HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - Climate Action Plan Task Force - 07/14/2022 Climate Action Plan Task Force
180 Market Street
South Burlington, VT 05403
(802) 846-4106
www.sbvt.gov
Meeting Thursday, July 14, 2022
City Hall, 180 Market Street, Room 301 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 Room 301, 180 Market Street
Interactive Online: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84028749482
Telephone: (929) 205 6099; Meeting ID: 840 2874 9482
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. Update on planned August 1st presentation and recommendation to Council on ordinance regulating
thermal sources for new construction (7:10 pm)
5. *Presentation and discussion of first draft of Climate Action Plan, Ann Janda and Melanie Needle, CCRPC
(7:25 pm)
6. Task Force members’ updates; including H.518, the Municipal Energy Resilience Initiatives Bill (8:30 pm)
7. Staff announcements, including public outreach and tabling (8:40 pm)
8. Minutes (8:45 pm)
9. Other Business (8:50 pm)
10. Adjourn (8:55 pm)
*Item has attachments
Respectfully submitted,
Paul Conner, AICP,
Paul Conner, AICP
Director of Planning & Zoning
Chief Sustainability Officer
180 Market Street South Burlington, VT 05403 tel 802.846.4106 fax 802.846.4101 www.sb vt.gov
MEMORANDUM
TO: South Burlington Climate Action Plan Task Force
FROM: Paul Conner, Director of Planning & Zoning & Chief Sustainability Officer
SUBJECT: July 14, 2022 Task Force Meeting Cover memo
Hi folks. Enclosed is this week’s packet.
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. Update on planned August 1st presentation and recommendation to Council on ordinance regulating
thermal sources for new construction (7:10 pm)
Andrew Chalnick to provide an update on the presentation materials. An updated version of the draft
presentation will be provided.
5. *Presentation and discussion of first draft of Climate Action Plan, Ann Janda and Melanie Needle, CCRPC
(7:25 pm)
See the enclosed memo and FIRST DRAFT of the Plan from Ann and Melanie.
6. Task Force members’ updates; including H.518, the Municipal Energy Resilience Initiatives Bill (8:30 pm)
Andrew Chalnick asked for a few minutes for the Task Force to discuss / reflect on this.
7. Staff announcements, including public outreach and tabling (8:40 pm)
First tabling event to take place on Thursday, July 16th. Please keep an eye out this weekend / early next
week for sign-ups! Thank you to MJ Reale and Keith Epstein from the Energy Committee for their
assistance.
8. Minutes (8:45 pm)
9. Other Business (8:50 pm)
10. Adjourn (8:55 pm)
1
Date: July 8, 2022
TO: Paul Conner, South Burlington Planning Director, and the South Burlington Climate Action
Plan Task Force
FROM: Ann Janda, Senior Energy Project Manager, CCRPC, Melanie Needle, Senior Planner,
CCRPC
RE: Draft Climate Action Plan
Draft Climate Action Plan
The first draft of the Climate Action Plan is included in the CAPTF Meeting packet for discussion at the
July 14th meeting. Please review the draft plan. In reviewing the plan identify items that needs further
clarification and make note of items that you were expecting to be included. Given that this is in draft
format, there are some outstanding items that will be addressed in the coming weeks. These include:
• Renewable energy generation from parking lots and rooftops: Melanie has been working with
the Vermont Center for Geographic Information (VCGI) and the Vermont Department of Public
Service (PSD) to use LIDAR data for estimating solar potential generation on rooftops and parking
lots. These data are not available yet. As a placeholder, data from Google’s project sunroof has
been included. When the data becomes available the project sunroof data will be replaced with
the data developed by VCGI and PSD.
• Design: The plan’s final design will occur in September once all the comments received are
considered/addressed. Figure and chart numbers will be included in the final design. Also, blurry
graphics will be fixed.
Equity
In the draft plan, CCRPC staff included a section on equity as it relates to climate change. The major
recommendation that is included in the section is for the City to consider establishing an equity
committee to serve all of city government as well as climate action planning and subsequent
implementation phases for each sector. Creation of an equity committee or the inclusion of people who
hold marginalized identities in committee membership is a recommendation from CCRPC’s equity
consultant and is also described in CCRPC’s Equity Assessment. The equity committee should consist of
people who a vulnerable to climate change and who may also be burdened by climate action policy.
Additionally, in each sector specific section, staff also included direction for considering equity in the
implementation phase for each sector.
