Title
Consider adoption of the Go Green! Monterey County Work Plan.
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Board of Supervisors consider adoption of the Go Green! Monterey County Work Plan.
SUMMARY
The Go Green! Monterey County (GGMC) Work Plan was created to help Monterey County achieve its sustainability goals, to support the existing sustainability initiatives already in place by the County, and to advance the County’s sustainability efforts. The GGMC Work Plan (Attachment A) outlines the activities and roles of the GGMC Program for the next three fiscal years through FY 2018-19. In addition, the Work Plan provides information on sustainability efforts currently being undertaken by various departments throughout the County and projects that could be implemented in the future depending on resource availability. Under the guidance of the Alternative Energy and Environment Committee, the formation of the GGMC Work Plan has been made possible through the collaborative efforts of Monterey County staff members from various departments and with help from the Go Green! Technical Advisory Committee (GGTAC).
At its September 22, 2016 meeting, the Alternative Energy and Environment Committee received a presentation on the revised draft of the GGMC Work Plan. The Committee directed staff to bring the GGMC Work Plan to the Board of Supervisors for adoption.
DISCUSSION
The Go Green! Monterey County (GGMC) Work Plan is the result of a series of interviews, meetings, and research. The AEE Committee, the Go Green! Technical Advisory Committee (GGTAC), and various other County staff members have played a crucial role in the formation of the GGMC Work Plan. The GGMC Work Plan provides guidance and transparency to the GGMC Program’s efforts; describes how the program will be structured; and outlines priority projects, on-going County department programs and future projects.
The Go Green! Program Areas outlined in the GGMC Work Plan are designed to categorize current County projects or potential projects that will be managed, led, collaborated upon, or monitored by the GGMC Program. The three Go Green! Program Areas are as follows:
1. Resource Conservation, Climate Adaptation, and Pollution Reduction
2. Organization-wide Culture Shift
3. Community Outreach and Education
Resource, Conservation, Climate Adaptation, and Pollution Reduction focuses on projects and initiatives that reduce the County’s impact on climate change through the reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This program area also involves projects that could help conserve and protect the environment and our natural resources. Project categories in this program area include: energy efficiency and conservation, renewable energy, waste reduction/recycling/composting, sustainable transportation, green building, water conservation and quality, and wastewater systems.
Organization-wide Culture Shift focuses on the projects and activities that aim to promote sustainability among Monterey County staff. This will support the Monterey County organization in remaining a leader in sustainability and environmental stewardship. Project categories in this program area include: climate friendly purchasing policy, employee training, sustainable employee policies, “green” workplace certifications, and sustainable leadership from county employees.
The Community Outreach and Education program area includes initiatives that aim to spread awareness about sustainability, as well as to provide resources and materials for community members to take action to become more sustainable. Project examples that could be categorized in this program area include: online educational resources, sustainability toolkits, links to rebates and incentives, community outreach events, and sustainable community building.
The GGMC Work Plan provides information on four Key Program Projects as follows:
• Monterey County Solar Project
• Municipal Climate Action Plan (MCAP) Indicator Tracking and Update
• Monterey Bay Community Power Project Support
• Monterey County Electric Vehicle (EV) Program
For each Key Program Project, the GGMC Work Plan provides a table that outlines project objectives, the roles and responsibilities of departments involved, the timeframe, outputs, outcomes, and potential risks of the project.
The Countywide Sustainability Initiatives section provides a detailed matrix that provides information on roughly 60 sustainability projects, initiatives, or strategies that the County is currently involved in. This section catalogues each of these efforts within one of the three GGMC Program Areas and references these projects if they are found as part of a County policy or ordinance. The matrix in this section illustrates the expected implications to the county from each initiative, and identifies the responsible department in charge. Furthermore, the matrix provides a status update on each project and provides the metric for how the project is measured (if applicable).
The Potential Future Projects section includes details on future work that could be considered by the GGMC Program in future years depending on resource availability. Moreover, this section identifies potential collaborators for these projects, as well as a short description of the project.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
Various County departments have been, and will continue to be involved in sustainability efforts collaborating with the Go Green! Monterey County Program including, but not limited to, the Agricultural Commissioner, CAO - Contracts/Purchasing, County Counsel, Economic Development, Fleet, Health Department, Human Resources - Learning and Organizational Development, Information Technology, and the Resource Management Agency. Various outside agencies have been and will be involved in the Go Green! Program, including the Energy Watch Program of the Association of Monterey Bay Area Governments.
FINANCING
The Go Green! Monterey County Work Plan does not address financing options for the Key Program Projects directly. Fiscal considerations including lifetime costs, funding source, and return on investment will be taken into account for each project during the project planning phases, and will be brought to the Board of Supervisors for consideration as projects develop.
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS STRATEGIC INITIATIVES:
The GGMC Work Plan is consistent with the Board of Supervisors’ Strategic Initiatives for Economic Development, Administration, Infrastructure, and Health and Human Services. Projects outlined in the GGMC Work Plan are expected to directly affect customer utility rates and increase the use of renewable energy and energy efficiency, thus impacting the economic well-being of Monterey County residents and the Monterey County organization, while promoting a sustainable and healthy environment.
Check the related Board of Supervisors Strategic Initiatives:
_X Economic Development
_X Administration
_X Health & Human Services
_X Infrastructure
__ Public Safety
Prepared by: Dan Bertoldi, Management Analyst III
Approved by: Nicholas E. Chiulos, Assistant County Administrative Officer
Attachment: Go Green! Monterey County Work Plan