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Home My WebLink AboutAgenda - Climate Action Plan Task Force - 08/29/2022 Climate Action Plan Task Force 180 Market Street South Burlington, VT 05403 (802) 846-4106 www.sbvt.gov Meeting Monday, August 29, 2022 City Hall, 180 Market Street, Auditorium and Online 7:00 pm This meeting will be held both in person and digitally via Zoom. Participation Options: In person: South Burlington City Hall Auditorium, 180 Market Street Interactive Online: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89245920771 Telephone: (929) 205 6099; Meeting ID: 892 4592 0771 AGENDA: 1. Instructions on existing building in case of emergency and review of technology options (7:00 pm) 2. Agenda: Additions, deletions or changes in order of agenda items (7:02 pm) 3. Open to the public for items not related to the agenda (7:05 pm) 4. Review Updated Draft Climate Action Plan (7:10 pm) a. Overview of changes incorporating community feedback, Melanie Needle, CCRPC b. Task Force member review of feedback, additional changes 5. Discussion of recommending possible charter change to authorize regulation of hearing systems in existing buildings (8:15 pm) 6. Minutes (8:40 pm) 7. Other Business (8:45 pm) a. Upcoming meeting schedule 8. Adjourn (8:50 pm) *Item has attachments Respectfully submitted, Paul Conner, AICP, Paul Conner, AICP Director of Planning & Zoning Chief Sustainability Officer Prepared By: Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission* for South Burlington’s Climate Action Plan Taskforce DRAFT August 25, 2022 Table of Contents Introduction ................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 1 Equity in Addressing Climate Change ............................................................................................................................................................................ 7 Equity Recommendations .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 7 What is a Climate Action Plan? .................................................................................................................................................................................. 9 Climate Action by Sector .............................................................................................................................................................................................. 10 Buildings and Thermal Sector .................................................................................................................................................................................. 11 Transportation Sector .............................................................................................................................................................................................. 13 Renewable Energy Generation ................................................................................................................................................................................ 15 Natural Areas, Adaptation, and Resilience .............................................................................................................................................................. 17 Government Operations .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 19 Other Sectors ........................................................................................................................................................................................................... 21 ClearPath Modeling ..................................................................................................................................................................................................... 23 2019 Greenhouse Gas Inventory ............................................................................................................................................................................. 24 Business As Usual Scenario ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 25 Science Based Target Scenario................................................................................................................................................................................. 26 Community Profile ....................................................................................................................................................................................................... 28 Impacted Communities ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 29 Housing Composition ............................................................................................................................................................................................... 30 Commuting Patterns ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 31 Fuel Source for Heating............................................................................................................................................................................................ 32 Implementation of Actions and Next Steps ................................................................................................................................................................. 33 1|DRAFT Appendix A ClearPath Modeling Data ..................................................................................................................................................................... 34 Appendix B Actions .................................................................................................................................................................................................. 36 Appendix C Definitions ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 37 1|DRAFT Introduction South Burlington’s Climate Has Changed.* *Source: Vermont Health Department website, www.healthvermont.gov/health-environment/climate-health/climate-change 92 bird species of Vermont, including the common loon and hermit thrush, are expected to disappear from the landscape within the next 25 years. Hotter temperatures increase the need for air conditioning to protect vulnerable populations. Climate change exacerbate the threats that invasive plants, insects, and diseases already pose to the health of Vermont’s forests. Climate change will have a negative impact on fruit-bearing species like apple trees that require a sufficient over-wintering period for success in the next growing season. The maple syrup industry is also at risk due to variations in winter temperatures. In 2017, Vermont had the highest rate of reported confirmed and probable Lyme disease cases in the U.S. In the early 1990's, the Health Department received a dozen or fewer confirmed reports of the illness each year. 2|DRAFT Flooding is the most likely natural disaster to occur in Vermont; however, extremes will become more common, such as drought. Additionally, more precipitation damages roads and property and increases runoff creating favorable conditions for cyanobacteria blooms which are harmful to human health. Increases in natural disasters in Vermont will likely increase the risk of injury, illness, and death. Impacts could affect the quality and safety of food and water, which could lead to increases in food and water-borne illnesses. Impacts could contribute to mental health challenges. Children, people over 65 years of age, of low socioeconomic status, Indigenous, or have previous health issues are more vulnerable to the health effects of climate change. Source: Vermont Climate Assessment, 2021 (https://site.uvm.edu/vtclimateassessment/) and Vermont Department of Health, Climate Change in Vermont (https://www.healthvermont.gov/health-environment/climate-health/climate-change) 3|DRAFT We Must Act or Climate Change Will Continue Source: IPCC, 2018: Global Warming of 1.5°C.An IPCC Special Report on the impacts of global warming of 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels and related global greenhouse gas emission pathways, in the context of strengthening the global response to the threat of climate change, sustainable development, and efforts to eradicate poverty [Masson- Delmotte, V., P. Zhai, H.-O. Pörtner, D. Roberts, J. Skea, P.R. Shukla, A. Pirani, W. Moufouma-Okia, C. Péan, R. Pidcock, S. Connors, J.B.R. Matthews, Y. Chen, X. Zhou, M.I. Gomis, E. Lonnoy, T. Maycock, M. Tignor, and T. Waterfield (eds.)]. In Press. Page 96 4|DRAFT The U.S. Has Contributed to Climate Change More Than Others Source: https://ourworldindata.org/contributed-most-global-co2 5|DRAFT Now Is the Time South Burlington’s climate has changed due to Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions. Dependence on fossil fuels is responsible for almost all South Burlington’s emissions Electricity in Vermont is now markedly cleaner than in the past due to the state’s creation of a Renewable Energy Standard (RES) in 2017. Green Mountain Power is now 100% carbon free. Our Leadership Matters South Burlington has an opportunity to reduce its climate pollution from building heating and transportation by transitioning to carbon-free energy sources, like electricity, and by making it easier to walk or take transit through changes in development and transportation infrastructure. Additionally, nature-based solutions such as protecting and adding trees, maintaining, and enhancing natural areas, and installing green infrastructure will increase carbon sequestration and reduce risks from extreme heat and precipitation. In 2021, South Burlington’s Climate Action Task Force (CAPTF) was directed by the City Council to produce a Climate Action Plan for the City of South Burlington. The CAPTF identified high impact actions to significantly reduce South Burlington’s share of Vermont’s GHG emissions (in line with the Paris International Treaty on Climate Change and Vermont’s Global Warming Solutions Act). Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission was hired as the consultant to provide a GHG inventory and support the drafting of the plan. 2030 Targets and Actions This Climate Action Plan lays out a strategy to meet these climate goals. The strategy is presented in terms of targets, high impact actions, and supporting actions divided among various sectors: buildings/thermal, transportation, natural areas, and small engines/waste/agriculture. The high impact actions chosen for meeting the climate goals is informed by modeling with ICLEI’s ClearPath tool. The inclusion of ClearPath modeling creates a data-driven decision-making approach in planning and implementing climate Figure 1 2019 GHG Emissions by Sector Figure 2 Current and Future Emissions 6|DRAFT change actions for the City. ClearPath was used to model a baseline inventory of GHG emissions, a business as usual (BAU) forecast, and science- based target (SBT) scenario. The baseline inventory represents residential, commercial/industrial, and transportation energy consumption along with the associated GHG emissions for the Year 2019 data to avoid capturing pandemic related data fluctuations. The heating of buildings accounts for about 34% of South Burlington’s greenhouse gas emissions, transportation accounts for 65 %, and 1% of emissions are caused by waste and agriculture. The BAU scenario represents no climate action taken and creates a projection of emission trends based on anticipated demographic and economic changes in South Burlington. The SBT scenario combines the business-as-usual forecast with the emission reduction goal of a 60% reduction in emissions from 2019 and various actions for meeting the reduction goal. The SBT scenario enabled the CAPTF to understand the degree of implementation of actions needed to electrify buildings and vehicles, weatherize buildings, and reduce vehicle miles traveled to reduce emissions. Table 1 lists the targets that need to be achieved to reduce emissions. The necessary actions for achieving these targets are listed in subsequent sections on each sector. It is evident that the actions and targets needed to achieve a reduction in GHG emissions by 2030 are ambitious. Therefore, it will take the commitment of city government, residents, and businesses to see themselves as part of the solution to make the necessary changes in travel behavior, heating, energy generation, and land use to reduce fossil fuel energy use and become more resilient to a changing climate. New, efficient heat pump technology, advancements in electric vehicles and small engines, and financial incentives\support make this transition more economical than ever. However, creativity and flexibility will be needed to ensure that those burdened by the cost of the energy transformation is not further exacerbated and that impacted communities are considered in the implementation phases of climate action planning that will come subsequent to this plan being finalized. Table 1 2030 Targets 2030 Buildings and Thermal Targets 2030 Transportation/Land Use Targets Weatherize (see Appendix C for definition) • 600 existing homes annually to reduce emissions 5% Electrify • 8% of existing commercial/industrial square footage annually to reduce emissions by 17% • 360 existing housing units annually to reduce emissions by 9% • New homes and businesses to be carbon free to reduce emissions by 4% • Replace 75% of gas vehicles with all electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid vehicles to reduce emissions by 42% • Reduce vehicle miles traveled by 2.5% annually to reduce emissions by 19% • Plan for compact high density (greater than 12.5 dwelling units per acre) new housing development to reduce emissions by 4% 7|DRAFT Equity in Addressing Climate Change Certain populations are more vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and could be more burdened from the policies that are developed to mitigate a changing climate. As South Burlington climate action plan policies are considered and implemented; it is important to ask the questions below to empower more inclusive decision-making: According to the State of Vermont Climate Council’s Guiding Principles for a Just Transition, “Studies continue to show that low-income communities, indigenous peoples, and black and other communities of color are among those who are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.” Impacted populations also include older, and chronically ill Vermonters. People with disabilities are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. For more information on building equity into climate change actions and a list of populations vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, see the State of Vermont Climate Council’s Guiding Principles for a Just Transition. Equity Recommendations To ensure that equity is considered as climate action policies and investments are being developed by the City Council, the Climate Action Plan Task Force recommends that the City should continue to enhance how it addresses equity in decision making and in subsequent implementation phases. Throughout this climate action plan and described below equity recommendations have been considered for each sector. Impacted populations as a group were not consulted in the drafting of this plan. So, it is essential that, as policies are implemented at the City Council level, these populations are included in the process so that policies do not end up causing harm to people who can least afford or adapt to them and to make sure people are not left out of the benefits of these policies. The Vermont League of Cities and Towns now has an Equity Toolkit to assist municipalities in this work. 8|DRAFT 9|DRAFT What is a Climate Action Plan? A climate action plan is a framework for measuring and reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and related climatic impacts. Climate action plans include an inventory of existing emissions, reduction goals or targets, and prioritized reduction actions. Several governments in Vermont have climate action plans. Click on the links below to view them (need to create live links). 