site combustion of fuels (natural gas, diesel, gasoline, etc.) to generate heat or electricity, or to power vehicles and equipment. Purchased electricity resulting from the generation of power from utilities outside the jurisdictional boundary.
Fugitive emissions resulting from the unintentional release of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, such as leaked refrigerants and methane from waste decomposition. Process emissions from physical or chemical processing of a material, such as wastewater treatment.
UNDERSTANDING TOTALS
The totals listed in the tables and discussed in the report are a summation of emissions using available estimation methods. Each inventoried sector may have additional emissions sources associated with them that were unaccounted for due to a lack of data or robust quantification methods. For example, consumption-based greenhouse gas emissions associated with air travel and the production of goods outside the community’s boundary are not included in the inventory. Additionally, the community inventory does not include refrigerants released into the atmosphere from the use of air conditioning in cars and buildings.
Fairfax Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory 4
COMMUNITY INVENTORY
COMMUNITY INVENTORY SUMMARY
In 2005, the activities taking place by the Fairfax community resulted in approximately 40,303 metric tons of CO2e. 1 In 2023, those activities resulted in approximately 27,956 metric tons of CO2e, a reduction of 31% from 2005 levels, which is equivalent to 18% below 1990 levels.
The community inventory tracks emissions in seven sectors:
• The Built Environment – Electricity sector represents emissions generated from the use of electricity in Fairfax homes and commercial, industrial, and governmental buildings and facilities. • The Built Environment – Natural Gas sector represents emissions generated from the use of natural gas in Fairfax homes and commercial, industrial, and governmental buildings and facilities. Propane used as a primary heating source is also included, although it represents less than 1% of emissions in this sector. • The Transportation sector includes tailpipe emissions from passenger vehicle trips originating and ending in Fairfax, as well as tailpipe emissions generated by medium and heavy-duty vehicles travelling on Marin County roads based on the Town’s share of certain truck-generating industries. Emissions from buses serving Fairfax while travelling on roads within the jurisdiction are also included. Electricity used to power electric vehicles is embedded in electricity consumption reported in the Built Environment – Electricity sector.
• The Waste sector represents fugitive methane emissions that are generated over time as organic material decomposes in the landfill. Although most methane is captured or flared off at the landfill, approximately 25% escapes into the atmosphere.
• The Off-Road sector represents emissions from the combustion of gasoline and diesel fuel from the operation of off-road vehicles and equipment used for construction and landscape maintenance. • The Water sector represents emissions from energy used to pump, treat, and convey potable water from the water source to Fairfax water users.
• The Wastewater sector represents stationary, process and fugitive greenhouse gases that are created during the treatment of wastewater generated by the community, as well as emissions created from electricity used to convey and treat wastewater.
Table 2 shows how emissions in each sector have changed since 2005. The greatest reductions have occurred in the Built Environment - Electricity sector (-6,087 MTCO2e), followed by the Transportation sector (-3,578 MTCO2e). 1 Baseline and historical emissions are recalculated in the annual inventory to integrate new data and improved calculation methodologies and to ensure consistent comparison across each year. For this reason, emission levels may differ from levels reported in previous inventories.
Fairfax Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory 5
TABLE 2: EMISSIONS SUMMARY BY SECTOR (MTCO2E), 2005 THROUGH 2023 Year
Built Environment - ElectricityBuilt Environment – Natural Gas TransportationWasteOff-RoadWaterWastewaterTotal
%
Change
from
20051
%
Change
from
1990
1990 (est.)1 34,258
2005 6,513 11,089 19,226 2,450 550 305 170 40,303
2006 6,007 11,461 19,360 2,433 582 267 164 40,275 0%
2007 7,578 11,185 19,042 2,190 713 359 206 41,274 2%
2008 7,593 11,153 18,795 1,825 569 331 211 40,477 0%
2009 7,068 10,970 18,586 1,574 469 334 187 39,188 -3%
2010 5,299 11,246 17,941 1,548 416 192 153 36,795 -9%
2011 4,670 11,753 18,264 1,508 402 136 142 36,876 -9%
2012 4,979 11,277 18,868 1,560 392 146 150 37,373 -7%
2013 4,464 11,278 18,778 1,582 386 170 148 36,806 -9%
2014 3,886 9,430 17,845 1,591 378 152 126 33,409 -17%
2015 3,709 9,582 17,395 1,648 371 119 124 32,949 -18%
2016 3,008 9,787 17,025 1,941 362 89 113 32,325 -20%
2017 1,462 10,464 17,042 2,022 351 26 84 31,450 -22%
2018 1,608 10,260 16,902 1,791 336 0 75 30,972 -23%
2019 1,792 10,335 17,458 1,700 320 0 63 31,667 -21% -8% 2020 1,178 10,192 17,179 1,571 310 0 63 30,494 -24% -11% 2021 1,094 10,004 16,080 1,293 313 0 63 28,845 -28% -16% 2022 657 9,761 15,966 1,246 317 0 62 28,010 -31% -18%
