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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSustainability Commission - 07/09/2024APPROVED MINUTES EDEN PRAIRIE SUSTAINABILITY COMMISSION MEETING TUESDAY, JULY 9, 2024 7:00 P.M., Heritage Rooms 1&2 8080 Mitchell Road COMMISSION MEMBERS: Aaron Poock (Chair), Laura Bishop, Tim Conners, Gretchen Enninga, Cindy Hoffman, Moussa Ousmane, Carolyn Wieland, Michelle Frost, Jim Nehl CITY STAFF: Jennifer Fierce, Sustainability Coordinator, Kristin Harley, Recording Secretary I. CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL Chair Poock called the meeting to order at 7:04 p.m. Commissioners Hoffman, Bishop and Conners were absent. II. APPROVAL OF AGENDA AND OTHER ITEMS OF BUSINESS MOTION: The agenda was approved unanimously. MOTION CARRIED 6-0. III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM MAY 13, 2022 MEETING MOTION: The minutes were approved unanimously. MOTION CARRIED 6-0. APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM JUNE 11, 2024 MEETING MOTION The minutes were approved unanimously. MOTION CARRIED 6-0. IV. REPORTS A. REPORTS FROM STAFF 1. CLIMATE ACTION PLAN DATA UPDATE Fierce summarized the updated Climate Action Plan data for Eden Prairie. Metrics included were energy, travel, and waste. She explained the importance of calculating metrics in a consistent manner following the national standard. Energy data came from utility gas and electricity usage. Travel emissions are based on vehicles miles traveled through Eden Prairie, from MnDOT records. Sustainability Commission Minutes July 9, 2024 Page 2 [Wieland arrived at 7:08 p.m.] Waste data is aggregate from Hennepin County records, then divided by population for each city. Fierce displayed the list of cities with complete emissions information from 2007 through 2020, including Eden Prairie. She then displayed the overall greenhouse gas emissions breakdown for Eden Prairie as well as comparisons with other cities. Emissions from energy range from 50 to 70 percent for most cities. Eden Prairie was in the median of the data, at 60 percent. Emissions breakdowns varied by city and Fierce emphasized the importance of prioritizing actions that were most impactful for each specific city. Fierce then displayed the greenhouse gas emissions in Eden Prairie since 2007. There was a 30 percent reduction overall. Most cities were exceeding the State in meeting climate goals, and this showed the leading role cities must play and the momentum on which to build. Nehl noted travel emissions were relatively consistent over time, and asked if this included the number of EV vehicles owned in Eden Prairie. Fierce replied this was based on the statewide breakdowns for types of vehicles on the road and was not specific to Eden Prairie vehicles, so it probably accounts for a lower number of EVs than are driven in Eden Prairie. She noted the data showed reduced travel emissions during the Covid-19 pandemic, and so far, emissions have not gone back up to pre-pandemic levels. Poock stated overall travel emissions remained flat since 2007 despite a growth in population. Fierce displayed the greenhouse gas emissions in Eden Prairie from 2007 through 2022 and broken down by source: electricity (down 60 percent), heating fuels (up 17 percent), travel (down 10 percent), and waste (down 21 percent). Slightly more energy emissions came from commercial rather than residential properties. Gas emissions now exceed electricity emissions in Eden Prairie. Fierce stated she expected to see this continue for the foreseeable future. Electricity emissions decreased since 2007 due to both using less electricity and using cleaner generation sources, showing how both policy and local actions made a difference. Residential versus commercial electrical use showed a commercial/industrial decrease by 21 percent and residential decrease by 17 percent. Xcel was aggressively reducing its Sustainability Commission Minutes July 9, 2024 Page 3 carbon emissions. Frost asked and received confirmation the commercial numbers were not broken down by business line. Heating fuel use was variable due to weather and both commercial and residential tracked similarly between 2007 and 2022. Frost asked why there was an increase between 2018 and 2019, beyond heating degree days. Fierce was unsure the explanation. Regarding travel, Eden Prairie was flat since 2007 because of the pandemic. Between the pandemic and changes in the calculations used by the state, there was a 10 percent