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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAir Quality Advisory Board - Minutes - 04/19/2021 AIR QUALITY ADVISORY BOARD TYPE OF MEETING – REGULAR April 19, 2021 5:30 – 8:00 pm via Zoom 4/19/21 – MINUTES Page 1 1. CALL TO ORDER - 5:30 PM. 2. ROLL CALL • List of Board Members Present − Matt Tribby − Karen Artell − Jim Dennison − Emily Bitler − Wayne Chuang − Jason Miller − Greg Clark − Dan Welsh − Nina Forsyth • List of Board Members Absent – Excused or Unexcused; if no contact with Chair has been made − none • List of Staff Members Present − Cassie Archuleta, Staff Liaison − Amanda Mansfield, Transportation Planner − Jensen Morgan, Senior Climate Specialist • List of Guests - none 3. AGENDA REVIEW 4. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION • none 5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES a. moved and Wayne seconded a motion to approve the March minutes. Motion passed 7-0-1 6. PREVIOUS BUSINESS AIR QUALITY ADVISORY BOARD TYPE OF MEETING – REGULAR 4/19/21 – MINUTES Page 2 a. Matt related he had a conversation with Nathalie Rachline, chair of the Transportation Board. They discussed that transportation is the largest emitter of greenhouse gas and how we might get more people to drive electric vehicles. She will bring the AQAB's priority goal for having more electric vehicles in Fort Collins to the Transportation Board to see if there might be some collaboration on this issue. b. Discussion − There was some concern that working with other boards could slow down the process of writing memos of recommendation to Council that are agreeable to all. − It might be helpful to define convergence points for more efficient engagement with other boards. − It might also be helpful to notify the Energy Board that the AQAB is working with the Transportation Board so that when/if we do need to work with them, they are already in the loop. c. Matt led a discussion to establish timeframes for the AQAB's main work plan goals for electric vehicles, oil and gas, and building efficiency upgrades. − Discussion − Oil and gas and EVs most likely would fall in September/October and efficiency upgrades and radon deadlines should be in November/December. − Suggested outputs included a written recommendation for EVs, while other two issues would most likely be a conversation with the board's Council liaison. 7. NEW BUSINESS a. Electric Vehicle (EV) Readiness Roadmap update - Amanda Mansfield − Background − The City developed the Electric Vehicle Readiness Roadmap (EVRR) in 2018 with multiple future strategies. Strategies that are currently being implemented include electrification of the City's light-duty fleet and transit fleet, installing EV charging stations for them, revising codes, incentivizing EV purchases and EV parking rules, group buys and establishing a City charging network. − Key state accomplishments − The state of Colorado has updated their Colorado Vehicle Plan, installed AIR QUALITY ADVISORY BOARD TYPE OF MEETING – REGULAR 4/19/21 – MINUTES Page 3 fast charging stations at 33 major transportation corridor sites, made an investment to install 351 chargers across the state, and dedicated remaining VW settlement funds to charging infrastructure and zero emission buses, shuttles and trucks. − Colorado's Air Quality Control Commission approved adoption of the governor's ZEV Mandate that requires automakers to sell more zero emission vehicles starting in 2023. − The state developed a study to determine barriers to EV ownership. - What are the biggest barriers include cost and range anxiety. Studies have revealed most people's EV trips are short, which may help to alleviate distance anxiety. − The state's Greenhouse Pollution Reduction Roadmap has targets to require 100% of vehicles on the road to be EV by 2060 and close to 100% of new car sales be EV by 2050. − City staff is evaluating which City strategies are most important to implement to help the state achieve its goals. − Key City EVRR accomplishments − The City has updated the community charging stations to dual point chargers. − The traffic code has been updated to designate EV charging parking spots. − Transfort has ordered 5-7 electric buses, including chargers − The City's fleet conversion has acquired 40 EV light-duty vehicles and 27 City fleet chargers. They are also investigating how to convert police vehicles to hybrid or fully electric status. - Per the City’s goal of 100% of vehicles purchased being plug-in EV vehicles by 2025, most vehicles are on the replacement schedule. The goal will be achieved roughly around the target date because some departments need longer-range vehicles that are not easily converted. − The City is updating the building code for single family, commercial, and industrial to require EV parking spaces in new developments. Staff will be taking this proposal to Boards and Council. − Staff was awarded a grant to increase access to e-bikes for low-income essential workers. − The City