2023 425 10,223 15,648 1,277 321 0 62 27,956 -31% -18%
Change
from 2005 -6,087 -866 -3,578 -1,173 -230 -305 -108 -12,347 % Change
from 2005 -93% -8% -19% -48% -42% -100% -64% -31%
1 Per California Air Resources Board guidance, 1990 levels are estimated at 15% below 2005 levels.
Fairfax Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory 6
Figure 2 shows the relative contribution of emissions from these sectors in 2023. Transportation emissions represent the largest share of communitywide emissions (56%), while the use of natural gas and propane in the Built Environment accounts for 37% of emissions.
FIGURE 2: EMISSIONS BY SECTOR, 2023
PER CAPITA EMISSIONS
Per capita emissions can be a useful metric for measuring progress in reducing greenhouse gases and for comparing one community’s emissions with neighboring cities and against regional and national averages. That said, due to differences in emission inventory methods, it can be difficult to produce directly comparable per capita emissions numbers. Per capita emission rates may be compared among Marin jurisdictions, although some jurisdictions may have higher rates due to the presence of commercial and industrial uses.
Dividing the total communitywide GHG emissions by residents yields a result of 5.6 metric tons CO2e per capita in 2005. Per capita emissions decreased 32% between 2005 and 2023, falling to 3.8 metric tons per person. Figure 3 shows the trend in per capita emissions over time. It is important to understand that this number is not the same as the carbon footprint of the average individual living in Fairfax, which would include consumption-based emissions resulting from air travel, the manufacturing and distribution of products and food, etc.
FIGURE 3: EMISSIONS PER CAPITA
Built Environment - Electricity
1%
Transportation
56%
Waste
5%
Water & Wastewater
<1%
Off-Road
1%
Built Environment -
Natural Gas
37%
5.6 5.6 5.7 5.5 5.3
4.9 4.9 5.0 4.8
4.4 4.3 4.2 4.1 4.1 4.2 4.0 3.8 3.8 3.8
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 MTCO2e Per Person
Fairfax Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory 7
SIGNIFICANT SOURCES OF EMISSIONS
The following sections provide a year-by-year analysis of the changes in GHG emissions from the use of electricity, natural gas, transportation, water, wastewater, and the disposal of waste. Whenever possible, each section discusses the change in emissions from previous years and the likely influence of state and local programs or policies and external factors on reducing emissions.
BUILT ENVIRONMENT - ELECTRICITY
Purchased electricity use in homes and businesses in Fairfax decreased approximately 11% between 2005 and 2023.
Greenhouse gas emissions from purchased electricity consumption decreased 93% since 2005, as shown in Figure 4.
This is primarily due to the lower carbon intensity of electricity. PG&E has been steadily increasing the amount of renewable energy in its electricity mix. In 2023, PG&E electricity came from a mix of renewable (33%), large hydroelectric (14%), and nuclear (53%) energy sources.
2 MCE Light Green electricity came primarily from renewable (60%) and hydroelectric (40%) sources.3 In 2023, about 16.4% of MCE electricity purchased by Fairfax customers was 100% renewable Deep Green electricity, including electricty purchased by the Town government.
FIGURE 4: ELECTRICITY USE AND EMISSIONS
BUILT ENVIRONMENT - NATURAL GAS
Natural gas is used in residential, commercial, and industrial buildings to provide space and water heating and power appliances. Use of natural gas is highly variable depending on the weather conditions. This variability has led natural gas use consumption in Fairfax to fluctuate from year to year, from a high of 2.2 million therms in 2011 to a low of
1.7 million therms in 2014. Reduction in energy use may also be attributed to energy efficiency programs and rebates, local green building ordinances, and State building codes. 2 PG&E 2023 Power Content Label, https://www.energy.ca.gov/filebrowser/download/7281. Nuclear and large hydro sources are considered GHG-free.