110 West Canal Street, Suite 202
Winooski, Vermont 05404-2109
802-846-4490
www.ccrpcvt.org
0 | Comm Draft South Burlington Climate Action Plan July 8, 2022 Prepared By: Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission
1|Draft Table of Contents Introduction ................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 2 Science Based Targets .................................................................................................................................................................................................... 4 2019 Greenhouse Gas Inventory ................................................................................................................................................................................... 5 Business As Usual Scenario ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 6 Science Based Target Scenario....................................................................................................................................................................................... 7 High Impact and Supporting Actions ............................................................................................................................................................................. 8 Community Profile ......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 9 Vulnerable Communities ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 9 Housing Composition ............................................................................................................................................................................................... 10 Commuting Patterns ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 11 Fuel Source for Heating ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 12 Equity in Addressing Climate Change .......................................................................................................................................................................... 13 Equity Committee .................................................................................................................................................................................................... 13
2|Draft Introduction South Burlington’s climate has changed. Top Concerns Annual average temperature + 2 °F Warmer1 since 1900 Extreme temperatures averaging 95°F.2 Historically, extreme temperatures in South Burlington averaged 88°F. More intense rainstorms3 of 2+ inches in one day – increase between 0 ‐ 3%. Historically, South Burlington averaged 0 ‐ 2 intense rainstorms/year If we do nothing, South Burlington will continue to grow hotter and wetter. 1 Source: https://site.uvm.edu/vtclimateassessment/files/2022/03/VCA‐Chapter‐1‐3‐8‐22‐web.pdf 2 Source: National Environmental Modeling and Analysis Center Climate Explorer, https://crt‐climate‐explorer.nemac.org/ 3 Source: National Environmental Modeling and Analysis Center Climate Explorer, https://crt‐climate‐explorer.nemac.org/
3|Draft Now Is the Time for Action South Burlington’s climate has changed due to Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions. Our dependence on fossil fuels is responsible for 76% of our GHG emissions4. Green Mountain Power’s electricity is now markedly cleaner than in the past due to the state’s creation of a Renewable Energy Standard (RES) in 2017 and subsequent changes in energy purchasing. Green Mountain Power’s supply mix is sourced from 100% carbon free generation making electricity used in South Burlington carbon free, as well. Emissions Can be Significantly Reduced via Electrification This means that greenhouse gas emissions can be significantly reduced in South Burlington via the electrification of building heating/cooling and transportation. The thermal heating and cooling of buildings accounts for about 34% of South Burlington’s greenhouse gas emissions, transportation accounts for 66% Our Leadership Matters Vermont’s Renewable Energy Standard has helped us have the lowest GHG emission electricity portfolio of any state in the country. However, Vermont produces the most climate pollution per capita in the Northeast5. So, what we do next really matters. 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 reviewed the facts and other climate actions plans, and then worked with the Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission to develop and model high impact actions that can 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). The following section explains how the tool ClearPath was utilized to show the facts and what type of actions are needed to meet this goal. 4 Energy Action Network Annual Progress Report for Vermont 2020/2021: https://www.eanvt.org/wp‐content/uploads/2021/05/EAN‐APR2020‐21_web‐1.pdf, page 2 5 Energy Action Network Annual Progress Report for Vermont 2020/2021: https://www.eanvt.org/wp‐content/uploads/2021/05/EAN‐APR2020‐21_web‐1.pdf, page 3 Residential Buildings16%Commercial/Industrial Buildings18%Transportation 66%South Burlington 2019 GHG Emissions by Sector
4|Draft Science Based Targets 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%6. 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 on track to reduce emissions by 80% below 1990 levels by 2050. The chart below shows the emissions levels needed to meet those requirements. The SBTs in this plan are presented as 2030, or interim, targets. See Appendix X for more information. Figure 2. 6 ICELI’s Science Based Targets for U.S. Communities 133,252 185,528 195,712 137,291 , GSWA requirement: 26% reduction below 2005 levels by 202576,953, GWSA requiremnet: 40% reduction below 1990 levels by 203026,650 , GWSA requirment: 80% reduction below 1990 levels by 2050 ‐ 50,000 100,000 150,000 200,000 250,0001990 2005 2019 2025 2030 2050Million Metric Tons C02 Equivalent (MMTCO2e)YearSouth Burlington's historical GHG emissions and future requirments
5|Draft Using ICLEI’s ClearPath tool, a baseline inventory of GHG emissions, a business as usual (BAU) forecast, and science‐based target 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 BAU 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. 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). Natural gas is the source of emissions from thermal heating of buildings. Electricity is the source of emissions for powering buildings. On‐road transportation emissions are derived from VMT for gas and diesel vehicles and vehicle class. Vehicle class types include motorcycles, passenger vehicles, light trucks, and heavy trucks. 050,000100,000150,000200,000250,000EmmissionsSouth Burlington 2019 GHG EmissionsResidential BuildingsCommercial/Industrial BuildingsTransportation
