CITY OF SANTA ROSA
COMMUNITY-WIDE
GREENHOUSE GAS (GHG)
REDUCTION STRATEGY
Climate Action Subcommittee (CAS)
June 5, 2024
Agenda
1. Overview of the GHG Reduction Strategy
2. Development of Emissions Inventories
and Reductions to Date
3. The Path to Carbon Neutrality – GHG
Emissions Reductions and Programs
4. Q & A, Next Steps
Nancy Woltering, Senior Planner, PED
Eli Krispi, Senior Associate, PlaceWorks
Tammy Seale, Principal, PlaceWorks
Project Team
2 1. Overview of the GHG
Reduction Strategy
Nancy Woltering, AICP CEP
Senior Planner, PED
3 Background
The City of Santa Rosa has been a Climate Leader – Since the mid-1990s, the City has been working on making its municipal operations more efficient through energy-efficiency upgrades. It has also implemented water conservation programs such as the ‘cash to grass’ program and created a series of GHG inventories.
Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 – AB 32 created a target for jurisdictions Statewide to reduce GHG emissions by 15% below 1990 levels by 2020. Through implementation of a series of programs, including use of Sonoma Clean Power’s cleaner energy sources, and the State’s greater vehicle efficiency standards, by 2020 the City had reduced its GHG emissions by 29%, nearly double the State target.
California Climate Crisis Act of 2022 – The State now mandates that jurisdictions reduce GHG emissions by 40% below 1990 levels by 2030, by 85% below 1990 levels by 2045, and achieve carbon neutrality on this timeline.
4 Carbon Neutrality
Carbon Neutrality refers to balancing of emissions, so that emissions from all sectors identified in GHG Inventories are less than or equal to the emissions that are being sequestered (removed from the atmosphere) through programs such as tree planting and agricultural practices that enhance the soil and/or landscape’s ability to store carbon.
Achieving carbon neutrality requires both significantly reducing community GHG emissions and supporting the ecosystems that sequester carbon.
5 Project Description – GHG Reduction Strategy
The GHG Reduction Strategy – Establishes a program to reduce GHG emissions to 40% below 1990 levels by 2030 and to 85% below 1990 levels by 2045. The GHG Reduction Strategy is also designed to achieve Carbon Neutrality by 2045.
Integration with the General Plan – Creates a cross-sector approach to reducing greenhouse gases. It is woven into all parts of the General Plan, including goals, policies and actions in all chapters of the General Plan, so that implementing the General Plan will support the City in reaching climate mandates.
Reviewed as part of the Program EIR – The GHG Reduction Strategy will be included as an Appendix to the General Plan and will be evaluated as part of the General Plan Program EIR. 6 Project Description (Con’t)
MTCO2e – The GHG Strategy follows Protocols, including quantifying emissions based on metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (MTCO2e), since different GHGs have different potentials for warming the atmosphere.
Project Baseline – The base year for the General Plan, General Plan EIR, and the GHG Reduction Strategy is 2019, when emissions were considered more representative of the City’s emissions than during the pandemic when many people worked from home, and activity of different sectors varied from what was typical.
Relationship to Existing CCAP and MCAP – The GHG Reduction Strategy fully replaces the Community Climate Action Plan (2012) and incorporates some measures but does not fully replace the Municipal Climate Action plan (2013).
7 Project Location – City Limits and Planning Area
8 CEQA Qualified Plan
Consistency with CEQA Guidelines: The GHG Reduction Strategy is consistent with the requirements of both the State CEQA Guidelines, Section 15183.5, and Bay Area Air Quality Management District’s (BAAQMD) CEQA Guidelines.
Consistency Checklist for Subsequent Projects: Subsequent projects that rely on the GHG Reduction Strategy for its cumulative impact analysis must show consistency with the Reduction Strategy by preparing a Consistency Checklist which allows the applicant to identify specific GHG reduction measures that are applicable to the project and demonstrate how the project will implement these measures.
Binding Mitigation: If applicable strategies are not otherwise binding and enforceable, they must be incorporated as mitigation measures and/or conditions of approval.
9 Benefits
Path to Carbon Neutrality: The GHG Reduction Strategy outlines measures for the City to implement and incentivize to achieve GHG emissions (85 percent below 1990 levels with carbon sequestration projects designed to capture an additional 15% of carbon to reach carbon neutrality).
Multiple Benefits: These measures not only reduce GHGs but also have multiple health benefits that result from:
• greater and more equitable bicycle and pedestrian access to services, parks and employment centers;
• improved air quality, reducing conditions such as asthma; • reducing the City’s heat island effect and associated risks from heat related illnesses; and,
• reducing vulnerability and enhancing resilience in relation to wildfires, floods, droughts and other extreme weather events.
10 2. Development of Emissions
Inventories and Reductions to Date
Eli Krispi, Senior Associate
PlaceWorks
11 Sectors resulting in GHG Emissions
• Agriculture
• Water and Wastewater
• Land Use and Sequestration
• Stationary Sources
• Wildfire and Controlled Burns
• Transportation
• Residential Energy
• Nonresidential Energy
• Solid Waste
• Off-road Equipment
Consistent with the U.S. Community Protocol, the Inventory assesses the following sectors:
12 Refinements in the Analysis of Sectors
Global Warming Potentials: The City updated these values to be consistent with the Sixth Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Assessment.
Sectors and Subsectors: The City added emissions from “land use” (a carbon source) and “sequestration” (a carbon sink or something that removes GHG from the atmosphere) activities to the 2007 inventory.
Sector-Specific Methods: The City updated activity and emissions data for the on-road transportation and off-road equipment sectors, updated agricultural acreage, and updated emissions factors for solid waste sector using the State databases or models.
Gas Second Assessment Report GWP Sixth Assessment Report GWP Carbon dioxide (CO2) 1 1
Methane (CH4) (fossil origin) 21 29.8
Methane (CH4) (non-fossil origin) 21 27.2
Nitrous oxide (N2O) 310 273
13 GHG Reductions from 2007-2019
Between 2007 and 2019, Santa Rosa’s city-wide GHG emissions decreased by 29%.
Reductions occurred in all sectors except the off-road sector.
Sector 2007 2019 Percentage Change
Transportation 666,720 507,810 -24%
Nonresidential energy 209,610 153,200 -27%
Residential energy 257,150 148,280 -42%
Off-road equipment 34,960 37,930 8%
Solid waste 52,800 31,560 -40%
Water and wastewater 8,070 5,170 -36%
Agriculture 220 200 -9%
Land use and sequestration 3,200 -11,850 -470%
Total Annual MTCO2e 1,232,730 872,300 -29%
Note: All numbers are rounded to the nearest 10. Totals may not equal the sum of individual rows. 14 Comparison of Emissions between 2007 and 2019
Reduced vehicle emissions largely due
to greater vehicle fuel efficiency.
Reduced energy emissions from
cleaner electricity and the creation of
S C P.
Lower solid waste emissions from less
waste being sent to landfills.
Increased sequestration on natural
and working lands from less
greenfield development.
15 Projecting Future Emissions
The GHG Reduction Strategy
projects emissions for future
years, out to 2050.
o How emissions will change
with population growth if no
action is taken.
o How emissions will
change with existing and
planned programs, but no
new actions.
Shows level of GHG reductions
needed to achieve the City's
targets.
2007
MTCO2e
2019
MTCO2e
2030 MT
CO2e
2045 MTC
O2e
2050
MTCO2e
Emissions without
state actions 1,232,730 872,300 914,530 972,240 991,510 Reductions from
state actions - - -140,520 -315,350 -333,850
Emissions with state
actions 1,232,730 872,300 774,010 656,890 657,660
Reductions from
local actions - - -23,180 -11,280 -11,220
Emissions with state
and local actions 1,232,730 872,300 750,830 645,610 646,440 16 Existing Programs that have Achieved Reductions
Participating in Sonoma Clean Power to increase the
renewable electricity supply to the community and
allow for greater control over electricity service.
Increasing solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity.
Launching scooter-share programs.
Installing publicly available electric vehicle (EV)
chargers.
Customers installing greywater systems.
Operating the Cash for Grass and WaterSmart Checkup
programs.
Installing new and expanding existing bike lanes.
Requiring new residential development of three stories or less to be all-electric.
