Title
a. Receive a status report on the Go Green! Work Plan; and
b. Provide direction to staff as appropriate.
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Alternative Energy and Environment Committee:
a. Receive a status update on the Go Green! Work Plan; and
b. Provide direction to staff as appropriate.
SUMMARY/DISCUSSION:
The Go Green! Monterey County Work Plan is a collaborative effort between Go Green! Program staff, the Alternative Energy and Environment (AEE) Committee, the Go Green! Technical Advisory Committee, and various staff across multiple departments. The Go Green! Work Plan provides guidance and transparency to the Go Green! Program’s operations through FY 2018-19.
At the August 24, 2017 AEE Committee meeting, staff presented updates to the GGMC Work Plan. Following this meeting, Go Green! Program staff has been involved in several ongoing projects and activities outlined in the Work Plan. Below is an update of these projects and activities.
Solar Facilities Project
In October, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) reopened the eligibility window for local governments to secure a 10-year grandfathering period in PG&E’s previous Net Energy Metering (NEM 1.0) rate structure program. This NEM 1.0 program provides more “solar-friendly” energy rates than the subsequent Net Energy Metering Program (NEM 2.0) by placing a higher value on energy used during daytime hours when the solar panels are generating energy. Under the NEM 2.0 rates, a standalone solar array without battery storage is valued between 20 - 40% less than under the NEM 1.0 rate structure. The deadline to submit an interconnection application is December 25, 2017. Staff is in the process of evaluating this opportunity and will return with an update at the January 25, 2018, AEE meeting.
Electric Vehicles
Go Green! staff has is in the process of investigating new electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure programs that could provide funding for charging stations to be installed at County facilities. A potential funding source includes the Monterey Bay Air Resources Board’s (MBARD) “Plug-In EV Monterey Bay Infrastructure Program”. In October 2017, Go Green! staff worked with staff from the Resource Management Agency and Natividad Medical Center to identify potential sites to install EV charging stations. Staff submitted a site descriptions to the MBARD - Planning Division detailing the following County facilities:
• Health Department Headquarters (1270 Natividad Rd, Salinas)
• Natividad Medical Center (1441 Constitution Blvd, Salinas)
• Monterey County Government Center (168 W. Alisal St, Salinas)
• Monterey County Superior Court/Probation Dept. (1200 Aguajito Rd, Monterey)
Staff selected these sites because they could accommodate four or more Level 2 EV charging stations, with the possibility of installing one or more “DC Fast Charging” Stations, the latest EV charging technology. Additionally, these sites were selected because they are in highly trafficked areas. MBARD staff has indicated that these sites are potential candidates for the Plug-In EV Monterey Bay Infrastructure Program, and they will address the sites with their contractors for consideration prior to releasing contracts for the FY 2019 funding cycle. At this time, the exact amount of funding available for EV charging stations under this program is still unknown.
Municipal Climate Action Plan (MCAP) 2030 Update
On September 28, 2017, the AEE Committee received a status update on the Phase II implementation of the MCAP. Staff was directed to research additional greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction measures including a potential Telework Program that could be made available to a larger segment of the County workforce.
In October 2017, Go Green! Staff distributed a survey to all Monterey County Department Head staff to determine the level of support for a telework program being available to a broader segment of the County workforce. In all, 23 Department Heads responded to the survey representing a response rate of approximately 97%. Results of the survey showed the following:
• 11 Department heads managing 72% of the County workforce are either supportive or very supportive of a telework program, ranking their level of support either a four or five out of five (five being very supportive)
• 4 Department heads managing 4% of County workforce are in the middle, ranking their level of support three out of five
• 8 Department heads managing 21% of the County workforce indicated they are not very supportive or not supportive at all, ranking their level of support between one or two out of five
• Currently, an estimated total of 23 County employees are authorized to telecommute on a regular basis
Results of the survey suggest that the Go Green! Program could gain an acceptable level of support from Department Head Staff representing most the County workface to move forward with the investigation. Next steps will include designing a plan for a telework pilot and executing the pilot by spring, 2018. The purpose of the pilot is to determine the feasibility of a larger program and working with department heads to address concerns.
Regional Sustainability Collaborations
The Go Green! Monterey County Work Plan provides that the Go Green! program will participate in regional sustainability collaborations. Since the adoption of the Go Green! Work Plan, staff has made efforts to establish collaborative relationships with groups outside the County organization and to attend regional sustainability meetings and events.
On August 23, 2017, Go Green! and RMA-Planning staff attended the Central Coast Climate Collaborative Inaugural Summit. The Central Coast Climate Collaborative is a membership organization encompassing six central coast counties: Santa Cruz, San Benito, Monterey, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura. The collaborative seeks to foster a network of local and regional community leaders engaged in climate change mitigation, adaptation, and resilience, as well as to share information and best practices, leverage efforts and resources, identify critical issues and needs, and engage all communities throughout the region.
At the Inaugural Summit, the Central Coast Collaborative provided potential members with their membership fee structure. For the County of Monterey to participate in this regional collaborative, a fee of $1,000 is required for an agency of 100+ employees. The Go Green! Program plans to submit a budget augmentation request for the membership as part of the FY 2018-19 budget process.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
Various County departments are involved in sustainability efforts collaborating with the Go Green! Program including, but not limited to, the Agricultural Commissioner, Auditor-Controller, CAO Budget & Analysis Division, 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 are involved in the Go Green! Program, including the Energy Watch Program of the Association of Monterey Bay Area Governments (AMBAG).
Staff from the Resource Management Agency (Facilities) and Natividad Medical Center assisted Go Green! Staff to identify potential sites for EV charging stations. Department heads from 23 County departments provided input in the Telework Survey. Various departments will continue to be engaged in the development of a potential telework program pilot.
FINANCING:
Staff costs for the Go Green! Program are provided in the approved FY 2017-18 budget for the CAO-IGLA division.
Prepared by: Dan Bertoldi, Sustainability Coordinator x5457
Approved by: Nicholas E. Chiulos, Assistant County Administrative Officer