6|Draft Business As Usual Scenario The BAU scenario begins with the 2019 GHG inventory and creates a projection of emission trends based on population and employment growth for the year 2030. The BAU scenario is helpful for understanding change in emissions if climate action is not taken by the city. The BAU 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. Given demographic changes and external policies, the City’s emissions will increase from 196,712 MT Co2e to 196,253 MT Co2e. Business‐as‐Usual Scenario (2019‐2030)
7|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 BAU scenario, which demonstrate the degree of implementation needed for these actions to achieve a 60% reduction in total emissions. The SBT scenario demonstrates the magnitude of change needed to reduce energy and emissions for residential energy, commercial, energy, and transportation energy. Residential energy emissions will need to decrease from 31,678 MT Co2e to 15,573 MT Co2e or by 61%. Commercial energy emissions will need to decrease from 36,697 MT Co2e to 11,548 MT Co2e or by 68%. Transportation emissions will need to decrease from 128,337 MT Co2e to 49,832 MT Co2e or by 61% Science Based Target Scenario (2019‐2030)
8|Draft The actions contained in the SBT scenario are all actions which mitigate or directly reduce the City’s contribution of emissions in the landuse/transportation and buildings/thermal sectors. Other sectors like natural areas, are important to climate action planning and have been 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. High Impact and Supporting Actions The actions considered for reducing emissions by 60% are considered high impact actions. High impact actions are the most effective at reducing emissions at the scale and pace required to meet the City’s climate goals as demonstrated by the SBTs. High impact actions are either policy or investment oriented and produce a measurable reduction in GHG emission. Supporting actions are educational, promotional, and are not quantifiable. Supporting actions tend to also be critically important for minimizing risks from increased precipitation, heat waves, and other climate change consequences. Figure 6 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.
9 | Community Profile Community Profile When implementing actions to reduce ghg 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. Vulnerable Communities Studies show that low‐income communities, black and communities of color/indigenous people, elderly people are those who are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. So, it is critical to keep these communities at the fore front in climate action planning and to understand the impacted communities in South Burlington. In South Burington, 3,683 people are over 65, 6% of households or 544 households are below the poverty level, 753 households do not have a car. 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.
10|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 buildings/thermal sector. 60% of households are owner occupied and 40% are renter occupied. Also 42% of homes are multi‐family homes and 58% are single family homes. Understanding that South Burlington is a City of renters, homeowners, single family home,s and multi‐family homes is critical for the successful implementation of the high impact actions in buildings/thermal sector and transportation sectors. 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 is 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
11|Draft Commuting Patterns As indicated in previous section, transportation makes up 66% of ghg emissions in South Burlington. These emissions come from residents traveling in gasoline 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 20,252 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 ghg emissions. Source: LEHD, on the map
12|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 not 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 is seeing 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 owns. 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 usedNumber of homesOwner Occupied Home Heating Fuel0 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 usedNumber of homesRenter Occupied Home Heating FuelSource: American Community Survey 5‐year estimate (2016‐2020), margin of error is associated with these data 05101520252019 2020 2021Numbe of Heat Pumps YearHeat Pump Water Heater InstallationsSource: Efficiency Vermont RPC Report 2021 Source: American Community Survey 5‐year estimate (2016‐2020), margin of error is associated with these data
13|Draft Equity in Addressing Climate Change Certain populations are more vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and to policies that are developed to address it. As South Burlington climate action plan policies are considered; it is important to ask the questions below to impower more inclusive decision‐making: For more information on building equity into climate change actions, see the State of Vermont Climate Council’s Guiding Principles for a Just Transition. 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.” Equity Committee To ensure that equity is considered as climate action policies and investments are being developed, the Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission recommends that the South Burlington City Council appoint an Equity Committee to serve as an advisory group to the City Council with a focus on equitable policies and best practices for inclusion. The City Council should seek to appoint members to serve on this committee who are a member of or represent populations who are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Throughout this climate action plan, the high impact actions have been given equity consideration recommendations. However, vulnerable populations were not consulted in the drafting of this plan. So, it is essential that, as policies are developed at the City Council level, these
14|Draft 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.
