sr-012412-3eCity of City Council Report
Santa Monica
City Council Meeting: Date
Agenda Item: 3 -C-
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Dean Kubani, Office of Sustainability and the Environment
Subject: Participation in the Institute for Local Government's Beacon Award: Local
Leadership Toward Solving Climate Change Recognition Program
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council adopt the attached resolution authorizing the
City of Santa Monica's participation in the Beacon Award recognition program.
Executive Summary
The Beacon Award is a newly established program of the Institute for Local Government
(ILG) recognizing and celebrating cities and counties that reduce greenhouse gas
emissions and energy use; adopt policies and programs to address climate change; and
promote sustainability. In order to submit an application for recognition, the City of
Santa Monica is required to adopt a resolution committing the City to participate in the
program.
Discussion
The Beacon Award: Local Leadership toward Solving Climate Change is a newly
established program of the Institute for Local Government (ILG), the non - profit research
and education affiliate of the League of California Cities and the California State
Association of Counties. The program provides recognition for cities that proactively
address climate change and sustainability.
The Beacon Award program is funded by the California utility ratepayers and
administered by Pacific Gas and Electric Company, San Diego Gas and Electric
Company, Southern California Edison and Southern California Gas Company, under the
auspices of the California Public Utilities Commission.
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In order to participate in the Beacon Award, cities and counties must complete a simple
application and do the following:
• Adopt a resolution by the governing body committing the agency to participate;
• Designate a lead staff person as a point of contact;
• Prepare, or commit to prepare, a baseline greenhouse gas emissions inventory
for agency facilities and the community as a whole;
• Prepare, or commit to prepare, a climate action plan that includes actions in each
of the Best Practice Areas;
• Demonstrate compliance with AB 939, the California Integrated Waste
Management Act of 1989; and
• Achieve measurable greenhouse gas reductions and energy savings in agency
facilities, and achieve measurable greenhouse gas reductions and promote
energy conservation activities in the community.
Participating cities and counties will be recognized with Silver, Gold and Platinum
Beacon Award for achieving specified measureable reductions through the use of best
practices. The program will also recognize participants for interim accomplishments.
Once a city or county is accepted as a Beacon Award participant, it will work towards
achieving one or more of the three award levels at its own pace. There is no deadline or
timeline for meeting award level criteria; awards will be given out on an ongoing basis.
However, participants will be asked to provide periodic information about their efforts to
reduce greenhouse gas emissions and save energy and as well as progress in
completing a greenhouse gas inventory, climate action plan and undertaking activities in
the ten best practice areas.
Participants will receive special recognition at League of California Cities and California
State Association of Counties events, be highlighted on the Beacon Award website,, and
receive certificates and other materials to display in agency facilities. They may also
receive other appropriate and visible public tributes acknowledging their
accomplishments.
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Additional detailed information about the program can be found at www.ca-
ilg.org /BeaconAward.
The City is currently participating in similar programs with similar criteria. Staff does not
anticipate that significant additional time or resources will be required to participate in
the Beacon Award program. There is no additional cost to the City to participate in the
program.
Financial Impacts & Budget Actions
There are no financial impacts or budget actions required to pass the resolution
committing the agency to participate in the program, complete the application process
or receive recognition.
Prepared by: Shannon Parry, Principal Environmental Analyst
Approved:
Dean Kubani, Office of Sustainability
and the Environment
Attachments:
Attachment A: Beacon Award Criteria
Attachment B: Resolution
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Forwarded to Council:
Rod Gould
City Manager
Attachment A
Beacon Award Criteria
Awards are achieved through the tiered scale of criteria below:
Silver Beacon Award
Facilities & Operations
-Agency
GHG Reduction:
5 percent in agency facilities & o erations
Energy Savings:
5 percent in agency faculties & operations
from energy efficiency retrofits
-Community
GHG Reduction:
5 percent in the community as a whole
Energy Savings:
1 activity that promotes energy efficiency in
the community
Best Practice Areas:
One activity in each of the ten Best Practice
Areas
Gold Beacon Award
Facilities & Operations
-Agency
GHG Reduction:
10 percent in agency facilities & operations
Energy Savings:
10 percent in agency faculties & operations
from energy efficiency retrofits
-Community
GHG Reduction:
10 percent in the community as a whole
Energy Savings:
2 activities that promote energy efficiency in
the community
Best Practice Areas:
2 activities in each of the ten Best Practice
Areas
Platinum Beacon Award
Facilities & Operations
-Agency
GHG Reduction:
20 percent in agency facilities & operations
Energy Savings:
20percent in agency faculties & operations
from energy efficiency retrofits
-Community
GHG Reduction:
20 percent in the community as a whole
Energy Savings:
4 activities that promote energy efficiency in
the community
Best Practice Areas:
3 activities in each of the ten Best Practice
Areas
The ten Best Practice Areas referenced are from ILG's California Climate Action
Network's Best Practices Framework which offers suggestions for action to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions in each of the areas, for both agency facilities and the
community at large. The ten Best Practice Areas are:
1. Energy Efficiency & Conservation
2. Water & Wastewater Systems
3. Green Building
4. Waste Reduction & Recycling
5. Climate - Friendly Purchasing
6. Renewable Energy & Low - Carbon Fuels
7. Efficient Transportation -
8. Land Use & Community Design
9. Open Space & Offsetting Carbon Emission
10. Promoting Community & Individual Action
Reference Resolution No.
10652 (CCS).