Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Latest Draft of Climate Action Plan

In advance of the Monday 12/15 CAP subcommittee meeting, the City has posted the revised draft CAP. You can review it at http://www.cityofsancarlos.org/sirepub/meeting.aspx?cabinet=PUBLISHED_MEETINGS&ftr=0&docid=6394863.

Friday, November 14, 2008

Weekend Leisure Reading: Revised Draft Climate Action Plan

You are invited to join the Climate Action Plan Subcommittee at its meeting from 11 to 1 this Monday, Nov. 17th in City Hall. The revised draft Climate Action Plan, as well as meeting agenda and draft CAP-related General Plan elements, can be downloaded here.

The General Plan Advisory Committee meeting schedule has been changed. Instead of presenting the draft CAP to the GPAC on December 10th, we are now scheduled to discuss the CAP and other environmental management goals, policies, and actions at the January GPAC meeting, which may be held at 6:45 on Wed., Jan. 21st. We encourage you to attend.

Thursday, October 30, 2008

Date Change for Next Climate Action Plan Sub-committee Meeting

The date for the next CAP Sub-committee meeting has been changed from 11/13 to 11/17. We encourage you to join us between 11 and 1 in the West Gallery conference room in City Hall to discuss the draft CAP.

Friday, October 24, 2008

Provide Your Comments on Draft Climate Action Plan

The first draft of the San Carlos Climate Action Plan is now available for your review and comments. To download a copy, go to http://www.cityofsancarlos.org/sirepub/meeting.aspx?cabinet=PUBLISHED_MEETINGS&ftr=0&docid=6172291 and click on the document marked "New Business".

We encourage you to join the CAP subcommittee at our meeting on Monday, October 27th from 11 to 1 in the West Gallery conference room of City Hall. If you are unable to make it, we encourage you to submit your comments in writing to Deborah Nelson, planning manager, at dnelson@cityofsancarlos.org.

Thursday, October 2, 2008

CAP Subcommittee to Meet Monday to Review Community Input

Following the enthusiastic public participation at the Climate Action Plan Workshop on Thursday, 9/25, the CAP Subcommittee has added an extra meeting to its schedule to discuss the input and finalize the list of elements that the consultants will utilize for their cost-benefit analysis.

Here is information about the new meeting, followed by the rest of the revised schedule:

October 6th – CAP Subcommittee Meeting (11 AM- 1 PM City Hall West Gallery Conference Room) – Review feedback from Community Workshop and Review Financial Analysis Approach.

October 27th – CAP Subcommittee Meeting (11 AM- 1 PM City Hall West Gallery Conference Room) – Review Project Review Criteria for Subsequent Development, discuss CAP implementation program, and provide feedback on Draft CAP.

November 13th –CAP Subcommittee Meeting (11 AM- 1 PM City Hall West Gallery Conference Room)– Review Revised CAP.

December 10th - GPAC Meeting - Discuss Environmental Management Goals, policies and actions and present Climate Action Plan

To download an agenda and background information for Monday's meeting, visit http://www.cityofsancarlos.org/sirepub/meeting.aspx?cabinet=PUBLISHED_MEETINGS&ftr=0&docid=6050960

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Shortened List of 31 Measures Posted

The City has posted the Climate Action Plan sub-committee's "Shortened List" of 31 preliminary reduction measures that will be considered and discussed at Thursday's community forum. To review the list in advance of the Forum, click on http://www.cityofsancarlos.org/sirepub/meeting.aspx?cabinet=PUBLISHED_MEETINGS&ftr=0&docid=5765800 and download the document labeled "Preliminary Reduction Measures". If you will not be able to make it to the public forum on Thursday, we encourage you to submit your comments in writing to Deborah Nelson, Planning Manager, City of San Carlos, 600 Elm Street, San Carlos, CA 94070, 650 802-4264, dnelson@cityofsancarlos.org.

Monday, September 15, 2008

Initial 125 Potential Strategies to be Discussed Tuesday

The City's consultants assisting with the preparation of the Climate Action Plan have prepared a draft listing 125 potential climate action plan strategic elements. You are encouraged to attend the CAP sub-committee meeting on Tuesday, 9/16 11 am - 1 pm at City Hall to discuss which of these strategic elements -- or others -- will be presented at the public workshop on Thurs, 9/25, 7-8:30 pm, in the Library upstairs conference rooms.

