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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2017-03-20 ENR Packet Agenda Item 8.a. MEMORANDUM TO: Environmental and Natural Resources Commission FROM:Shann Finwall, AICP, Environmental Planner DATE: March 15, 2017 for the March 20 ENR Commission Meeting SUBJECT:Energy Subcommittee Report –Energy Goal Recommendations for the Local Government Project for Energy Planning Introduction Maplewood is one of five Minnesota cities participating in the Local Government Project for Energy Planning(LoGoPEP). The project is designed to engage local governments in committing toactionable strategies for energy and greenhouse gas emission reductions. It will provide the City with planning tools to help prioritize impactful strategies, including a wedge computer tool which will enable the City to quantify carbon mitigation strategies. The project will also assist the City with understanding carbon mitigation implementation pathways, outline a plan for action, and measure progress toward our goals. LoGoPEP is made possible by a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy and the Minnesota Department of Commerce. The team includes energy planning specialists from LHB,Great Plains Institute, and the University of Minnesota’s Energy Transition Laband Center for Science, Technology, and Environmental Policy. Background As part of the City’s participation in LoGoPEP, Brian Rossand Diana McKeown of the Great Plains Institute gave a presentation to the Environmental Commission during the January 25th meeting. The presentation included information on regional energy planningandLoGoPEP tools for energy and greenhouse gas reduction planning. The Environmental Commission was asked to come up with a recommendation for the City’s preliminary energy goals by the end of March. This information would be used to continue the City’s work in the LoGoPEP program. Final energy goals willbe reviewed and approved by the City Council as part of the comprehensiveplan. Discussion The Energy Subcommittee met twice in March to research and compile a recommendation for the City’s preliminary energy goals. The subcommittee’s report (Attachment 1) provides some background to establishing a goal in the first place, the overall recommendation, as well as a goal vision statementfor each of the primary emission sectors. Also included is a by-the- numbers breakdown of what the goals mean in terms of actual greenhouse gas emissions and a brief statement about how the City can engagein planning for and implementing these goals.In summary, the subcommitteeis recommending the City follow the stateenergy goal guidelines of reducing greenhouse gas emissions to 20% of the City’s 2015 baseline levels by 2050 (an 80% reduction). Recommendation Recommend approval of the Environmental Subcommittee’s recommendations for Maplewood EmissionReduction Goals. The Environmental Commission’s recommendationwill be forwarded to the Local Government Project for Energy Planningand will be considered a preliminarygoal used to continue the City’s work on the project. Final energy goals willbe reviewed and approved by the City Council as part of the City’s comprehensive planning process. Attachment 1.Environmental Subcommittee Recommendations for Maplewood Emission Reduction Goals 2 Attachment 1 Maplewood Emission Reduction Goals - Background: US Mayors Climate Protection Agreement: On June 23, 2008, the City Council adopted the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement. Under the Agreement, participating cities commit to take following three actions: Strive to meet or beat the Kyoto Protocol targets in their own communities, through actions ranging from anti-sprawl land-use policies to urban forest restoration projects to public information campaigns; Urge their state governments, and the federal government, to enact policies and programs to meet or beat the greenhouse gas emission reduction target suggested for the United States in the Kyoto Protocol Urge the U.S. Congress to pass the bipartisan greenhouse gas reduction legislation, which would establish a national emission trading system Goals for the second Kyoto Protocol commitment period (2013-2020) are to reduce GHG emisiisons 18 percent below 1990 levels in the eight-year period from 2013 to 2020. Future phases to target 80% reduction in emissions globally. State of Minnesota: The 2007 Next Generation Energy Act of 2007 set targets for energy conservation, renewable energy use and greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions. The Next Generation Energy Act set a goal that would reduce GHG emissions in 2015 to a level 15% below the 2005 level, and also for 2025 and 2050 emissions levels to be 30% and 80%, respectively, below the 2005 emission levels. Recommended City of Maplewood Emission