decrease (instead of the 15 percent growth shown earlier), and vehicle fuel economy improved steadily. Fierce did not anticipate Eden Prairie moving back to its peak in travel emissions due to behavior changes including working from home. Waste showed how recycling slightly increased over time, but yard waste was not included until 2016, so the metrics had changed during the data range. She displayed comparisons with other cities’ commercial/industrial electricity, residential electricity per household, vehicle miles traveled, commercial/industrial gas, residential gas use, and waste emissions per resident. Discussion followed on the cities at the high and low ends of the data. Fierce stated each city had a difference growth pattern as well, yielding different results for different reasons. It was not surprising that Hennepin County showed the greatest reductions in waste emissions. Fierce displayed the pathway slide and stated Eden Prairie was still on track to reach its 2050 goals. Xcel Energy had also outperformed its decarbonizing goals. Wieland asked for metrics surrounding the light rail in travel. Fierce stated this would likely not make a significant change in the data once operational, as it had not shown up in the data in other cities either, to staff’s surprise. Enninga asked what significance tree planting and carbon sequestration would have, and Fierce suggested the commission bring this up with its joint meeting with the Parts, Recreation and Natural Resources Commission next month. It is not a data point in the CAP update but is another decarbonization strategy. Fierce displayed the recommendations, which called for electrifying buildings, weatherizing homes and commercial buildings, reducing reliance on vehicle travel, and supporting electric vehicles. Poock Sustainability Commission Minutes July 9, 2024 Page 4 presented Conners’s notes on the presentation. Enninga suggesting looking into an energy ambassador service, so that residents could talk to a real person when considering climate action, like Master Gardeners, and Fierce agreed this was a good idea. STUDENT PROJECT DISCUSSION Fierce asked Wieland to overview her upcoming soccer swap event. Wieland stated she had been working with the soccer club and suggested the City sponsor a Soccer Swap. It would be held July 31 in the Community Center Room 110 from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. This would be like the recent clothing swap, except offering sports items such as shin guards, socks, shorts, perhaps soccer balls. She offered to keep the commission informed and contact them with more details. Fierce noted this was a tight turnaround, but Wieland replied there would not be a lot of work involved. This specific swap would not include the student representatives, but the swap idea could work as a model for their project in the upcoming school year. Fierce suggested the project, whatever it would be, should engage the entire group. Poock suggested a hockey-focused or overall sports-focused clothing/equipment swap. Frost suggested collected old tennis shoes for recycling. Poock suggested Soles for Souls. Poock stated he liked the model of some kind of swap for the student representatives. Wieland suggested a spirit gear swap. Fierce stated there would be eight student representatives this year. She stated she would put this on the agenda in September. B. REPORTS FROM CHAIR Poock stated he saw the dance for organic recycling on Eden Prairie’s social media page before July 4, done by staff through the Recreation Department. Discussion followed on the drone LED display that replaced the City fireworks. It included intermittent music and was well-attended. C. REPORTS FROM COMMISSION Wieland stated the Digital Fair Repair Law took effect July 1, allowing Minnesota residents to repair their broken phones or computers. It required manufacturers to provide manuals, parts and other information retroactively to July 2021. This was a huge win for repairing digital items, and Wieland hoped it would expand across the nation. She encouraged commission members to spread the word. V. NEXT MEETING Sustainability Commission Minutes July 9, 2024 Page 5 The next Sustainability Commission meeting will be held jointly with the Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources Commission Monday, August 5, 2024, at the Round Lake Park Building. VI. ADJOURNMENT MOTION: Wieland moved, seconded by Nehl to adjourn the meeting. MOTION CARRIED 6-0. The meeting was adjourned at 8:27 p.m.