HomeMy WebLinkAbout11-7-22 Climate Action Commission AgendaIowa City Climate Action Commission Agenda
Monday, Nov. 7, 2022, 3:30 – 5:00 p.m.
Emma J. Harvat Hall
Iowa City City Hall
410 E. Washington St.
Meeting Agenda:
1. Call to Order
2. Roll Call
3. Approval of Oct. 10, 2022 minutes
4. Public Comment on items not on the Agenda
-Commentators shall address the Commission for no more than 3 minutes. Commissioners shall
not engage in discussion with the public concerning said items.
5. Announcements – informational updates
a. Action items from last meeting (Staff)
b. Upcoming events (Staff)
i. Teen Resilience Corps kit distribution (Nov. 14-18)
ii. America Recycles Day “Ask Jane + Jen” (Nov. 19)
iii. AmeriCorps team at Kirkwood STEAM event (Nov. 21-22)
c. Working group updates (Staff)
i. Resilience Hub Prioritization (Grimm, Hutchinson, Eynon-Lynch, Walter)
d. Community Based Organization outreach (Commissioners)
i. Home Builders Association (Krieger), South District Neighborhood (Eynon-
Lynch), NAACP, Black Voices Project (Soglin), Johnson County Affordable
Housing Coalition (Fraser), Lucas Farms Neighborhood (Giannakouros)
6. Unfinished/Ongoing Business:
a. Goldie marketing plan – updates and discussion
7. New Business
a. Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant funding priorities – initial discussion
8. Recap
a. Confirmation of next meeting time and location
i. Monday, Dec. 5, 3:30-5 p.m., Emma J. Harvat Hall
b. Actionable items for commission, working groups, and staff
9. Adjourn
If you will need disability-related accommodations in order to participate in this meeting, please contact
Sarah Gardner, Climate Action Coordinator, at 319-887-6162 or at sarah-gardner@iowa-city.org. Early
requests are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time to meet your access needs.
MINUTES PRELIMINARY
IOWA CITY CLIMATE ACTION COMMISSION
OCTOBER 10, 2022 – 3:30 PM – FORMAL MEETING
EMMA J. HARVART HALL
MEMBERS PRESENT: Michal Eynon-Lynch, John Fraser, Stratis Giannakouros, Clarity
Guerra, Kasey Hutchinson, Matt Krieger, Jesse Leckband, Becky
Soglin, Matt Walter
MEMBERS ABSENT: Ben Grimm, Gabriel Sturdevant
STAFF PRESENT: Daniel Bissell, Sarah Gardner, Megan Hill
OTHERS PRESENT: Elizabeth Wagner
CALL TO ORDER:
Soglin called the meeting to order.
APPROVAL OF SEPTEMBER 12, 2022 MINUTES:
Guerra moved to approve the minutes from September 12, 2022 with edits.
Eynon-Lynch seconded the motion, a vote was taken and the motion passed 8-0 (Giannakouros
not present for the vote).
PUBLIC COMMENT OF ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA:
None.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Action Items from last meeting (Staff):
• Commission members were invited to send any follow up questions for MidAmerican
to the climate action staff. No additional questions were received.
• MidAmerican was also going to follow up with additional information on questions
asked in the September meeting. Staff has not yet received those responses.
Climate Fest Recap (Staff):
• Hill reported a positive response and turnout for Climate Fest this year, which had more
than 2000 participants between the in-person and online events.
• 35 different community organizations collaborated with Climate Action staff on the
various events. Staff received a lot of great feedback from the organizations, who
reported having meaningful conversations with residents who attended.
• Highlights included [videos featuring recent climate action-funded community projects
shown at the Big Grove event], a combined electric mileage of over 537,000 miles
among the electric vehicles that participated in the EV event, $531 donated to Red Earth
Gardens as part of the screening donation at Film Scene, and a large online viewership
of the dance performance.
Climate Action Commission
October 10, 2022
Page 2 of 6
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Upcoming events (Staff):
• University of Iowa Solar Policy Panel (Oct. 11)
• Climate Ambassador Waterworks Tour (Oct. 12)
• Johnson County ADA Celebration (Oct. 15)
• Growing Sustainable Cities Conference (Oct. 17-18)
• Iowa City Halloween Carnival (Oct. 21)
• Speaking of... Pumpkins & Presents (Oct. 31)
{Giannakouros joined the meeting}
Working Group Updates (Staff):
• Solar Prioritization (Giannakouros, Krieger, Soglin, Sturdevant) - the memo was sent to
Council and they approved those projects to move forward.
• Insulation Grant Program (Guerra, Fraser, Leckband) - met and discussed the ongoing
inflation grant program.
• Resilience Hub Prioritization (Grimm, Hutchinson, Eynon-Lynch, Walter) - working to find
a date to meet later in October.
Community Based Organization outreach (Commissioners):
• Home Builders Association (Krieger) – no update.
