HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - Minutes - City Council - Meeting Date: 1/18/2011 (5) pip,I City of Glendale
Council Sustainability Committee
GLENIIE Minutes
January 18, 2011
10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Council Chambers Conference Room B-2
Chairperson Knaack called the meeting to order at approximately 10:00 a.m. She then
introduced Councilmember Alvarez to staff and welcomed her to the Council
Sustainability Committee.
Council Sustainability Committee Members:
Present were Councilmember/Chairperson Yvonne Knaack (Barrel District), Vice Mayor
Steve Frate (Sahuaro District), and Councilmember Norma Alvarez (Ocotillo District)
City Staff Members:
Larry Broyles, Stuart Kent, Doug Kukino, Deborah Mazoyer, Jo Miller, Tabitha Perry,
Stephen Rot, Nancy Schwab, Pam Wertz, Bob Manginell, and Marilyn Clark
I. Approval of Minutes
Chairperson Knaack called for a motion to approve the minutes for the November 16,
2010 Council Sustainability meeting. Vice Mayor Frate made a motion to approve. The
motion was seconded by Chairperson Knaack. The minutes from the November 16,
2010 Council Sustainability Committee meeting were approved as written.
II. Presentation on Green House Gas Inventories and Climate Change
Stephen Rot, Interim Environmental Resources Director, and Jo Miller, Environmental
Program Manager, presented this agenda item.
During his opening remarks, Mr. Rot addressed the Committee by saying that previous
presentations to the Sustainability Committee had provided information to them on
established city programs, and that this presentation would provide information to them
on a relatively new and highly debated topic of Green House Gas Inventories and
Climate Change.
Mr. Rot stated that it was important to note that current federal regulations relating to
green house gases are targeted at very specific and large sources, such as power
plants, chemical refineries, and landfills. He mentioned that other than the city landfill,
there are no other current green house gas regulatory requirements directly associated
with city facilities or operations. The intent of the presentation is to provide Committee
members with some general information on green house gases and green house gas
January 18, 2011
Council Sustainability Meeting Minutes
Page 2
inventories, and to identify activities that the city has undertaken that result in overall
green house gas reductions. Mr. Rot then turned the presentation over to Jo Miller.
Ms. Miller gave an overview of green house gases, where she explained that green
house gases are gases that absorb, or trap heat in the atmosphere. The primary
greenhouse gases are carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), and
fluorinated gases. Carbon dioxide is the largest component of green house gases,
comprising somewhere around eight-five percent of total U.S. emissions. In the United
States today, green house gas emissions increased between 1990 and 2008 by
approximately fourteen percent. Most of this increase was the result of increased power
production and transportation fuel consumption, which are primarily carbon dioxide
emissions.
The primary source of green house gas emissions is the combustion of fossil fuels. The
combustion of fossil fuels to generate electrical power is the largest source of green
house gas emissions at around forty-two percent of carbon dioxide emissions.
Transportation related fossil fuel combustion accounts for about thirty-two percent of
carbon dioxide emissions. Other sources of green house gases include decomposition
processes, such as landfills and wastewater treatment plants, as well as industrial and
agricultural operations.
Completing a green house gas inventory for an organization's operations involves
identifying what specific activities and processes create green house gases. Next a
determination is made for the total power, natural gas, and fuel consumed for a given
year. For example, city operations might include total electricity used by buildings and
facilities, streetlights and traffic signals, water and wastewater operations, as well as
fuel consumption by vehicle fleets and employee commutes.
Typically, inventories convert all emissions to a carbon dioxide-equivalent number which
is usually in metric tons. This is because each green house gas has a different capacity
to absorb or trap heat. After completion, the carbon dioxide-equivalent numbers provide
a benchmark for measuring future green house gas emissions, with the goal being to
reduce emissions. The process is very technical and involves a lot of data
management. Completing and maintaining an organization's green house gas inventory
generally requires additional city resources.
From the global to the local perspective on the topic of climate change, most people are
familiar with scientists developing atmospheric models of the impacts of green house
gases on the planet. There are federal regulations that require green house gas
reporting for specific and large facilities such as power plants, chemical refineries, and
landfills. Regionally, Maricopa County is discussing the possibility of a regional-scale
green house gas inventory, and the possibility of using the data for regional air quality
and energy use modeling. On the local level, some cities are completing inventories in
anticipation of possible mandates.
January 18, 2011
Council Sustainability Meeting Minutes
Page 3
Power production and energy consumption is the largest contributor to carbon dioxide
emissions. It makes sense on many levels for the city to become more energy efficient.
The recent Energy Efficiency Community Block Grant has enabled the city to continue
to become energy efficient. All projects funded by the Energy Efficiency Community
Block Grant are required to track and report green house gas reductions.
Transportation is the second highest producer of carbon dioxide. As seen in the
previous Fleet Management presentations, the city continues to make decisions within
Fleet Management to help reduce fuel consumption. Additionally, the City of Glendale
is the first in the region to build a landfill methane gas to energy facility which in itself is
a remarkable accomplishment in reducing green house gas emissions. This concluded
the presentation.
Committee members asked several questions throughout the presentation, none of
which required action or follow up on the part of staff. The presentation was for
informational purposes only.
III. Staff Updates
Chairperson Knaack introduced Nancy Schwab, the new Energy Education Specialist,
to the Committee. Ms. Schwab is currently teaching the Watt Watchers Programs and
coordinating the new Green Living Classes for the City of Glendale.
Staff informed the Committee that a new Schedule of Topics for the calendar year 2011
will be presented to them at the February 15, 2011 meeting.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at approximately 10:53 a.m.
NEXT MEETING: February 15, 2011
10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Council Chambers Conference Room B-2
TOPIC: New Youth Programs: Recycling & Energy
Respectfully Submitted,
Marilyn Clark, Recording Secretary