Environment And Infrastructure Committee — Columbia, SC
Date: 2021-07-20
Time: 10:00

COLUMBIA ENVIRONMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE MEETING
 AGENDA
 TUESDAY, JULY 20, 2021


The Columbia Environment and Infrastructure Committee will conduct a meeting on Tuesday,
July 20, 2021 at 10:00 a.m. at the Busby Street Community Center, 1735 Busby Street,
Columbia, SC 29203.

CALL TO ORDER
COMMITTEE DISCUSSION

1. Columbia's Climate Protection Action Committee (CPAC) Quarterly Update - Ms. Mary
 Pat Baldauf, Sustainability Administrator for the Public Works Department and Mr.
 Robert Petrulis, Vice-Chair of CPAC

ADJOURNMENT




 Page 1 of 1

COLUMBIA ENVIRONMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE MEETING
 AGENDA
 TUESDAY, JULY 20, 2021


The Columbia Environment and Infrastructure Committee will conduct a meeting on Tuesday,
July 20, 2021 at 10:00 a.m. at the Busby Street Community Center, 1735 Busby Street,
Columbia, SC 29203.

CALL TO ORDER
COMMITTEE DISCUSSION

1. Columbia's Climate Protection Action Committee (CPAC) Quarterly Update - Ms. Mary
 Pat Baldauf, Sustainability Administrator for the Public Works Department and Mr.
 Robert Petrulis, Vice-Chair of CPAC

ADJOURNMENT




 Page 1 of 1
 1




MEETING DATE: July 20, 2021

DEPARTMENT: City Clerk

FROM: Erika Hammond, City Clerk

SUBJECT: Columbia's Climate Protection Action Committee (CPAC)
 Quarterly Update - Ms. Mary Pat Baldauf, Sustainability
 Administrator for the Public Works Department and Mr.
 Robert Petrulis, Vice-Chair of CPAC
FUNDING SOURCE &
ORIGINAL BUDGET:

FOCUS AREAS: Innovative & High Quality Municipal Services




Updated: 7/15/2021 2:56 PM Page 1
 Packet Pg. 2

COLUMBIA ENVIRONMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE MEETING
 MINUTES
 TUESDAY, JULY 20, 2021


CALL TO ORDER
Attendee Name Title Status
Tameika Isaac Devine Chair Present
Will Brennan Member Present
Daniel J. Rickenmann Member Present

COMMITTEE DISCUSSION

1. Columbia's Climate Protection Action Committee (CPAC) Quarterly Update - Ms. Mary
 Pat Baldauf, Sustainability Administrator for the Public Works Department and Mr.
 Robert Petrulis, Vice-Chair of CPAC

Bob Petrulis, Vice Chair of Columbia's Climate Protection Action Committee provided an
update on behalf of CPAC. The second quarterly webinar: Keeping Columbia Cool was held on
June 17, 2021. To date, we've had 67 views of the webinar and it can still be viewed at
<https://youtu.be/LVxd639k5Fw>. Members of the committee and city staff are participating in
the following procurement cohorts: Renewable Energy Procurement Cohort, Sustainability
Planning Cohort, and the Mobile Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Cohort. The Ready for 100
Consultant's Report was completed by Dr. Anthony Artuso of BrightView Energy. The goals and
guiding principles include affordability, reliability, local generation, and accessibility/equity. We
need to consider the climate impact of new acquisitions immediately. Next steps include
dialogue about a resolution to affirm the City's commitment to Ready 100, constructive
collaborations, utility-scale solar projects, a strategy to address the transportation sector, and a
community-facing dashboard to report progress. We propose that CPAC take the lead in
developing a draft resolution for Council's consideration in consultation with the Environment
and Infrastructure Committee. What assets exist within the city that can move this agenda
forward? What does this committee need from CPAC that can help you frame these issues for the
committee and for City Council?

Councilor Rickenmann said we have to think about how we will distribute the power. Are grid
upgrades available? Large scale solar is a great option. Solar thermal wasn’t talked about. We
can incorporate that in public buildings and attainable housing options. In terms of assets that
exist within, we have a hydro plant and we can channel the power back to the water treatment
facility instead of selling it. We can capture the waste heat that’s generated at our wastewater
treatment plant. The commitment from the City is there. We will have to do this with Dominion



 Page 1 of 3
  COLUMBIA ENVIRONMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE MEETING
 MINUTES
 TUESDAY, JULY 20, 2021

Energy and all the utilities that touch the City. We need to incorporate these strategies into
discussions as we move forward. We have a lot of tools that we can utilize today.

Councilor Brennan said I want to get your feedback on public engagement. What are some
metrics that can connect with everyday citizens to get them more engaged with these topics?
Perhaps the consultant can tell you what other municipalities are seeing as successful
engagement metrics.

Councilor Devine said we can identify metrics and identify whether or not they align with our
Envision Columbia Plan. NLC is advocating for the renewal of the Energy Conservation Block
Grants in the American Jobs Plan. We need to understand what projects we have on the table that
will allow us to utilize that resource that may become available. We need a repository for our
partners so that we understand who is doing what within our region. Mary Pat and Tameria
should brief the committee on the partnership we have with Keep the Midlands Beautiful
because smaller groups are also contributing. DHEC may have grants available for
environmental justice issues or other projects like community engagement and education.

Councilor Rickenmann said a lot of incentives are going to roll out to for businesses. We need to
seek the right partners at every level.

Tameria Warren, CPAC member said I am a project consultant for Keep the Midlands Beautiful
has a grant in collaboration with Bank of American and the Arbor Day Foundation. They are
looking to complete beautification projects within the City of Columbia, specifically in the North
Main area. The partnership is with the Department of Juvenile Justice and Mt. Zion Baptist
Church in Cayce. The idea is to make sure youth are learning about environmental awareness
through beautification projects in the city. They will be participating in environmental justice and
awareness sessions between July and November.

Clint Shealy, P.E., Assistant City Manager for Columbia Water encouraged the committee
members to read the full report. You will see some momentum on the draft resolution at our next
meeting in October. Part of that discussion will be defining the magnitude of the problem we are
trying to solve. We have made a lot of progress working with CPAC to determine where
Dominion energy will be organically as they move toward clean energy by 2050. The
procurement cohort has brought several partners together to discuss clean energy. Please contact
your colleagues at the county and other partners because the footprint impacts all of us.



 Page 2 of 3
 COLUMBIA ENVIRONMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE MEETING
 MINUTES
 TUESDAY, JULY 20, 2021

ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 10:47 a.m.
Respectfully submitted:



Erika D. Moore Hammond, CMC
City Clerk




 Page 3 of 3