(To view the full list, to which minor modifications were made on 9/16, see http://www.cityofsancarlos.org/sirepub/cache/2/eyohiba0zmwzj155ev1bhh55/65182280923200811140078.PDF )

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

San Carlos Climate Action Plan Community Workshop 9/25 7 pm

You are invited to join the San Carlos General Plan Advisory Committee, Climate Action Plan Sub-Committee Community Workshop. This event will feature an opportunity for the Community to participate in the selection of priority emission reduction measures that will be incorporated into the Climate Action Plan and the General Plan.

The event will be held on Thursday, September 25 from 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm in Library Conference Rooms A & B, 610 Elm Street, San Carlos.

You are encouraged to please pass this notice along to your friends and local organizations.

We look forward to seeing you at the Community Workshop!

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

CAP Sub-committee Sets Preliminary CO2 Reduction Target: 15% Reduction from 2005 Levels by 2020

At the 8/19/2008 meeting of the CAP Sub-committee, the group set a preliminary goal for reduction of the City’s CO2 emission equivalents: 15% reduction below 2005 levels by 2020. Consultants consider this target to be feasible and within the median range of what other local communities have set for their emission reduction programs.

If you would like to comment on this emission reduction target or participate in choosing the greenhouse gas emission reduction programs and policies for inclusion in the climate action plan, we encourage you to participate in the CAP Community Forum, September 25 at 7 pm, San Carlos Library rooms A&B. Written comments can be submitted to Deborah Nelson, City Planning Director, at dnelson@cityofsancarlos.org.

Thursday, August 14, 2008

Agenda & Background Materials for 8/19 CAP Meeting

The Climate Action Plan subcommittee of the General Plan Advisory Committee is meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 19th from 11-1 at City Hall to set a greenhouse gas reduction goal and strategic policy focus. You are invited to attend the meeting and provide your input.

Here is the New Business section of the agenda, including links to background materials:

a) Review of the Agenda

b) Dissemination of background information

Alameda Climate Action Plan – found at the following link:
http://www.ci.alameda.ca.us/gov/pdf/0802_cplap_draft.pdf

Climate Action Handbook: http://www.seattle.gov/climate/docs/ClimateActionHandbook.pdf <http://www.iclei.org/documents/Global/case_studies/beststrategies.pdf>

US Mayors for Climate Protection Best Practices: http://www.usmayors.org/climateprotection/documents/2007bestpractices-mcps.pdf

A study on the challenges of community based social marketing for climate change:
http://environment.yale.edu/climate/americans_and_climate_change.pdf


c) Overview of Baseline Report
August 11, 2008 Report to the City Council – found at the following links:
http://cscfc/sire/cache/116/pv22n0m31jr3e245mbwlycit/61697980808200810062131.pdf
http://cscfc/sire/cache/116/pv22n0m31jr3e245mbwlycit/616979908082008100718750.pdf
http://cscfc/sire/cache/116/pv22n0m31jr3e245mbwlycit/616980008082008100736281.pdf
http://cscfc/sire/cache/116/vrim5kjsrifcic31vmowen45/619293108112008114723625.pdf
http://cscfc/sire/cache/116/vrim5kjsrifcic31vmowen45/619293208112008114803218.xls
http://cscfc/sire/cache/116/vrim5kjsrifcic31vmowen45/619293308112008114835343.xls

d) Develop Climate Action Plan (CAP) Target Reduction Goal and Strategic Policy Focus

e) Review of Next Steps

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

City Council Meeting Video on Greenhouse Gas Inventory

Consultants presented the Community Wide Greenhouse Gas Inventory Report to the City Council at its August 11th meeting. You can view the video this Link, with the presentation starting at time marker 15:06 and Council discussion starting at 29:30. The plan for the preparation of the Climate Action Plan was also discussed.

Some interesting aspects of the Inventory Report were noted:
- Methane emissions from the treatment plant where our sewage goes are not included;
- Methane emissions from the dump where our garbage goes are not included;
- The electricity generation sources assumed in these calculations are PG&E's California electricity sources, but do not include the CO2 generated by carbon-intensive out-of-state electricity purchased when California-generated electricity is insufficient in peak demand periods;
- Many of the numbers represented in the report are estimates.

Saturday, August 9, 2008

San Carlos Community-Wide Baseline GHG Inventory


The City of San Carlos has just released its Community-Wide Baseline Greenhouse Gas Inventory, available on the City's web site. [11/24/2008 update: the City has moved the report again. Try this link: Report on the Community-Wide Greenhouse Gas Invent - Timeline for San Carlos Climate Action Plan - Aug 5 2008.doc] This report, and accompanying summary information, will be presented to the City Council at its meeting on Monday, August 11, 2008.