• South District Neighborhood (Eynon Lynch) noted there was a lot of interest in the heat
pump grant so need to get information about that grant to them (Bissell will do so).
• NAACP (Soglin) had good conversation about awareness of grants
• Black Voices Project (Soglin) still working to find a time to meet.
• Johnson County Affordable Housing Coalition (Fraser) - no update
• Lucas Farms Neighborhood (Giannakouros) - no update
• LULAC (Guerra) – no update
UNFINISHED/ONGOING BUSINESS:
Climate Action Plan:
• Gardner noted the climate action plan update included several new solar projects
amended into the Accelerated Action Plan following the memo sent to Council.
• Kreiger asked about the engagement with the realtor community. Four Iowa City Area
Association of Realtors (ICAAR) members received scholarships to attend the Green
Designation training and learn about interventions to improve home efficiency. There is
interest in adding a category for energy efficiency features or "High Performance Homes"
to the MLS, which is in the process of being updated this year.
• Guerra asked about continued engagement among Climate Ambassadors. A Climate
Ambassadors newsletter was launched earlier this year to foster ongoing connection.
Gardner noted that similar programs (Climate Reality Training, Master Gardeners) see
challenges with sustained engagement; therefore, ongoing trainings to add people to the
mix are important. Partnering with organizations, i.e. having employers like ACT host a
training, is another strategy to foster ongoing engagement.
• Hill noted they are continuing to work on ways to keep ambassadors involved in a
Climate Action Commission
October 10, 2022
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hands-on way with engagement opportunities. Eynon-Lynch suggested the Resilience
Corps might have future potential projects for ambassadors.
• Krieger asked about the resilience hub study by Ayman Sharif, completed in August.
Staff will include it in the next agenda packet
• Soglin asked about the 109 audits done by Green Iowa AmeriCorps members and the
14 gas leaks found in the process. A number of those gas leaks were external to the
home, which is part of the reason that they had gone undetected, but were noted as a
climate hazard.
• Krieger asked for details about BR-4: energy benchmarking, and whether it would start
as a voluntary program. Bissell reported that the program details are still being worked
out. Gardner suggested staff would like to form that a Commission working group early
2023 to examine considerations and outcomes related to an energy benchmarking
ordinance.
• Krieger also asked about the sustainability forum and events. Staff hosted a small
business focus group in August that included businesses that have not previously had
much interaction with. Participants reported being very interested in sustainability but
reported most of their actions pertained to recycling. They also identified a potential
hurdle to be the disconnect between the landlord who owns the building and those who
occupy the buildings in terms of accessing the TIF funding opportunities.
24/7 Initiative questions and next steps:
• Gardner noted in recent City Council discussions the comments made that indicate
Council members have been following the discussions the Commission has been having
related to this initiative and the values placed on the thoughtful questions raised in the
process.
• Staff has continued to participate in the World Resource Institute cohort of cities that
have been exploring this question. Most of the cities that have been participating have
not yet adopted a 24/7 resolution themselves but are continuing to work through the
questions. A lot of the solutions that have been brought forward in those discussions
have been more applicable for communities and entities that are able to participate in a
wholesale energy market, which Iowa City is unable to do.
• Krieger noted a concern about possible rate increases, so it seems like additional
outreach efforts should be made to all types of customers.
• Soglin noted the Commission’s responsibility to consider the equitable outcomes and the
co-benefits of any projects and the risks.
• Giannakouros reported feeling ill equipped to answer the technical questions. For
example, on the gas/methane study, they had more transparent data and information on
which to base a recommendation, so perhaps a consultant was needed to better
understand the options related to this question as well.
• Giannakouros stated when dealing with an investor-owned utility, they have proprietary
information that they're not willing to disclose so it's all proxy, and it's all guesstimate.
• The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) will also reconfigure the industrial policy landscape of
the US and change trajectories, change feasibility curves, costs, and technology
adoption, so the numbers MidAmerican put forward to this Commission are going to
change.
• Giannakouros feels they should wait and see what Des Moines’ plan will be and see
what Ann Arbor’s consultant comes forward with.
• Krieger echoed the Inflation Reduction Act impact and noted the franchise agreement
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October 10, 2022
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isn’t up until 2027 and wonders if they will see how the IRA is incorporated into that. If
the utility is getting incentives, are they passing those incentives down as rate reductions
to the customers, for example.
• Giannakouros stated 24/7 is an excellent idea and it's where we have to go to not be
reliant on fossil fuels over the long term. On the flip side, the Commission has to decide
whether they are responsible for Iowa City or All Things Climate, because 24/7 would
mean the City would be demanding changes that are mostly outside the boundaries of
the city.
• Elizabeth Wagner (Iowa Environmental Council) wanted to reiterate some of the
information that the Iowa Environmental Council provided to the Commission on the
topic of 24/7 CFE resolution.
• In April of this year, the IPCC announced that in order to limit warming to 1.5
degrees Celsius, global electricity production will require a nearly complete
elimination of fossil fuels from generation by 2030. In response to this, the US
declared a goal to reach carbon free electricity nationwide by 2035. This local
24/7 CFE resolution aligns with that policy.