coordinated a successful EV buy in 2020, selling 87 discounted EVs with plans to continue this in the future. The event also provided ride AIR QUALITY ADVISORY BOARD TYPE OF MEETING – REGULAR 4/19/21 – MINUTES Page 4 and drives for EV vehicles. − Incorporated EV-supportive language in City plans. - Per a question about costs for portable chargers and retrofitting a home with chargers, current prices are in the several hundred dollars range and, hopefully, more affordable in the future. − Other plans we are in alignment with: − The governor's pledge is to increase the LDEVs to 940,000 by 2030. − The City's 2020 Legislative Policy Agenda, City Strategic Plan, City Plan, Climate Action Plan Framework − EV awards won - 2020 #1 fleet among the leading fleets at the Government Fleet Virtual Honors Celebration, 2020 1st place - Green Fleet Award, and 2020 GoEv City Designation. − Funding opportunities − There is a 2022 BFO offer for a full-time EV coordinator to grow the City's program, expand outreach, and assist local businesses. − $4 M Department of Energy grant application − CSU Practicum/Capstone Student to assist EVRR strategies − Discussion − The Board congratulated the City for the awards it has gotten. This program is a priority for the AQAB, mainly because the RAQC suggested electrifying transportation is the best way to reduce air pollution. − Q - Could there be a car-share program for the larger, longer-distance vehicles and also encourage rental car companies to add EVs? A - That is a strategy in the roadmap. There are two local car share companies the City is planning to reach out to, but people could also enter into car sharing on their own. Rental car companies would need a financial incentive to do this. − Q - What about the large demand on the energy grid when most city vehicles are charging within the same time frame? A - So far there are not enough EVs on the road for this to be an issue, but the Utilities Department is making plans. − Q - What is the necessary funding that will be needed from the City over the next 9 years to meet your targets? A - Currently there is no budget because we are in the planning stage. Because there are many projects competing for city money, this project may not be funded as much as is AIR QUALITY ADVISORY BOARD TYPE OF MEETING – REGULAR 4/19/21 – MINUTES Page 5 needed. However, we are researching other sources of funding, especially from the federal government. − Q - The Colorado governor has gotten Lyft to have approximately 200 EV cars in their fleet in Denver and wondered if the City could also partner with Lyft. A - Ride Share is a good option. Amanda will look into it. − Q - Regarding updating City codes, what challenges do you see with retrofitting older buildings? A - They are going to propose a retrofit requirement in the Code for existing building to have 20% of parking spaces be 220v 40 amp EV ready with a 12 year window. It is unknown if this will pass Council. − Q - Has the social cost of carbon been used as an argument to advocate for this program? A - No. Amanda will mention this to the presentation team to add to the argument. − Q - There is more existing housing than new housing. How can the City meet its goal unless some of the existing housing is retrofitted to be EV ready? A - That is correct. Perhaps the new Council might be a strong advocate for the program to help meet the City's goal. − One recommendation to advocate for this program would be to point out this is a long term investment and an investment in future generations, and that things will get worse and way more expensive if we do nothing now, even though it may be expensive to do it now . . b. Our Climate Future - SHIFT Earth Day Challenge - Jensen Morgan - Climate Action & Community Engagement − The city has ambitious environmental goals of 100% renewable energy by 2030, carbon neutrality by 2050 and zero waste by 2030. The SHIFT Campaign was launched on Earth Day in 2019 to serve the Climate action plan, but has since been expanded to serve the Our Climate Future Plan as a whole. − SHIFT vision: All people in Fort Collins actively benefit from a sustainable lifestyle. − SHIFT mission: Support achieving sustainability goals through behavior education, marketing, and incentives that reach all community members. − SHIFT activities have much outreach that uses fun to help with behavior change. − Data from City surveys about citizen's beliefs around conservation and climate action have shown there are 5 perspectives in our population, 60% of them are AIR QUALITY ADVISORY BOARD TYPE OF MEETING – REGULAR 4/19/21 – MINUTES Page 6 neutral users or cost-driven users. SHIFT has focused on asking these people to do 3 actions that will save them time, money and energy. − Over the last 2 years, the SHIFT has measured awareness through many outreach events and social media by how many people have pledged change behavior and follow up surveys. − Each year SHIFT has an Earth Day Challenge with one core message. This year was