10|DRAFT Climate Action by Sector Actions in a climate action plan are broken out by sector. Transportation and buildings are always the highest emitting sectors and therefore will need aggressive changes for reducing emissions. In the following pages, each sector includes analysis of South Burlington’s greenhouse gas emissions in that sector, a 2030 science-based target (SBT) to lower those emissions, and either high impact or supporting actions to achieve this change. High impact actions are the most effective at reducing emissions at the scale and pace necessary to meet the City’s fair share of emissions reductions in accordance with the Paris International Treaty on Climate Change and Vermont’s Global Warming Solutions Act. High impact actions are either policy or investment oriented and produce a measurable reduction in GHG emissions. Supporting actions are educational, promotional, and are not always quantifiable. Supporting actions tend to also be critically important for minimizing risks from increased precipitation, heat waves, and other climate change consequences. Figure 3 below is a high-level overview of the high impact and supporting actions included in this plan. For more detailed information about the actions, see the sections on specific sectors. Figure 3 High Impact and Supporting Actions The thermal heating of buildings accounts for about 34% of South Burlington’s greenhouse gas emissions. Vision: South Burlington will weatherize and electrify existing buildings and to have new construction be net zero and fossil fuel free by 2030. 2030 Targets Weatherize (see Appendix C for definition) • 600 existing homes annually to reduce emissions by 5% Electrify • 8% of existing commercial/industrial square footage annually to reduce emissions by 17% • 360 existing housing units annually to reduce emis- sions by 9% • New homes and businesses to be fossil fuel-free to reduce emissions by 4% Since 2019 200 heat pumps per year have been installed in South Burlington buildings. XX homes annually received weatherization upgrades. Go to www.vtenergydashboard.org/statistics for current totals and more historical information. DRAFT High Impact Actions • Become a 2030 District, a public-private partnership, to encourage commercial build- ings to benchmark energy use and set reduction targets. www.2030districts.org • Develop an energy efficiency ordinance for high energy use buildings similar to Bur- lington's Minimum Housing Code Weatherization Ordinance. • Develop a preferential tax rate for highly efficient buildings that are not using fossil fuel • Advocate for a state-wide Clean Heat Standard for delivered fuels • Prohibit fossil fueled thermal in new buildings • Propose charter change to regulate fossil fueled thermal in existing buildings • Adopt net zero energy building code for new construction • Adopt building code to and hire code inspector to ensure energy code compliance Buildings and Thermal 34% of Emissions* Emissions Reduction Targets *As of base year 2019 Actions modeled to start in 2023  Buildings and Thermal Policies should also focus on efficiency measures (weatherization), such as insu- lation, windows, and air sealing to reduce energy use and make electrification more affordable. Some level of weatherization will occur in the City via the FAA sound insulation program. However, prioritizing electrification, reg- ulating fossil-fuel-based energy use, and decreasing embodied carbon in new con- struction and existing buildings will have the highest impact on building emissions. There is a natural sequencing of actions presented in this Plan. Incentives, such as the 2030 District program and a prefer- ential tax rate, precede requirements, but the ordering is subject to change (for example, funding availability, staff capac- In 2019, 34% of the South Burlington’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions were generated from buildings, the majority from natural gas. Building emissions are primarily generated for space heating, water heating, and cooking. Electricity from Green Mountain Power is now 100% carbon free. This means that lighting and electric appliances are not contributing to South Burlington’s GHG emissions and reductions can be met via the electrification of thermal processes. To reach South Burlington’s emissions reductions goals in buildings by 2030, all newly constructed buildings will need heating from fossil fuel-free energy sources such as heat pumps. ity, and political will). The City will need to establish programs, policies, and building codes to achieve different out- comes that successfully reach its emis- sions reduction targets for buildings. Requirements are needed because some activities—such as continued use of nat- ural gas—will likely prevent the City from reaching its GHG reduction goals. The modeling shows several paths to reaching goals, and not reaching targets in one sector necessitate higher targets in other sectors. The City may also need to help building owners overcome barriers associated with certain requirements, such as the retrofitting of existing buildings for elec- trification efforts. Increased demand for more efficient new buildings and build- ing retrofit projects will require special- ized job training to support the transi- tion to resource-efficient, low-carbon, resilient buildings. High impact building actions are out- lined below. The full set of buildings and thermal recommendations is in- cluded in Appendix B. As policies are being developed, con- sider how people with low incomes, disabilities, and older Vermonters may struggle to afford weatherization and electrification and ensure that policies do not increase challenges. Programs such as CVOEO’s well-funded low in- come weatherization service now in- clude heat pumps. Efficiency Vermont also has money for income-eligible heat pump assistance. Buildings and Thermal High Impact Actions Action GHG Reduction Cost Equity Type Become a 2030 District , a public-private partnership, to encourage commercial buildings to benchmark energy use and set reduction targets www.2030districts.org High NA Neutral Policy Develop an energy efficiency ordinance for high energy use buildings similar to Bur- lington's Minimum Housing Code Weatherization Ordinance. High $$ Consider accommodations in implementation Policy Develop preferential tax rate for highly efficient buildings not using fossil fuels. High $ High Policy Advocate for a state-wide Clean Heat Standard for delivered fuels High NA Neutral Policy Prohibit fossil fueled thermal in new buildings Very High $$ Consider accommodations and cultural exemptions Policy Propose charter change to regulate fossil fueled thermal in existing buildings Very High $$ Consider accommodations and cultural exemptions Policy Adopt net zero energy building code for new construction Very High $$ Consider accommodations in implementation Policy Adopt building code to and hire code inspector to ensure energy code compliance High $$ Consider accommodations in implementation Policy Transportation and Land Use Transportation accounts for about 66% of South Burling- ton’s greenhouse gas emissions. Vision: South Burling- ton will make policies to increase electric vehicle (EV) adoption and reduce vehicle miles traveled (VMT). South Burlington will promote and encourage biking, walking, transit use, and until EVs are broadly adopted, transpor- tation fuel efficiency. 2030 Targets • Replace 75% of gas vehicles with all electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid vehicles to reduce emissions by 42% • Reduce vehicle miles traveled by 2.5% annually to reduce emissions by 19% • Plan for compact high density (greater than 12.5 dwelling units per acre) new housing development to reduce emissions by 4% As of 2021 174 all electric vehicles and 166 plug in hybrid vehicles are registered South Burlington. This is 2% of all registered vehi- cles. DRAFT High Impact Actions Electric Vehicle Adoption • Adopt a policy to require all new buildings have the appropriate amount of electric vehicle charging equipment and 200-amp electric service • Partner with GMP to speed up EV adoption in South Burlington including siting, make-ready infrastructure, fast charging stations, and incentives. Reduce Vehicle Miles Traveled • Partner with CATMA to increase membership among employers and in- crease carpooling, teleworking, and walking/biking. • Prioritize higher density, mixed use development and affordable housing in areas with existing or planned reliable transit options, services, and infrastructure (including bike/ped) within the transit overlay district. • Invest in Green Mountain Transit to increase transit ridership on existing route, identify new routes, and increase frequency. • Establish park & ride/carpool lots to connect with public transportation • Create a walk/bike master plan, recommend investments in retrofits of infrastructure, and to make bike/pedestrian infrastructure safer. *As of base year 2019 Transportation/Land Use 65% of Emissions* Emissions Reduction Targets Actions modeled to start in 2023 Transportation and Land Use Additionally, new buildings should have the appropriate number of electric vehi- cle charging stations installed at the time of construction. The City can make an additional impact by developing incentives for commercial buildings to install EV charging. Research shows that most EV charging happens at home or at work. To achieve the City’s GHG reduction goals, a reduction of vehicle miles trav- eled (VMT) of 2.5% annually is also nec- essary. This can only be achieved through strong policy and investment programs developed by the City. This includes some method of increasing teleworking by at least 50%, building homes only in In 2019, 66% of the South Burlington’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions were generated from transportation. To meet the City’s GHG reduction goal, 75% of private and public vehicles regis- tered in the City will need to be all elec- tric (EVs) or plug-in hybrids by 2030. Modeling indicates that at least half of vehicles should be all electric and the remainder should be plug-in hybrid EVs. Additionally, transportation emissions will be reduced somewhat due to im- provements in Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFÉ) standards. To achieve this goal, the first priority is to ensure that buildings have 200-amp ser- vice to support EV charging at home. areas planned for growth, increasing biking and walking for local trips, and investing in public transportation to im- prove routes and frequencies. However, changes to land use policies, transit services, and bike/pedestrian infrastructure and programs all have a long lead time. Meanwhile, a strong push for vehicle electrification will have the greatest impact. The City will need to provide programs and resources, such as educational cam- paigns and financial incentives to busi- nesses to support EV adoption. Accessi- ble EV charging infrastructure is needed to enable widespread EV adoption and should be a priority. High impact transportation actions are outlined below. The full set of trans- portation recommendations is included in Appendix B. As policies are being developed, con- sider how people with low incomes, disabilities, and older Vermonters may struggle with necessary transportation and ensure that policies do not in- crease challenges. Impacted popula- tions need access to programs and support for reducing transportation emissions. An example is Vermont’s Multiunit Dwelling EV Charging Grant, which funded electric vehicle charging solutions for residents. Transportation High Impact Actions Action GHG Reduction Cost Equity Type Adopt a policy to require all new buildings have the appropriate amount of electric vehicle charging equipment and 200-amp electric service High NA High but need to ensure this doesn’t raise the cost of housing Policy Partner with GMP to speed up EV adoption in South Burlington including siting, make - ready infrastructure, fast charging stations, and incentives. High $ High Policy Partner with CATMA to increase membership among employers and increase carpool- ing, teleworking, and walking/biking. High NA High Promotion Prioritize higher density, mixed use development and affordable housing in areas with existing or planned reliable transit options, services, and infrastructure (including bike/ped) within the transit overlay district. High NA High Policy Invest in Green Mountain Transit to increase transit ridership on existing route, identi- fy new routes, and increase frequency. High $$ High Investment Establish park & ride/carpool lots to connect with public transportation High $$ High Policy Create a walk/bike master plan, recommend investments in retrofits of infrastructure, and to make bike/pedestrian infrastructure safer. High $ Prioritize Areas with Vulnerable Populations Policy Vision: South Burlington will increase renewable energy generation in the City to advance the State’s goal of sourcing 90% of energy needs from renewable sources. However, there are currently constraints on new large scale net metering projects in South Burlington. Net metering is currently available for small scale projects, such as rooftop, parking canopies, and backyard solar. By 2030: Increase new renewable energy gen- eration to between 30,794 to 55,549 Megawatt Hours (MWh). By 2050: Increase new renewable energy gen- eration to between 63,297 to 121,060 Megawatt Hours (MWh) As of 2022... Renewable energy generation in the City is 22,544 MWh Go to www.vtenergydashboard.org/ statistics for current totals and more his- torical information. Renewable Energy Generation Targets* To reach the targets, the City needs to generate a total of 85,841 (Megawatt hours) of energy to meet the low State target or 143,604 MWh to meet the high State target. Currently, 22,544 MWh of renew- able energy is generated within the City. The City should plan to increase renewable energy generation to between 63,297 to 121,060 MWh of additional renewable energy by 2050 to advance the State's 90X2050 goal. According to Google’s Project Sunroof, South Burlington roofs can generate 137,000 MWh of electrici- ty so rooftop solar is an opportunity. Actions • Adopt a policy to require qualifying new buildings to be built with solar or other renewable net metered systems/paired with energy storage to increase resiliency/reliability of electrical sys- tem during outages and decrease fossil fuel usage during peak periods. • Identify