• A utility cannot set a city specific rate without review and approval from the
Iowa Utilities Board. The final 24/7 carbon free electricity resolutions passed
by both Des Moines and Waterloo did not include the mention of a franchise
agreement so an Iowa City resolution would not need to include franchise
agreement language in order to pursue this goal.
• IEC feels Iowa city needs a clean energy goal that imagines an electric grid in
2035 that is free of fossil fuels and work must take place to capitalize on
renewable energy capacity, expand energy storage, and use energy more
efficiently.
• Krieger and Giannakouros expressed a preference to make the Accelerated Action Plan a
living document that will be updated when information from the IPCC prompts new goals.
• The Commission discussed the 24/7. On one hand is an overall laudable goal, but there are
concerns about whether it would be seen as symbolic because it doesn't necessarily push the
needle in a sense beyond the City’s borders. The Commission has concerns about cost and
impacts and equity and the only avenue is involving the relationship with the main utility,
MidAmerican Energy. Therefore, this Commission would like to wait and discuss this again in
January, when they can learn more about what happens in Des Moines now that they're
making a commitment and they're issuing a report. Additionally, they can find out what Ann
Arbor learns from the consultant hired to investigate this question. The Commission also wants
to recognize that the inflation Reduction Act is already having an impact on how they should be
thinking about these things and there's just much more yet to be seen. Finally, when talking
about the cost impacts, they don't feel like they have a sense of what the overall community
really wants so more outreach or inquiry is needed.
• Gardner clarified that Ann Arbor’s feasibility study would not likely be finished by January.
Leckband asked if the shape of the study would be established by then, and Gardner said she
would find out.
• Eynon-Lynch asked whether other cities already each had a Climate Action Plan as detailed as
Iowa City’s before they adopted or began considering the 24/7 Initiative. Gardner responded
that Des Moines adopted 24/7 as part of the launch of their city’s climate action plan.
• Stratis noted that 24/7 bears similarity to the White House’s plan for a zero-emissions
electricity sector by 2035. Instead of using the specific language of 24/7, Iowa City could take
Climate Action Commission
October 10, 2022
Page 5 of 6
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the information from it and chart its own course.
• The Commission will revisit this discussion in the January meeting, with Des Moines’ plan
available for study.
RECAP:
• Confirmation of next meeting time and location:
o Monday November 7, 3:30-5 p.m., Emma J. Harvat Hall
• Actionable items for commission, working groups, and staff
o Staff will amend the minutes to note authors of the supplementary memo.
o Staff will follow up with MidAmerican on questions.
o Staff will include the report from Ayman Sharif in the next agenda packet.
o Staff will try to find out the timeline for Ann Arbor’s consultant report.
ADJOURNMENT:
Leckband moved to adjourn, Kreiger seconded the motion. A vote was taken and the motion
passed 9-0.
CLIMATE ACTION COMMISSION ATTENDANCE RECORD
2022
NAME
TERM EXP. 11/1/2021 12/6/2021 1/10/2022 2/7/2022 3/7/2022 4/4/2022 5/2/2022 6/6/2022 7/11/2022 8/15/2022 9/12/2022 10/10/2022 Michal Eynon-
Lynch
12/31/2024 -- NM X X X X X X NM X X X
John Fraser 12/31/2024 X NM X X X X X X NM X X X
Stratis
Giannakouros
UI Rep
X NM
X
O/E X X X O/E NM X X X
Clarity Guerra 12/31/2022 -- NM X X X X O/E X NM X X X
Ben Grimm 10/31/2023 X NM O/E X X O/E X X NM X X O/E
Grace
Holbrook*
12/31/2021 O/E NM -- -- -- -- -- -- NM -- -- --
Megan Hill* 12/31/2022 X NM X X X X X -- NM -- -- --
Kasey
Hutchinson
12/31/2022 X NM X X X X X X NM X X X
Matt Krieger 12/31/2023 X NM X X X X O/E X NM X O/E X
Jesse
Leckband
MidAmerican
Rep
O/E NM X O/E X X X X NM X O/E X
Becky Soglin 12/31/2022 X NM X X X X X X NM X X X
Climate Action Commission
October 10, 2022
Page 6 of 6
6
Gabe
Sturdevant
12/31/2024 -- NM X X X X O/E X NM X X O/E
Eric Tate* 12/31/2021 X NM -- -- -- -- -- -- NM -- -- --
Matt Walter 12/31/2023 -- NM -- -- -- -- -- -- NM X O/E X
KEY: X = Present
0 = Absent
0/E = Absent/Excused
NM= No
Meeting
* No longer on Commission
CITY OF IOWA CITY
CLIMATE ACTION & OUTREACH DIVISION
GOLDIE MARKETING PLAN
2022-2023
CAMPAIGN O VERVIEW
SIX CAMPAIGNS. ONE YEAR.
