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Planning and Building Department, Tahoe Planning, Stormwater, and VHR Division, recommending the Board approve and authorize the Chair to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the South Tahoe Zero Emissions District and other agencies including the City of South Lake Tahoe, Barton Hospital, Lake Tahoe Unified School District, Lake Tahoe Community College, South Tahoe Public Utility District and South Tahoe Refuse to memorialize the agreement of all parties to collaborate in support of planning, implementing and growing the South Tahoe Zero Emissions District.
FUNDING: N/A
Body
DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
In 2020, the City of South Lake Tahoe convened a group of partners, not yet involving the County, on the south shore of Lake Tahoe to memorialize a vision to meet all electricity needs at every hour of the day with locally-generated renewable energy sources, including increased demand from electrification of transportation, heating, and other sectors. The City of South Lake Tahoe submitted an application to the Department of Energy requesting funding for a pilot project involving the City and an affordable housing developer as a first step toward enacting that larger vision. The application was submitted in 2021 and was not funded; however, the Parties maintain that commitment and vision.
In 2022, the City of South Lake Tahoe invited the County to join a newly formed group called the South Tahoe Zero Emissions District (STZED). Since that time, a collection of entities, the City of South Lake Tahoe, Barton Hospital, South Tahoe Public Utility District, South Tahoe Refuse, Lake Tahoe Unified School District, and the Lake Tahoe Community College (Parties), have met to discuss common goals and potential funding opportunities, primarily focused on facilities. In order to formalize the group and strengthen the partnership, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was created.
Participation in the STZED will benefit the Parties collectively by improving the adoption and visibility of renewable energy projects, distributed energy resources, battery storage, and climate-forward actions on the south shore of Lake Tahoe. Its goals are all concentrated on the reduction of greenhouse gases. The primary benefits to the County include increased efficiency, sustainability, and resiliency at County facilities in the Tahoe Basin.
Focus areas include, but are not limited to, the following:
A. Partnering, when possible and appropriate, to take advantage of economies of scale and/or mitigate risk and coordinate discussions with Federal, State, regional, and local agencies to address current regulatory challenges that currently preclude the objectives outlined in the STZED;
B. Sharing, discussing, and communicating the results of projects in support of scaling up even broader adoption of improved efficiencies, technologies, and systems;
C. Sharing data that allows for tracking of greenhouse gas reductions; and
D. Participatory learning resulting in the adoption of improved energy efficiencies.
This proposed MOU defines a cooperative process between the Parties. Nothing in this MOU will be construed as creating a binding legal relationship between the Parties. This MOU is a broad statement of intent which sets forth the general basis upon which the Parties wish to proceed. No legal liability will arise in respect of any subject matter hereof unless a subsequent binding agreement is negotiated, approved, and executed by the Parties.
ALTERNATIVES
The Board may choose not to approve the proposed MOU. This would result in the County forfeiting their invitation to join the STZED and therefore, the opportunity to collectively work with other entities toward a goal concentrated on the reduction of greenhouse gases.
PRIOR BOARD ACTION
N/A
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
County Counsel and Chief Administrative Office
CAO RECOMMENDATION / COMMENTS
Approve as recommended.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
There is no change to Net County Cost associated with this MOU as there are no costs or funding match requirements. STZED participants are expected to commit any staff time necessary to meet the goals of the MOU, which at this time is only anticipated to be approximately one (1) hour per month to attend and participate in meetings.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
1) The Clerk of the Board will obtain the Chair’s signature on one (1) original copy of the MOU; and
2) The Clerk of the Board will forward the executed MOU to the Planning and Building Department, Tahoe Planning, Stormwater, and VHR Division, attention Brendan Ferry, for further processing.
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
Good Governance: Participation in the STZED will further this strategic plan component in the Lake Tahoe Basin through active participation and collective engagement to seek opportunities to increase efficiency, sustainability, and resiliency at County facilities in the Lake Tahoe Basin.
CONTACT
Brendan Ferry, Deputy Director of Tahoe Planning, Stormwater, and VHR
Planning and Building Department