HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - Energy Committee - 03/02/2017
Approved Meeting Minutes
March 2, 2017
Committee members present: Karen Mckenny (Chair), Keith Epstein, Marcy Murray, Patty Tashiro, Sam Swanson
Committee members absent: Don Cummings, Fred Kosnitsky, James Mount, Jeremy King, Linda McGinnis
Community members present: Chris Russell, Jason Chin, Jimmy Leas
City staff present: None
Initial business
Reviewed February minutes but lacked the quorum needed for approval. Marcy agreed to scribe.
Input from community members
Jimmy Leas, a candidate for City Council, shared his energy-related platform which includes supporting conservation,
renewable energy usage and renewable-energy-friendly construction in new buildings, investments in energy efficiency,
and efforts to lower energy costs in low-income housing.
Chris Russell, an employee of Solar City, gave solar-related input, explained that his company sells Renewable Energy
Certificates (RECs) to the local utility, and offered to be a resource regarding residential solar.
Town Meeting Eve planning
Discussed logistics regarding the Town Meeting eve distribution of free energy kits in partnership with Vermont Gas and
Energy Action Network.
Transportation discussion with Dave Roberts of VEIC’s Drive Electric Vermont program
As part of our effort to identify future projects, Dave gave an overview of transportation efficiency and energy-saving
opportunities in Chittenden County and South Burlington. Positive statistics: Chittenden County’s average of 25 Vehicle
Miles Traveled (per day per person per vehicle) is “not bad,” and South Burlington’s Census-based commuting (from
home to work) data is favorably low. In addition, South Burlington has decent density for (currently underused) public
transportation, and it has a relatively good bike path presence—although most people drive.
Dave, committee members and Jimmy Leas brainstormed ideas to address ways to lower the city’s transportation-related
energy usage (which is higher than all other energy-consuming sectors):
· Focus on efficiency first (e.g., decrease vehicle miles traveled, & reduce single-occupant vehicle travel), and then
aim to increase the adoption of electric vehicles.
· Increase bicycle travel to stores and work by making using cars less attractive, e.g, charge for parking.
· Improve attractiveness of transit by increasing Green Mountain Transit route service frequency (a barrier to this is
that property taxes fund GMT). Promote Route Shout app. Talk with Uber to explore filling in gaps in bus
service.
· Consider lobbying for a Chittenden County gas tax or vehicle registration fee to cover costs of providing
everyone with free bus service.
· Consider a tax on large employers in Chittenden County to fund employee bus travel to the work site (employer
benefit: commuters could work on the wifi-equipped buses), and encourage businesses to offer incentives, e.g.,
hospital carpoolers park close to site while non-carpoolers take bus from a collection area.
· Work through the city’s CCRPC representative, Chris Shaw, to advocate for new park and ride facilities and to
ensure our involvement in any public processes of interest. Marcy will contact Chris. (Other energy committees
have found state grant money easier to access than federal.)
· Expand the usage of electric cars by overcoming non-cost-related awareness barriers (i.e., range and charging
station availability concerns) and providing municipal EV charging followed by encouraging employers to offer
free or $1/hour Level 2 EV charging stations—Drive Electric Vermont can help. Promote Plug Share app.
· Advocate for a piece of the Volkswagon settlement funds for electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure and electric bus
& truck purchases. Appendix C unlikely to help with EV charging stations or carsharing given our small size.
Appendix D’s $418 million will be administered by the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources starting later this
year and will target “clean” diesel or electric trucks & school/city buses—VEIC supports only the electric option.
Marcy will see if we can be added to a related ANR email list.
· Explore opportunities to expand the Stretch Energy Code’s EV charging requirement (i.e., electrical conduit for
4% of parking spaces at multi-family buildings) to commercial construction.
Dave offered to provide electric vehicles at any big events we hold. Karen will re-invite CCRPC and Ilona for our next
meeting.
Project updates
Members reviewed accomplishments, help needed, and plans for the next month.
Adjournment
The meeting adjourned before 9 p.m.
Next scheduled meeting: Thursday, April 6th, at 6:30 p.m. in the upstairs meeting room at the South Burlington
Police Station (19 Gregory Drive • middle entrance)