The purpose of this document is to outline the plan for a series of six bi-monthly marketing campaigns utilizing the Iowa City Climate
Action Mascot, “Goldie.” Among the more than sixty actions contained in the Accelerating Iowa City’s Climate Actions Plan are
interventions as wide ranging as converting natural gas appliances to electric, advancing electric vehicle use, composting organic
waste, promoting native plantings, and maintaining local food production. Goldie was developed as a unifying element to help tie
together many different Climate Action campaigns under one cohesive brand. As a mascot, Goldie is also able to help promote these
actions in a manner that is friendly, approachable, helpful, and informative while at the same time signaling an action’s importance
in addressing climate change.
The plan was developed in collaboration between the Climate Action and Outreach division and the Communications division ,
building on foundational work done as part of the Cause Impacts marketing study . Each of the six campaigns were chosen based on
their connection to programs or initiatives to be promoted in the coming year and their relative importance to the goals of t he
Climate Action Plan. The initial six campaigns were also chosen on the basis of their ability in this first year of deployment to help
establish Goldie as a trusted and affable source of information. In subsequent years staff anticipate refreshing some of the initial six
campaigns while substituting new campaigns for others.
The plan covers November 2022 through October 2023. Each Goldie campaign is defined in terms of how Goldie is to be rendered,
the desired outcome (or “call to action”), targeted audiences, collateral to be developed, and communication channels/vehicle s to
be utilized. For each part of the plan, the staff responsible for its development and deployment are noted. The plan also contains a
crosswalk of community events throughout the year describing the nature of the event, sponsoring organizations/community
partners, dates, corresponding Goldie campaign for that time of year, and staff responsible for coordinating with event organizers to
participate. The final section of the plan offers examples of print and digital collateral as well as related giveaway items to help
visualize how Goldie will be deployed across these campaigns.
CAMPAIGN DEPLOYMENT
Campaign/
Dates to Run Call to Action Goldie pose Audience Collateral Possible Vehicles Staff
responsible
“What R You”
Prep Date:
Sept/Oct
Deploy Date:
Nov/Dec
Related CAAP
initiatives:
BE-1, BI-1
Know the R-
value of your
attic insulation
Goldie holding a
ladder about to
enter an attic
Homeowners
Renters
Realtors
New home buyers-
(through title
transfer postings)
Print/Digital:
- Social media tile
- Flyers
- Utility inserts
- Bus ads (all
created by
Andrea)
Video:
-Animated Goldie
video by Lillie
- Video from
Deerfield
Commons
(existing/refresh
by Jack)
City social pages Zach & Diane
Neighborhood
association. pages; Iowa
City Area Association of
Realtors (ICAAR), Home
Builders Assoc. pages
Megan
Climate Action Newsletter Diane
City webpage with
resources (DOE guide)
Diane & Megan
Tabling at Iowa City
Parks & Recreation’s
(ICPRD) Holiday Markets
& GIA events (flyer
displayed on table with
info about insulation &
free energy audits
provided by GIA)
Green Iowa
AmeriCorps
(GIA) & Megan
Banner ad in Nov. Little
Village
Andrea,
Megan, &
Sarah
Ad in Sunday Gazette,
Press Citizen (Wed.)
Zach, Megan,
& Sarah
Local Radio Stations Megan & Zach
City Hall, ICPL, Robert A.
Lee Recreation Center
(RAL), Mercer, & Senior
Center digital signs
Megan, Andrea
& Sarah
Campaign/
Dates to Run Call to Action Goldie pose Audience Collateral Possible Vehicles Staff
responsible
“In It
Together”
Prep Date:
Oct/Nov
Deploy Date:
Jan/Feb
Related CAAP
Initiatives:
AE-2, AE-3,
Help out
neighbors to
build community
resilience
Goldie in a
stocking cap with
a snow shovel
Residents
Neighborhood
associations, &
HOAs
Print/Digital:
- Social Media Tile
-Flyers
-Utility Insert (all
created by
Andrea)
Video:
-Animated video
by Lillie
City social pages
Zach & Diane
Neighborhood Assoc.
pages
Megan
Climate Action Newsletter Diane
City webpage with
resources/Info (Climate
Resilience Toolkit)
Diane & Megan
Tabling at MLK Day, One
Book Two Book, Senior
Center event in Dec.
