TITLE
Recommendation to receive and file a report on the Clean Pathway Community Partnership between the City of Long Beach and Southern California Edison. (Citywide)
DISCUSSION
The City of Long Beach (City) has developed its first-ever Climate Action and Adaptation Plan (CAAP) to provide a framework for Long Beach residents and businesses to reduce the City’s greenhouse gas emissions. The CAAP will better prepare the Long Beach community for the impacts of climate change, improve local quality of life, and enhance economic vitality in Long Beach.
To help the City attain its CAAP goals, it is essential for the City to build upon its long-standing relationship with Southern California Edison (SCE), the provider of electric utility services in Long Beach for well over 100 years. Long Beach is the largest city within the SCE service territory. As such, it is mutually beneficial for the City and SCE to work closely together to achieve environmental goals and targets set out in the CAAP.
In August 25, 2020, as part of City Council action taken in relation to the City’s consideration of forming a Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) entity, the City Council directed staff to continue the City’s partnership with SCE to raise awareness of existing programs that provide Long Beach residents and businesses with various options to purchase a greater mix of renewables and utilize energy more efficiently.
To this end, City staff have been working closely with SCE staff to pilot a new joint initiative referred to as the Clean Pathway Community Partnership (CPCP). SCE has dedicated several key staff and leadership to support this effort while the City has had executive and staff involvement from the Public Works, Development Services, Economic Development, Energy Resources, Harbor, Water, and Financial Management Departments.
The organization of this partnership includes a large working group of subject matter experts from the aforementioned City departments with one City and SCE staff member designated as team lead for each of the initiatives outlined below. Team leads meet bi-weekly to discuss, troubleshoot, and report on developments of the four initiatives. The larger working group meets bi-monthly.
The CPCP focuses on four key objectives:
• Clean Energy Transition - Increase public awareness and participation in existing SCE clean energy programs and rate offerings through joint advocacy efforts, public awareness campaigns, and community engagement partnerships to support the sustainability goals of the City and SCE.
• Energy Solutions - Provide clean energy solutions and technologies such as demand response programs that enable City facilities, residents, and businesses to better manage their water, natural gas, and electric energy usage and to save money.
• Technology Innovation - Improve the development, acceptance, and implementation of emerging energy technology strategies such as solar and battery energy storage systems in support of the City’s renewable energy goals and SCE’s vision to achieve a carbon neutral future.
• Transportation Electrification Expansion - Enable the expansion of transportation electrification through investment, emerging technology acceptance, and streamlined processes to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and achieve air quality goals throughout Long Beach and surrounding communities.
Since the formation of the CPCP, the City and SCE have achieved improved alignment of environmental priorities, increased the speed and effectiveness of communication and action between the City and SCE, improved internal alignment of these objectives within our two organizations, and fostered accountability by assigning shared ownership of initiative execution with a strong and ongoing commitment for achieving tangible results.
While the City and SCE have worked closely together over the years, our joint successes have not often been clearly communicated or recognized. This CPCP will shine a brighter spotlight on these achievements and build momentum and leverage support for expanded collaborations to jointly attain environmental improvements for our region. The CPCP also provides a new pathway for both the City and SCE to quickly elevate issues and decision-making within our respective organizations, allowing citywide programs, projects, and services to be rapidly implemented to achieve the desired environmental benefits in our community.
This matter was reviewed by Deputy City Attorney Erin Weesner-McKinley on October 18, 2021 and by Budget Operations and Development Officer Rhutu Amin Gharib on October 19, 2021.
SUSTAINABILITY
Ongoing partnership between the City and SCE through the CPCP will ensure alignment of efforts toward CAAP goals and support trajectory toward CAAP targets.
TIMING CONSIDERATIONS
Council action on this item is not time critical.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal or local job impact associated with this recommendation. This recommendation has no staffing impact beyond the normal budgeted scope of duties and is consistent with existing City Council priorities.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
BODY
[Enter Body Here]
Respectfully Submitted,
ERIC LOPEZ
DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS
APPROVED:
THOMAS B. MODICA
CITY MANAGER