3 MCE 2023 Power Content Label, https://www.energy.ca.gov/filebrowser/download/7276. 0 1,000
2,000
3,000
4,000
5,000
6,000
7,000
8,000
0 5,000,000
10,000,000
15,000,000
20,000,000
25,000,000
30,000,000
MTCO2e
kWh
Electricity (kWh) Electricity Emissions
Fairfax Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory 8
Natural gas consumption increased 5% between 2022 and 2023 and was 7% below the 2005 level in 2023. Unlike electricity emissions which reflect the power content mix, natural gas emissions track the amount of natural gas consumed (Figure 5).
FIGURE 5: NATURAL GAS USE AND EMISSIONS
TRANSPORTATION
Transportation activities accounted for approximately 56% of Fairfax’s emissions in 2023. According to the transportation model and annual data the Town uses to calculate passenger and commercial vehicle miles, vehicle miles traveled (VMT) have increased approximately 4% since 2005.
Transportation emissions have decreased 19% since 2005 due to more fuel-efficient and alternatively fueled cars (Figure 6). As shown in Figure 7, most transportation emissions come from passenger vehicles, accounting for 81% of transportation emissions in 2023. Marin County continues to be a leader in zero emission vehicles (ZEVs) – second only to Santa Clara County – with 19,221 ZEVs in Marin at the end of 2023, or about 9.3% of registered automobiles.
ZEVs include battery electric cars, plug-in hybrid electric cars, hydrogen fuel cell cars, and zero-emission motorcycles.
Fairfax had 563 ZEVs by the end of 2023, or 8.2% of registered light-duty vehicles. 4 While it is difficult to pinpoint exactly how each land use and transportation policy affects emissions, the Town has undertaken many efforts to reduce transportation emissions. The Town encourages workforce housing through its Housing Element and has made it easier for residents to use carbon-free modes of transportation, such as bicycling and walking, through improvements to the transportation network. The Town has also promoted electric vehicle adoption by installing publicly available EV charging stations and adopting green building codes that require more EV charging stations to be installed for new construction and remodels of existing buildingsthan State requirements. 4 381 BEVs and 182 PHEVs.
0 2,000
4,000
6,000
8,000
10,000
12,000
0 500,000
1,000,000
1,500,000
2,000,000
2,500,000
MTCO2e
Therms
Natural Gas Use Natural Gas Emissions
Fairfax Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory 9
FIGURE 6: VEHICLE MILES TRAVELED AND TRANSPORTATION EMISSIONS FIGURE 7: TRANSPORTATION EMISSIONS BY VEHICLE CATEGORY
Note: Public transportation represents emissions from Marin Transit and Golden Gate Transit fixed-route buses. 0 5,000
10,000
15,000
20,000
0 5
10 15
20 25
30 35
40 2005200620072008200920102011201220132014201520162017201820192020202120222023 MTCO2e
VMT (millions)
Vehicle Miles Traveled Transportation Emissions
Passenger Vehicles
81%
Commercial Vehicles
19%
Public Transportation
<1%
Fairfax Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory 10
WASTE DISPOSAL
Landfilled waste generated by the community increased 2% between 2022 and 2023 and was 23% below the 2005 level by 2023 as shown in Figure 8 (based on countywide disposal data). Total landfilled waste includes alternative daily cover.
5 Emissions from waste disposal decreased 48% due to the lower organic content of landfilled waste (based on statewide waste characterization studies) and material used for alternative daily cover. Marin Sanitary Service, Zero Waste Marin, and the Town continue to provide outreach and education to residents and businesses on proper waste sorting and the Town continues to install more public multi-stream waste receptacles.
FIGURE 8: DISPOSED WASTE AND EMISSIONS
WATER USE
Per capita water use declined 28% since 2005, as shown in Figure 9 (based on Marin Water district-wide data).
Emissions, which are based on an estimate of energy used to pump, treat, and convey water from the water source to the Town limits, dropped 100% between 2005 and 2022 due to the water agencies’ use of carbon-free electricity.