(Flyers on table and/or
color sheet to take home)
GIA & Megan
Gazette Kids section
coloring sheet
Diane, Megan
& Andrea
Local Radio Stations Megan & Zach
GIA flyering GIA
Iowa City Public Library
(ICPL); Bookmobile
Megan & Sam
Iowa City Parks and
Recreation (ICPRD)
facilities & events
GIA & Megan
Senior Center flyers Megan
City Hall, ICPL, RAL,
Mercer, & Senior Center
digital signs
Megan, Andrea
& Sarah
Campaign/
Dates to Run Call to Action Goldie pose Audience Collateral Possible Vehicles Staff
responsible
“Local Water =
Local Food”
Prep Date:
Jan/Feb
Deploy Date:
March/April
Related CAAP
Initiatives:
BE-1, BE-4,
SLI-2
Drink and use
tap water
Goldie next to a
water bottle ¼ full
of oil
Residents
Farmers Market
Patrons
Athletic groups
Print/Digital:
- Social Media
Tiles
- Flyers
- Bus ads (all
created by
Andrea)
Video:
- Waterworks
video (of water
testing) by Jack
Giveaway:
-Etched Goldie
pose onto
drinking glass
City social pages Zach & Diane
Neighborhood association
pages, NCJC pages
Megan
Climate Action newsletter Diane
City webpage with
resources/info (Bottled
Water; 5 Reasons to
Drink Tap Water)
Diane & Megan
Tabling at Prairie Preview
(giveaway), Earth
Expo, Earth Month
events (water bottle
with Molasses on
display with campaign
flyer)
GIA & Megan
Quarter page in Little
Village in March
Zach, Megan, &
Sarah
GIA flyering GIA
ICPL public bulletin board Megan & Sam
ICPRD events and flyers
at recreation facilities
Megan
Field to Family social
pages/newsletter, etc.,
Free Lunch Program
volunteer bulletin
board (staff)
Diane & Megan
City Hall, ICPL, RAL,
Mercer, & Senior
Center digital signs
Megan, Andrea
& Sarah
Campaign/
Dates to Run Call to Action Goldie pose Audience Collateral Possible Vehicles Staff
responsible
“One is a
lonely
number”
Prep Date:
March/April
Deploy Date:
May
Related CAAP
Initiatives:
TE-1, TE-2,
TR-1
Use alternative
transportation –
walking, biking,
and/or riding
public
transportation
(Seniors ride
free and ICCSD
students ½ off)
Hybrid
photo/cartoon of
Goldie’s friends on
the bus as Goldie
boards with a bike
helmet on
Commuters
coming to/going
from Iowa City
Businesses/
Employers
Students (ICCSD
students get ¼ off
bus passes)
Seniors (65+ ride
free)
People who work
downtown IC and
IC downtown
businesses
Print/Digital:
-Social Media
Tiles
-Flyers (all created
by Andrea)
Video:
-Animated Goldie
walking, biking,
using the bus
by Lillie
Giveaway:
- Wrist band
reflector giveaway
City social pages Zach & Diane
Neighborhood association
pages, MPOJC
Megan
Climate Action Newsletter Diane
City webpage with
resources/info (Bus
Schedules)
Diane & Megan
Tabling at Iowa City
Farmers Market, Bike
to Work Week, (flyer)
Pedal Power (reflector
giveaway & flyer)
GIA & Megan
Quarter page in May Little
Village
Zach, Megan,
Sarah
Local Radio Station Megan & Zach
Daily Iowan (University
Students/Staff)
Megan & Zach
GIA Flyering GIA
ICPL; Bookmobile Megan & Sam
ICPRD Activity Guide Megan & Joyce
Senior Center flyers,
Email, Activity Guide
Megan
Bike Shops (Bike Library)
flyers and/or at events
Megan
Flyers at places that sell
bus passes
GIA & Megan
Peach Jar (ICCSD
students)
Megan
City Hall, ICPL, RAL,
Mercer, & Senior
Center digital signs
Megan, Andrea
& Sarah
Campaign/
Dates to Run Call to Action Goldie pose Audience Collateral Possible Vehicles Staff
responsible
“Don’t Ditch.
Donate!”
Prep Date:
April/May
Deploy Date:
June/July
Related CAAP
Initiatives:
WE-2, WI-1,
SLE-3
Donate items
instead of
throwing them
away during
move out/in
season.
Goldie dragging a
piece of furniture
to donate it.
Or Goldie loading
household items
into a donation bin
(lamp, clothes,
etc.)
Renters moving in
and out of their
homes
Homeowners
moving into new
home
Landlords/Property
Managers
Realtors
Second-hand
stores
Print/Digital:
-Social media tile
-Flyers
-Utility Insert
paired with info
on Jane’s event
-Bus ads (all
created by
Andrea)
Video:
- Pop-up
donation drop
video by
resource
management
City social pages
Zach & Diane
Neighborhood assn.
pages, ICAAR, Houses
into homes
Megan
Climate Action Newsletter Diane
City webpage with
resources/info Diane & Megan
Tabling at Diversity
Market, Farmers
Market, CCAN
Networking (flyer)
GIA & Megan
Quarter page in June
Little Village Zach, Megan, &
Sarah
Ad in Sunday Gazette,
Wednesday Press
Citizen
Zach, Megan, &
Sarah
Daily Iowan (students) Zach & Megan
Local Radio Stations Megan & Jane
GIA hang flyers GIA
ICPL; Bookmobile Megan & Sam
ICPRD events & Summer
Activity Guide GIA & Megan
University of Iowa Megan
Secondhand stores GIA & Megan
City Hall, ICPL, RAL,
Mercer, & Senior
Center digital signs
Megan
Campaign/
Dates to Run Call to Action Goldie pose Audience Collateral Possible Vehicles Staff
responsible
“Get pumped!”
