Minutes - Environmental Advisory - February 13, 2008CITY OF BOULDER, COLORADO
BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS MEETING SUMMARY
NAME OF BOARD/COMMISSION: Environmental Advisory Board
DATE OF MEETING: February, 13, 2008
NAME/TELEPHONE OF PERSON PREPARING SUMMARY: Kelle Karp, 303-441-1940
NAMES OF MEMBERS, STAFF AND INVITED GUESTS PRESENT:
Environmental Advisory Board Members Present: Francoise Poinsatte, Susan Iott, Bill Roettker,
Suzanne Jones, and Leah Kukowski
Board Members Absent:
Staff Members Present: Jonathan Koehn, Office of Environmental Affairs; Pam Milmoe with
Boulder County Public Health
Public Present: none.
OUTLINE OF AGENDA
1. CALL TO ORDER. The meeting was called to order at 6:22 p.m. by chair Leah Kukowski
2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES. Minutes for the January meeting were approved.
3. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION. None
4. UPDATE. Jonathan Koehn updated the boazd on the Residential Green Points program, the
Climate Action Plan (CAP), and the status of municipalization discussions with Xcel and their pilot
program Smart Grid. The Green Points program revisions went into effect on February 15`, and several
workshops are cunently taking place to help educate the building community about the new
mandates/codes. The revisions are very progressive and aggressive, and we have received positive
feedback from the stakeholder committee. The revised booklet was available for public comment for
15 days and is going to press on February 15. The CAP study session was rescheduled for April g`h
and staff intends to address the following topics (1) the current t~ rates, (2) the current trajectory, (3)
steps to become more aggressive, (4) setting goals for 2020 and 2050, (5) transportation, and (6)
strategies for increasing renewables. The board requested that they have a chance to review the CAP
memo before it is submitted for the study session. Finally, a municipalization strategy will be going
back to City Council on March 19`h to discuss the findings of the consultant's analytical report and
Xcel's new Smart Grid program. Xcel will be awarding one city in America with Smart Grid
technology as a pilot program and Boulder is one of the remaining finalists. Jonathan was not able to
shaze details of the analysis given the sensitive nature of the negotiations with Xcel.
5. MAIN AGENDA ITEMS. Pam Milmoe, with Boulder County Public Health, presented to the
boazd the Boulder County Consortium of Cities Energy Strategy Task Force Sustainable Energy Plan.
The intention of the plan is to bring all of the cities in Boulder County together to work towazds energy
sustainability far the entire region with a goal date of 2020. Pam illustrated that if Boulder County
continues business as usual then the entire county's greenhouse gas inventory will be 80% above the
County's 2012 Kyoto protocol goal; emphasizing that although the city of Boulder is making great
strides to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions, every city should be par[icipating. The presentation
revealed that residential, commercial and transportation are the three lazgest sectors contributing
emissions, and overall it is our building structures that are the largest contributor. The energy strategy
task force is composed of elected officials from each city in the county as well as active members from
different sectors. They have been meeting since April 2006 and working to create a sustainable energy
plan that incorporates many strategies to be analyzed for consideration in moving forward with energy
sustainability approaches. Each city is being presented with the resolution asking them to participate
in some way. The county hopes to piggy back on the ClimateSmart campaign so that there is one logo
for communities to recognize. Currently, there are 20 key strategies being presented and if these
strateeies are imnle~net~ed calculations uroiect that the county could achieve 46% of the Kyoto target
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by 2012, exceed the Kyoto target by 11 % in 2020, and save $445 million by 2020. Examples of the
key strategies include vehicle to grid technology, increasing biofuels and dispensaries in the county,
C]imateSmart at home programs, ClimateSmart at work programs, ClimateSmazt on the road
programs, utilizing all the rebates offered by Xcel, create a climate offsets program, and making sure
government buildings and entities are leading the way in all of these examples. As Pam concluded her
presentation she asked the board to submit feedback on the resolution and show their support in the
resolution being submitted to Boulder's city council. The boazd asked how the other cities have
responded, and Pam indicated that all the communities are trying to do something. She further noted
that over the past two years the county has approximated the funding ranges required to implement the
strategies allowing communities to pick ones that will work best for them, and then the county works
to match or assist the communities with funding. The board recommends city council adopt the
resolution and asked for Boulders resolution to reflect annual reporting CAP, links to transportation,
social justice, clarification on climate impacts with respect to invasive species, and a more enhanced
economic benefit section.
6. MATTERS FROM STAFF.
Jonathan Koehn reported on the Study Session on the Master Plan for Waste Reduction (MPWR) on
January 29, 2008. Staff recommended that council support a curbside organics collection program and
consider phasing out Spring Clean Up and Fall Leaf Drop-Off programs. Council was in favor of
staff's suggestions and expressed an understanding to be more aggressive with waste reduction goals.
Council expressed concern regarding the interaction of wildlife and organics being put out on the curb.
Staff responded that they aze working on the potential issue with local non-profits.
7. MATTERS FROM THE BOARD.
Bill Roettker attended the city council retreat and reported back to the board that the EAB letter was
very well received. Council appreciated the input and referenced the letter many times.
8. ADJOURNMENT. The meeting adjourned at 8:00 p.m.
9. TIME & LOCATION OF NEXT MEETING: Wednesday, March 5, 2008, 1300 Canyon Blvd, 6
p.m.
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