CC Minutes - 02/09/09 Work Session

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1. The City of Eugene shall increase the volume of waste diverted from landfill from internal opera- tions and facilities from current levels of an estimated 45 percent to at least 75 percent by 2014 and 90 percent by 2020. 2. By August 2010, develop a community action plan that aims to reduce total, current community- wide fossil fuel consumption 50 percent by 2030 (as an absolute not a per capita reduction) by (1) establishing targets for achieving that goal; (2) identifying strategies to achieve those targets; (3) identifying necessary adaptations; (4) developing measures for tracking success; (5) identifying financial impacts, and (6) including periodic progress reports back to the community with annual reports of progress to the Sustainability Commission. 3. By January 2010, return to the council with a scoping and resource plan for developing a food security plan which will (1) identify community partners and form a project advisory committee, (2) review existing policies and food system assessments, (3) develop a market analysis plan, (4) identify benefits and barriers, and (5) determine the budget and timeline to complete the plan and identify resources available, including external funding sources. Ms. Piercy asked if the commission had discussed the impact of successfully achieving the goals for waste reduction on businesses engaged in recycling in the community. Mr. Bruce said that had not been specifically discussed, but there would always be a need to have that material processed and that could provide other opportunities. Mr. Shaver noted that the local recycling industry had experienced considerable growth and was a part of Eugene’s economy; expanding it would benefit the community. Ms. Piercy said the City could support efforts to get more local produce to residents and expand community gardens, which were complementary to the third recommendation. Mr. Clark thanked the commission and staff for their work. He felt a 90-percent waste reduction in 12 years was a challenging goal, but could support it as an aspirational goal. He said that it would be difficult to agree with the goal if there was a regulatory component, but it did not appear there were regulatory efforts attached to any of the three recommendations. He found the reduction of fossil fuel consumption by 50 percent even more challenging based on his observations of the market place and would certainly be opposed to any regulatory efforts for that goal. He could support the goal in terms of providing opportunities and education about the wisdom of reducing consumption. Mr. Clark said food security was a very important issue. He had concern with the County’s discussions of rural reserves and the related legal issues, but was in favor of the City operating as a clearinghouse for local efforts. He wanted to see expansion of local community gardens by the City and hoped the market analysis could identify ways to expand market opportunities to sell local produce. Mr. Zelenka commended the efforts of the Sustainability Commission and City staff. He said the goals were well crafted and challenging, but achievable. He said the goals all created work plans and included financial impacts to be brought back to the council. He said they also represented job creation and cost saving opportunities for the community. With respect to the reduction of fossil fuel by 50 percent, he noted that Denmark and the United Kingdom were already there. The goal was consistent with Portland’s plan and the U.S. Conference of Mayors’ agenda. He was disappointed that the agenda item summary (AIS) did not incorporate the triple bottom line in its analysis. Ms. Fahy said a staff team was developing a triple bottom line tool that would be useful in future analysis and decision-making. She hoped to have a draft available within a few months that could be incorporated in future council materials. MINUTES—Eugene City Council February 9, 2009 Page 3 Work Session