Prep Date:
June/July
Deploy Date:
Aug/Sept
Related CAAP
Initiatives:
BE-1, BI-9, BI-
10, SLCP-2
Adopt a heat
pump when
looking for a
new air
conditioner.
Goldie next to a
heat pump outside
with a cap with the
Climate Action
Matters logo on
the front and in
pants and
suspenders.
Homeowners
Realtors/ICAAR
Landlords
Contractors
Print/Digital:
-Social Media
Tiles
-Flyers
-Bus Ads in Sept
-Utility Insert with
info on
programs and
tax
credit/rebate
information in
August (all
created by
Andrea)
Video:
Heat pump
contractor
video created
by Jack
City social pages Zach & Diane
ICAAR pages,
Neighborhood
association pages,
Home Builders Assoc.
pages
Megan
Climate Action newsletter Diane
City webpage with
resources (NRDC)
Diane &
Megan
Tabling events at
Diversity Market,
Farmers Market (flyer)
GIA & Megan
Quarter page in Little
Village in August Zach, Megan,
& Sarah
Ad in Sunday Gazette,
Press Citizen on
Wednesday
Zach, Megan,
& Sarah
Local Radio Station Megan & Zach
GIA Hang flyers & door
hangers GIA
ICPL bulletin board Megan & Sam
ICPRD Fall Activity Guide Megan &
Michelle
Senior Center Activity
guide, flyers, email list Megan
City Hall, ICPL, RAL,
Mercer, & Senior
Center digital signs
Megan,
Andrea &
Sarah
EVENT CROSSWALK
Events Organization
Facilitating Notes Date and/or
frequency Campaigns(s) Possible
Presence Staff Responsible
Holiday
Markets
Parks and Rec Vendors selling items & few
organizations tabling (flyers & audits)
November &
December
2022
“What R You?” GIA tabling GIA/Engagement
Specialist
MLK Day City/Stefanie Service activities, games, & few
organizations tabling (flyer)
January 2023 “In it Together” GIA tabling GIA
One Book
Two Book
ICPL/ IC
UNESCO
Activities, tabling, & books (flyer,
color page)
February 24-
26 2023
“In it Together” GIA & City
Tabling
GIA/Engagement
Specialist
Prairie
Preview
Bur Oak Organization tabling & awards (flyer,
giveaway, & bottle with molasses)
March 2023 “Local Water,
Local Food”
GIA & City
Tabling
GIA/Engagement
Specialist
Earth Expo GIA Organizations tabling & activities
(flyer & bottle with molasses)
March or Early
April 2023
“Local Water,
Local Food”
GIA & City
Tabling
GIA/Engagement
Specialist
Iowa City
Farmers
Markets
Parks and Rec Between City staff and AmeriCorps
members several campaigns will be
covered at the Farmers Markets
throughout the season. (flyers)
Jane Wilch usually plans a waste
diversion event in the summer, which
will be advertised as part of the
“Don’t Ditch, Donate” campaign.
Every
Saturday May
through the
end of
October
“Bus, Bike,
Walk” (May)
“Don’t Ditch,
Donate”
(June/July)
“Get Pumped”
(Aug/Sept)
GIA & City
tabling at a
few through
the season
GIA/Engagement
Specialist/Jane Wilch
Diversity
Market
South District
Neighborhood
Center
GIA tables at the Diversity Market to
get people to sign up for audits,
advertise upcoming events, and will
add the Goldie tips. (flyers)
Every
Saturday May
through July
“Bus, Bike,
Walk” (May)
“Don’t Ditch,
Donate”
(June/July)
GIA tabling GIA/Engagement
Specialist/Jane Wilch
Bike to
Work Week
TBD National Bike to Work Week;
possible events with bike shops.
May 15-21,
2023
“Bus, Bike,
Walk”
GIA & City
Tabling
GIA/Engagement
Specialist
Events Organization
Facilitating Notes Date and/or
frequency Campaigns(s) Possible
Vehicles Staff Responsible
Pedal
Power
ICPRD Bike-centered event (flyer & bike
light giveaway)
May. 2023 “Bus, Bike,
Walk”
GIA & City
Tabling
GIA/Engagement
Specialist
Corridor
Community
Action
Network
CCAN There are meetings that happen
sporadically, and the event was in
July in 2022
Monthly
Meetings
CCAN
Networking
event in July
“Don’t Ditch
Donate”
GIA/City
tabling &
Meetings
GIA/Engagement
Specialist
Climate
Fest
Climate Action &
Outreach
City staff will table at each event and
show off the Goldie Sticker sheet;
recap all the campaigns.