The thermal heaƟng and cooling of buildings accounts for about 34% of South Burlington’s greenhouse gas emissions. South Burlington will weatherize and electrify exisƟng buildings. New construcƟon will be net zero and fossil fuel free by 2030. 2030 Targets Weatherize 600 homes annually to reduce emissions 5% Electrify 8% of exisƟng commercial/industrial square footage annually to reduce emissions by 17% 360 exisƟng 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 have been weatherized. DRAFT High Impact AcƟons Become a 2030 District to encourage commercial buildings to benchmark energy use and set reducƟon targets Develop an energy efficiency ordinance for high energy use buildings similar to Burlington's Minimum Housing Code WeatherizaƟon Ordinance. Develop a preferenƟal tax rate for highly efficient buildings that are not using fos-sil 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 exisƟng buildings Adopt net zero energy building code for new construcƟon Adopt building code to and hire code inspector to ensure energy code compliance Buildings and Thermal 34% of Emissions* Emissions ReducƟon Targets *As of base year 2019 AcƟons modeled to start in 2023
Buildings and Thermal heaƟng and cooling from fossil fuel-free energy sources. Policies should also focus on efficiency measures, such as insulaƟon, windows, and air sealing in order to reduce energy use and make electrificaƟon more afford-able. However, prioriƟzing electrificaƟon, reg-ulaƟng fossil-fuel-based energy use, and conducƟng emissions life cycle analysis to address embodied carbon in new con-strucƟon and exisƟng buildings will have the highest impact on South Burlington’s building emissions. There is a natural sequencing of acƟons presented in this Plan such that incen-Ɵves precede requirements, but the or-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 heaƟng, cooling, water heaƟng, and cooking. Vermont’s electricity purchases are now markedly cleaner due to the state’s crea-Ɵon of a Renewable Energy Standard (RES) in 2017. This means that lighƟng and electric appliances are not contrib-uƟng to South Burlington’s GHG emis-sions and reducƟons can be met via the electrificaƟon of thermal processes. To reach South Burlington’s emissions reducƟons goals in buildings by 2030, all newly constructed buildings will need dering is subject to change (for example, funding availability, staff capacity, poliƟ-cal will). The City will need to establish and implement programs, policies, and building codes to achieve different out-comes that successfully reach its emis-sions reducƟon targets for buildings. Requirements are needed because some acƟviƟes—such as conƟnued use of nat-ural gas—will prevent the City from reaching its GHG reducƟon goals. The City may also need to help building owners overcome barriers associated with certain requirements, such as the retrofiƫng of exisƟng buildings for elec-trificaƟon efforts. Increased demand for more efficient new buildings and build-ing retrofit projects will create new jobs and specialized job training is needed to support the transiƟon to resource-efficient, low-carbon, resilient buildings. High impact building acƟons are out-lined below. The full set of buildings and thermal recommendaƟons, includ-ing supporƟve acƟons, is included in Appendix XX. ConsideraƟons of the historical context and current condiƟons associated with systemic racism and environmental injusƟces, and how these relate to housing and homeownership, should be made as policies are developed. Buildings and Thermal High Impact AcƟons AcƟon GHG ReducƟon Cost Equity Type Become a 2030 District to encourage commercial buildings to benchmark energy use and set reducƟon targets High NA Neutral Policy Develop an energy efficiency ordinance for high energy use buildings similar to Bur-lington's Minimum Housing Code WeatherizaƟon Ordinance. High $$ Consider accommodaƟons in implementaƟon Policy Develop preferenƟal tax rate for highly efficient buildings not using fossil fuels. High $ High Policy Advocate for a state-wide Clean Heat Standard for delivered fuels High NA Neutral Policy Prohibit fossil fueled thermal in new buildings Very High $$ Consider accommodaƟons in implementaƟon Policy Propose charter change to regulate fossil fueled thermal in exisƟng buildings Very High $$ Consider accommodaƟons in implementaƟon Policy Adopt net zero energy building code for new construcƟon Very High $$ Consider accommodaƟons in implementaƟon Policy Adopt building code to and hire code inspector to ensure energy code compliance High $$ Consider accommodaƟons in implementaƟon Policy
TransportaƟon and Land Use TransportaƟon accounts for about 66% of South Burling-ton’s greenhouse gas emissions. South Burlington will make policies to increase electric vehicle (EV) adopƟon and reduce vehicle miles traveled (VMT). South Burling-ton will promote and encourage biking, walking, transit use, and unƟl EVs are broadly adopted, transportaƟon 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 AcƟons Electric Vehicle AdopƟon 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 adopƟon in South Burlington including siƟng, make‐ready infrastructure, fast charging staƟons, and incenƟves. Reduce Vehicle Miles Traveled Partner with CATMA to increase membership among employers and in‐crease carpooling, teleworking, and walking/biking. PrioriƟze higher density, mixed use development and affordable housing in areas with exisƟng or planned reliable transit opƟons, services, and infrastructure (including bike/ped) within the transit overlay district. Invest in Green Mountain Transit to increase transit ridership on exisƟng route, idenƟfy new routes, and increase frequency. Establish park & ride/carpool lots to connect with public transportaƟon Create a walk/bike master plan, recommend investments in retrofits of infrastructure, and to make bike/pedestrian infrastructure safer. *As of base year 2019 TransportaƟon/Land Use 66% of Emissions* Emissions ReducƟon Targets AcƟons modeled to start in 2023
