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HomeMy WebLinkAboutNatural Resources Advisory Board - Minutes - 06/19/201906/17/2019 – MINUTES Page 1 NATURAL RESOURCES ADVISORY BOARD REGULAR MEETING JUNE 19, 2019 – 6:00 PM 300 LAPORTE AVENUE, FORT COLLINS – CIC ROOM 1. CALL TO ORDER At 6:04 PM the meeting was called to order by Nancy DuTeau. ROLL CALL: • Board Members Present: • Nancy DuTeau – Chair • Elizabeth Hudetz • Danielle Buttke – Vice-Chair • Drew Derderian • Board Members Absent: • Bob Mann • Kevin Krause • Barry Noon • Staff Members: • Lindsay Ex • Eileen Dornfest • Tera Muller • Sean Carpenter • Community Members Present: • John Skogman • David Tweedale • Karen Artell • Alan Braslau 2. AGENDA REVIEW No changes 3. COMMUNITY MEMBER PARTICIPATION • Alan Braslau, Member of Energy Board o Recognition that there is an opportunity with Metro Districts to bring up standards. Would like Boards to make recommendation to Council to adopt policies regarding energy efficiency in built environment o What would happen in Metro districts could serve as standard for other builders and eventually be worked in to code. o Current proposals, Montava and Thrive Builders, can move forward, shows return on investment is short term, saves water, energy. o Alan hopes to launch this discussion so many boards can be part of creating Council policy o Energy Board is open to public comment next Thursday 06/17/2019 – MINUTES Page 2 o Citizen group called PICA Partners in Climate Action for sustainable topics o ELIZABETH – Subdivision: Revive uses ground source heat pump as heat source (different than geothermal). City has rebates. • David T – Invite on July 13, 10am. o Bison have been up at Soapstone now for five years, started with 10 at the release, they have 77 now, 13 calves have been born. Carrying capacity of the bison pastures is at 100 animals to ensure it is not overgrazed 4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES o March Corrections - None o Elizabeth motion to approve, Danielle seconds, approved unanimously o May Corrections – Luke was not at meeting, quorum was not met. Barry was also not present. Under agenda review – changed to “no changes” Community members “no visitors”. Approval of minutes – changed to “no quorum” o Danielle motion to approve, Elizabeth seconds, approved unanimously o NOTE: Will have public comment period on the Foothills Natural Areas Management Plan, because of feedback from this board and community feedback. Will be open for public comment, initial draft may be presented at LCSB this summer. 5. NEW BUSINESS Halligan Water Supply Project Update • Eileen Dornfest, Special Projects Manager, Halligan • Tara Muller, Communication Engagement, Halligan • Project is coming to a milestone, Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) will be released in July 2019 • Showed video about Halligan Reservoir (also at fcgov.com/halligan) • Halligan is for Utilities water services area • What differentiates Halligan? o Size- about 1/10th the volume of Horsetooth reservoir o Halligan will stay mostly full, most of the time, will generally only be tapped into for periods of drought and similar circumstances – different from other projects that draw from reservoir year after year • Why Halligan? o Future Demand o Reliability o Cost Effective o Triple Bottom Line Benefits • EIS Alternatives – Halligan is up to 4x less expensive than the other three listed here o Halligan Enlargement o Gravel Pits o Agricultural Reservoirs o Expanded Glade o No-Action – doesn’t meet need for additional water storage • Impacts • Inundation of wetlands • Seasonal inundation • River Impacts o Slight decrease in flows during runoff months of May and June o Most months, operations would increase flows • Benefits 06/17/2019 – MINUTES Page 3 o Ensures year-round flows on North Fork o Reconnects 22 miles of river o Improves water temperatures o Rehabilitates aging dam • North Fork Habitat Improvement o Minimum flows o Reconnection o Temperature o Water quality • Path Forward • Permitting has lasted last 13 years, this year will be the first year for public to review this project, compare alternatives and provide feedback. • Public comment 2019 • Prepare and Publish Final EIS 2019-22 • Record of Decision 2022-23 • Construction 2024-25 (goal) • NANCY – did modelling include Climate Change • EILEEN – used common technical platform with Corps process that doesn’t really account for Climate Change. There is a range of what the future may look like, we would like to plan for whole range. Army Corp of Engineers chooses one and says that is what is used. Vulnerability study (currently underway) shows we need the reservoir, evaluates many different scenarios of population, climate change, etc. Adding climate change studies in the EIS would set permitting project back 5+ years. • ELIZABETH – Is this because they don’t believe in Climate