On February 3 the Cosumnes Community Service District (CCSD) adopted an ambitious climate policy, with substantial input from 350 Sacramento (Policy summary is below). CCSD provides fire, rescue, and emergency medical services to Elk Grove, Galt, and South Sacramento County, and parks & recreation services to Elk Grove and South County. Their fire crews were among those on the front line battling last summer’s historic wildfires.
350 Sacramento had earlier submitted October 7 comments re CCSD’s draft climate action plan, noting a lack of implementation specifics. The CCSD Board, with leadership from Directors Jaclyn Moreno and Orlando Fuentes, directed staff to develop an Implementation Policy in consultation with 350 Sacramento. A 350 Sacramento / Sac EV working group comprised of Rick C., Guy H., Dwight M., and Oscar B. met with staff and provided numerous suggestions, both then and as the Policy was drafted and revised. Staff was receptive to our input, and in February 2 comments we supported adoption of the Policy.
Per our suggestion, the promised Implementation Plan for achieving the Policy’s 2040 carbon-neutral goal will also discuss what it would take to meet a more aggressive 2030 or 2035 target. CCSD’s operations are directly impacted by climate change and they have a progressive Board. 350 Sacramento will monitor implementation and we believe the District will continue to be a climate leader agency.
Policy Summary
The Climate Policy commits to:
- achieve carbon-neutrality by 2040, or sooner if feasible
- replace gas appliances with electric at the end of service life, or sooner as feasible
- design new facilities to be all-electric per “CalGreen” Title 24, Tier 2 standards
- provide electrical vehicle charging at District-owned facilities and parks
- transition vehicle fleet to zero-emission models at end of service life, or sooner as feasible
- implement landscape design and management measures to maximize carbon sequestration and provide other benefits
- plan for effective response to increased wildfires
- implement other measures identified in the District’s Climate Action /Sustainability Action Plan
- outreach to the community re District climate and sustainability measures, and provide associated health and recreation-related information
- incorporate climate actions in Capital Improvement planning
- assign implementation responsibility to a senior staff position who will also:
- present an Implementation Plan within six months;
- report at least annually on progress, problems, opportunities to accelerate carbon-neutrality, and needed revisions.
(Several measures allow exceptions, but only to the extent that CCSD’s General Manager determines they are infeasible for mission-critical reasons).