TransportaƟon and Land Use charging at home. AddiƟonally, all new buildings should have the appropriate number of electric vehicle charging sta‐Ɵons installed at the Ɵme of construc‐Ɵon. The City can make an addiƟonal impact by developing incenƟves 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 reducƟon goals, a reducƟon 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 In 2019, 66% of the South Burlington’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions were generated from transportaƟon. To reduce transportaƟon emissions enough to meet the City’s GHG reducƟon goal, 75% of private and public vehicles in the City will need to be all electric or plug‐ in hybrid by 2030. Modeling indi‐cates that 37.5% of vehicles should be all electric and 37.5% should be plug‐in hy‐brid EVs. AddiƟonally, transportaƟon emissions will be reduced somewhat due to improvements 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 electric vehicle (EV) some method of increasing teleworking by at least 50%, building homes only in areas planned for growth, increasing biking and walking, and invesƟng in pub‐lic transportaƟon in order to improve routes and frequencies to encourage greater ridership. However, changes to land use policies, transit services, and implementaƟon of other bike/pedestrian infrastructure and programs all have a long lead Ɵme. Meanwhile, a strong push for vehicle electrificaƟon will have the greatest impact on reaching the City’s 2030 GHG reducƟon goals. The City will need to provide programs and resources, such as educaƟonal cam‐paigns and financial incenƟves to busi‐nesses to support EV adopƟon. An ex‐pansive, accessible public EV charging infrastructure network is needed to enable widespread EV adopƟon and should be the priority. High impact transportaƟon acƟons are outlined below. The full set of trans‐portaƟon recommendaƟons, including supporƟve acƟons, is included in Ap‐pendix XX. ConsideraƟons of the historical context and current condiƟons associated with systemic racism and environmental injusƟces, and how these relate to transportaƟon, should be made as poli‐cies are developed. TransportaƟon High Impact AcƟons AcƟon GHG ReducƟon 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 Policy Partner with GMP to speed up EV adopƟon in South Burlington including siƟng, make‐ready infrastructure, fast charging staƟons, and incenƟves. High $ High Policy Partner with CATMA to increase membership among employers and increase carpool‐ing, teleworking, and walking/biking. High NA High PromoƟon PrioriƟze higher density, mixed use development and affordable housing in areas with exisƟng or planned reliable transit opƟons, 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 exisƟng route, idenƟ‐fy new routes, and increase frequency. High $$ High Investment Establish park & ride/carpool lots to connect with public transportaƟon High $$ High Policy Create a walk/bike master plan, recommend investments in retrofits of infrastructure, and to make bike/pedestrian infrastructure safer. High $ PrioriƟze Areas with Vulnerable PopulaƟons Policy
South Burlington will increase renewa-ble energy generaƟon in the City to ad-vance the State’s goal of sourcing 90% of energy needs from renewable sources. However, there are currently constraints on new large scale net me-tering projects in South Burlington. Net metering is currently available for small scale projects, such as rooŌop, parking canopies, and backyard solar. By 2030: Increase new renewable energy generaƟon to between 30,794 to 55,549 MegawaƩ Hours (MWh). By 2050: Increase new renewable energy generaƟon to between 63,297 to 121,060 MegawaƩ Hours (MWh) As of 2022... renewable energy generaƟon in the City is 22,544 MWh Renewable Energy GeneraƟon Targets* The City needs to generate a total of 85,841 (MegawaƩ hours) of energy to meet the low target or 143,604 MWh to meet the high target . Currently, the City generates 22,544 MWh of renewable energy. The City should plan to increase renewable energy generaƟon to between 63,297 to 121,060 MWh of addiƟonal 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 electricity. Therefore, South Burlington has enough solar installaƟon potenƟal to meet its renewable energy generaƟon target for 2050. High Impact AcƟons Adopt a policy to require qualifying new buildings to be built with solar or other renewable net metered systems/paired with energy storage to in-crease resiliency/reliability of electrical system during outages and decrease fossil fuel usage during peak periods. IdenƟfy exisƟng commercial roofs, parking areas and other areas that do not currently provide carbon sequestraƟon or storage, wildlife habitat, water filtraƟon, etc. where solar arrays would be compaƟble and should be priori-Ɵzed. Create a program to incenƟvize residents and businesses to install solar ar-rays on their roofs, over parking lots, or as appropriate as free-standing structures Update the Comprehensive Plan according to the Dept. of Public Service Energy Planning Standards for renewable energy standards (Act 174). *Data for renewable energy generaƟon potenƟal on rooŌops 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 generaƟon targets are based on the 2018 ECOS Plan and are subject to change given updates to energy plan-ning standards. The targets are likely to stay the same or decrease because of grid constraints. Renewable Energy