September
2023
Goldie Sticker
Sheet; Recap
of campaigns
City tabling Engagement Specialist
Iowa City
Parks &
Recreation
Events
ICPRD Various ICPRD recurring events with
opportunity to table such as Winter
Solstice, FREEZE Fest, etc. ICPR
also have pop-up events and create
new events/programs every season.
Recurring
events that
happen
throughout the
year and pop-
ups
Various
Campaigns
throughout the
year at events
GIA & City
tabling
GIA/Engagement
Specialist
This table is not meant to be an exhaustive list of events throughout the year. Some of these events may not happen or change in
structure. We anticipate that there will be new events and opportunities to table, participate, and collaborate.
LOGOS
The City’s official logo:
The City’s Climate Action logo:
The City’s website/wordmark logo:
EXAMPLE COLLATERAL
GOLDIE INTRODUCTION AT CLIMATE FEST GOLDIE ON THE CLIMATE ACTION NEWSLETTER MASTHEAD S
CLIMATE ACTION TABLECLOTH DESIGN:
GOLDIE ON THE M AIN CLIMATE ACTION W EBPAGE:
GOLDIE “WHAT R YOU” STICKER MOCKUP : GOLDIE “IN IT TOGETHER” STICKER MOCKUP :
“WHAT R YOU?” CAMPAIGN GRAPHIC FOR NOV/DEC: “IN IT TOGETHER” CAMPAIGN GRAPHIC FOR JAN/FEB:
“WHAT R YOU” CAMPAIGN UTILITY INSERT FOR NOVEMBER
LITTLE VILLAGE AD FOR NOVEMBER
EXAMPLE GIVEAWAYS
DRINKING GLASS FOR LOACL WATER CAMPAIGN GOLDIE 6 POSES CAMPAIGN STICKER SHEET
REFLECTIVE WRIST BANDS FOR THE BIKE/WALK/BUS CAMPAIGN G OLDIE “CLIMATE ACTION MATTERS ” S TICKER
Date: November 3, 2022
To: Climate Action Commission
From: Sarah Gardner, Climate Action Commission
Re: Future Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant funding priorities
The purpose of this memo is to solicit guidance from the Climate Action Commission as to
the recommended top spending priorities for the City of Iowa City under the Energy
Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) program.
Under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the EECBG program received $550 million to
assist states, local governments, and Tribes in funding projects aimed to reduce energy
usage, reduce fossil fuel emissions, and improve energy efficiency.
The bulk of these funds will be distributed as formula grants that require no application or
competitive scoring and that the City will receive directly from the Department of Energy.
Although we do not know yet how much Iowa City will be allocated, a calculation tool
developed by the World Resources Institute estimates the amount will be around $153,000.i
At a minimum, the City will receive $75,000. The official allocations are expected to be
announced by the end of 2022.
Eligible uses for the funds include the following:ii
(1) Development and implementation of an energy efficiency and conservation
strategy
(2) Retaining technical consultant services to assist the eligible entity in the
development of such a strategy, including—
• formulation of energy efficiency, energy conservation, and energy usage
goals; identification of strategies to achieve those goals through efforts to
increase energy efficiency and reduce energy consumption and by
encouraging behavioral changes among the population served by the City
• development of methods to measure progress in achieving the goals;
• development and publication of annual reports to the population served by
the City describing the strategies and goals, and the progress made in
achieving the strategies and goals during the preceding calendar year; and
• other services to assist in the implementation of the energy efficiency and
conservation strategy;
(3) Conducting residential and commercial building energy audits;
(4) Establishment of financial incentive programs for energy efficiency
improvements;
(5) The provision of grants to nonprofit organizations and governmental agencies for
the purpose of performing energy efficiency retrofits;
(6) Development and implementation of energy efficiency and conservation
programs for buildings and facilities within the jurisdiction of the City, including:
• design and operation of the programs;
• identifying the most effective methods for achieving maximum participation
and efficiency rates;
• public education;
• measurement and verification protocols; and
• identification of energy efficient technologies;
(7) Development and implementation of programs to conserve energy used in
transportation, including:
• use of flex time by employers;
• satellite work centers;
• development and promotion of zoning guidelines or requirements that
promote energy efficient development;
• development of infrastructure, such as bike lanes and pathways and
pedestrian walkways;
• synchronization of traffic signals; and
• other measures that increase energy efficiency and decrease energy
consumption;
(8) Development and implementation of building codes and inspection services to
promote building energy efficiency;
(9) Application and implementation of energy distribution technologies that
significantly increase energy efficiency, including:
• distributed resources; and
• district heating and cooling systems;
(10) Activities to increase participation and efficiency rates for material conservation
programs, including source reduction, recycling, and recycled content procurement
programs that lead to increases in energy efficiency;
(11) The purchase and implementation of technologies to reduce, capture, and, to
the maximum extent practicable, use methane and other greenhouse gases
generated by landfills or similar sources;
(12) Replacement of traffic signals and street lighting with energy efficient lighting
technologies, including:
• light emitting diodes (LEDs); and
• any other technology of equal or greater energy efficiency;
(13) Development, implementation, and installation on or in any government building
of the City of onsite renewable energy technology that generates electricity from
renewable resources, including:
• solar energy;
• wind energy;
• fuel cells; and
• biomass;
(14) Programs for financing energy efficiency, renewable energy, and zero-emission
transportation (and associated infrastructure), capital investments, projects, and
programs, which may include loan programs and performance contracting programs,
for leveraging of additional public and private sector funds, and programs that allow
rebates, grants, or other incentives for the purchase and installation of energy
efficiency, renewable energy, and zero-emission transportation (and associated
infrastructure) measures; and
(15) Any other appropriate activity, as determined by the Secretary, in consultation
with the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, the Secretary of
Transportation, and the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.
In anticipation of receiving these funds, staff are requesting the Climate Action Commission
review the list above, consider the different funding possibilities in light of current and
ongoing Climate Action projects, and arrive at a recommendation at the December 5, 2022
meeting as to what the Commission sees as the top three priority uses for the EECGB
funds. The recommendations will be recorded in the meeting minutes. No formal memo will
be required.
i https://cityrenewables.org/resources/city-and-county-eecbg-grant-calculator-direct-formula-eecbg-funding-
allocation-estimates-for-local-governments/
ii https://www.energy.gov/bil/energy-efficiency-and-conservation-block-grant-program
RESPONSES FROM MIDAMERICAN ENERGY TO QUESTIONS RAISED IN SEPTEMBER CAC
MEETING
WHAT IS THE PERCENTAGE FOR RENEWABLE GENERATION IN MIDAMERICAN’S OVERALL
PORTFOLIO (INCLUDING THOSE AREAS BEYOND IOWA)?
Regarding the decarbonization for MidAmerican’s overall portfolio by 2025, the total company
number for all three states does not make sense because Illinois has their own energy
procurement process which MidAmerican does not control. Leaving aside Illinois’ generation
mix, the percentages shown on slide 4 of the presentation MidAmerican provided for Iowa load
and Iowa allocation of renewable generation (growing from 6.1% in 2012 to 88.5% renewable
energy generation in 2021) would be unchanged if MidAmerican were to include South
Dakota’s load and South Dakota’s allocation of renewable generation.
COULD MIDAMERICAN PROVIDE SOME CLARIFICATION ON THE DIFFERENCE IN THEIR COST
ESTIMATES VERSUS THE COST SAVINGS PROJECTED IN THE SYNAPSE REPORT?
The Synapse study approach differed from MidAmerican’s in many ways, but in this context the
key difference between that study and results MidAmerican presented is that the Synapse
study does not ensure renewable or zero-carbon coverage of load in every hour. It allows grid
energy from an unknown source to cover the City’s load. Other key considerations related to
the Synapse report include:
• The report improperly assumes that there is now, and will continue to be, sufficient
energy and capacity available for purchase from other entities at all possible times
throughout the year; the recent resource adequacy concerns in MISO highlight how
incorrect this assumption is
• Because of this assumption, the report ignores the need to maintain today’s high
reliability through the entire resource transition and after the transition occurs for a
future presumably envisioned by the based on solar wind and storage; Several national
and regional independent reliability organizations have highlighted the reliability
implications of relying on non-dispatchable resources with no on-site fuel supply
• Without flexible generation resource options, the grid will become more susceptible to
natural disasters
• The report’s energy storage assumptions are insufficient to respond to severe weather
events, like the February 2021 winter storm; Specifically, the report assumes a 4-hour,
750 MW battery (3,000 MW-Hr), which is the minimum duration for MISO accreditation
but a battery of this size is woefully inadequate to address the multi-day impact of an
event like the February 2021 winter storm; this is an important aspect for storage
needed for reliability because duration of storage in MWh, rather than storage size in
MW can significantly increase the cost of storage in a high renewable/storage strategy
• The report also fails to consider the needs of other generation joint owners, including
Iowa municipal utilities and electric cooperatives
• The report also fails to fully quantify the costs of retiring coal generation; Industry
standards would require capture of all retirement costs by treating the remaining book
life value of the facility as a regulatory asset
The utility industry has recently experienced a number of developments supporting
MidAmerican’s position including:
• MISO’s planning resource auction for the 2022-2023 planning year resulted in
inadequate supply to meet demand; A key reason is early shut-down of coal resources
before adequate replacements are built
• Several national and regional independent reliability organizations have issued new
reports highlighting the reliability implications of relying on non-dispatchable resources
with no on-site fuel supply; The recent reports discussed early retirement of coal
resources as a reason for increased reliability concerns
• Several Midwest utilities have announced delays of planned coal generation retirements
in response to the tightening capacity margins and reflecting increased awareness of
reliability concerns; Some of the utilities announcing delays include Alliant Energy,
Omaha Public Power District, WE Energy (in Wisconsin) and NIPSCO (in Indiana)
• MISO has initiated a new study of “resource attributes” to begin to address such
national and regional reliability concerns