Receive update from the Yolo County Climate Action Commission Chair, NJ Mvondo, on Climate Action and Sustainability Progress. (No general fund impact) (Echiburú/Wraithwall)

Receive update from the Yolo County Climate Action Commission Chair, NJ Mvondo, on Climate Action and Sustainability Progress.

On September 29, 2020, the Yolo County Board of Supervisors passed Resolution 20-114, titled “A Resolution Declaring a Climate Crisis Requiring Urgent and Inclusive Mobilization in Yolo County,” which set forth the ambitious goal of achieving a countywide carbon-negative (climate-positive) footprint by 2030. The resolution urged the investment of countywide resources to initiate a just transition to an inclusive, equitable, sustainable, and resilient local economy while also supporting and advocating for regional, national, and international efforts necessary to reverse the climate, social justice, and economic crises. The resolution created the Yolo County Climate Action Commission (“Commission”) to include representation from vulnerable, marginalized, and underrepresented communities, cities and other appropriate jurisdictions, community organizations and experts in the field of climate change to engage the broader Yolo County community to ensure inclusivity and to advise Yolo County and its partners on the development and implementation of an updated Yolo County Climate Action and Adaptation Plan ("CAAP"). The Commission began meeting in Fall 2021.

From September 2021 to January 2022, Yolo County staff and the Commission sought applications from the public for early action projects ("early actions") to further Yolo County’s climate action and sustainability initiatives and support the goals in the 2020 emergency climate resolution. The effort focused on short-term actions Yolo County can undertake to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and sequester carbon prior to development of the updated CAAP, scheduled to begin in winter 2022-23. In January 2022, the Commission approved early action eligibility and prioritization criteria, which Yolo County staff used to recommend rankings of the 21 early action proposals received by the Commission. County staff used the approved prioritization criteria to recommend seven early action priorities to the Climate Action Commission. The first six of these projects were approved by the Board of Supervisors at the June 7, 2022 Meeting: 1) Carbon Farming Partnership; 2) Electrification Retrofit Rebate Outreach Program; 3) 100% Renewable Electricity Accounts; 4) Home Energy Labeling; 5) Inventory and Feasibility Study to Remove Fossil Fuels from Yolo County Operations; and 6) Zero Emission Vehicle Master Plan.

Following this meeting, County staff and the Commission worked to develop the Yolo County 2022–2025 Climate Early Action Grant Strategy to match grant opportunities to five of the early actions approved by the Board of Supervisors at the June 7, 2022 Meeting. This grant strategy leverages the County’s investment in achieving the goal of countywide carbon negative footprint by 2030 by directing staff to secure grants to implement priority early action projects to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and sequester carbon in unincorporated Yolo County. This grant strategy was approved by the Board of Supervisors at the July 26, 2022 Meeting.

Simultaneously, County staff and the Commission are preparing for the launch of the County's Climate Action and Adaptation Planning Process, which will outline a plan to reduce all greenhouse gas emissions in Yolo County and achieve a carbon negative footprint by 2030, while ensuring vulnerable, marginalized, and historically underserved communities are centered in the process. The Request for Proposals ("RFP") for consultants to assist the County in the development of the updated CAAP closed on September 8, 2022, and an evaluation panel is currently working to review proposals. On August 22, 2022, the Commission Approved the creation of the first two CAAP Working Groups: Equity and Engagement, and Natural and Working Lands (the latter of which is to be chaired by the Yolo Resource Conservation District). At this meeting, the Commission also recommended four (4) policy options for providing compensation for public meeting participation throughout the CAAP development and implementation process. County staff brought these options to the Board of Supervisors Climate Action Subcommittee for discussion on September 6, 2022. County staff, with support from the Commission, are working to identify and apply for funding opportunities to support this suite of compensation options and hope to return to the Board on this item before the end of the calendar year.

The development of the updated Climate Action and Adaptation Plan will begin in Winter 2022-23, and will continue through March 2024. Implementation the approved early action projects will occur simultaneously. County staff and the Commission will continue to return to the Board of Supervisors to share updates throughout this process.

The Yolo County Climate Action Commission includes ex-officio members from the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation as well as UC Davis. In addition, County Staff and the Commission are collaborating with the Yolo Resource Conservation District, Valley Clean Energy, the Center for Land Based Learning, and other local community representatives on the development/implementation of working groups and/or early action projects. Finally, County staff have collaborated with the Climate Action Subcommittee of the Board of Supervisors as well as representatives from the Cities of Davis, West Sacramento, Winters, and Woodland (as well as other regional municipalities/partners outside the County) on a wide variety of climate action and sustainability initiatives.