Renewable Energy Ɵve renewable energy integraƟon. Nu-merous energy storage products and services exist and customers should be able to easily access informaƟon about both uƟlity and non-uƟlity offered solu-Ɵons. Green Mountain Power currently offers a program for the purchase or lease of Tesla Powerwall BaƩeries or a $10,500 rebate for other customer chosen stor-age opƟons when customers agree to share power with GMP during peak peri-ods. All renewable energy acƟons are outlined below. ConsideraƟons of the historical context and current condiƟons associated with In order for the City to meet it’s renewa-ble energy generaƟon target, it will need to increase renewable energy generaƟon by 3 to 5 Ɵmes the amount of current generaƟon sited in the City. However, as of the draŌing of this cli-mate acƟon plan, Green Mountain Power is currently limiƟng new large scale net metering projects in South Burlington due to electricity grid capacity con-straints. See adjacent map for the area which is subject to a tariff fee. UnƟl ener-gy generaƟon capacity issues are re-solved, net metering is available for small scale projects, such as rooŌop and back-yard solar. Pairing renewable energy with energy storage (baƩeries) is a necessary and rapidly growing component of cost effec-systemic racism and how these relate to energy generaƟon should be made as policies are developed. AcƟon GHG ReducƟon Cost Equity Type 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 system during outages and decrease fossil fuel usage during peak periods. High $$ Consider accommodaƟons for affordable housing Policy IdenƟfy exisƟng commercial roofs, parking areas and other areas that do not currently provide carbon sequestraƟon or storage, wildlife habitat, water filtraƟon, etc. where solar arrays would be compaƟble and should be prioriƟzed. High $$ NA Policy Create a program to incenƟvize residents and businesses to install solar arrays on their roofs, over parking lots, or as appropriate as free-standing structures High $$ PrioriƟze Areas with Vulner-able PopulaƟons Investment Update the Comprehensive Plan according to the Dept. of Public Service Energy Planning Standards (Act 174). Neutral $ NA Policy GMP Solar Map 2.0
Natural Areas, AdaptaƟon, and Resilience South Burlington will ensure land is managed for carbon sequestraƟon and to be adapƟve and resilient to climate change impacts 2030 Targets Reserve remaining natural re-source areas Increase green infrastructure and soil health for carbon sequestra-Ɵon, wildlife and insect habitat, flood resiliency and water filtraƟon Reduce risks from: Extreme Heat Extreme PrecipitaƟon High Winds Drought Natural Areas Carbon Emissions and Removals Forests remove approximately 8,800 tCO2e/year Conversion of forests to seƩlement produces approximately 1,000 tCO2e/year SupporƟng AcƟons Revise land development regulaƟons to protect remaining meadows, forests, grasslands and farmlands from further encroachment, as permiƩed by law. Adopt goal to replace 30% of lawns with naƟve plant species by 2030. Retain and Increase Tree Canopy: Develop a program and fund the planƟng of naƟve trees on private property, and support ongoing implementaƟon. Increase protecƟon of rivers and streams and wetlands Implement green infrastructure principles into the built environment Ensure resilient stormwater infrastructure City of South Burlington Land Cover Change Natural Areas, AdaptaƟon, and Resilience
Natural Areas, AdaptaƟon, and Resilience It is essenƟal for the City to prioriƟze retenƟon of forests because any loss of these major carbon sinks will add quanƟ-fiable carbon to the atmosphere. Seques-traƟon can be further enhanced by re-ducing lawn turf and increasing naƟve trees and complementary naƟve planƟngs. NaƟve plants encourage naƟve animal and insect species to conƟnue to thrive, which increases the health of trees and all living systems. Enhancing and increasing these natural systems should be a priority. It will be essenƟal to conduct detailed and robust assessments of exisƟng systems in order to set meaningful and measurable goals for maintaining and increasing carbon The City’s climate change goals cannot be accomplished through greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reducƟon alone. The State of Vermont’s Climate AcƟon Plan contemplates a carbon “budget” and so should South Burlington’s plan. Carbon sequestraƟon captures and stores carbon dioxide from the atmos-phere. Carbon sequestraƟon levels must be maintained through the retenƟon and expansion of nature-based