Sustainability Advisory Council
September 2021 Newsletter
Hello Sustainability Advisory Council and Committee Members! I hope everyone had a good Labor Day Weekend as summer begins to wind down.
Dates and times for each of the six committee meetings are provided in the summaries below. Some committees have decided to make their meetings available to the public, and you are welcome to join any of those meetings to understand how all are your work ties together – and to find opportunities for collaboration.
As always, thank you for your continued leadership in helping to create a healthier, more resilient Denver.
- Grace Rink, Executive Director of the Office of Climate Action, Sustainability & Resiliency (CASR)
|
|
Vaccination Records
As noted last month, the City and County of Denver is requiring all members of Boards and Commissions to be fully vaccinated by September 30, which includes volunteers meeting in person, which we hope to do. Please book a virtual 10 minute appointment with the Office of Human Resources, to show your vaccine card or digital copy to the staff member and then be marked as complete. Appointments are being offered Monday – Friday through September 30. To apply for a religious or medical exemption, please e-mail HRSC@denvergov.org. It will then be routed to the City Attorney’s Office for review and they will communicate with you directly.
Book a virtual appointment here: https://outlook.office365.com/owa/calendar/CityandCountyofDenver4@denvercity.onmicrosoft.com/bookings/
Geographic Information
Please complete this brief form to share your City Council district and neighborhood information. City Council members have requested to know if their districts are represented on the SAC, and it will help CASR to better understand the geographic representation of the SAC as well.
|
|
Sustainability Advisory Council Updates
|
|
|
Website: Sustainability Advisory Council
CASR Liaison: Grace Rink
The next Sustainability Advisory Council meeting is Tuesday, September 21 from 5 – 7 p.m. SAC meetings are open for public viewing via livestreaming at Facebook.com/DenverCASR.
|
|
Buildings & Homes
Co-Chairs: Aaron Martinez & Stephen Shepard
CASR Liaison: Katrina Managan
Next Meeting: Monday, September 13
3:30 – 4PM I Join Online
In August, the Buildings and Homes Committee discussed the Energize Denver Task Force’s recommendations to bring existing commercial and multifamily buildings to net zero energy by 2040 while improving equity, safety, and creating good jobs with opportunities for under resourced communities. The committee also discussed the Buildings and Homes section of the Climate Protection Fund’s five-year plan. The City staff presented about planned uses of incentive dollars, and how the biggest single use of CPF dollars will be to support buildings serving under-resourced communities in the transition to renewable heating and cooling. The committee had a discussion about how the City should go about conducting equitable incentive design, doing outreach to under resourced buildings to ensure they know how to access the incentives, and developing a workforce training plan to ensure under-resourced communities can access the jobs created through the ordinance.
Climate Adaptation, Resiliency & Environmental Justice (CARE-J)
Co-Chairs: Kiera Jackson & Ynes Barrales Ortega
CASR Liaison: Grace Rink
Next Meeting: Friday, September 24
9 – 11AM
In the August meeting, CARE-J members expressed concerns and frustrations, and discussed opportunities to increase transparency between CASR and the committees. One particular area of concern among some CARE-J members is that CASR’s community solar program (CSG) program does not set aside more than 20% of the subscriptions for low-income households. CASR staff followed up after the meeting to share background on the CSG and the reason for that limitation, namely that the program was designed in 2019, before CASR was an agency and before the Climate Protection Fund, and when originally contracted as a Power Purchase Agreement, having city agencies subscribe to 80% of the power provided the funds to pay for the 20% low-income set-aside. CARE-J members also desire greater clarity on how the other committees are addressing equity issues in their deliberations, and may reach out to other committee members to discuss.
Energy
Co-Chairs: Anna McDevitt & Armando Lopez Jr.
CASR Liaison: Jonathan "Jonny" Rogers
Next Meeting: Tuesday, September 14
5 – 7PM I Join Online
The Energy committee discussed Distributed Energy Resources from information gathered by the Education Subcommittee. Committee member Terrence Lovett presented a proposal that the City pay to install distributed energy resources across the City, and to sell the power to Xcel Energy as peak power and regional emergency power access. This month, the Energy Committee will discuss CASR’s suite of current and potential energy programs and provide feedback, particularly on strategies CASR should use to expand access to on-site and community solar for low-income households. Materials from the August and September meetings are available to view, and other SAC committee members are encouraged to let their co-chair or staff liaison know if there are any topics you are interested in exploring or commenting on.