existing commercial roofs, parking areas and other areas that do not currently provide carbon sequestration or storage, wildlife habitat, water filtration, etc. where solar arrays would be compatible and should be prioritized. • Create a program to incentivize residents and businesses to install solar arrays on their roofs, over parking lots, or as appropriate as free-standing structures and or participate in community solar. • Update the Comprehensive Plan according to the Dept. of Public Service Energy Planning Stand- ards for renewable energy standards (Act 174). • Develop materials to educate HOAs on right to install rooftop solar on condos as per state stat- ute: https://legislature.vermont.gov/statutes/section/24/061/02291a • City to adopt “solar access law” similar to Boulder, Co. to require new PUDs and subdivisions to orient residential units to maximize solar access and be structurally capable of supporting solar collectors. See 9-9-17 (g) at: https://library.municode.com/co/boulder/codes/municipal_code? nodeId=TIT9LAUSCO_CH9DEST_9-9-17SOAC *Data for renewable energy generation potential on rooftops may be subject to change if the VT Dept of Public Service develops a methodology which aligns with this project schedule. Also these renewable energy generation targets are based on the 2018 ECOS Plan and are subject to change given updates to energy planning standards. The targets are likely to stay the same or decrease because of grid constraints. Renewable Energy Renewable Energy rapidly growing component of cost effec- tive renewable energy integration. Nu- merous energy storage products and services exist and customers should be able to easily access information about solutions. Green Mountain Power currently offers a program for the purchase or lease of Tesla Powerwall Batteries or a rebate for other customer-chosen storage options when customers agree to share power with GMP at peak periods. All renewable energy actions are outlined below. Impacted populations may not be able to participate in the benefits of renewable energy due to cost or because they live in multi-family housing. Policies should be developed to ensure impacted popula- tions have access to the benefits of re- Although it will not lower greenhouse gas emissions, the City has renewable energy targets set by the State to help Vermont increase its renewable energy. To meet its targets, renewable energy generation needs to increase by 3 to 5 times the amount of current generation sited in the City. However, as of the drafting of this cli- mate action plan, Green Mountain Power is currently limiting new large scale net metering projects in South Burlington due to electricity grid capacity con- straints. See adjacent map for the area that is constrained and subject to a tariff fee to fund upgrades. Until capacity is- sues are resolved, net metering is availa- ble for small scale projects, such as rooftop and backyard solar. Pairing renewable energy with energy storage (batteries) is a necessary and newable energy through com- munity net-metering or other programs. Action GHG Reduction Cost Equity Type Adopt a policy to require qualifying new buildings to be built with solar or other renewable net me- tered systems/paired with energy storage to increase resiliency/reliability of electrical system during outages and decrease fossil fuel usage during peak periods. High $$ Consider accommodations for affordable housing Policy Identify existing commercial roofs, parking areas and other areas that do not currently provide carbon sequestration or storage, wildlife habitat, water filtration, etc. where solar arrays would be compatible and should be prioritized. High $$ NA Policy Create a program to incentivize residents and businesses to install solar arrays on their roofs, over parking lots, or as appropriate as free-standing structures and or participate in community solar. High $$ Prioritize Areas with Vulner- able Populations Invest- ment Update the Comprehensive Plan according to the Dept. of Public Service Energy Planning Standards (Act 174). Neutral $ NA Policy Develop materials to educate HOAs on right to install rooftop solar on condos as per state statute: https:// legislature.vermont.gov/statutes/section/24/061/02291a City to adopt “solar access law” similar to Boulder, Co. to require new PUDs and subdivisions to orient residen- tial units to maximize solar access and be structurally capable of supporting solar collectors. See 9 -9-17 (g) at: https://library.municode.com/co/boulder/codes/municipal_code?nodeId=TIT9LAUSCO_CH9DEST_9-9-17SOAC High NA Policy needs to consider adjustments for higher den- sity development Policy GMP Solar Map 2.0 Natural Areas, Adaptation, and Resilience Vision: South Burlington will ensure land is managed for carbon sequestra- tion and to be adaptive and resilient to climate change impacts 2030 Targets • Reserve remaining natural re- source areas • Increase green infrastructure and soil health for carbon sequestra- tion, wildlife and insect habitat, flood resiliency and water filtration Reduce risks from: • Extreme Heat • Extreme Precipitation • High Winds • Drought Natural Areas Carbon Emissions and Removals Forests remove approximately 8,800 tCO2e/year Conversion of forests to settlement produces approximately 1,000 tCO2e/year Supporting Actions • Revise South Burlington’s land development regulations to protect our remain- ing meadows, forests, grasslands and farmlands from further encroachment, as permitted by law. • Replace 30% of lawns with native plant species by 2030. • Retain and Increase Tree Canopy: Develop a program to increase the planting of native trees on private property, and support ongoing implementation. • Increase protection of rivers and streams and wetlands • Consider joining Cities with Nature to collaborate with other urban areas on reconnecting communities with nature citieswithnature.org • Implement green infrastructure principles into the built environment • Ensure resilient stormwater infrastructure Natural Areas, Adaptation, and Resilience South Burlington Land Cover 2019 Natural Areas, Adaptation, and Resilience and those that emit carbon.) It is important for the City to prioritize retention of forests because any loss of these major carbon sinks will add quanti- fiable carbon to the atmosphere. Seques- tration can be further enhanced by re- ducing lawn turf and increasing native trees and complementary native plantings. Native plants encourage native animal and insect species to continue to thrive, which increases the health of trees and all living systems. It will be essential to conduct detailed assessments of existing systems in order to set meaningful and measurable goals for maintaining and increasing carbon sequestration. The City’s climate change goals cannot be accomplished through greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction alone. The State of Vermont’s Climate Action Plan contemplates a carbon “budget” and so should South Burlington’s plan. Carbon sequestration captures and stores carbon dioxide from the atmos- phere. Carbon sequestration levels must be maintained through the retention and expansion of nature-based systems, es- pecially forests and wetlands due to their carbon sequestration. As of 2019, 17.6% of South Burlington’s land cover was for- est land and 1.6% was wetland. (See the State of Vermont Climate Action Plan, 2021 Carbon Budget, to see which land sectors provide sequestration of carbon Carbon sequestration is only one im- portant benefit of conserving natural ecosystems. Natural ecosystems im- prove air and water quality, reduce im- pacts from the urban heat-island effect, improve stormwater management, en- hance flood hazard management, and provide critical areas for bio-diversity in the face of a changing climate. Resilience to the impacts of climate change including extreme heat and in- creased precipitation and flooding also requires implementation of green and green-blue infrastructure and sophisti- cated stormwater practices. Compared to other strategies, protec- tive environmental practices have rela- tively low capital cost to implement and also increase the health, well- being, and prosperity of all living be- ings in communities. High impact natural areas, adaptation, and resilience actions are outlined be- low. The full set of recommendations, including supportive actions, is includ- ed in Appendix B. Considerations of the historical context and current conditions associated with systemic racism and environmental injustices, and how these relate to the natural environment, should be made as policies are developed. This includes ensuring fair access to natural areas for all to enjoy. Action Carbon Exchange Benefits Cost Equity Type Revise South Burlington’s land development regulations to protect our remaining meadows, forests, grasslands and farmlands from fur- ther encroachment, as permitted by law. +++ (forests only) $ Needs equity consideration Policy Replace 30% of lawns with native plant species by 2030. + Prioritize vulner- able populations Policy Retain and Increase Tree Canopy: Develop a program to increase the planting of native trees on private property, and support ongoing im- plementation. ++ Prioritize vulner- able populations Promotion Increase protection of rivers and streams and wetlands + Prioritize vulner- able populations Policy Consider joining Cities with Nature to collaborate with other urban areas on reconnecting communities with nature: citieswithnature.org NA High Education Implement green infrastructure principles into the built environment NA $ Prioritize vulner- able populations Policy Ensure resilient stormwater infrastructure NA $$ Prioritize vulner- able populations Policy Vision: South Burlington will develop green practices in City operations, elec- trify City equipment and facilities, and reduce City employee VMT. 2030 Targets • City operations following green practices • City equipment and facilities elec- trified or substantially more effi- cient • Track and reduce City employee Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) Supporting Actions • Adopt green operations, purchasing, and investment policies • Determine strategy and budget for municipal vehicles and equipment to elec- trify or become zero emission. • Budget for annual electric vehicle charging equipment installments at City de- partments. During renovation or construction, make sites EV-ready. • Replace gas-powered small engine equipment with electric models. • Develop a plan to electrify and increase the energy efficiency of all municipal buildings. • Develop a program to support employee transit, walking and bike, ride sharing, and work-from home and encourage online attendance at all meetings. • Work with the school district to develop a policy for discouraging driving to school (disincentives) and encouraging students to ride the bus, bike, or walk to reduce single occupancy driving to school. City Government Operations City government operations contribute 1,431 mt Co2e City Government Operations cies and procedures that can be imple- mented to reach the City’s greenhouse gas reductions goals through green prac- tices, renewable energy, and electrifica- tion solutions. The City has already made much progress in this direction. In 2019, the City hired a part time Energy Manager who oversees energy projects and created an Energy Project Reserve Fund to pay for internal projects. The fund’s income comes from the solar array on the former landfill in South Burlington and projects pay the fund back via energy savings. Energy usage has been monitored for many years, and since 2019, all energy usage has been recorded on a monthly basis in terms of usage and cost. The City as an entity should lead by ex- ample in their efforts to decarbonize their operations. As seen in the pie charts on the previous page, the public works department con- tributes most of the emissions in the gov- ernment operations sector. Second to the public works department is the fire department. Both of these departments include vehicles that use gasoline and diesel. These fuel types contribute to a majority of the emissions. Therefore it is important for the City to plan for and budget for replacement of these vehi- cles with zero emission options as the technology becomes available. The proposed actions below suggest benchmarking current energy uses and energy sources and then developing poli- In an effort to decarbonize it’s opera- tions, the City began converting all City owned lights to LED, a project that is virtually complete in 2022. This included street and traffic lights as well as lighting for buildings. Many energy audits of the various build- ings have been conducted leading to a variety of energy reduction projects and this process continues. The electrification of the City vehicle fleet started years ago with a single hy- brid car. Four hybrid police vehicles are planned for 2022 and the South Burling- ton School District will have four electric school buses delivered this year. The City also purchased small battery powered landscaping equipment such as weed whackers and chain saws. In 2021 a new City Hall and Library was completed to LEED standard. This new building utilizes a geothermal heat pump and solar panels on the roof. In addition, the upgrading of the Bart- lett Bay Wastewater Treatment Plant, now being designed, will have energy conservation as a major design criteria. City government operations actions are outlined below. The full set of recom- mendations, including supportive ac- tions, is included in Appendix B. Considerations of the historical context and current conditions associated with systemic racism and how these relate to government operations should be made as policies are developed. Action GHG Reduction Cost Equity Type City to adopt green operations, purchasing, and investment policies High $ Provide Education to City Employees Policy City to determine strategy and budget for municipal vehicles and equip- ment to electrify or become zero emission. High NA Provide Education to City Employees Investment City to budget for annual electric vehicle charging equipment installments at City departments. During renovation or construction, make sites EV - ready. Very High $ Provide Education to City Employees Investment City to replace gas-powered small engine equipment with electric models. High $ Provide Education to City Employees Investment City to develop a plan to electrify and increase the energy efficiency of all municipal buildings. Very High NA Provide Education to City Employees Investment City to develop a program to support employee transit, walking and bike, ride sharing, and work-from home and encourage online attendance at all meetings. High NA Provide Education to City Employees Policy City to work with the school district to develop a policy for discouraging driving to school (disincentives) and encouraging students to ride the bus, bike, or walk to reduce single occupancy driving to school. High NA Consider Challeng- es for Vulnerable Populations Policy Vision: South Burlington will electrify small engine equipment, reduce solid waste, and ensure sustainability of local food and farm systems while decreas- ing emissions. 