to lose 5,000 pounds of CO2e through a point system for doing four behaviors such as eating lower down the carbon chain, reduce and reuse, having a home energy checkup, and shifting your ride to less energy consuming vehicles. There were also prizes for participants who achieve the point goals . − SHIFT has discovered that people engaging in competitive challenges and teams was very effective using the on-line tool at shiftfoco.com. − Discussion − Q - What is the most common thing you found that actually changes someone's behavior? A - Convenience and price seems to be tied to the American culture as motivators. − Q - Of the people who have signed up with SHIFT, can you determine what groups they belong to on your perspective scale? A - We have run 3 - 4 campaigns in the last 2 years, and pretty consistently we max out at about 550 people. The program needs to determine if they are the same or different people and scale the campaigns accordingly. They are also considering having a volunteer program for person-to-person engagement to elicit change. − Q - Have you engaged the local public schools? Children can be a driving force in the home. Maybe have a SHIFT fair in addition to a science fair for kids. A - That is an area of opportunity for the program. To date outreach has only been on a class-by-class basis. − Q - Has SHIFT been able to correlate participation to metrics of CO2 reduction? A - This is difficult because the program is self-reporting. − There was a suggestion that for self-reporting, instead of participants giving the number of trips reduced per day, they report the number of miles eliminated per trip reduced.At the state level there is an on-line app to log in specific trips you are skipping and notes the mileage. Perhaps we could do the same. − There was a suggestion that the City could invite people to share pictures on social media that show their participation, such as eating no meat or riding a bike to work. AIR QUALITY ADVISORY BOARD TYPE OF MEETING – REGULAR 4/19/21 – MINUTES Page 7 − Q - Could you have a neighborhood effort to allow people to share energy- reduction tools like electric lawnmowers? A - There is a City program called Sustainable Neighborhoods that promotes actions like that. − Q - Is the SHIFT program able to report a quantity of carbon that has been reduced because of the SHIFT program? He suggests the program has some data available regarding the program goals to report what the program is doing. A - Not all SHIFT challenges lend themselves to that type of reporting because people self-report. The SHIFT tool for the Earth Day Challenge does have an on-line tool that reports carbon saved per action but there are people doing actions that don't report. 8. STAFF AND BOARD MEMBER REPORTS a. STAFF REPORT − April 27, the new Council and Mayor will be sworn in. They will have a retreat on May 7 and 8 where they will discuss their priorities. − The job search for the Director position for the Environmental Services Department has closed and the selection process has begun, with an anticipated finalist in May. − Larimer County has extended their moratorium on oil and gas until September and has a consultant working with them regarding updating their rules. − Discussion − Q - Boulder County and Commerce City have been more aggressive than others regarding oil and gas and he wondered if the City of Fort Collins could add itself to their report. A - Yes. However, the City only has one operator, and that may not match their matrix. − Per setbacks, it will be important for Council to be aware there are off ramps and waivers built into the COGCC rules that include an opportunity for an operator have less than a 2,000 foot setback. Also, there is a new part of the rules that the proximate government now has input to setbacks on land just outside a city border. − Note: Council has already weighed in with interest in setbacks (at least 2000’), which would not be subject to the state's off ramp. This will be part of proposed code changes. b. BOARD MEMBER REPORTS − Karen - The county has changed some meeting dates and suggested the group check their website to confirm before they attend any meetings. Matt AIR QUALITY ADVISORY BOARD TYPE OF MEETING – REGULAR 4/19/21 – MINUTES Page 8 added that most of Larimer County meetings are recorded and appear on their website. − Nina - As it was her last meeting, she thanked the board for the experience − Wayne - has accepted a job with the Regional Air Quality Council as an air quality planner. − Dan - May 3 - 7 is air quality awareness week. State activities and resources will be posted on social media. 9. OTHER BUSINESS a. 6-month Calendar review b. Agenda planning − May - A proposed workshop with a consultant regarding updating the City's wildfire website - also West Nile Virus update − Discuss what collaboration with the Transportation Board would look like. − June - interact with Council liaison about Council's priorities relative to air quality. 10. ADJOURNMENT - 8:22 PM.