Highlights of the Report:


"In the base year 2005, the community of San Carlos emitted approximately 229,193 metric tons of CO2e [CO2 equivalency] . . . [T]he transportation (50%) and residential (21%) sectors were the largest sources of greenhouse gas emissions. Emissions from the commercial sector, waste, and industrial uses contributed 20%, 5%, and 4% respectively. . . . The burning of gasoline, electricity, and natural gas was responsible for most of the greenhouse gas emissions in San Carlos with 48%, 23%, and 22%. The remaining categories, with the exception of diesel, are landfill materials that emitted methane and carbon dioxide."

If you would like to be involved in setting the greenhouse gas emission reduction goals and strategic plan, we invite you to attend the next meeting of the Climate Action Plan subcommittee of the City's General Plan Advisory Committee, on August 19th, 11 AM- 1 PM, in the City Hall West Gallery Conference Room.

Upcoming Dates for Climate Action Plan Meetings

At the Climate Action Plan subcommittee kick-off meeting on Aug. 4, upcoming meeting dates were discussed and set. If you are interested in assisting with the development of the San Carlos Climate Action Plan, or commenting on drafts as they become available, we encourage you to save these dates and join us:

August 11th – City Council Meeting – Presentation of GHG Baseline Report by Staff and Consultants. (Greenhouse Gas Baseline (GHG) data gathered by ICLEI under contract to the City and Joint Venture Silicon Valley and sponsored by BAAQMD). Agenda and reports.

August 19th – CAP Subcommittee Meeting (11 AM- 1 PM City Hall West Gallery Conference Room) – Develop Climate Action Plan Target Reduction Goal and Strategic Policy Focus.

September 16th – CAP Subcommittee Meeting (11 AM- 1 PM City Hall West Gallery Conference Room) – Discuss preliminary determinations in CAP.

September 25th – CAP Subcommittee / Community Meeting (7 PM – 8:30 PM Library Room A & B.) – Receive input from community and interest groups on the Climate Action Plan.

October 1st – PMC to submit draft CAP to City (City distributed to CAP Subcommittee for Review)

October 9th – CAP Subcommittee Meeting (11 AM- 1 PM City Hall West Gallery Conference Room) – Review Project Review Criteria for Subsequent Development, discuss CAP implementation program, and provide feedback on Draft CAP.

October 27th – CAP Subcommittee Meeting (11 AM- 1 PM City Hall West Gallery Conference Room)– Review Revised CAP.

October 30th – PMC to submit Revised CAP to the City

November 6th – GPAC Meeting (6:45 PM - 9:45 PM Library Room A & B) – Discuss Environmental Management Goals, policies and actions, and Climate Action Plan

Friday, August 1, 2008

Climate Action Plan Subcommittee Launches

The first meeting of the Climate Action Plan subcommittee of the General Plan Advisory Committee will be August 4th, 5-7 pm in City Hall, Admin. Conference room. Agenda items include introduction to the consultants hired to assist with preparation of the City’s Climate Action Plan, a proposed timeline for the subcommittee’s work, and discussion of background materials. The public is welcome to attend the meeting and participate in the public comment portion. If you would like to look over background materials, see background.

Tuesday, July 1, 2008

Climate Action Plan Preparations Begin

We have good news for the many San Carlos Green supporters who have sent letters to the City or signed our petition demanding the City address climate change: The City has begun the process of preparing a Climate Action Plan (”CAP”), which will be incorporated into the City’s updated General Plan. A three-person Climate Action Plan subcommittee has been formed within the General Plan Advisory Committee, consultants have been retained to assist in the Plan preparation, and a $75,000 grant from the Bay Area Air Quality Management District will be used to fund the CAP preparation.

To provide the public with sufficient input on the process, the CAP subcommittee is working on plans for a public workshop to provide input on and suggestions for Climate Action elements. When a date for this workshop is set, we will circulate this information to the San Carlos Green e-mail list.

The CAP subcommittee meetings, which are expected to begin in mid-July, will also be public meetings that any interested community members can attend, although public comment will be limited to 2 minutes per person as with the GPAC and City Council meetings. If you would like to receive e-mail notification from the City of these and related General Plan meetings, sign up at the City’s e-notify site.

If you would like to submit written comments on the Climate Action Plan preparation process, e-mail:Deborah Nelson, Planning Manager, City of San Carlos (staff lead for CAP preparation) dnelson@cityofsancarlos.org; or Suzanne Emerson, San Carlos Green task force member on CAP subcommittee suzanne@sancarlosgreen.org.