2030 Targets • Reduce municipal and construction waste and trash pick-up • All small engines electrified • Increased access to locally grown food Supporting Actions Small Engines • Curtail or ban small gas powered equipment and ban leaf blowers Waste • As a member of CSWD, reduce municipal and construction waste. Limit trash pickup to only every other week. Agriculture/Food Systems • Launch a Nature Based Solutions Program that includes food systems, farms, and expanded community gardens. Utilize recommendations from the South Burlington Sustainable Agriculture/Food Security Action Plan. • Work with UVM Extension and non profit programs to promote food education in schools and sustainable agricultural practices that support local farms and reduce reliance on large, out of state food producers and their associated VMT. • Encourage food retailers to carry local products. • Promote "Vitality gardens" as a way to bring healthy seniors and younger peo- ple together around the community to grow local produce for home consump- tion. Small Engines, Waste, and Agriculture/Food Systems Waste, Small Engines, and Agriculture/Food Systems bon emissions from lawn and garden activity and reduce noise levels while enhancing the well-being of South Bur- lington’s neighborhoods. The City can also ensure community resil- ience by launching a Nature Based Solu- tions Program that includes food sys- tems, farms, and expanded community gardens and urban farming. This program can be equitable by prioritizing neighbor- hoods with disproportionately low ac- cess. In addition, the City can require regenerative, no-dig practices in City- managed community gardens and serve as an example regarding low emission soil management practices. This would also encourage regenerative, no-dig prac- The City of South Burlington can lower greenhouse gas emissions by developing policies that reduce municipal and con- struction waste and policies that limit the number of trash pick-ups in neighbor- hoods. Both of these restrictions serve to encourage recycling and waste reduction as well as lower carbon emissions and noise pollution. The City can support further decarboniza- tion through curtailing or banning the use of fossil fueled small engines for lawns and gardens. Gasoline powered leaf blowers and small equipment produce CO2 emissions just like automobiles. Re- quiring these small engines to run on electricity would greatly reduce the car- tices in residential gardens. The City Parks and Recreation Department could support this effort by offering gardening classes as a summer course option for adults and separately for children. It could provide resources such as lower cost access to materials to construct raised beds, soil/compost, gardening implements, and seeds. This can be done in neighborhoods where raised beds can be added on commonly owned land or in landscaped areas of multifam- ily buildings. Nature-based solutions are important because when natural areas are healthy and well-managed, they provide essen- tial benefits and services to people, in- cluding increased food security. Burlington’s Nature Based Solutions program can serve as an example of what the City of South Burlington can do: https://burlingtonwildways.org/get -involved/nature-based-climate- solutions All small engines, waste, and agricul- ture/food systems actions are outlined below. The cost of some local, organic food is out of reach for many people and peo- ple with low incomes may not have time to garden. Policies should priori- tize impacted populations and increase access and affordability to all. Action GHG Reduction Cost Equity Type Small Engines: Curtail or ban small gas powered equipment and ban leaf blowers Medium $ Costs for new equip. should be considered Policy Waste: As a member of CSWD, reduce municipal and construction waste. Limit trash pickup to only every other week. Medium $ High Policy Agriculture/Food Systems: Launch a Nature Based Solutions Program that in- cludes food systems, farms, and expanded community gardens. Utilize recom- mendations from the South Burlington Sustainable Agriculture/Food Security Action Plan. NA $ Impacted populations should be prioritized Promotion Agriculture/Food Systems: Work with UVM Extension and organizations like Com- mon Roots-Farm to Fork programs to promote food education in schools and sus- tainable agricultural practices that support local farms and reduce reliance on large, out of state food producers and their associated VMT. NA $ High Promotion Agriculture/Food Systems: Encourage food retailers to carry local products. NA NA Affordability of local prod- ucts should be considered Promotion Agriculture/Food Systems: Promote "Vitality gardens" as a way to bring healthy seniors and younger people together around the community to grow local pro- duce for home consumption. NA NA High Promotion 23|DRAFT ClearPath Modeling South Burlington established Science Based Targets (SBTs) to represent its fair share of emissions reductions necessary to meet Vermont’s Global Warming Solutions Act (GWSA) and the Paris Agreement commitment to keep global warming below 1.5 °C. Equitably reducing global emissions by 50% requires that high-emitting, wealthy nations reduce their emissions by more than 50%1. Therefore, South Burlington’s emission reduction goal is to reduce total emissions 60% by 2030. The 60% reduction from 2019 emissions by 2030 will also advance the GWSA requirement to reduce emissions 40% below 1990 levels by 2030 and will put South Burlington o n track to reduce emissions by 80% below 1990 levels by 2050. The chart below shows the emissions levels needed to meet those requirements. Although not shown in Figure 2 explicitly, the city and its residents and businesses do have a long history of taking steps to weatherize buildings, drive cleaner vehicles, drive less, use transit, use energy efficient appliances, and install renewable energy generation. In order to achieve this level of emission reduction, the City, residents, and businesses must accelerate the pace of action and take bold steps to reduce energy consumption and electrify the heating and transportation sectors. The SBTs in this plan are presented as 2030, or interim, targets. See Appendix A for more information. Figure 2. 1 ICELI’s Science Based Targets for U.S. Communities 195,712 137,291 , GSWA requirement: 26% reduction below 2005 levels by 2025 76,953, GWSA requiremnet: 40% reduction below 1990 levels by 2030, 2030 SBT 26,650 , GWSA requirment: 80% reduction below 1990 levels by 2050 209,217 - 50,000 100,000 150,000 200,000 250,000 1990 2005 2019 2025 2030 2050metric tons C02 equivalent Year South Burlington's historical GHG emissions and future requirments Science Based Target Scenario Business As Usual Scenario 24|DRAFT Using ICLEI’s ClearPath tool, a baseline inventory of GHG emissions, a business as usual forecast, and science-based target (SBT) scenario was developed for South Burlington. • The baseline inventory represents residential, commercial/industrial, and transportation energy consumption along with the associated GHG emissions for the Year 2019 data to avoid capturing pandemic related data fluctuations. • The business as usual scenario represents no climate action taken and creates a projection of emission trends based on anticipated demographic and economic changes in South Burlington. • SBT scenario combines the business as usual forecast with the emission reduction goal of 60% reduction in emissions from 2019 and various reductions actions for meeting the reduction goal. The data and analysis in this section are intended to provide the city with a sense of the pace of change needed to meet the SBT target. The targets can be translated into concrete actions found in the sector specific sections. The sector specific targets form the entire reduction potential towards reducing 60% of emissions by 2030. Meaning if less of one target is achieved, other targets would need to make up the difference in emissions to meet the SBT target. 2019 Greenhouse Gas Inventory The 2019 GHG emissions inventory provides an accounting of the primary contributors of GHG emissions with the City. The inventory is an estimate of emissions from energy consumption from thermal heating and electricity use in residential and commercial/industrial buildings, as well as from on-road vehicle miles traveled (VMT). Most of the emissions from buildings comes from natural gas for heating. Emissions from electricity is less due to Green Mountain Power having only a small portion of their generation portfolio from fossil fuels in 2019. On-road transportation emissions are derived from VMT for gas and diesel vehicles. Vehicle class types include motorcycles, passenger vehicles, light and heavy-duty trucks. On-road VMT emissions are attributed to the miles driven within South Burlington irrespective to where vehicles are coming from and where they are going. Meaning emissions from through traffic is part of South Burlington’s inventory. Although South Burlington policies may not be able to reduce through traffic, policies to increase EV charging stations in the City may convert some of those miles to zero emissions, especially for people shopping and working in the City. 0 50,000 100,000 150,000 200,000 250,000 Emmissions South Burlington 2019 GHG Emissions Transportation Commercial/Industrial Buildings Residential Buildings 25|DRAFT VMT data, which accounts for origin and destination, is not available regularly whereas data on miles driven within the City irrespective to origin and destination is available. Therefore, relying on data that includes pass through traffic may not reflect the audience for this plan, but it does make tracking progress on reducing VMT feasible. Business As Usual Scenario The business-as-usual scenario begins with the 2019 GHG inventory and creates a projection of emission trends based on population and employment growth for the year 2030. Population is assumed to increase 1.3% annually and employment 1% annually. These increases are based on past trends since 2010. The business-as-usual scenario is helpful for understanding change in emissions if climate action is not taken by the city. The business-as-usual scenario incorporates external policies, which are already in effect or will take effect between the Year 2019 and Year 2030. Green Mountain Power’s achievement of 100% carbon free electricity and decreases in carbon emissions from on- road travel because of improvements in Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) Standards have been included. VGS’s plan to add 20% renewable natural gas to their portfolio by 2030 is an existing policy that was not modeled in the business-as-usual scenario but could play a role in reducing GHG emissions from natural gas fuel usage. Given demographic changes and external policies, the City’s emissions will slightly increase and continue to do so if no action is taken to reduce GHG emissions. Therefore, electrifying the buildings/thermal and transportation sectors is critical to meeting South Burlington’s emission reduction target. See the climate action by sector section of this plan to understand how the City plans to reduce GHG emissions. Business-as-Usual Scenario (2019-2030) 26|DRAFT Science Based Target Scenario The SBT scenario combines the business-as-usual forecast with the emission reduction goal of 60% reduction in emissions by 2030 from a 2019 start year for commercial energy, residential energy, and transportation energy. The SBT scenario applies a suite of actions to the business as usual scenario, which demonstrate the degree of implementation needed for these actions to achieve a 60% reduction in total emissions. The suite of actions is detailed in the Climate Action by Sector sections. The SBT scenario demonstrates the magnitude of change needed to reduce energy and emissions for residential energy, commercial, energy, and transportation energy. The 2030 targets will result in • Residential energy emissions decrease of 51% • Commercial energy emissions of 68%. • Transportation emissions decrease of 61% The actions contained in the SBT scenario are all actions that mitigate or directly reduce the City’s contribution of emissions in the land use/transportation and buildings/thermal sectors. Other sectors like natural areas, are important to climate action planning and have been Science Based Target Scenario (2019-2030) 27|DRAFT included in the process, though do not produce a quantifiable or equivalent impact to reduce GHG emissions and therefore were not included in the SBT scenario. As such, natural areas, should be considered a supporting sector for reducing GHG emissions. Actions for the natural areas sector are also considered important for climate adaptation and resilience to help the City withstand impacts of climate change. Although the natural area sector is not modeled in the SBT scenario, data is available to understand the role forest and trees play in carbon removal on an annual basis. Additionally, data on forest conversion and forest loss is provided to understand emission impacts from development. GHG quantification of non-forested land cover (wetland, grassland, cropland) is not quantifiable due to complexities of soil carbon dynamics and methodology limitations. See the Natural Areas section for information on carbon removal and storage from forests. 28|DRAFT Community Profile When implementing actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and become more resilient to climate change impacts, it is important to understand the City of South Burlington in terms of demographics, commuting patterns, and housing composition. Identifying characteristics of South Burlington will help the City focus on the actions that are tailored to South Burlington. Additionally, information on who lives in South Burlington, where they work, and how they heat/cool their homes adds context to ensure that climate actions are designed with residents and business in mind for long-term impact and success. Figure X provides an overview of the demographics of the City and also highlights the communities that could be burdened by climate change and may not be able to access or afford carbon reducing technologies such as electric vehicles and heat pumps. 