To: Sonoma County Board of Supervisors
Department or Agency Name(s): County Administrator’s Office
Staff Name and Phone Number: Michael Gossman, 565-2341
Vote Requirement: Majority
Supervisorial District(s): All
Title:
Title
Climate Emergency Resolution
End
Recommended Actions:
Recommended action
A) Approve and adopt the Climate Emergency Resolution.
B) Direct the Office of Recovery and Resiliency to coordinate with County Counsel, County departments and agencies to explore existing Recovery and Resiliency Framework and additional actions/policies that the County could take to advance climate resiliency and report back to the Board.
Executive Summary:
Over 1,000 local governments representing over 219 million people in 19 countries have declared a climate emergency. These cities, counties and countries have developed these resolutions to solidify their commitment to mobilizing an emergency response that is commensurate with the scale of the climate crisis.
Sonoma County remains the only county in the United States to create a Regional Climate Protection Authority (RCPA) to coordinate and support climate action countywide. RCPA has identified continuing areas of concern and unanimously approved a Climate Emergency Resolution on September 9, 2019.
After the 2017 fires, your Board approved the Recovery and Resiliency Framework which represents the County’s long-term vision for a resilient future. The Framework has five strategic areas of recovery and resiliency: Community Preparedness and Infrastructure, Housing, Economy, Safety Net Services, and Natural Resources. Many of the implementation goals in the Framework are related to or support climate action and resiliency.
Staff recommends adopting the enclosed Resolution to provide support for future efforts related to climate change and greenhouse gas emission reductions through the implementation of the Recovery and Resiliency Framework, the work of County departments and agencies, and the RCPA. The Office of Recovery and Resiliency will work with County Counsel and County departments and agencies to coordinate ongoing and future climate action activities.
Discussion:
The Sonoma County Regional Climate Protection Authority (RCPA) was formed in 2009 to coordinate countywide climate protection efforts among Sonoma County’s nine cities and the County of Sonoma. The goal of the RCPA is to collaborate with local agencies on setting goals, pooling resources, and formalizing partnerships to create local solutions to complement State, Federal, and private sector actions to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases.
1,000 local governments representing over 219 million people in 19 countries have declared a climate emergency. These cities, counties and countries have developed these resolutions to solidify their commitment to mobilizing an emergency response that is commensurate with the scale of the climate crisis.
Sonoma County remains the only county in the United States to create a regional entity specifically to coordinate and support climate action countywide.
The RCPA collaborated with a countywide Staff Working Group under the direction of the RCPA Board of Directors to develop a document entitled, Climate Action 2020 Plan: A Regional Program for Sonoma County Communities. Climate Action 2020 serves as an advisory resource for the RCPA’s work to coordinate countywide climate protection efforts. The concepts contained in the plan are intended to advance smart land use, resource efficiency, carbon free electricity, fuel switching, and are aligned with the climate action strategies articulated in the State Scoping Plan established to achieve the goals of AB 32 and SB 32. In November 2017, the RCPA adopted Resolution No. 2017-003, officially updating greenhouse gas emission reduction targets and policy goals to reduce greenhouse gasses and prepare for local climate impacts. In May 2018, your Board adopted its own resolution reaffirming its intent to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and work towards the RCPA’s countywide targets.
RCPA has identified continuing areas of concern and unanimously approved a Climate Emergency Resolution on September 9, 2019. The final, adopted resolution reflects input received from the public and RCPA Board members at the meeting. As part of this item, RCPA also included a template resolution for consideration and use by the County and cities. The proposed Resolution builds on this template and the County’s Recovery and Resiliency Framework, approved by your Board after the 2017 fires.
The Framework, representing the County’s long-term vision for a resilient future, has five strategic areas of recovery and resiliency: Community Preparedness and Infrastructure, Housing, Economy, Safety Net Services, and Natural Resources. Many of the implementation goals in the Framework are related to or support actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, mitigate climate change impacts, and promote climate resiliency.
Some examples of the Board’s implementation goals within the Framework include:
• Housing Goal 3 which supports building and development standards with improved local hazard resiliency and reduced climate impacts;
• Natural Resources Goal 1 calls for moving forests on a trajectory of increased resistance to drought, disease, and insects;
• Natural Resources Goal 2 supports water supply and drought tolerance; and
• Natural Resources Goal 3 aims to build on prior partnerships to integrate best available science into outreach efforts, policy development, regulations, incentives, and land use planning decisions.
To implement these goals, the Framework includes activities such as updating the General Plan and the Local Hazard Mitigation Plan, promoting climate positive construction, pursuing development of clean local energy systems and microgrids, and expanding clean commute and green business programs.