17 Santa Rosa’s Emission Targets to Meet State Mandates Target MTCO2e
1990 Emissions (15% below 2007 Baseline) 1,047,820
2007 Baseline 1,232,730
2030 Target (40% below 1990 levels) 628,690
2045 Target (85% below 1990 levels and net carbon
neutrality) 157,170
* Neither the City nor State have adopted a quantitative GHG emissions reduction target for 2050. However, the City, like the State, aspires to continue to reduce GHG emissions below 2045 levels to achieve net carbon neutrality.
State targets:
o Reduce emissions to 1990 levels
(15% below 2007 levels) by
2020. City has met.
o Reduce emissions 40% below
1990 levels by 2040 (SB 32,
2015)
o Reduce emissions 85% below
1990 levels and achieve net-
carbon neutrality by 2045 (AB
1279, 2022)
18 3. The Path to Carbon Neutrality –
GHG Emissions Reduction Measures
and Programs
Tammy Seale, Principal
PlaceWorks
19 Community-wide GHG Emissions
The GHG Reduction Strategy breaks down community-wide
emissions by sectors. The sectors where the City produces the most GHGs include:
• Transportation (58%)
• Non-Residential Energy (18%)
• Residential Energy (17%)
Together, these sectors result in 93% of the City’s GHG emissions.
20 GHG Reduction Strategy presents 17 new climate action measures organized by 5 objectives.
Staff developed these GHG reduction measures following current best practices and guidance, the lessons learned through implementation of the 2012 CCAP , and input and feedback from residents and key stakeholders who represent many different community organizations and businesses.
Each measure is enacted through a series of implementing programs, some of which are policies or actions from the General Plan.
GHG Reduction Measures
21 Each measure includes
Narrative text to describe the measure
Projected GHG emissions savings within city limits (if applicable) Implementing programs
Supportive General Plan policies
Measure performance indicators performance standards
Applicability
Measure type
Timeframe
Lead department(s) and Supporting department(s)
Supporting partners
Expected Funding Sources
GHG Reduction Measures
22 Objectives of GHG Reduction Strategy
1. Decrease Community-Wide Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) and Increase the Use of Zero-Emission Vehicles and Equipment.
2. Reduce Community-Wide Energy Use and Transition To Carbon-Free Energy Sources.
3. Achieve a Zero-Waste Future for Santa Rosa.
4. Use Water Efficiently and Enhance Drought Resilience.
5. Enhance Sustainable and Carbon-Free Practices Community-wide. 23 1. Decrease Community-wide Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) and Increase the use of Zero Emission Vehicles and
Equipment
24 2. Reduce Community-Wide Energy Use and Transition
To Carbon-Free Energy Sources
25 3. Achieve a Zero-Waste Future for Santa Rosa
26 4. Use Water Efficiently And Enhance Drought Resilience 27 5. Enhance Sustainable And Carbon-Free Practices
Community-wide
28 Reaching the State Mandates by 2030 and 2045,
and Reaching Carbon Neutrality
Implementation of
the GHG Reduction
Strategy will
reduce
emissions by 41%
below 1990 levels by
2023
, and by 86%
below 1990 levels by
2045
, thereby
meeting the 2030 and
2045 State mandates.
29 Reaching the State Mandates by 2030 and 2045,
and Reaching Carbon Neutrality
30 Conclusions
Implementation of the GHG Reduction Strategy enables the City of Santa Rosa to meet the State’s 2030 and 2045 GHG reduction mandates.
Implementation of the GHG Reduction Strategy incorporates strategies such as planting trees and enhancing ecosystems that result in sequestration of CO
2, thereby enabling the City achieve carbon
neutrality on this timeline.
31 GHG Reduction Strategy
Questions?
32 Next Steps
August 2024 – Public Review (revised) Draft General Plan 2050 and Program EIR The GHG Reduction Strategy will be included in the revised Draft General Plan 2050 that will be circulated mid summer, 2024, along with the draft Program EIR on the project.
September 2024 – Planning Commission Review
The Planning Commission will conduct a public hearing on the revised Draft General Plan 2050 and Program EIR.
February/March 2025 – EIR Certification and General Plan Adoption Hearings The revised General Plan 2050, including the GHG Reduction Strategy, and the final General Plan 2050 Program EIR will be reviewed, considered, and acted upon by the Planning Commission and City Council.
33 Thank you!!
Nancy Woltering, AICP CEP
Senior Planner, PED
(707) 543-4688
[email protected]
34