29|DRAFT Impacted Communities Studies show that low-income communities, households on fixed incomes, black and communities of color/indigenous people, and elderly people are those who are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Moreover, these communities may not have the income to invest thousands of dollars for electrification and weatherization. So, it is critical to keep these communities at the forefront in climate action planning and to understand the impacted communities in South Burlington. According the 2020 American Community Survey, 3,683 or 19% of people are over 65, 6% of households or 544 households are below the poverty level, 752 households do not have a car, and approximately half of the households earn less than the median household income, which is $87,377. Additionally, 12% of the population identifies as a race that is black/African American, American Indian, Asian, or another race. Various programs are offered by the State of Vermont, Green Mountain Power, VGS, Efficiency Vermont, and the Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity to assist income eligible households with the cost of weatherization, heat pump installation, or electric vehicle/charging equipment purchasing. It is difficult to estimate the number of households that could be eligible for these programs because each program is designed with different income eligibility and household size criteria. The programs also change annually. As shown in the data, there is a significant population in South Burlington that could be eligible for these programs and the City should work with utilities and other energy partners to promote income sensitive programs to impacted communities. The data seen here will help to inform subsequent implementation phases to climate action planning to identify the best approach to making climate action more equitable. Source: 2020 ACS, 5-year Estimate 30|DRAFT Housing Composition The composition of housing in South Burlington is important because actions to weatherize, electrify, and install electric vehicle charging will be different for each type of housing tenure and for single family homes vs. multifamily homes. Understanding that South Burlington is a City of both renters and homeowners and single family homes and multi-family homes is critical for the successful implementation of the high impact actions in the buildings/thermal and transportation sectors. • 60% of households are owner occupied • 40% are renter occupied • 42% of homes are multi-unit homes (includes condos, attached dwelling units) • 58% are single unit homes For example, renters may not have the ability to make weatherization improvements to their homes because they are not the owner, and the cost/benefit may not be great enough to encourage the property owner to make changes. Additionally, energy improvements to multi-family properties are more challenging and could potentially involve homeowner associations and other third parties. As such any action implemented should seek to form a collaborative partnership between the City, utilities, property owners, and others. Although homeowners could renovate their homes to use a cleaner fuel source or install EV charging more so than renters, they may not have the capital to do so. Therefore, it is key for buildings/thermal and transportation actions to include financial incentives for homeowners, as well as property owners of rental units. Source: CCRPC Housing Database Source: ACS 2015-2019 Housing Stock as of Year 2020 31|DRAFT Commuting Patterns As indicated in previous section, transportation makes up 66% of greenhouse gas emissions in South Burlington. These emissions come from residents traveling in gasoline or diesel-powered vehicles to get to work, school, and services. These emissions also come from commuters coming into South Burlington to get to their jobs. In total about 20,000 people work in South Burlington. About 87% or 17,639 of these employees live outside of South Burlington but travel to South Burlington from elsewhere. The remaining 13% or 2,613 employees live and work in South Burlington. The commuting patterns of South Burlington employees presents an opportunity to work with businesses to reduce emissions from transportation. Employers and their employees can reduce emissions by either driving an electric vehicle, working remotely, taking transit, carpooling, or walking/biking. Employers can incentivize their employees to make their commutes more energy efficient by installing electric vehicle charging equipment and partnering with CATMA to educate employees about ways to reduce their daily commuting miles. Additionally, prioritizing higher density in areas served by transit could entice workers to give up their long commutes and make South Burlington the place where they live and work. Enhancements to transit services offered by Green Mountain Transit coupled with key locations of park and rides is also another approach to getting people to change their daily commutes and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Source: LEHD, on the map 32|DRAFT Fuel Source for Heating The City of South Burlington is served by VGS. VGS provides a majority of owner occupied and renter occupied homes with natural gas. A small portion of owner-occupied homes are using wood for a heating source compared to no renter occupied homes using wood at all. Both owner occupied and renter occupied homes are using electricity for a heat source. However, information on the type of technology used with electricity for heating is not available. Homes could be using legacy electric resistance heat or homes could be using cold climate heat pumps powered by electricity. South Burlington saw an uptick in cold climate heat pumps installed in the last three years, which indicates that a portion of the homes heating with electricity are using cold climate heat pumps. A small portion of both renter-occupied homes and owner- occupied homes are relying on delivered fuels or fuel oil to heat their homes. Either these homes have not yet switched over to natural gas or natural gas is not available in their neighborhood. 0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 3500 4000 4500 Utility gas Bottled, tank, or LP gas Electricity Fuel oil, kerosene, etc. Coal or coke Wood Solar energy Other fuel No fuel used Number of homes Owner Occupied Home Heating Fuel 0 500 1000 1500 2000 Utility gas Bottled, tank, or LP gas Electricity Fuel oil, kerosene, etc. Coal or coke Wood Solar energy Other fuel No fuel used Number of homes Renter Occupied Home Heating Fuel Source: American Community Survey 5-year estimate (2016-2020), margin of error is associated with these data Source: American Community Survey 5-year estimate (2016-2020), margin of error is associated with these data 0 5 10 15 20 25 2019 2020 2021Numbe of Heat Pumps Year Heat Pump Water Heater Installations Source: Efficiency Vermont RPC Report 2021 33|DRAFT Implementation of Actions and Next Steps Once the Climate Action Plan is complete, the transportation sector and city government operations sector will be studied, and a more detailed implementation plan will be developed for each. The City plans to work with a transportation consultant and the Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission on the transportation sector implementation plan. The City was also awarded a State of Vermont municipal planning grant to develop an implementation plan for the City government operations sector. It is anticipated that the equity recommendations and considerations identified in this plan will be a center point of the sector-based implementation plans. Plans for the remaining sectors will be developed as funds become available. Additionally in August 2022, the CAPTF proposed to the City Council adoption of a carbon free heating and hot water ordinance to reduce GHG emissions in new buildings. 34|DRAFT Appendix A ClearPath Modeling Data SBTs and Emission Goals 2030 Emission Reduction Goal Base Year 2019 (MT Co2e) 2030 Business as Usual (MT Co2e) 2030 SBTs and GWSA (MT Co2e) 60.20% 195,712 196,253 77,894 Growth Rates Employment Population Grid Emissions VMT 1% annually 1.3% annually 0 1.3% annually Base Year Business As Usual SBT 2030 Modeled Emissions Fuel/Sector Year 2019 (MT Co2e) 2030 (MT Co2e) Science Based Target (MT C02e) Sector Commercial/Industrial Natural Gas 32,319 32,676 11,548 Commercial Energy Commercial/Industrial Electric 3,378 0 Residential Electric 1,048 0 15,573 Residential Energy Residential Natural Gas 30,630 35,306 On-Road Transportation 128,337 128,271 49,832 Transportation Total 195,712 196,253 76,953 35|DRAFT Forest Tree Disturbances/Forest to Settlement COe2/yr 1,000 1,000 1,000 Land Use CO2 e/yr Removal from Undisturbed Forest/Trees in Settled Areas -8,769 -8,769 -8,769 Natural Areas Net Total 187,943 188,484 69,184 Degree of Implementation (Start Year 2023,End Year 2030) Measures SBT Scenario Emission Reductions Percent Reduction Residential Electrification/Number of Housing Units Retrofitted (annual) 360 housing units 10,140 9% Home Weatherization (annual) 600 homes 5,565 5% 2030 District (Commercial Benchmarking,Electrification (annual)) 8% commercial sq. ft annually 20,108 17% Electric Vehicle Adoption, by 2030 37.5% EV, 37.5% HEV 50,377 42% VMT Reduction Annually 2.5% 22,491 19% Compact Development New Units (2,7770 units in high density( > 12.5 du per acre) 5,341 4% Carbon Free Heating Ordinance for new buildings 143 new homes per year, 53,000 square feet 5,048 4% 36|DRAFT Appendix B Actions 37|DRAFT Appendix C Definitions Glossary of Climate Change Terms Unless otherwise noted, Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 2030 District 2030 Districts are organizations led by the private sector, with local building industry leaders uniting around a shared vision for sustainability and economic growth – while aligning with local community groups and government to achieve significant energy, water, and emissions reductions within our commercial cores. Property owner/manager/developers join a local 2030 District to help them make significant changes to their properties to create reductions necessary to transition to a low carbon economy. Source: www.2030districts.org Adaptation Adjustment or preparation of natural or human systems to a new or changing environment which moderates harm or exploits beneficial opportunities. Biofuels Gas or liquid fuel made from plant material. Includes wood, wood waste, wood liquors, peat, railroad ties, wood sludge, spent sulfite liquors, agricultural waste, straw, tires, fish oils, tall oil, sludge waste, waste alcohol, municipal solid waste, landfill gases, other waste, and ethanol blended into motor gasoline. Carbon Dioxide A naturally occurring gas, and also a by-product of burning fossil fuels and biomass, as well as land-use changes and other industrial processes. It is the principal human caused greenhouse gas that affects the Earth's radiative balance. It is the reference gas against which other greenhouse gases are measured and therefore has a Global Warming Potential of 1. Carbon Sequestration Terrestrial, or biologic, carbon sequestration is the process by which trees and plants absorb carbon dioxide, release the oxygen, and store the carbon. Geologic sequestration is one step in the process of carbon capture and sequestration (CCS), and involves injecting carbon dioxide deep underground where it stays permanently. Carbon Capture and Sequestration Carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) is a set of technologies that can greatly reduce carbon dioxide emissions from new and existing coal- 38|DRAFT and gas-fired power plants, industrial processes, and other stationary sources of carbon dioxide. It is a three-step process that includes capture of carbon dioxide from power plants or industrial sources; transport of the captured and compressed carbon dioxide (usually in pipelines); and underground injection and geologic sequestration, or permanent storage, of that carbon dioxide in rock formations that contain tiny openings or pores that trap and hold the carbon dioxide. Climate Climate in a narrow sense is usually defined as the "average weather," or more rigorously, as the statistical description in terms of the mean and variability of relevant quantities over a period of time ranging from months to thousands of years. The classical period is 3 decades, as defined by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). These quantities are most often surface variables such as temperature, precipitation, and wind. Climate in a wider sense is the state, including a statistical description, of the climate system. Climate Change Climate change refers to any significant change in the measures of climate lasting for an extended period of time. In other words, climate change includes major changes in temperature, precipitation, or wind patterns, among others, that occur over several decades or longer. Cold Climate Heat Pump or mini split A heat pump draws heat from the environment and moves it indoors to heat your home or move it outdoors to cool your home. Air-source heat pumps gather heat from the ambient air, while ground-source or geothermal heat pumps extract it from the ground. Heat pumps rely on electricity to work. Heat pumps are more efficient because they are moving heat rather than generating it. Heat pumps are also used for air conditioning to cool a building. (Source: Efficiency VT) Deforestation Those practices or processes that result in the conversion of forested lands for non-forest uses. Deforestation contributes to increasing carbon dioxide concentrations for two reasons: 1) the burning or decomposition of the wood releases carbon dioxide; and 2) trees that once removed carbon dioxide from the atmosphere in the process of photosynthesis are no longer present. Ecosystem Any natural unit or entity including living and non-living parts that interact to produce a stable system through cyclic exchange of materials. Emissions The release of a substance (usually a gas when referring to the subject of climate change) into the atmosphere. 39|DRAFT Emissions Factor A unique value for scaling emissions to activity data in terms of a standard rate of emissions per unit of activity (e.g., grams of carbon dioxide emitted per barrel of fossil fuel consumed, or per pound of product produced). Energy Efficiency Using less energy to provide the same service. ENERGY STAR A U.S. Environmental Protection Agency voluntary program that helps businesses and individuals save money and protect our climate through superior energy efficiency. Learn more about ENERGY STAR. Fossil Fuel A general term for organic materials formed from decayed plants and animals that have been converted to crude oil, coal, natural gas, or heavy oils by exposure to heat and pressure in the earth's crust over hundreds of millions of years. Fuel Switching In general, this is substituting one type of fuel for another. In the climate-change discussion it is implicit that the substituted fuel produces lower carbon emissions per unit energy produced than the original fuel, e.g., natural gas for coal. Global Average Temperature An estimate of Earths mean surface air temperature averaged over the entire planet. Global Warming The recent and ongoing global average increase in temperature near the Earth’s surface. Global Warming Potential A measure of the total energy that a gas absorbs over a particular period of time (usually 100 years), compared to carbon dioxide. Greenhouse Effect Trapping and build-up of heat in the atmosphere (troposphere) near the Earth’s surface. Some of the heat flowing back toward space from the Earth's surface is absorbed by water vapor, carbon dioxide, ozone, and several other gases in the atmosphere and then reradiated back toward the Earth’s surface. If the atmospheric concentrations of these greenhouse gases rise, the average temperature of the lower atmosphere will gradually increase. 