HomeMy WebLinkAboutDocumentation_Environmental Advisory Committee_Tab 03_9/8/2021Agenda Item #3.
Environmental Advisory Committee (EAC)
STAFF MEMO
Meeting: Environmental Advisory Committee (EAC) - Sep 08 2021
Staff Contact: Thomas Bradford, EAC Chair Department: Environmental Advisory
Committee
Village Request for the EAC to Develop a Race to Zero Like Plan for Tequesta.
SUMMARY:
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VOT Carbon Footprint Reduction Memo 090821
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Agenda Item #3.
Village of Tequesta
Environmental Advisory
Committee
Memo
To: Environmental Advisory Committee Members
From: Thomas G. Bradford, Chair, EAC
cc: NA
Date: September 1, 2021
Re: Village Request for the EAC to Develop an Affordable Carbon Footprint Reduction
Plan for Tequesta, the Municipality
I reported at the August EAC meeting that the EAC has been requested by the Village Manager to
help develop a plan for Tequesta to reduce its carbon footprint, but not necessarily pursuant to, or
in conjunction with, many formal organizational efforts around the world to reduce carbon
emissions over time with the goal of becoming carbon neutral by a time certain.
If Tequesta and the EAC go down this path, the goal is not to necessarily become a member of any
organization, but to do the best we can with the resources that we have to reduce our carbon
footprint and its impact to our environment, including the effects on climate change. One idea the
Village Manager has was to engage in competition with municipalities in our region on things like
tree planting, recycling participation, use of solar panels by the Village, etc., the smaller things
that are financially within our grasp to do. He liked the competition seen in the Florida Race to
Zero. It gives people something to strive for. Our assignment is to prepare a plan for the VOT to
follow in making a reduction in its carbon footprint and to help with implementation. All ideas are
worthy of consideration.
We are now in the initial stage of preparing a plan for VOT (the municipal corporation, not
necessarily the citizens) carbon footprint reduction. At this juncture we simply bring forward ideas
and toss them around and eventually settle on some ideas that we agree on are achievable and
affordable with or without grants. We can lay it out in an outline format at a later date.
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Agenda Item #3.
We need to ascertain the following:
o What are the biggest creators of atmospheric carbon (carbon dioxide) owned or controlled
by the VOT? Without a formal assessment of our existing carbon footprint by facility all
we can do at this stage is venture a guess. My guess is as follows:
1) Energy for production of potable water
a) Electricity for Water Treatment Plant Processing of Raw Water
i. Treatment process for Reverse Osmosis
ii. Treatment process for Traditional Processing system
b) Electricity for all production wells
i. Floridan Aquifer Wells
ii. Surficial Aquifer Wells
c) Electricity for Pumping Water
i. Pumping from wells to treatment facilities
ii. Pumping for storage of treated water
iii. Pumping of treated water to consumers
2) Energy to Operate VOT Buildings
a) Public Safety Facility (24/7)
b) Village Hall
c) Community Center
d) Public Works Facility on Bridge Road
e) Former Fire Station at 465 Seabrook Road
3) Vehicular Consumption of Fossil Fuels
a) Police Fleet
b) Fire -Rescue Fleet
c) Public Works Fleet
d) Water Utility Fleet
e) Stormwater Utility Fleet
f) Recreation Fleet
g) Building Department/ Code Enforcement Fleet.
4) Streetlights and other lighting not associated with Buildings
o What are the affordable options to pursue for reductions to the VOT carbon footprint?
1) Planting of trees
a) How much carbon is sequestered by a typical live oak tree?
2) Pursue grants for energy efficiency retrofits to reduce energy consumption.
a) Water production related retrofits. (Typically require ROI analysis due to
cost)
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Agenda Item #3.
b) Grants to retrofit all buildings with energy efficiency enhancements,
including, but not limited to, increased insulation, energy efficient
windows, HVAC upgrades, solar installations for partial or total
conversion to sustainable energy.
c) Fleet conversion to hybrids, alternative fuels, or EV.
d) Providing public EV charging stations. Some provider programs pay for
100% of the cost, provide maintenance, and keep the revenue.
e) Conversion of all parking lots and streetlighting to LED.
o All of the above must be quantified for memorializing reductions in the carbon footprint of
VOT.
At our last meeting in August Jessica and Bob volunteered to do some research. Jessica was to
contact the Sustainability Sub -Committee of the Economic Development Committee of the Palm
Beach North Chamber of Commerce for any ideas, input etc. and Bob was going to review the
web for webinars we might want to use to better inform ourselves. This has been added to the EAC
September agenda for them to report on.
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