systems, such as forests and wetlands and increased tree canopy throughout the City. (See the State of Vermont Climate AcƟon Plan, 2021 Carbon Budget, to see which land sectors provide the most sequestra-Ɵon of carbon.) sequestraƟon. Some of the other benefits of conserv-ing natural ecosystems include im-proved air and water quality, reduced impacts from the urban heat-island effect, improved stormwater manage-ment, and enhanced flood hazard man-agement. Resilience to the impacts of climate change including extreme heat and in-creased precipitaƟon and flooding also requires implementaƟon of green infra-structure and sophisƟcated stormwater pracƟces. Compared to other strategies, protec-Ɵve environmental pracƟces are rela-Ɵvely low cost to implement and also increase the health, well-being, and prosperity of all living beings in com-muniƟes. High impact natural areas, adaptaƟon, and resilience acƟons are outlined be-low. The full set of recommendaƟons, including supporƟve acƟons, is includ-ed in Appendix XX. ConsideraƟons of the historical context and current condiƟons associated with systemic racism and environmental injusƟces, and how these relate to the natural environment, should be made as policies are developed. This includes ensuring that housing in environmen-tally desirable areas is equitable. AcƟon Carbon Exchange Cost Equity Type Revise land development regulaƟons to protect remaining meadows, forests, grasslands and farmlands from further encroachment, as per-miƩed by law. +++ (forests only) NA Needs equity consideraƟon Policy Adopt goal to replace 30% of lawns with naƟve plant species by 2030. + PrioriƟze vulner-able populaƟons Policy Retain and Increase Tree Canopy: Develop a program and fund the planƟng of naƟve trees on private property, and support ongoing im-plementaƟon. ++ PrioriƟze vulner-able populaƟons PromoƟon Increase protecƟon of rivers and streams and wetlands + PrioriƟze vulner-able populaƟons Policy Implement green infrastructure principles into the built environment NA $ PrioriƟze vulner-able populaƟons Policy Ensure resilient stormwater infrastructure NA $$ PrioriƟze vulner-able populaƟons Policy
South Burlington will develop green pracƟces in City operaƟons, electrify City equipment and faciliƟes, and re-duce City employee VMT. 2030 Targets All City operaƟons following green pracƟces All City equipment and faciliƟes electrified or substanƟally more efficient X% reducƟon in City employee Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) SupporƟng AcƟons City to adopt green operaƟons, purchasing, and investment policies City to determine strategy and budget for municipal vehicles and equipment to electrify or become zero emission. City to budget for annual electric vehicle charging equipment installments at City departments. During renovaƟon or construcƟon, make sites EV‐ready. City to replace gas‐powered small engine equipment with electric models. City to complete replacement of all streetlights with the most energy efficient light sources. City to develop a plan to electrify and increase the energy efficiency of all mu‐nicipal buildings. City to develop a program to support employee transit, walking and bike, ride sharing, and work‐from home. Government OperaƟons
Government OperaƟons gas reducƟons goals through green prac‐Ɵces, renewable energy, and electrifica‐Ɵon soluƟons. The City has already made much progress in this direcƟon. In 2019, the City hired a part Ɵme 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. In an effort to decarbonize it’s opera‐Ɵons, the City began converƟng all City owned lights to LED, a project that is vir‐South Burlington’s government should lead by example in their efforts to decar‐bonize their operaƟons. As seen in the pie charts on the previous page, the public works department con‐tributes most of the emissions fin the government operaƟons 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 opƟons. These proposed acƟons below suggest benchmarking current energy uses and energy sources and then developing poli‐cies and procedures that can be imple‐mented to reach the City’s greenhouse tually complete in 2022. This included street and traffic lights as well as lighƟng for buildings. Many energy audits of the various build‐ings have been conducted leading to a variety of energy reducƟon projects and this process conƟnues. The electrificaƟon 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 baƩery 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 uƟlizes a geothermal heat pump and solar panels on the roof. In addiƟon, the upgrading of the Bart‐leƩ Bay Wastewater Treatment Plant, now being designed, will have energy conservaƟon as a major design criteria. ConƟnued high impact government operaƟons acƟons are outlined below. The full set of recommendaƟons, in‐cluding supporƟve acƟons, is included in Appendix XX. ConsideraƟons of the historical context and current condiƟons associated with systemic racism and how these relate to government operaƟons should be made as policies are developed. AcƟon GHG ReducƟon Cost Equity Type City to adopt green operaƟons, purchasing, and investment policies High $ Provide EducaƟon 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 EducaƟon to City Employees Investment City to budget for annual electric vehicle charging equipment installments at City departments. During renovaƟon or construcƟon, make sites EV‐ready. High $ Provide EducaƟon to City Employees Investment City to replace gas‐powered small engine equipment with electric models. High $ Provide EducaƟon to City Employees Investment City to complete replacement of all streetlights with the most energy effi‐cient light sources. SupporƟng $ Provide EducaƟon to City Employees Investment City to develop a plan to electrify and increase the energy efficiency of all municipal buildings. High NA Provide EducaƟon to City Employees Investment City to develop a program to support employee transit, walking and bike, ride sharing, and work‐from home. High NA Provide EducaƟon to City Employees Policy