40|DRAFT Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Any gas that absorbs infrared radiation in the atmosphere. Greenhouse gases include, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, ozone, chlorofluorocarbons, hydrochlorofluorocarbons, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, sulfur hexafluoride. Habitat Fragmentation A process during which larger areas of habitat are broken into a number of smaller patches of smaller total area, isolated from each other by a matrix of habitats unlike the original habitat. Heat Island An urban area characterized by temperatures higher than those of the surrounding non-urban area. As urban areas develop, buildings, roads, and other infrastructure replace open land and vegetation. These surfaces absorb more solar energy, which can create higher temperatures in urban areas. Heat Waves A prolonged period of excessive heat, often combined with excessive humidity. Intergovernmental Panel on climate Change (IPCC) The IPCC was established jointly by the United Nations Environment Programme and the World Meteorological Organization in 1988. The purpose of the IPCC is to assess information in the scientific and technical literature related to all significant components of the issue of climate change. The IPCC draws upon hundreds of the world's expert scientists as authors and thousands as expert reviewers. Leading experts on climate change and environmental, social, and economic sciences from some 60 nations have helped the IPCC to prepare periodic assessments of the scientific underpinnings for understanding global climate change and its consequences. With its capacity for reporting on climate change, its consequences, and the viability of adaptation and mitigation measures, the IPCC is also looked to as the official advisory body to the world's governments on the state of the science of the climate change issue. For example, the IPCC organized the development of internationally accepted methods for conducting national greenhouse gas emission inventories. Landfill Land waste disposal site in which waste is generally spread in thin layers, compacted, and covered with a fresh layer of soil each day. 41|DRAFT Natural Gas Underground deposits of gases consisting of 50 to 90 percent methane (CH4) and small amounts of heavier gaseous hydrocarbon compounds such as propane (C3H8) and butane (C4H10). Recycling Collecting and reprocessing a resource so it can be used again. An example is collecting aluminum cans, melting them down, and using the aluminum to make new cans or other aluminum products. Reforestation Planting of forests on lands that have previously contained forests but that have been converted to some other use. Renewable Energy Energy resources that are naturally replenishing such as biomass, hydro, geothermal, solar, wind, ocean thermal, wave action, and tidal action. Resilience A capability to anticipate, prepare for, respond to, and recover from significant multi-hazard threats with minimum damage to social well- being, the economy, and the environment. Science Based Targets Science-based targets (SBTs) are climate goals in line with the latest climate science. They represent a community’s fair share of the ambition necessary to meet the Paris Agreement commitment to keep warming below 1.5 °C. To achieve this goal, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) states that we must reduce global emissions by 50% by 2030 and achieve climate neutrality by 2050. This is why SBTs are often presented as 2030, or interim, targets. Equitably reducing global emissions by 50% requires that high-emitting, wealthy nations reduce their emissions by more than 50%. Science-based targets build internal and external support needed to achieve ambitious greenhouse gas reductions and boost public confidence in local climate action. They show local governments what reduction is needed by 2030 and 2050, spurring innovation and collaboration. Source: ICLEI Local Governments for Sustainability Sink Any process, activity or mechanism which removes a greenhouse gas, an aerosol or a precursor of a greenhouse gas or aerosol from the atmosphere. 42|DRAFT Soil Carbon A major component of the terrestrial biosphere pool in the carbon cycle. The amount of carbon in the soil is a function of the historical vegetative cover and productivity, which in turn is dependent in part upon climatic variables. Vulnerability The degree to which a system is susceptible to, or unable to cope with, adverse effects of climate change, including climate variability and extremes. Vulnerability is a function of the character, magnitude, and rate of climate variation to which a system is exposed; its sensitivity; and its adaptive capacity. Wastewater Water that has been used and contains dissolved or suspended waste materials. Weather Atmospheric condition at any given time or place. It is measured in terms of such things as wind, temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, cloudiness, and precipitation. In most places, weather can change from hour-to-hour, day-to-day, and season-to-season. Climate in a narrow sense is usually defined as the "average weather", or more rigorously, as the statistical description in terms of the mean and variability of relevant quantities over a period of time ranging from months to thousands or millions of years. The classical period is 30 years, as defined by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). These quantities are most often surface variables such as temperature, precipitation, and wind. Climate in a wider sense is the state, including a statistical description, of the climate system. A simple way of remembering the difference is that climate is what you expect (e.g. cold winters) and 'weather' is what you get (e.g. a blizzard). Weatherization Weatherizing a building is done to save energy, and it can also improve the comfort of a home or building. Professionals who perform weatherization services are part of the "Home Performance" industry. They are trained to understand how a house works as a system and to offer solutions that can solve common and difficult problems using building science. A home energy audit can start building the strategy that may include air sealing, insulation, moisture control, and ventilation. Source: U.S. Department of Energy 43|DRAFT Feedback on Draft Climate Action Plan Through August 25, 2022 Date Commentor Comment Description of change made 6/29/2022 Paul Conner Would it be at all reasonable to put in an “other” category, to at least recognize that there are other factors? At the statewide level, those are below. We have very little agricultiure, of course. Could we say something like say 3% in “other” and reduce the transportation, residential, and industrial each by 1% to make the pie chart complete? Yes revised the 2019 inventory pie chart to include an other category 6/23/2022 Tiana Smith This is what we were thinking: Partner with GMP to speed up EV adoption in South Burlington including siting, make-ready infrastructure, fast charging stations, and incentives. We want to be sure that the wording is inclusive of all our customers, customer-centric, and also comprehensive of all the ways in which we need to support EV adoption. Edited this action in Transportation/Land Use 7/5/2022 Paul Conner/Melanie Include discussiono airport home insulation program in Buildings/Thermal see email Added to buildings and thermal 7/6/2022 Paul Explain actions that are not self evident in the narrative portion of the sector pages Added more detail about the 2030 District program. 7/6/2022 Paul Add a community profile page Included community profile secion in introduction Paul 2030 Targets should pop out in someway Changed these headings 7/13/2022 Srini 1) Page 8: The equity issue is broader than race in this community. Apart from the context on below poverty level population There’s a significant population with low, fixed income here that will struggle with $10-$20k investment to address electrification and weatherization projects proactively. I think a view of how many of the low income groups have a challenge and need significant assistance or support would be helpful. At a higher level, the challenge is not just resources, also making a good economic case for adopting new solutions in lieu of traditional replacement approach. In my neighborhood, I’m largely surprised at how many residents are not inclined to do electrification or weatherization , it seems that a deck or a kitchen replacement project takes a priority for these residents that don’t have a resource limitation. See disiscussion of impacted communities in the community profile section Srini 2) Page 15. In an earlier document I saw that it was 500 units/yr to be electrified, here it shows 360 for a 9% reduction? I think Andrew’s slides has 500 units/yr as well New of units were reduced down for exting homes to make it clear the number of units that were new vs. old Srini 3) Page 16, Apart from referencing a specific year with # of heat pumps, would a historical chart or reference/link to EAN help? Added a link to EAN Srini 4) Page 17, same comment as above for # of units weatherized Added a link to EAN Srini 5) Page 19, On the 2030 target of 55549 Mwh from 30794 Mwh for solar how much is residential and commercial. The residential installations have dropped off significantly in the last 2 years. Consider referencing EAN chart for solar Added a link to EAN Srini 6) Page 23., what are the actual GHG emissions for Govt. operation, it shows only %. I guess this doesn’t include SB schools! Include a total for government operations. correct it does not include schools Srini 7) Page 25, I think the GHG emissions impact for small engines in < 5 kMT ( my estimate). Do we need a high level GHG emissions estimate for this sector? Changed it to Medium for now. Srini 8) Page 27, include growth rate assumption for housing units ( new construction) added a sentence on page 25, I think page numbers shifted a bit Srini 9) Page 28, Can we include a total for GHG emissions reduction for all sector at the bottom of the table?see appendix Srini 10) Add section in Appendix for Glossary for technical terms. You probably have a lot more references for this document, may be another section for this in Appendix Added a Glossary of Climate Change Terms to Appendix 7/15/2022 Srini 1) Paul had mentioned at the previous meeting that two of you were working on something specifically on equity considerations with ranking of actions, we didn’t discuss this yesterday. Not sure if the equity section in CAP was meant to address this. Couple of things to consider: We are no longer working on that. Our recommendation is to form an equity committee. Srini a) On page 8, in vulnerable communities , maybe add a table that lists the the different types ( renters, fixed income, people without cars, seniors above 70 Done except I don't think there is data for people on a fixed income. Page 1 of 11 Feedback on Draft Climate Action Plan Through August 25, 2022 Date Commentor Comment Description of change made Srini b) Does it help to show a comparison to rest of VT or US to highlight the same/unique challenges we are facing? Srini 2) Page 9. To help may be characterize the weatherization challenge, can we put a chart or table that shows age (built years) of housing units. This may help illustrate the most units at risk before 2030 for weatherization Srini 3) Page 11, # of heat pumps. These numbers are very low to begin with? May be include a longer history with heat pumps adjusted for housing units i.e., ( I took EAN data adjusted by a factor of 2 to get % housing units in my earlier note) We do not have a longer history of data on heat pumps. We have included a reference to the EAN dashboard. Srini 4) Page 12. Can we add a page that highlights a handful of high impact actions that will be most challenging from a equity perspective and acknowledge that this is a work in progress. Cite a few examples such as , addressing weatherization and electrification) for low income/fixed income population living in multi unit rentals Done Srini 5 ) Page 12, instead of the equity committee, should we consider existing SB committees to review the high impact actions and give input on specific challenges and considerations. This could lead to collecting objective feedback representing different interests and background in the community. This was not the recommendation we received from the equity consultant. It is not CCRPC's recommendation. Srini 6) Page 12. Should we a have a list of programs that already in place to address the vulnerable groups. Example, CVOEO weatherization, Efficiency VT incentives for rentals etc., Added this to the equity paragraph on the Buildings and Thermal page: Programs such as CVOEO’s well-funded low income weatherization service now includes heat pumps. Efficiency Vermont also has money for income-eligible heat pump assistance. Srini 7) Page 19, Renewable energy. I think it is important to state clearly that additional renewables does not help reduce GHG emissions for SB directly but helps overall energy sourcing for VT . The other point that is important to emphasize is, as existing units start electrification, an additional project to add solar panels will help improve the overall economics and make homes locally sourced with progress towards Netzero. The economics are good for large existing homes where you get the advantage of investment scale to replace significant grid based power. In the Renewable Energy Sector page, edited the first sentence of the narrative like so: Although it will not lower greenhouse gas emissions, the City has renewable energy targets to help Vermont increase its renewable energy. Srini 8) Page 3, to be consistent and simple. Can we use this from VT health page? https://www.healthvermont.gov/health-environment/climate-health/climate-change We did this. Added the sourcing information on page 3. 