Marin Water purchases MCE Deep Green for its electricity needs, and the Sonoma County Water Agency, which supplies approximately 20% of Marin Water’s water, uses renewable and carbon-free sources for its electricity. 5 Alternative daily cover is material other than earthen material placed on the surface of the active face of a municipal solid waste landfill at the end of each operating day to control vectors, fires, odors, blowing litter, and scavenging. -200
300
800
1,300
1,800
2,300
2,800
0 1,000
2,000
3,000
4,000
5,000
6,000
7,000
8,000
9,000
10,000
2005200620072008200920102011201220132014201520162017201820192020202120222023 MTCO2e
Tons
Waste (tons) Waste (emissions)
Fairfax Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory 11
FIGURE 9: PER CAPITA WATER USE
FIGURE 10: WATER CONSUMPTION AND EMISSIONS
Marin Water provides rebates and programs to reduce water use. Rebates are available to replace fixtures with highefficiency clothes washers and to purchase cisterns and rain barrels. Marin Water provides free home and landscape water-use evaluations as well as free high-efficiency showerheads and faucet aerators. The Town promotes Resilient Neighborhoods Climate Action Workshops that teach residents how to conserve water among other climate actions.
WASTEWATER
The Central Marin Sanitation Agency (CMSA), located in San Rafael, has two anaerobic digesters that process primary sludge, thickened waste-activated sludge, and organic waste to produce biogas. The biogas is used to generate heat and renewable electricity via the cogeneration system. CMSA normally produces 100% of the facility’s power needs, and, at times, exports renewable energy to the grid, which is procured by MCE. As a result, emissions from the use of energy in the wastewater treatment process have essentially been eliminated. Greenhouse gas emissions are also created from the wastewater treatment process itself. These emissions have increased 8% since 2005 as Fairfax’s population has increased. Overall, wastewater emissions have declined 64% since 2005. 142 144 145 146
132 126 124 130
139
117 112
101 106 110 107
116
101 100 103
0 20
40 60
80 100
120
140
160
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 Gallons Per Capita Per Day
0 50
100
150
200
250
300
350
0 50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
450
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 MTCO2e
Million Gallons
Water Use Water Emissions
Source: Marin Water
Fairfax Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory Appendix A-1 APPENDIX: COMMUNITY INVENTORY
Community GHG Emissions Summary Table
Jurisdiction: Town of Fairfax Inventory Year: 2023
Population: 7,339 (CA Department of Finance) Date Prepared: March 30, 2025 Number of Households: 3,316 (CA Department of Finance) Reporting Framework: Communitywide Activities ID
Emissions Type
Source
or
Activity
Included,
Required
Activities
Included,
Optional
Activities
Excluded
(IE, NA,
NO or NE) Notes
Emissions
(MTCO2e)
1.0 Built Environment
1.1 Use of fuel in residential and commercial stationary combustion equipment Both ● 10,223
1.2 Industrial stationary sources Source NE
1.3 Power generation in the community Source NO
1.4 Use of electricity in the community Activity ● Includes transmission and distribution losses 425
1.5 District heating/cooling facilities in the community Source NE
1.6 Use of district heating/cooling facilities in the community Activity NE
1.7 Industrial process emissions in the community Source NO
1.8 Refrigerant leakage in the community Source NE
2.0 Transportation and Other Mobile Sources
2.1 On-road passenger vehicles operating within the community boundary Source IE Obtained data for preferred activitybased method instead
2.2 On-road passenger vehicles associated with community land uses Activity ● 12,654
2.3 On-road freight and service vehicles operating within the community boundary Source IE Obtained data for preferred activitybased method instead
2.4 On-road freight and service vehicles associated with community land uses Activity ● 2,930
2.5 On-road transit vehicles associated with community land uses Activity ● Emissions calculated for transit
vehicles operating within the
community boundary
63 2.6 Transit rail vehicles operating with the community boundary Source NO Fairfax Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory Appendix A-2
2.7 Use of transit rail travel by the community Activity NE
2.8 Inter-city passenger rail vehicles operating within the community boundary Source NO
2.9 Freight rail vehicles operating within the community boundary Source NO
2.10 Marine vessels operating within the community boundary Source NO
2.11 Use of ferries by the community Activity NE
2.12 Off-road surface vehicles and other mobile equipment operating within the community boundary Source ● 321
2.13 Use of air travel by the community Activity NE
3.0 Solid Waste
3.1 Operation of solid waste disposal facilities in the community Source NO
3.2 Generation and disposal of solid waste by the community Activity ● 1,277
4.0 Water and Wastewater
4.1 Operation of water delivery facilities in the community Source IE Energy use is included in 1.1 and 1.4.
4.2 Use of energy associated with use of potable water by the community Activity ● 0
4.3 Use of energy associated with generation of wastewater by the community Activity ● 0
4.4 Process emissions from operation of wastewater treatment facilities located in the community Source NO
4.5 Process emissions associated with generation of wastewater by the community Activity ● 62
4.6 Use of septic systems in the community Source NE
5.0 Agriculture
5.1 Domesticated animal production Source NE
5.2 Manure decomposition and treatment Source NE
6.0 Upstream Impacts of Communitywide Activities
6.1 Upstream impacts of fuels used in stationary applications by the community Activity NE
6.2 Upstream and transmission and distribution (T&D) impacts of purchased electricity used by the community Activity IE Transmission and distribution losses included in 1.4.