change? • EILEEN – $18.5 million has been spent on this project so far and hasn’t even been able to send it to the public yet, so it would set back too far to ask them to incorporate climate change at this point. • ELIZABETH – June rise happens in June, will that go away? • EILEEN – decrease is less than 5% in volume. • ELIZABETH – sounds like a good project, not building a new one. Has NISP been approved • EILEEN – has not been approved • DANIELLE – NISP ignores peak flow and mitigation factors while it’s filling, is there a plan to ensure that doesn’t happen with Halligan? • EILEEN – The city has developed a plan that includes these things like Peak Flow Bypass, Ramping Rate. We will work with CO parks and wildlife to optimize how we operate the structure so wildlife isn’t impacted. City has mitigation plan that will also be released for public comment- includes mitigation measures. • NANCY – When NISP first came out, CO wildlife answered questions. Has CO Wildlife reviewed this? • EILEEN – there will need to be a Fish & Wildlife Mitigation Plan prepared for the state of Colorado after this version. • NANCY – will the dam be replaced? • EILEEN – it will be scaled and capped, the original will stay in place and encased in new structure • DANIELLE – Have impacts of a catastrophic flood or dam failure been evaluated? • EILEEN – that is part of design process, it will be reviewed with each step. There is an emergency action plan for the current structure. • DREW – any piggybacking from NISP? • EILEEN – NISP is two years ahead, so they are on their own schedule, the state is careful about keeping the projects separate 06/17/2019 – MINUTES Page 4 Climate Economy Plan Update • Sean Carpenter, Climate Economy Advisor • Climate Economy Plan Update • What is Climate Economy? o Economic Strength and lower carbon future o Locally o Economic activity from investment in energy efficiency, climate adaption, and low carbon infrastructure o Innovation – new products, new business models, new collaborations to enhance community and business resiliency o More efficient, livable Fort Collins o Lower carbon, smart and resilient infrastructure o Regional work as well, some things are out of local control • Why a Climate Economy? o Greater efficiency/ cost savings o Consumer demand o Risk mitigation o Leadership o Tax incentives o Employee retention and attraction o Brand reputation and publicity o Resource limitation o Keeping up with the competition o New revenue opportunities from goods or services ▪ Insurance companies are companies that put a lot of money into these type of projects ▪ Small and medium enterprises are the most terrified, they don’t have the time, expertise, or resources to understand the threats to their supply chain, affects businesses without “business continuity insurance”. ▪ This is what is driving this project because it directly affects local businesses; the end state of the economy • Local Business Commitment • Businesses are interested and committed to this project, many are demands from customers and potential employees, and they’re using their money to vote for their opinions. People want to work for companies that are doing business in economy smart ways • Challenges and Opportunities o Opportunities ▪ Diversification and attractiveness of the local economy ▪ Transferable skills ▪ Disruptive technologies ▪ Regionalism and collaboration o Challenges ▪ National strategies driving energy market ▪ R&D investment ▪ Asset utilization and availability o Smart city technology community groups has some influence • How? o Innovative Approaches ▪ Anchor Businesses ▪ Energy Sector Partnership ▪ New business Models 06/17/2019 – MINUTES Page 5 ▪ Leverage City as a Platform o Encourage Investment ▪ C-PACE (several in Fort Collins, none completed yet) • Commercial Property Access C E • Three pages form, all lenders in Colorado can be a PACE lender, keeps their rates low. No limit, as little as $40k, up to millions. Only limit is up to the private sector. ▪ On-Bill Financing ▪ EV Readiness ▪ Storage Solutions o Enable Transition ▪ Retraining Opportunities ▪ Circular Economy ▪ Understand Business Concerns ▪ Identify Risks • VIDEO: Early Win: Bloomberg Mayors Challenge o Fort Collins Mayor chose Climate Economy as the biggest Challenge • The Epic Program o Comprehensive, streamlined energy efficiency upgrade program with attractive financing • Renters and LMI Residents o Bloomberg Project ▪ Focus on renters and LMI residents with indoor air quality and health/wellbeing monitoring ▪ Working with Dr. Carter from CSU to study what the data looks like in improved houses, to prove that it benefits health to upgrade housing • All residents o Efficiency Works Homes ▪ Existing energy efficiency assessment and upgrade program for residential homes o Epic Loans ▪ No money down, low interest loan through the revitalized on-bill financing option • Loans have been