7/15 Meeting AndrewMichael add school district transportation action Done 7/15 Meeting Andrew Consider adding an impact for new buildings being built to maximize solar gain and passive heating done Page 2 of 11 Feedback on Draft Climate Action Plan Through August 25, 2022 Date Commentor Comment Description of change made Andrew Page 1) •The latest IPCC report warns that without immediate concerted acMon, coral reefs will disappear, cities will flood, breadbaskets that feed the world will shrivel under withering drought and ecosystems will fail. •The IPCC Working Group II Co-Chair remarked: “Climate change is a threat to human well-being and planetary health. Any further delay in concerted anticipatory global action on adaptation and mitigation will miss a brief and rapidly closing window of opportunity to secure a livable and sustainable future for all.” Locally in Vermont – aside from the effects of global changes – •70 bird species of Vermont, including the common loon and hermit thrush, are expected to disappear from the landscape within the next 25 years. •Large runoff from heavier precipitaMon will create favorable condiMons for increased cyanobacteria blooms. •Climate change is expected to conMnue exacerbaMng the threats that invasive plants, insects, and diseases already pose to the health of Vermont’s forests. •Climate change will have a negaMve impacts on fruit-bearing species like apple trees that require a sufficient over-wintering period for success in the next growing season. The maple syrup industry is also at risk due to variations in winter temperatures. Done CAPTF 7/15 meeting Need a summary of Actions and recommendations for next steps to make the document more bold Done CAPTF 7/15 meeting renewable energy section: need action for passive home orientation to maximize solar radiation Done. See line 73 CAPTF 7/15 meeting pg 2) better explain the source of transportation emissions describe pass through traffic done CAPTF 7/15 meeting pg 2)explain why VT produces the most climate ate pollution done CAPTF 7/15 meeting Figure 2 explain the enourmous effort, explain the graph, consider adding BAU , explain that there have been work done on energy efficiency over the years done. see SBT paragraph CAPTF 7/15 meeting Consider showing emissions per capita to demonstrate progress explained progress in narrative CAPTF 7/15 meeting add an other category to the 2019 inventory chart done CAPTF 7/15 meeting wby is BAU flat? BAU chart doesn’t say much Added explaination CAPTF 7/15 meeting pg 19) Change bullets to say Our targers will result in a decreas of XXX or XX%, round done CAPTF 7/15 meeting include scenario disclaimer language done CAPTF 7/15 meeting consider including carbon removal from forest language in the SBT scenario on page 19 will do in next round CAPTF 7/15 meeting add in action from action worksheet that discusses working with the schoold district to reduce trips and ecourages bus ridershop Added to City Gov. Ops. CAPTF 7/15 meeting Adding in solar potential from parking lots when the data is avaiable CAPTF 7/15 meeting consider a different name for government operations maybe call it City Operations Changed to "City Government Operations" CAPTF 7/15 meeting include the consolidation of trash hauler routes action in the gov operations section This is in waste sector. It is not part of city government operations. Donna pg1) explain affect of climate change, need a call to action, discuss flooding Done Donna pg2)public wants to know effect on cost for heating Done Donna pg) 17 second to last sentence, change gas to gasoline Done. See line 73 Donna SBT Scenario why is commercial sector 68%large contribution to basebline emissions and big changes need in this sector Donna how many people are eligible CAP programs unknonw, explained income elgibility in community profie section Donna pg 22) explain that multi-family homes inclusdes condos, duplexes, and apartment builidings done Donna Donna's hard copy edits. Ann has hard copy.Incorporated as many of Donna's comments as possible Page 3 of 11 Feedback on Draft Climate Action Plan Through August 25, 2022 Date Commentor Comment Description of change made Thought from Melanie-Combine pages 16-20 into one or two pages to make for a succint bold introduction to wow people to address the comment about the plan being underwhelming and set the stage for actions that need to be implemented. added content from the pamphlet 8/4/2022 Andrew Andrew Chalnick comments below 8/4/2022 Andrew In Natural Areas changed first sentence in 5th paragraph to: Carbon sequestration is only one important benefit of Some of the other benefits of conserving natural ecosystems. Natural ecosytems include improved air and water quality, reduced impacts from the urban heat-island effect, improved stormwater management, and enhanced flood hazard management and provide critical areas for bio-diversity in the face of a changing climate. Done. May want to join Cities With Nature to collaborate with other urban areas about reconnecting communities with nature https://citieswithnature.org. This is a program of ICLEI's. I added an action for consideration. CAPTF to discuss 8/4/2022 Andrew In Natural Areas changed last sentence from: This includes ensuring that housing in environmentally desirable areas is equitable. To: This includes ensuring fair access to natural areas for all to enjoy. Done 8/5/2022 Srini 1) On the slide that shows historical GHG emissions trend for BAU, 2030 and 2050 targets, the units for GHG emissions should be "metric tons CO2 equivalent:" not "Million Metric tons" Done 8/5/2022 Srini 2) On the slide titled, “ Govt Operations”, we had discussed at the last meeting to title as "City Operations". The rest of the content and the discussion refers only to City operations. Done Changed to "City Government Operations" 8/5/2022 Srini Can we include a total baseline number estimate for GHG emissions for the Donut chart by Department, It will help emphasize the point on city “leading by example" efforts to reduce GHG emissions even if it is a small number. These charts do not include the SB school operations, right? Done 8/4/2022 Public Comment Cooling of buildings is through electricity, so if elecricity is carbon free, should not be contributing to emissions Edited buildings and thermal 8/4/2022 Melanie I had the following thoughts at the public meeting. Need to define investment, policy, program in the plan; This is already in the plan exactly as it was stated previously in our memo. Melanie need a statement about carbon storage from soil and grass areas not being considered and some facts about the storage potential of the land cover types;Sent email to Jens re: grass areas Melanie maybe ask Ethan to write a letter from the CAPTF chair. 8/4/2022 Keith asked to identify who is responsible for implementation of the actions In the vast majority of actions, it the City Council and Manager, so very repetitive. CAPTF should discuss and give direction on this. 8/4/2022 Roseanne reference the Sustainable Food Study done for South Burlington Added to Ag/Food Systems Action 8/4/2022 Ray talked a lot about limitations afrom homeoweners associations for installing solar but actually the right to dry legislation allows condo residents to install solar. Right to dry statute: https://legislature.vermont.gov/statutes/section/24/061/02291a Added educational action to renewable energy sector for CAPTF consideration. 8/1 via email Diane Bugbee Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the plan. People with disabilities are a particularly vulnerable population when it comes to climate change. This is mentioned as a data point later in the report but I think it should be specifically mentioned and also included in the earlier section of the report on equity. Hope you are enjoying your summer! Thank you and best, Diane I added another sentence about people with disabilities to the Equity section. Page 4 of 11 Feedback on Draft Climate Action Plan Through August 25, 2022 Date Commentor Comment Description of change made 8/9 via email Gerry Silverstein Took a quick look at the Draft Climate Action Plan and I wanted to offer a quick response. When dealing with issues such as addressing climate change, people often engage in "selection bias"; picking and choosing certain pieces of information while marginalizing or ignoring other equally important information. That is a lead in to the following: The draft report (p1) says higher temperatures increase the need for AC to protect vulnerable populations. True? yes of course. However on the same page the report details that winters are 4 degrees warmer (air temps), winter ends 2 weeks sooner (spring arrives 2 weeks earlier) and winter starts one week later.... all in comparison to the past All of the above would have to be juxtaposed against the higher temps requiring more AC in order to assess overall energy consumption change (per standardized unit of people.... that is be careful as more people move in you need to adopt an average usage per person assessment parameter versus total increase that could be due in part or in total to population increase). This is not a minor point. The IPCC uses numerous models to project the impact of climate change and rarely do the models arrive at the same conclusion. What do they do? They change the inputs on the models. Some call this fudging the data (I do), but some argue it is just a way to achieve consistency. In any case, consider this email a response to the request for feedback on the draft report. Is there a suggestion in here? The source of the data in question came from a UVM supported Study of Vermont, not the IPCC. CAPTF to discuss. Page 5 of 11 Feedback on Draft Climate Action Plan Through August 25, 2022 Date Commentor Comment Description of change made 8/2 via email gerry silverstein You should share the eye-popping contents of the following article with the Climate Action Committee: https://www.reuters.com/business/retail-consumer/americas-biggest-warehouse-is-running-out-room-its- about-get-worse-2022-08-02/ One of the reasons I am "anti-development" is when the houses are built inevitably people fill them with "stuff" and lots of it. Remind the Climate Action Committee: it takes energy to harvest the raw materials to make the stuff; it takes energy to produce the stuff; it takes energy to transport the stuff, and when the stuff has reached the end of its useful life it (1) may get recycled, (2) may get thrown in trash, (3) may get stored in the house until the homeowner leaves or dies (and then the stuff has to be dealt with), or (4) the stuff gets "deposited" in the environment (side of the road, streams, oceans, etc). The Committee may focus on transportation, heating, etc. but STUFF is a big deal in terms of energy. Reducing America's love affair with stuff my hurt the economy, but it would inevitably be good for the environment. The CAPTF to discuss. Is there anything the City can do about this? Education? Page 6 of 11 Feedback on Draft Climate Action Plan Through August 25, 2022 Date Commentor Comment Description of change made 8/9/2022 EDC 1)This plan is comprehensive but lacks, equity consideraMon. For the housing sector electrificaMon upgrades and new replacement units will be an economic burden for smaller footprint houses that have low-income residents and other disadvantaged population. Equity consideration on all actions needs to be a serious consideration before any decisions or actions 2)ConverMng to all EV’s with the anMcipated development populaMon growth will only make the traffic management challenging. Need to consider promoting ebike options as an alternative to ICE replacement 3)Solar adopMon needs to include community solar projects (Solar farms) to take advantage of scale and economics, what can SB city do differently recognizing the state level utility regulations 4)This plan does not consider/include financial impact or any cost benefit analysis for proposed acMons. What’s the process for the city to address this before any decisions can be made 5)This plan needs to include consultaMon with vulnerable populaMon. How is this engagement being planned? 6)EliminaMon of natural gas for cooking has been idenMfied as “Culturally SensiMve” issue with negaMve impact in other cities, need to consider this seriously 7)All Climate change measures on new housing construcMon increases the iniMal cost of housing (example, charging capability for EV’s) Be sensitive to not making this as an initial big hurdle in an already unaffordable housing market 8)The biggest challenge for SB is addressing public transportaMon adequately to support high density development in all areas. The city hasn’t done enough to have public transportation accessible for all communities. This is a big equity issue 9)The CAP is sMll being weWed for public input and the final recommendaMon to city council us due in September. Why is the city council deliberating any action now such as the ordinance for limiting fossil fuels in new construction? 10)Why not tax big houses with large footprint differently for their share of GHG emissions, this is one way of addressing the equity issue. Smaller house footprint leads to lower GHG emissions. 11)While this plan addresses nicely how to reduce GHG emissions, it needs to be balanced with other competing interests and priorities in the city. Who will help the city council address this? 12)Lot of good ideas here however, equity consideraMon is important 13)How does the city plan to assess the impact of the size and capacity of heat pumps on GHG emissions targets. I have one heat pump for part of the space, thinking about installing a wood fireplace so that I have a 1) Each action has recommendations for equity considerations. This can be done via exemptions or longer deadlines. An equity committee can assist in analyzing and modifying policies before adoption. The CAPTF to discuss. 2) All modes of biking are encouraged in the plan. E-bikes not viable for all-season commutes. CAPTF to discuss. 3) Added language to an action in renewable energy for CAPTF consideration. 4) This can be done in the implementation phase. This is out of scope for CCRPC's time on this project. 5) The recommendation is for the City to form an Equity Committee to represent this vulnerable population as policies are drafted and considered. An equity committee can assist in analyzing and modifying policies before adoption. 6) This is because cookware in some cultural cuisines, such as woks, do not work well without direct flame. Added "cultural exemption" to equity considerations in Buildings and Thermal Sector. CAPTF to discuss. 7) Added concern regarding affordablility to the equity column regarding EV charging in transportation sector 8) This action, which is already in the plan, addresses that concern: Invest in Green Mountain Transit to increase transit ridership on existing route, identify new routes, and increase frequency. 9) CAPTF to discuss. 8/10/2022 Andrew the only other comment I have is to please add another action for the City to adopt a “solar access law” similar to the law in effect in Boulder, Co. Boulder’s law requires, among other things, new PUDs and subdivisions to orient residential units to maximize solar access and be structurally capable of supporting solar collectors. The relevant provision is 9-9-17 (g) at this link: https://library.municode.com/co/boulder/codes/municipal_code?nodeId=TIT9LAUSCO_CH9DEST_9-9-17SOAC Action added to Renewable Energy Sector for CAPTF consideration 8/10/2022 New Ideas from survey Reduce pavement. No new pavement. No new impervious surface. No pavement at parks.CAPTF to discuss alternatives such as permeable pavement 8/10/2022 Encourage zoom attendance at all meetings Draft action added to City Government Operations Possible next steps on survey Should we iclude some type of word cloud to show the most common ideas that came out of the survey?CAPTF to discuss 8/11/2022 Pike Porter The climate action plan needs to include emissions at and from the airport. Transportation emissions need to include air-transportation, not just ground transportation. The F-35 flying from the South Burlington airport alone creates a minimum of 50 tons and as much as 100,000 metric tons or more of CO2 per year. If you fail to include the airport emissions, you are greenwashing. The draft is incomplete. Why include ground transportation but ignore air transportation? Businesses--such as the airport-- that excessively contribute to South Burlington's emissions should be taxed, ticketed, or fined. VHB is gathering this data as part of their work with the BTV airport. They will let us know when the data is available. Could be included in transportation implementation plan - VHB is consultant on that. Page 7 of 11 Feedback on Draft Climate Action Plan Through August 25, 2022 Date Commentor Comment Description of change made 8/11/2022 Srini When we do any revisions/update of actions after the public engagement, we can include the RNG as a “ bridge” action to help reduce GHG emissions for the housing sector. It’ll help with alternatives for people who are not committed to electrification approach Response from ICLEI regarding how to calculate GHG emissions from RNG to incorporate into calculations: Renewable natural gas would generally be carbon neutral, however it would produce the same methane emissions from local distribution system leakage as fossil gas. In some cases, installing equipment to capture renewable gas, such as from livestock manure can prevent methane emissions that would have been released to the atmosphere, although there are other changes such as keeping the animals pastured year round that would also prevent the methane emissions. The main drawback to renewable natural gas I've heard this there is not enough potential supply to cover more than a fraction of current fossil gas usage. That may be more detail than you were looking for - in short I would say fine to model as carbon neutral for now, but not likely to be a pathway to get the whole system to zero emissions. 