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W A T E R I E N E R G Y I L I F E RIVERSIDE PUBLIC UTILITIES W& Board Memorandum P U B L I C U T I L I T I E S BOARD OF PUBLIC UTILITIES DATE: SEPTEMBER 4, 2015 ITEM NO: 9 File ID — 15 -2812 — D SUBJECT: RIVERSIDE RESTORATIVE GROWTHPRINT CLIMATE ACTION PLAN/ ECONOMIC PROSPERITY ACTION PLAN (RRG- CAP /EPAP) ISSUE: The issue for the Board of Public Utilities is to receive an update on the Riverside Restorative Growthprint - Climate Action Plan /Economic Prosperity Action Plan. RECOMMENDATION: That the Board of Public Utilities receive this update on the Riverside Restorative Growthprint (RRG), including the Economic Prosperity Action Plan (RRG -EPAP) and Climate Action Plan (RRG -CAP). BACKGROUND: Riverside Public Utilities, working with The Green Accountability Performance (GAP) Committee, the group responsible for implementing the City's Green Action Plan, served as the primary technical working group for the RRG -CAP. RPU plays a significant role in climate protection activities primarily through its operations, services, and a renewable portfolio standard calling for 33% renewable energy by 2020 and 50% by 2030. Low carbon electricity along with RPU programs /incentives to improve energy efficiency in existing buildings and residential homes benefits all ratepayers by making the City more competitive in terms of economic development and growth, and environmental leadership. The GAP Committee met quarterly over the course of a year to discuss the RRG -CAP and provide feedback, predominantly on the reduction measures. In addition, the City conducted community outreach that included public presentations and meetings with residents and stakeholders during the plan development and decision - making process. Over the past decade, the City of Riverside has progressively demonstrated its commitment to environmental quality, equity and opportunity, and economic prosperity for all. This commitment is evident in the City policies and programs that support a transition to a sustainable low- carbon economy and reduce the City's overall environmental impact. The City's efforts to reduce its environmental impacts began in 2005 with the creation of the Clean & Green Taskforce, whose mission was to develop a policy statement that would highlight Riverside's need for sustainable practices. The task force responded with the 2007 Sustainability Policy Statement (SPS), a seminal document with eight categories: Save Water, Keep it Clean, Make it Solar, Make it Shady, Clean the Air, Save Fuel, Make it Smart and Build Green. Later that year the SPS was officially adopted by the City Council. The SPS subsequently gave way to the task force's Green Action Plan, a robust strategy designed to show city officials and residents how to "go green" in the areas of Energy, Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions, Waste, Urban Design, Urban Nature, Transportation and Water. This important work led to the formation of the Green Accountability Performance (GAP) Committee, a group dedicated to ensuring the successful implementation of the Green Action Plan. In 2012 the Southern California Association of Government (SCAG) adopted a comprehensive regional plan known as the 2012 -2035 Regional Transportation Plan /Sustainable Communities Strategy (RTP /SCS). The RTP /SCS is a State - mandated plan, with the SCS focused on reducing GHG emissions from cars and light trucks at the local level through integrated transportation, land use, housing and environmental planning. Subsequent to the RTP /SCS adoption, SCAG created a grant program to implement projects and plans that implement the RTP /SCS goals and make dynamic changes in transportation and sustainability at the local level. In 2013, the City was awarded a SCAG grant to prepare a climate action plan (CAP) and integrate it