South Burlington will electrify small en-gine equipment, reduce solid waste, and ensure sustainability of local food and farm systems while decreasing emissions. 2030 Targets Reduce municipal and construcƟon waste and trash pick‐up All small engines electrified Increased access to locally grown food SupporƟng AcƟons Small Engines Curtail or ban small gas powered equipment and ban leaf blowers Waste As a member of CSWD, reduce municipal and construcƟon waste. Limit trash pickup to only every other week. Agriculture/Food Systems Launch a Nature Based SoluƟons Program that includes food systems, farms, and expanded community gardens Work with UVM Extension and organizaƟons like Common Roots‐Farm to Fork programs to promote food educaƟon in schools and sustainable agricultural pracƟces that support local farms and reduce reliance on large, out of state food producers and their associated VMT. www.commonroots.org 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‐Ɵon. Small Engines, Waste, and Agriculture/Food Systems
Waste, Small Engines, and Agriculture/Food Systems bon emissions from lawn and garden acƟvity 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‐Ɵons Program that includes food sys‐tems, farms, and expanded community gardens and urban farming. This program can be equitable by prioriƟzing neighbor‐hoods with disproporƟonately low ac‐cess. In addiƟon, the City can require regeneraƟve, no‐dig pracƟces in City‐managed community gardens and serve as an example regarding low emission soil management pracƟces. This would also encourage regeneraƟve, no‐dig prac‐The City of South Burlington can lower greenhouse gas emissions by developing policies that reduce municipal and con‐strucƟon waste and policies that limit the number of trash pick‐ups in neighbor‐hoods. Both of these restricƟons should serve to encourage recycling and waste reducƟon as well as lower carbon emis‐sions and noise polluƟon. The City can support further decarboniza‐Ɵon 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‐Ɵces in residenƟal gardens. The City Parks and RecreaƟon Department could support this effort by offering gardening classes as a summer course opƟon 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 mulƟfam‐ily buildings. Nature‐based soluƟons are important because when natural areas are healthy and well‐managed, they provide essen‐Ɵal benefits and services to people, in‐cluding increased food security. Burlington’s Nature Based SoluƟons program can serve as an example of what the City of South Burlington can do: hƩps://burlingtonwildways.org/get‐involved/nature‐based‐climate‐soluƟons All small engines, waste, and agricul‐ture/food systems acƟons are outlined below. ConsideraƟons of the historical context and current condiƟons associated with systemic racism and how these relate to waste, agriculture, and food systems should be made as policies are devel‐oped. AcƟon GHG Re-ducƟon Cost Equity Type Small Engines: Curtail or ban small gas powered equipment and ban leaf blowers High $ Costs for new equip. should be considered Policy Waste: As a member of CSWD, reduce municipal and construcƟon waste. Limit trash pickup to only every other week. High $ High Policy Agriculture/Food Systems: Launch a Nature Based SoluƟons Program that in‐cludes food systems, farms, and expanded community gardens NA $ Vulnerable populaƟons should be prioriƟzed PromoƟon Agriculture/Food Systems: Work with UVM Extension and organizaƟons like Com‐mon Roots‐Farm to Fork programs to promote food educaƟon in schools and sus‐tainable agricultural pracƟces that support local farms and reduce reliance on large, out of state food producers and their associated VMT. NA $ High PromoƟon Agriculture/Food Systems: Encourage food retailers to carry local products. NA NA Affordability of local prod‐ucts should be considered PromoƟon 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 consumpƟon. NA NA High PromoƟon
Appendix CleaPath Modeling SBTs and Emission Goals 2030 Emission Reduction Goal Base Year 2019 (MT Co2e) 2030 BAU (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 BAU 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
Appendix Forest Tree Disturbances/Forest to Settlement COe2/yr 1,000 1,000 1,000 Landuse 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 (MT C02e) Percent Reduction in Sector Emissions 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%Fossil Fuel Free Heating Ordinance for new buildings 143 new homes per year, 53,000 square feet 5,048 4%
Appendix All Actions considered in the process will be included at a later date.