8/17/2022 Ashley Adams Hi Andrew, I have been somewhat heartened to witness recent movement to act on the Climate Crisis on the Federal level, and in some cases on State and local levels. This after many decades of ignoring the problem and the pleas of Climate Scientists. I was glad to see the City of South Burlington likewise take the first step by developing its own Climate Action Plan. However, the draft plan for South Burlington includes a glaring omission: in its emissions inventory it completely ignores Aviation Emissions, including private and commercial aviation as well as military aviation. I’m not sure that the words “Airport” or “Aviation” appear at all in the plan. Can you please help me understand why the largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions in South Burlington has been left out of the Climate Action Plan? Are you aware that the F35 flights out of this airport create at a minimum 50,000 tons of CO2 per year and more realistically, since they are not simply flying in a straight line at .9 Mach, 100,000 tons or more of CO2 per year? These figures do not include private and commercial flights, but rather the F35 alone. Without a credible accounting of all emissions, the Climate Action Plan is the very definition of greenwashing. As we race toward the tipping point of ecological collapse, we must get this right. If we ignore large swaths of greenhouse gas emissions we miss our opportunity to act on them. Now is the time for bold and courageous action. As is so often the case, bold and courageous action starts with acknowledging the problem so that we can determine what, at this late juncture, truly extraordinary measures will be required to solve it. I urge you to not move forward with a final plan until this critical flaw is addressed. VHB is gathering this data as part of their work with the BTV airport. They will let us know when the data is available. Could be included in transportation implementation plan - VHB is consultant on that. The City of S. Burlington has limited ability to affect BTV emissions. Ann Natural Areas Map needs new legend done Page 8 of 11 Feedback on Draft Climate Action Plan Through August 25, 2022 Date Commentor Comment Description of change made Ann City Government Operations needs a number for this target: X% reduction in City employee Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT)Changed language to say track and reduce VMT Ann Buildings Sector needs a number: XX homes annually received weatherization upgrades.Melanie looking into this 8/19/2022 Darrilyn and Srini Equity Discussion 8/19/2022 Keith Epstein 1) Thank you for all the work that went into this plan. It is excellent, and very exciting to see this plan for our city after so many years of talking about it. I'm especially pleased that the plan was created by people who represent a broad cross-section of the community, rather than people with one specific area of interest/expertise. 2) The plan uses the term "weatherization" in the 2030 targets, but doesn't define that term. I think it would be helpful to define it, for readers who are not already familiar with what it means. On that note, it would be good to review the document for other such terms that are known to people in the industry, but may be unknown or confusing to the average person. 3) I don't see anything in the plan about infill development or redevelopment of existing developed areas. They are both excellent strategies for getting higher density development without using green fields. As an example of redevelopment, a one-story commercial building can be knocked down and redeveloped into a 3-4 story building with commercial use on one or two floors, and residents above. Infill development would be building a new building in between two existing buildings, in an area that used to be a parking lot or lawn. Incentivizing infill/redevelopment could be called out as a specific strategy. 2) We have included definitions in the index. 3) CAPTF to discuss Page 9 of 11 Feedback on Draft Climate Action Plan Through August 25, 2022 Date Commentor Comment Description of change made 4) EVs are mentioned several times, and so is walking/biking, but I think there should be more discussion of electric bicycles. They are transformative. It used to be that the only people who rode bikes for transportation (therefore not driving) were enthusiasts, people who didn't have a driver's license, or people who couldn't afford to drive. Now that electric bicycles are becoming more popular, the number and types of people who are riding bikes for transportation is growing. People are riding them to work, to the grocery store, and so on. Every time they do this, they are reducing VMT and SB's climate emissions. Think about what SB can do to encourage more people to ride their e-bike instead of drive. Perhaps better infrastructure to store/lock/protect e-bikes at businesses, for workers and customers, such as requiring more bike racks, covered bike racks, more secure storage, and so on in new development. And creating incentives for existing commercial buildings to add these things. 5) The solar map on page 9 is confusing. Maybe some arrows with labels can point out various aspects of the map, like showing an area where lots of solar can be added, and showing another area where more solar can't be added until there are upgrades. 6) The pie charts on page 12 would be more readable if the labels also had percentages next to them. For example, "Fleet: 24%" and "WWPT Natural Gas: 48%". Right now, it is very hard to match the label to the percentage, since many of the colors are similar, especially in the upper pie chart with many shades of blue. 7) In the Ag/Food section, consider adding community gardens to every public park, or perhaps create a goal/plan to build enough community gardens in the city to put a community garden within 1 mile of 80% of city residents. Creating such a goal can help drive decisions about where to locate the gardens. Bringing gardens closer to people will also help reduce VMT, besides the local food benefits. 4) Could focus on e-bikes in transportation implementation plan. CAPTF to discuss. 5) Melanie to work on solar map. 6) Melanie/Emma to work on City Government pie charts. 7) CAPTF to discuss adding community gardens to every public park. 8) It has been said many times that this plan is only the beginning, and that much more work will be needed to turn this plan into actions. I think it is worth including a few sentences about this within the plan. It would be helpful to outline what the CAP task force thinks the next steps should be, to guide policy makers along the right path and give the public some ideas of what to expect next. These suggestions might not be taken, but if they are in the plan then they can be referred to in the future. 9) The more specific the actions can be, the more likely it is that they will be implemented. If there are ideas about who (what organization/department/entity) could accomplish the actions, I suggest including them in the plan, so that future readers can refer to those groups to help get things done. 10) I'm not sure where regional collaboration belongs in the plan, but I think it is important to include it somewhere. SB can't solve many of these problems on our own, so the more we can collaborate with other communities, the more successful we will be. Collaboration could take many forms, including co-funding initiatives, adopting similar rules/ordinances for consistency and predictability, and learning from each other's successes and failures. 8) CAPTF to discuss where to insert its thoughts about next steps 9) In the vast majority of actions, it the City Council and Manager, so very repetitive. CAPTF should discuss and give direction on this. 10) CAPTF to discuss regional collaboration 8/22/2022 Related to comment #3, I think Accessory Dwelling Units are something that would be valuable to include in the plan. I know our LDRs have rules for ADUs, but perhaps the city could do more to encourage, promote, and allow them across the entire city as a way to get more housing without adding roads and driveways and using up natural areas. I think reduced permitting fees, educational sessions for people who may be interested, open houses, and partnering with organizations like https://www.muchadu.com/ to help simplify the process could contribute to increasing the number of ADUs. Page 10 of 11 Feedback on Draft Climate Action Plan Through August 25, 2022 Date Commentor Comment Description of change made 8/25/2022 Leslie Black-Plumeau, VHFAI am writing this on behalf of SB residents Sandy Dooley, Chris Trombly, Vince Bolduc and myself because we share commitment to addressing both the climate and affordable housing crises, and have long-standing professional and board experience working on social and economic equity issues. We thank you for your initial work exploring climate action strategies for the City of South Burlington. As Vermonters, we are fortunate to be able to learn from the experiences the Vermont Climate Council had as it prepared the state’s initial climate action plan in 2020-2021. The Guiding Principles for a Just Transition written during this work provide a clear framework for inclusively developing and prioritizing recommendations based on how they will affect Vermont’s most impacted and frontline communities. As your report wisely notes on Page 3, it is important that “vulnerable populations are included in the process so that policies do not end up causing harm to people who can least afford or adapt to them or leaving some people out of the benefits of these policies." We strongly encourage you to embody these principles throughout the development of SB’s first climate action plan, and we are concerned that your otherwise impressive report does not yet accomplish that goal. We believe that this needs to be done before the report is finalized. “Moving at the speed of trust” (as mentioned in the Guiding Principles) means taking the time to center equity during (not after) the development of High Impact Actions. This means involving impacted and frontline communities throughout the process of identifying High Impact Actions and estimating their equity impacts. It is likely that the resulting list of High Impact Actions for climate action in SB would be different if equity was inherent in their development. For example, your draft’s “Equity in Addressing Climate Change” section aptly cites the Guiding Principle that “all recommendations directly identify and support relevant impacted and frontline communities.” Applying this throughout the plan’s recommendations will ensure that the actions South Burlington takes to fight climate change benefit and support all residents fairly and equitably. Page 11 of 11 1 Climate Survey Summary [results through 8/15/2022, summarized] How Concerned are City Residents about Climate Change Over half of South Burlington’s Climate Survey respondents, indicated that they are very concerned about climate change. Climate Changes means the following to a majority of respondents • Higher fees, higher costs, taxes, and energy costs • Unlivable planet for future generations • Extreme weather and natural disasters • Less snow and reliable skiing • Loss of species diversity • Resource wars • Reduction in quality of life and well being • Poor health outcomes especially asthma and allergies • Existential Threat • Urgent situation, act now • Nothing, it’s mother nature • Policies will make South Burlington unaffordable to many • Global security, global food suppliers, and global migration impacted • Decarbonize now Respondents indicated that transportation emissions should be reduced by • Control growth • Switch to and increase electric vehicles • consolidation of trash & recycling services. • higher density housing and mixed use that will support public transportation • Expand transit services and increase consistency • Replace gas stations for EV charging stations • House a larger proportion of the expanding population in South Burlington where they would be 3 or 5 miles from employment and not in the exurbs • Safer connected bike lanes and more sidewalks • Replace traffic light intersection with roundabouts • Scooter and bike friendly • EV Incentives • Increase ride sharing and carpooling • Trip chaining • Local projects emphasize walking, biking, and public transportation • Remote work • Drive less • Do nothing, beyond the scope of the city 2 Respondents indicated that heating and cooling emissions should be reduced by • Require solar panels in new construction • Subsidize or incentives (tax credits) solar panels and heat pumps geothermal • Fewer single-family homes • Require new homes be net zero • Increase carbon taxes to cover the cost of weatherization • Insulation • Provide incentives for homeowners/landlords to conserve energy and weatherize • Education on heat pump technology • Keep housing concentrated in downtown areas • Property tax reduction for replacing fossil fuels with greener alternatives • Plant more trees • Pass a decarbonization ordinance • Incentives multi-story buildings for efficient heating and cooling • Regulate non fossil fuels be required in new construction, ban natural gas in new homes • Innovative technologies like hydrogen and renewable natural gas • Invest in our own city's energy independence. Build our own city solar power arrays, wind turbines What advice would you have for neighbors about what they could do to be a part of the solution? • Eat less, walk-cycle more, drive less, keep houses not too hot and not too cold, buy LESS stuff • Recycle • Get involved • Buy an electric vehicle • Insulate your attic • Ride your bike • Think before you drive to run one errand • Pollinator friendly lawn • Don’t warm your car up in the winter • Grow a garden • Get an electric mower • Compost • Get a home energy audit • Stuck because solar panels and electric cars are not made in the US and are made with coal fueled power and with toxic materials.