TO: Board of Supervisors
FROM: Brian Bordona, Director of Planning, Building, and Environmental Services
REPORT BY: Brian Bordona, Director of Planning, Building, and Environmental Services
SUBJECT: Request for Proposals to Prepare a Regional Climate Action and Adaptation Plan and associated California Environmental Quality Act document.
RECOMMENDATION
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Director of Planning, Building and Environmental Services requests authorization to issue a Request for Proposal (RFP) to Prepare a Regional Climate Action and Adaptation Plan (RCAAP) and associated California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) document.
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Over the past year, the Climate Action Committee (CAC) has prepared and completed an updated greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions inventory for the unincorporated area and the five cities/town. The creation of the inventory has enabled the CAC to better understand the current sources and levels of emissions, as well as the challenge of addressing future emissions through 2030 and preparing for the impact of climate events. The measures needed to reduce GHG emissions and increase regional resilience to climate change require strategic inter-governmental coordination, which can best be achieved through a Regional Climate Action and Adaptation Plan.
Staff has made presentations to the Napa County League of Governments (NCLOG); Cities of American Canyon, Calistoga, and St. Helena; and the Town of Yountville (city staff made the presentation to the City of Napa), all of whom have joined the County in broad support for the preparation of a Regional Climate Action and Adaptation Plan.
At their May 16, 2023, meeting, the Board of Supervisors requested that staff return with a discussion of funding for the Regional Climate Action Plan, so that direction may be provided. On June 6, 2023, the Board of Supervisors directed staff to prepare a Request for Proposals (RFP) and return to the Board before issuance for consideration. At their May 26, 2023, meeting, the CAC made the preparation of the RCAAP its top priority for the 2023-2024 Fiscal Year.
FISCAL & STRATEGIC PLAN IMPACT
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Is there a Fiscal Impact? |
Yes |
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Is it currently budgeted? |
No |
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Where is it budgeted? |
The State award of $500,000 will not be received until early 2024. The funds will be included in the FY 23-24 mid-year budget adjustment. |
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Is it Mandatory or Discretionary? |
Discretionary |
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Discretionary Justification: |
A Climate Action Plan is not required by State law, but is an Action Item in the 2008 Napa County General Plan. It is also an increasingly important consideration in the CEQA evaluation of individual planning applications. |
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Is the general fund affected? |
Yes |
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Future fiscal impact: |
The RFP proposes a two-year contract. Implementation costs for the contract could extend into FY 25-26, depending on the process and whether an EIR is required. |
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Consequences if not approved: |
The Board has previously committed to preparing either a Regional Climate Action Plan or a County Climate Action Plan. Based on that direction, there would be costs in developing such a document, which may be borne largely or entirely by the County. |
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County Strategic Plan pillar addressed: |
Vibrant and Sustainable Environment |
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION: ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION: The proposed action is not a project as defined by Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations (CCR) Section 15378 (State California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines) and therefore CEQA is not applicable. As a project under CEQA, environmental review of the RCAAP will be conducted prior to adoption.
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION
The Climate Action Committee (CAC) has been awarded a $50,000 grant, prepared a regional greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory, and participated in a discussion of climate change at the Napa County League of Governments (NCLOG). With the inventory, the CAC has a basis for understanding the current levels of emissions, as well as estimates for future emissions through 2030. The next step is to develop a Regional Climate Action and Adaptation Plan (RCAAP) to set goals, timelines, and measurable actions to be taken by the six member jurisdictions to reduce future GHG emissions and to develop resilience strategies to effectively respond to climate change events.
Many of the strategies and measures that will need to be implemented to reduce GHG emissions will require effective inter-governmental coordination. All of us are bound together in the same economy, transportation network, air basin, watershed, and ecosystem. The implementation of actions will be more effective and more efficient if carried out consistently among the CAC members.
At the October 6, 2022, meeting of the Napa County League of Governments (NCLOG), there was general support for proceeding with a Regional Climate Action Plan to provide a policy and implementation framework for reducing GHG emissions. There was also general agreement that each jurisdiction should consider the proposal for a Regional Climate Action Plan at a future Council/Board meeting, to guide Climate Action Committee (CAC) representatives as they move forward. After the NCLOG meeting, County staff made presentations regarding a Regional Climate Action Plan to the following jurisdictions:
American Canyon Open Space, Active Transportation, and Sustainability Committee - December 7, 2022
Calistoga City Council - January 17, 2023
St. Helena City Council - January 24, 2023
Napa County Board of Supervisors - February 7, 2023
Yountville Town Council - February 9, 2023
City staff made a presentation to the Napa City Council on March 7, 2023.