Reduction Goal The City of Maplewood will reduceCity-Wide greenhouse gas emissions to 20% of the City’s 2015 Baseline levels by 2050 (an 80% reduction). The City will establish interim goals every 5 to 10 years to assure City emission reductions track against this primary goal and to adjust policies and strategies as needed. The City’s first interim goal is to reduce City- Wide greenhouse gas emissions to 80% of 2015 Baseline levels by 2025 (a 20% reduction). Future interim goals will be established by the City at the completion of the first interim timeframe. Segment Goal Statements Energy: The City of Maplewood will rapidly transition to an energy system and economy that is powered 80 percent or more by renewable clean energy with 50 percent or more of that produced locally. Equal focus in initial years will occur on increased energy efficiency and renewable energy installations as well as supporting policies at State and Federal level for continued decarbonization of grid. Travel and Transportaiton By 2050, people and goods will travel aroundMaplewoodgenerating little or no carbon emissions. This will include increased walking and biking as well as shared transportation like transit, car share, and van pools. Technologies in autonomous vehicles will increase efficiency and availability of options. Thepersonal and work vehicles that remain will use clean energy sources such as renewably produced electricity and alternative fuels such as hydrogen or fuel cells. The City’s focus in initial years will be on advancing alternative transportations, EV ready strategies, and supporting State and Federal policies which embrace the California emission standards which require a 50% reduction by 2025. Water Use By 2050 water will be used at an optimum efficiency and delivered through a carbon neutral system. The City’s focus in the initial years will be on minimizing water waste, reduction of municipal water for exterior use, and increasing rainwater capture, storage, and use for exterior needs. The City will work to encourage and support the St Paul Regional Water services in a transition to a decarbonization of the water supply system meeting or exceeding the State of Minnesota’s emission reduction goals. Wastewater By 2050 waste water collection and processing for the City of Maplewood will be supported througha carbon neutral system. The City’s focus in the initial years will be on minimizing waste water generation through increasing fixture efficiencies. The City will work to encourage and support the Metropolitan Council wastewater services in a transitionto a decarbonization of the waste water collection and processing system meeting or exceeding the State of Minnesota’s emission reduction goals. Municipal Solid Waste By 2050 Maplewood will be a zero waste City with 100% of all waste generated in the citybeing composted, recycled, or used for energy generation. The City’s focus in initial years will be on increasing recycling capture and organics composting. EmissionGoals By The Numbers Segment2015 base-20%/2025-80%/2050 Energy:270,111 mT216,088 mT54,024 mT (reductions relate to % of buildings powered with renewables, passive heating/cooling/vent, and energy efficiency) Travel/Trans:204,212 mT163,369 mT40,842 mT (reductions relate to % of car trips in electric vehicles, increase in public transit over personal vehicle, increase in bike/walk over vehicle trips, and decrease in air travel and/or air travel with alternative power) Water Use:1,285 mT1,028 mT257 mT (reductions relate to % of water use reduction, conversion of water collection/purification/distribution infrastructure to renewable energy) Solid Waste:8,654 mT6,923 mT1,731 mT (reductions relate to % of solid waste reduction in all forms, increase of composting of organics, increase in recycling, decrease in “trash” sent tolandfill and incinerator, conversion of trash/recycling/compost collection and process infrastructure to renewable energy) Wastewater:2,759 mT2,207 mT552 mT (reductions relate to % of wastewater (water use) reduction, increase of capture of methane produced, and process infrastructure to renewable energy) Total:487,021 mT389,616 mT97,404 mT Meeting The Goal To accomplish these goals, the City will develop a detailed Climate Action and Adaptation Plan (CAP) which will identify strategies, measures, and policies to achieve the City’s emission reduction goals as well as an implementation plan to guide the City’s work. The CAP plan will include an economic development component to assure that the strategies implemented are equitable, positively impact the city’s most vulnerable populations, and are developed to support economic development and vitality for the City’s residents and businesses. The CAP plan will be developed concurrently with, or immediately following the City’s 2040 Comprehensive Plan.