6.3 Upstream impacts of fuels used by water and wastewater facilities for water used and wastewater generated within the community boundary
Activity IE
Included in 4.2 and 4.3.
6.4 Upstream impacts of select materials (concrete, food, paper, carpets, etc.) used by the whole community. Activity NE Fairfax Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory Appendix A-3 Legend
IE – Included Elsewhere: Emissions for this activity are estimated and presented in another category of the inventory. The category where these emissions are included should be noted in the explanation.
NE – Not Estimated: Emissions occur but have not been estimate or reported (e.g., data unavailable, effort required not justifiable).
NA – Not Applicable: The activity occurs but does not cause emissions; explanation should be provided.
NO – Not Occurring: The source or activity does not occur or exist within the community.
Fairfax Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory Appendix A-4 Community Emissions Data Sources and Calculation Methodologies Sector/ID Emissions Source Source and/or Activity Data Emission Factor and Methodology
1.0 Built Environment
1.1 Stationary
Combustion
Stationary Combustion
(CO2, CH4 & N2O)
Known fuel use (meter readings by PG&E) and estimated fuel use (American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, and U.S.
Energy Information Administration Household Site Fuel
Consumption data).
Default CO2, CH4 & N2O emission factors by fuel type (U.S.
Community Protocol v. 1.1 Tables B.1 and B.3). U.S. Community Protocol v. 1.1, Appendix C, Method BE.1.1 and BE.1.2.
1.4 Electricity Use
Electricity Use (CO2, CH4
& N2O)
Known electricity use (meter readings by PG&E and MCE) and estimated direct access electricity consumption. Commercial PG&E electricity consumption failed the CPUC 15/15 rule and was not reported or included in this report.
Verified utility-specific emission factors (PG&E and MCE) and eGrid subregion default emission factors. U.S. Community Protocol v. 1.1, Appendix C, Method BE.2.1.
Electric Power
Transmission and
Distribution Losses
(CO2, CH4 & N2O)
Estimated electricity grid loss for Western region from eGrid. U.S. Community Protocol v. 1.1, Appendix C, Method BE.4.1.
2.0 Transportation and Other Mobile Sources
2.2 On-Road
Passenger
Vehicle
Operation
On-Road Mobile
Combustion (CO2)
Estimated passenger vehicle miles traveled associated with origin and destination land uses (Metropolitan Transportation Commission, CAPVMT Data Portal 2.0 (mtcanalytics.org)).
CO2 for on-road passenger vehicles quantified in the EMFAC2021 v.1.0.2 model. Passenger vehicle emissions calculated according to U.S. Community Protocol v. 1.1, Appendix D, Method TR.1.A.
On-Road Mobile
Combustion
(CH4 & N2O)
Estimated vehicle miles traveled associated with origin and destination land uses (Metropolitan Transportation
Commission, CAPVMT Data Portal 2.0 (mtcanalytics.org)).
CH4 and N2O for on-road passenger vehicles quantified in the EMFAC2021 v.1.0.2 model. Passenger vehicle emissions
calculated according to U.S. Community Protocol v. 1.1, Appendix D, Method TR.1.A.
2.4 On-Road
Freight and
Service Truck
Freight
Operation
On-Road Mobile
Combustion (CO2)
Estimated commercial vehicle miles traveled within the
boundary (Metropolitan Transportation Commission utilizing Plan Bay Area 2050).
CO2 for on-road commercial vehicles quantified in the
EMFAC2021 v.1.0.2 model. Emissions allocated utilizing LEHD data according to U.S. Community Protocol v. 1.1, Appendix D, Method TR.2.A.
On-Road Mobile
Combustion
(CH4 & N2O)
Estimated commercial vehicle miles traveled within the
boundary (Metropolitan Transportation Commission utilizing Plan Bay Area 2050).
CH4 and N2O for on-road commercial vehicles quantified in the EMFAC2021 v.1.0.2 model. Emissions allocated utilizing LEHD data according to U.S. Community Protocol v. 1.1, Appendix D, Method TR.2.A.