During these meetings, all six jurisdictions supported the preparation of a Regional Climate Action Plan. At their May 26, 2023, meeting, the CAC approved three priorities for the 2023-2024 Fiscal Year, preparation of a: (1) Regional Climate Action Plan; (2) Electric Vehicle Recharging State Plan; and (3) Building Reach Code Ordinance.
At their May 16, 2023, meeting, the Board of Supervisors requested that staff return with a discussion of funding for the Regional Climate Action Plan, so that direction may be provided. On June 6, 2023, the Board of Supervisors directed staff to prepare a Request for Proposals to hire a consultant to prepare the RCAAP and associated CEQA document and return to the Board for consideration prior to release of the RFP.
FUNDING
In support of this effort, staff from the County, City of Napa, and Resource Conservation District (RCD) submitted a $595,000 grant application for the Adaptation Planning Grant from the Integrated Climate Adaptation and Resiliency Program (ICARP) at the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research (OPR). The grant would have provided funding to prepare a Regional Climate Action Plan, with the County and RCD acting as co-applicants. However, staff were notified on May 31 that the grant had been denied.
In addition, County staff requested an appropriation from the State budget in the amount of $500,000 from Senator Dodd’s office. The request was granted.
If the cost of preparing the RCAAP and CEQA document exceed the $500,000 in State appropriations, then any exceedance would be funded by the CAC member jurisdictions. In accordance with Exhibit C of the Joint Powers Agreement (JPA) (Agreement No. 210344B), any additional costs for the RCAAP would be shared as follows:
Napa County: 33.0%
City of Napa: 29.9%
City of American Canyon: 12.8%
City of Calistoga: 8.3%
City of St. Helena: 8.5%
Town of Yountville: 7.5%
Over the past three months, staff has worked with City and Town Managers, the Resource Conservation District, and the Napa Valley Transportation Authority to develop the attached Request for Proposals, including the scope of work, timeline, selection process, and other considerations in preparing the Regional Climate Action and Adaptation Plan and appropriate CEQA document. As the Administering Agency under the JPA, the consultant contract to prepare the Regional Climate Action and Adaptation Plan and CEQA document is approved by the Board of Supervisors.
The RFP for the RCAAP includes the following requirements:
a. Introduction to climate change science, the relationship between local activities and greenhouse gas emissions, the purpose of climate action and adaptation plans and a summary of the applicable regulatory frameworks.
b. Overview of the emissions and carbon sequestration potential within each sector and jurisdiction identified in the updated 2019 regional GHG Inventory.
c. Estimates of future GHG emissions by sector and jurisdiction for each of the following years: 2030, 2035, and 2045. Separate estimates shall be provided for a Business as Usual (BAU) forecast; GHG emissions assuming state mandates; and GHG emissions assuming implementation of the RCAAP.
d. Prioritized GHG reduction action measures, including an analysis to aid the stakeholders and jurisdictions in evaluating the feasibility and prioritizing each measure, based on effectiveness, cost, equity, feasibility, and secondary benefits.
e. Assessment of risk(s) that each jurisdiction faces due to the impact of climate change and prioritized climate adaptation strategies to achieve resilience within each jurisdiction. The assessment shall include an analysis to aid the stakeholders and jurisdictions in evaluating the feasibility and prioritizing each measure, based on effectiveness, cost, equity, feasibility, and secondary benefits.
f. Implementation plan and monitoring program that meets the BAAQMD and CEQA guidelines requirements for a Qualified Climate Action and Adaptation Plan.
g. Create a web-based dashboard tracking tool that allows the public to monitor jurisdictions’ progress towards GHG reduction goals over time.
h. Public outreach including at a minimum: four community outreach meetings for the public; social media and community engagement strategy; online platform to inform, update, and receive feedback from the public; two presentations to the Climate Action Committee; and six presentations for decision making bodies for final adoption.
i. Coordination with the five cities and town, the Napa County Resource Conservation District, and the Napa Valley Transportation Authority.
j. A document to ensure that both the RCAAP and future projects implemented as a result of the RCAAP are compliant with the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the Napa County’s Local Procedures for Implementing the CEQA (2020), and BAAQMD’s CEQA Guidelines.