made and equipment has been testing, trying to close on additional capital, raising 7 million in short term. • Received $1million from Bloomberg, and then used the $100,000 start money to raise more money, $3.2million committed • DANIELLE – given that 50% of houses are rentals with higher turnover, how does that effect the study? • JOHN – it may impact more LMI families with upgrades, but study will also have a typical drop rate of about 30%. No funding for longitudinal study. Goal is to add to the body of knowledge and learn about cutting edge fixes. All prototyping was done at Larimer County Food Bank, for renters (people who are paying enough for rent but don’t have enough left to eat), it became very obvious that there were correlating health issues, there was a lot of interest. Looking at “EPIC CERTIFIED” stickers for the future to differential which houses on the market have been upgraded. May close in on incentives for landlords to upgrade as well, less turnover, healthier tenants. Cost goes to property owner, not tenant. • 3 Year Project Goal o 2,000 rental properties and owner-occupied homes o Improve health and wellbeing, particularly targeting LMI renters o Lower utility bills 06/17/2019 – MINUTES Page 6 o Remove financing barriers for property owners with Evergreen on bill revolving loan fund • NANCY – What about having a fund to support end markets for local recycling? • JOHN – Research and development fund. Good thing to have to figure this out close to home rather than foreign recycling that is currently in place. Will take many partners and ideas and different sizes of businesses involved. • NANCY – resource recovery in Colorado • ELIZABETH – a friend that is building a ranch, would they qualify for CPACE? • JOHN – must be commercial, minimal $100,000 on project, depends on what they would do • DANIELLE – is it just interior or also exterior? • JOHN – just focuses on the building itself, not green space improvements • DANIELLE – seems like a good piggy back program to consider green space studies/programs • For every $1million spent on energy efficiency, creates 17 jobs. Resolution to End Discrimination Against Women • Based on a request from the Women’s Commission, the Board will consider advising Council to adopt a Resolution to End discrimination Against Women • LINDSAY – Came from the Women’s commission with a request to support, at the same time, an Equity and Inclusion resolution. Will not know what that will look like until October Work Session with Council to discuss equity and inclusion more broadly. • Cities priorities can be found on fcgov website, 20 total, 10 are from sustainability • NANCY - Purpose of resolution is to ask Council to adopt resolution as a symbolic measure to encourage a national adoption, if the board agrees it would still be valuable to let Council know and that it is separate from an overall discrimination policy. It could be done in addition to the cities discrimination policy. • Brainstorm of ideas of why NRAB would encourage Council to adopt resolution: • Women and children are on the front line of types of impacts that NRAB discusses, climate change, environmental challenge, should be key players in decisions • Inequity exacerbates many negative impacts on natural resources • ELIZABETH – will share a version that declares a climate emergency for the city • Council has not put an anti-discrimination on calendar yet • Nancy will create a draft and circulate: • “We support idea that Council adopt the resolution Convention on the Elimination of all discrimination against Women (CEDAW) memorandum” based on expected environmental health effects. • Motion by Danielle, Elizabeth second, approved unanimously 6. OTHER BUSINESS a. Annual Report Approval • 2018 Annual report was approved and submitted January 29, 2019 b. Board Member Reports • DANIELLE – Xeriscape Garden with City is a great program • NANCY – Would like to see NRAB look at innovative efficiency ideas for water, green space, and environmental health c. Six Month Calendar Review • Council stated that some of the ongoing things that have been priorities, like Climate Action Plan, are still priorities, but are not listed on the 20 priorities. 06/17/2019 – MINUTES Page 7 • Harmony Gateway discussion has been delayed, will continue in October. Cameron will come in September and again in November for final action in December. • Exterior Lighting code updates, input will start soon for Spring 2020 action items d. Additional Announcements • Jay has resigned from this board. • NRAB is at 7 board members currently and given the broad number of topics that are covered in Natural Resources, we need a full capacity of board members and their expertise. • Respectful workplace training scheduled. June 26 and Aug 6, RSVPs are needed. Training is mandatory for all board and commission members. e. Next meeting: July 17, 2019 ADJOURNMENT 8:07p.m.