Fairfax Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory Appendix A-5
2.5 On-Road
Transit
Operation
On-Road Mobile
Combustion (CO2)
Estimated vehicle miles traveled within the boundary (Marin Transit and Golden Gate Transit) and estimated diesel fuel efficiency for transit fleet (Golden Gate Transit). Fuel type provided by Marin Transit and Golden Gate Transit.
Renewable diesel emission factor provided by NEXGEN. U.S.
Community Protocol v. 1.1, Appendix D, Method TR.4.A.
On-Road Mobile
Combustion
(CH4 & N2O)
Estimated vehicle miles traveled within the boundary (Marin Transit and Golden Gate Transit) and estimated diesel fuel efficiency for transit fleet (Golden Gate Transit). Fuel type provided by Marin Transit and Golden Gate Transit.
Renewable diesel emission factor provided by NEXGEN. U.S.
Community Protocol v. 1.1, Appendix D, Method TR.4.B.
2.12 Off-Road
Vehicles and
Equipment
Off-Road Mobile
Combustion (CO2)
Estimated fuel use from OFFROAD v.1.0.1 for Lawn and Garden and Construction equipment. All categories are allocated by share of countywide households.
CO2 emissions calculated according to the U.S. Community Protocol v. 1.1, Appendix D, Method TR.8. Emission factors provided in Table TR.1.6.
Off-Road Mobile
Combustion
(CH4 & N2O)
Estimated fuel use from OFFROAD v.1.0.1 for Lawn and Garden and Construction equipment. All categories are allocated by share of countywide households.
CH4 and N2O emissions calculated according to U.S. Community Protocol v. 1.1, Appendix D, Method TR.8. Emission factors provided in the Local Government Operations Protocol Table G.11 and G.14.
3.0 Solid Waste
3.2 Solid Waste
Generation
and Disposal
Fugitive Emissions from
Landfilled Waste (CH4)
Estimated landfilled tons based on reporting to CalRecycle by Marin County Solid and Hazardous Waste JPA and allocated to jurisdiction based on share of countywide population. Waste characterization based on the Statewide Waste
Characterization Study (2008, 2014, 2018 and 2021) and
Alternative Daily Cover by Jurisdiction of Origin and Material Type as reported to CalRecycle.
Emission factors calculated utilizing U.S. Community Protocol for Accounting and Report of Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Version
1.1, July 2013, Appendix E, Method SW.4.
4.0 Water and Wastewater
4.2 Water Supply
&
Conveyance,
Treatment
and
Distribution
Electricity Use (CO2) Water consumption (district-wide gpcd) and electricity consumption provided by Marin Municipal Water District
(MMWD).
Verified utility-specific emission factors (PG&E, MCE and SCWA).
Emissions calculated according to U.S. Community Protocol v. 1.1, Appendix F, Method WW.14.
Electricity Use
(CH4 & N2O)
Water consumption (district-wide gpcd) provided by Marin Municipal Water District (MMWD). Electricity consumption data provided by MMWD.
eGrid subregion default emission factors. Emissions calculated according to U.S. Community Protocol v. 1.1, Appendix F, Method WW.14.
4.5 Treatment of
Wastewater
Stationary Emissions
from Combustion of
Digester Gas
(CH4)
Known amount of digester gas produced per day and known percent of methane in digester gas provided by Central Marin Sanitation Agency.
Emissions calculated according to U.S. Community Protocol v. 1.1, Appendix F, Method WW.1.a.
Stationary Emissions
from Combustion of
Digester Gas
(N2O)
Known amount of digester gas produced per day and known percent of methane in digester gas provided by Central Marin Sanitation Agency.
Emissions calculated according to U.S. Community Protocol v. 1.1, Appendix F, Method WW.2.a.
Fairfax Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory Appendix A-6 Process Emissions from
Wastewater Treatment
Plant without
Nitrification or
Denitrification
Estimated population served by wastewater treatment plant provided by Central Marin Sanitation Agency.
Emissions calculated according to U.S. Community Protocol v. 1.1, Appendix F, Method WW.8.
Fugitive Emissions from
Effluent Discharge
(N2O)
Estimated population served by wastewater treatment plant provided by Central Marin Sanitation Agency. Assumed
significant industrial or commercial input.
Emissions calculated according to U.S. Community Protocol v. 1.1, Appendix F, Method WW.12(alt).