Resource Management
Co-Chairs: Laurie Matthews & Margaret McRoberts
CASR Liaison: Susan Renaud
Next Meeting: Monday, September 20
12 – 2PM
The Resource Management Committee encompasses a broad range of subject matter areas including water quality, green space, habitat, soil health, land use and waste. Committee members recently enjoyed a spirited and passionate presentation from Councilmember Jolon Clark, and then spent the remainder of its August meeting further honing its priorities for the next year. Members have formed a small subcommittee to develop a policy statement in support of the City’s efforts to develop a Pay as You Throw model, or fee-based waste service. The policy statement will be presented to the full Resource Management Committee and then to the Sustainability Advisory Council for final approval. In September, members will have a presentation on the City’s Green Infrastructure efforts.
Science & Research
Co-Chairs: Jay Lemery & Lisa Reyes Mason
CASR Liaison: Elizabeth "Liz" Babcock
Next Meeting: TBD
Science Committee members joined the Western Adaptation Alliance (WAA) monthly call instead of holding a separate meeting. The WAA includes cities across the West looking to connect on climate adaptation and preparedness. They asked cities to invite academic partners to review research on climate adaptation and extreme heat. The Science Committee also is reviewing Denver’s climate goals to ensure alignment with the latest science, researching best practices from peer cities, and looking at monitoring and evaluation of programs. Finally, recommendations for metrics and key performance indicators from this committee are being incorporated into the Climate Protection Fund’s five-year plan.
Sustainable Transportation
Co-Chairs: Naomi Amaha & Stuart M. Anderson
CASR Liaison: Mike Salisbury
Next Meeting: Friday, September 10
9 – 11AM | Join Online
The Transportation Committee reviewed a survey of topics and funding ideas for the Climate Protection Fund (CPF), prioritization criteria for CPF projects and has created a Project Recommendation Form to streamline the group’s ideas for CPF projects. Members also reviewed the Transportation Section of the CPF five-year plan, recommending that a Community Based Needs Assessment should be added as a priority for funding. Members also discussed the need to have staff evaluate the impacts of greenhouse gas emissions to ensure evaluation methods are uniform across projects. This Committee is also considering recommendations that the CPF support RTD and improving transit service.
|
|
Program Highlights
Getting to Net Zero: The Energize Denver Task Force has finalized its recommendations to the City and County of Denver that would reduce Denver’s greenhouse gas emissions by 49%. These reductions come in the form of transitioning to cleaner, more efficient and renewable energy from buildings, the City’s largest contributor of greenhouse gas emissions. Stakeholders across multiple industries came to consensus on an equitable path to healthier, safer, and more efficient commercial and multifamily buildings that will get Denver closer to net zero by 2040.
Hazard Mitigation Survey: Climate change is bringing new challenges that cities need to prepare for and adapt to. CASR is working with colleagues at Denver’s Office of Emergency Management to update the City's Hazard Mitigation Plan – and we need to hear from you! Take a few minutes to complete the survey and share input on your experience.
Staff Spotlights
Shannon Jahn is CASR’s new Green Workforce Liaison. Shannon comes to the team from Denver’s Department of Economic Development and brings a wealth of experience in working with job training providers, managing workforce development programs, and evaluating program impacts.
Cory Manning joins CASR as the High-Performance Buildings and Homes Intern, focused on building a webinar library to provide accessible professional development for Denver’s buildings and homes community. Cory recently graduated from Colorado State University, earning a Bachelor’s degree in Ecosystem Science and Sustainability with a focus on urban sustainability.
Job Opportunities
We’re hiring! Please share this exciting new position with your network: Climate Adaptation and Resilience Principal Planner
Climate Protection Fund Spotlight
Workforce Development for Good Green Jobs: The Workforce Development for Good Green Jobs Request for Proposals is now open with an extended deadline of Sept. 16 at 12 p.m. MST. The goal of this RFP is to promote equitable, diverse and inclusive growth of Denver's green economy, and will allow for the creation of equitable training pathways for clean energy and construction jobs. Learn more and create a free profile in BidNet to access all documentation, a recording of a recent pre-bid information session and a Q&A summary.
Workforce Development for Good Green Jobs Timeline
- Sept 13: Deadline to submit questions via BidNet
- Sept 16: Submissions due by 12:00 p.m. MST
- Sept 23: Finalists notified
- Sept 29: Interview calls and presentations (if needed)
- Oct 4: Final Selection
- Oct 5: Contracting Process Begins
- Fall of 2024: Project Completion, three-year term with options to extend
|
|
|
|