Additionally, the County continues to examine our risks and vulnerabilities around climate change and replacement or retrofit of aging infrastructure. Ongoing efforts persist to improve energy efficiency, while at the same time, look for opportunities to add renewables, advanced energy storage and new technologies to create energy security and resiliency.
Grant efforts include FEMA approving and issuing Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) funds for Permit Sonoma for the Sonoma County Operational Area Multi-Jurisdictional Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (LHMP) Update.
The RCPA’s Climate Emergency Resolution commits to developing a countywide 2030 Climate Emergency Mobilization Strategy that focuses on identifying key local actions-including a ten-year Emergency Policy Package prioritizing a short list of the most impactful local policies that will drive systems change and identifying the key areas for state level advocacy.
While the County would commit to coordinate with RCPA on the on the 2030 Climate Emergency Mobilization Strategy, the County is not precluded from taking its own actions. Staff will develop possible actions prior to your Board’s January Strategic Priorities discussion on January 28, 2020. This will allow consideration of these actions with the other Strategic Priorities for 2020.
Your Board’s adoption of the proposed Resolution would commit the County to work with RCPA on the development and implementation of the 2030 Climate Emergency Mobilization Strategy as a top priority and identify a Climate Emergency Liaison to participate in this effort. The process for selecting this position would be for the CAO, with Board input, to identify the right person at the County for this role and report back to the Board in January 2020 on the selection. The liaison would be an existing staff position, not a new position. The proposed Resolution would also commit the County to reevaluate existing policies through the lens of the climate emergency, as well as educating its employees and residents about the climate crisis and the work needed to catalyze an equitable emergency climate mobilization effort at the local, regional, state, national and global levels.
To date, the cities of Petaluma and Windsor have adopted Climate Emergency Resolutions. These jurisdictions build off of the RCPA template and include provisions specific to their respective jurisdictions. For example, Windsor’s resolution includes actions that are either already underway or effectuate policies in Windsor’s recently adopted 2040 General Plan. Petaluma’s resolution calls for the creation of a Climate Cabinet to help integrate climate actions in its 2045 General Plan. The Petaluma Climate Cabinet was established in August 2019 as a Climate Action Commission to serve as a forum for the consideration, analysis and coordination of climate action related City policies. There is one Councilmember, one community member with professional expertise in climate issues, and four from the community at large. The selection of the Commission members is being considered later in September.
Three other Sonoma County cities are considering Climate Emergency resolutions: Cloverdale is considering the matter on September 11, 2019, Sebastopol is finalizing a date for consideration, perhaps as early as October 29, 2019, and Santa Rosa staff asked their Climate Action Subcommittee for direction on September 3, 2019 and is planning to take a resolution to the City Council once finalized.
Staff recommends adopting the enclosed Resolution to provide support for ongoing and future efforts related to climate change and greenhouse gas emission reductions through the Recovery and Resiliency Framework, the work of County departments and agencies, and the RCPA. The Office of Recovery and Resiliency will work with County Counsel and County departments and agencies to coordinate ongoing and future climate action activities.
In addition to the CAO’s Office and County Counsel, the resolution has been reviewed by General Services, the Open Space District, Permit Sonoma, and Sonoma Water. The four departments/agencies are supportive of the resolution.
Prior Board Actions:
March 19, 2019 - The Board of Supervisors held a Sonoma County Energy Sustainability Workshop on the collaborative efforts between the County, RCPA, and Sonoma Clean Power and programs that support local climate actions reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
May 8, 2018 The Board of Supervisors approved the Climate Change Action Resolution No. 18-0166 to support a county-wide framework for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and to pursue local actions that support the identified goals therein.
July 8, 2008 - The Board of Supervisors approved development of Regional Climate Protection Coordination Plan.
September 12, 2006 - The Board of Supervisors created the General Services Department’s Energy and Sustainability Division and approved the priority actions of the County Operations 2010 Climate Protection Action Plan.
September 27, 2005 - The Board of Supervisors, along with all other local jurisdictions in the County, committed to a community-wide goal of a 25 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from our 1990 baseline levels by the year 2015.
August 20, 2002 - The Board of Supervisors approved a Resolution committing the county to participate in the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives Climate Protection Campaign to set a target to reduce the county's internal operations greenhouse gas emissions by 20% of year 2000 baseline levels to approximately 30,000 tons per year by the year 2010.
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Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
Attachments:
Sonoma County Climate Emergency Resolution
RCPA Climate Emergency Resolution Approved 9-9-19
Windsor Climate Emergency Resolution Approved 9-4-19
Petaluma Climate Emergency Resolution Approved 5-6-19
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board: