Robert: Hello, Holly, this is Robert.
Just wanna confirm that you are not mute
and you can go ahead and make the introduction, please.
(muffled talking)
-: Could you repeat that?
We're not, not hearing you well, Holly.
-: President Reynolds, I will make the introduction.
-: That sounds great, thank you.
-: Welcome to the California Public Utilities Commission
on this day, Thursday, February 24th, 2022.
President Reynolds, you may begin.
-: Good morning.
We first need to establish a quorum.
Agenda clerk, could you please call the roll?
-: Commissioner Reynolds?
-: Present.
-: Commissioner Houck?
-: Here.
-: Commissioner Shiroma?
-: Present.
-: Commissioner Rechtschaffen?
-: I'm here.
-: President Alice Reynolds?
-: Here.
-: A quorum has been established.
Welcome to the California Public Utilities Commission.
I'm calling this meeting of February 24th, 2022,
public agenda number 3503 to order.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic,
pursuant to the authorization of section two
of Assembly Bill 3601,
we are conducting today's business meeting online
and by remote participation.
The meeting is live-streamed on the CPUC's website.
You can view the meeting
at www.adminmonitor.com/CA/CPUC.
Closed captioning is available in English and Spanish
through the webcast.
To view the closed captioning, click on the green button
beneath the webcast video player
and follow the instructions that appear on screen.
We also have Spanish interpretation available
during the public comment portion of today's meeting.
Dial 1-800-857-1917.
Passcode 3799627 pound,
and follow the instructions
to be connected to the Spanish line.
I ask that my colleagues and today's speakers remain mindful
and speak clearly and slowly.
I will also occasionally pause for interpretation.
(woman speaking in a foreign language)
-: Public engagement is critical to the CPUC process.
If you wish to make a public comment,
dial 800-857-1917 and enter passcode 9899501 pound
and press star one.
You'll be placed into a queue
and the operator will take your name and information.
You'll be called upon to speak
when we get to the public comment portion of today's agenda.
If you encounter difficulty calling
into the public telephone line,
please email votingmeetinghelp@cpuc.ca.gov.
Welcome to the fourth meeting of 2022
of the California Public Utilities Commission.
Before we start today, I would first like to take a moment
to make a few comments.
Initially, I'd like to welcome
and introduce our newest Commissioner.
I'm very pleased to introduce Commissioner John Reynolds
to the Public Utilities Commission
as the fifth member of the Commission.
Commissioner Reynolds began his service
as the Commissioner last Friday.
And I think he might agree
that he has not had any time to warm up
given the matters before us.
Commissioner Reynolds brings a great wealth of knowledge
and experience to the Commission,
having served as legal counsel and advisor
in public and private sectors.
Commissioner Reynolds earned a Juris doctor degree
from the University of California Hastings College of Law.
And as I think, many of you who know him would agree,
Commissioner Reynolds is a skilled lawyer and policy expert
who approaches his work with both intelligence and humility.
Please join me in welcoming Commissioner John Reynolds
to the CPUC.
We are very fortunate to have him as our colleague
on the Commission.
-: Thank you --- -: I also wanted to mention...
I also wanted to mention another event
in the world of clean energy that occurred this week.
On Tuesday, February, 22nd,
President Biden joined Governor Newsom
together with community labor and industry leaders
to discuss progress to sustainably develop lithium resources
in California.
California's Imperial Valley near the Salton Sea
contains some of the largest lithium deposits in the world,
a region known as the Lithium Valley.
Lithium is a critical component
of the advanced batteries needed
for zero emission vehicles, clean electric grids
and the other renewable energy technologies.
It is also linked to our geothermal resources
in the Salton Sea, as lithium is extracted
from the geothermal brine.
The region has the potential to satisfy up to one third
of today's global lithium demand.
And the efforts to support lithium extraction are paired
with support for development
of battery manufacturing capacity here in California.
And that would further increase economic opportunity
and bring jobs and community benefits
to the Imperial Valley region.
An area of the state where this is sorely needed.
As Governor Newsom stated,
his vision is that California will focus
not just on the economic opportunity,
but making sure that the growth
and inclusion strategies include local hires,
local benefits in a sustainable way.
Finally, looking ahead, I would like to recognize
that March is Women's History Month.
Beginning in 1982 as Women's History Week,
March is a time when the nation celebrates the contributions
and achievements of women across the country.
As I sit here today, this reminds me how fortunate I am
to share the Dias with two incredible women
and to work alongside of them,
as well as other talented and dedicated women colleagues
at the PUC.
With that, I would like to begin
the Commission's voting meeting of February 24th, 2022.
We will now turn to public comment.
If you wish to make a public comment
and you have already dialed
into the public comment telephone line,
please press star one and unmute your phone
to enter the public comment queue.
CPUC rules do not allow for parties in proceedings
to speak about open proceedings.
The public can make comments addressing items on the consent
and regular agenda, as well as items not on the agenda.
Please note that there will not be public comment
on items one, excuse me, two, 14, 15, 18,
and all items on the closed session agenda.
You will have one minute to speak.
You'll hear a bell sound when your time is up.
Please be mindful other speakers in the queue
and keep to your allotted time.
As a reminder, please speak clearly and slowly
to accommodate Spanish interpreters
who are available during the public comment portion
of today's meeting.
With that guidance in mind, I welcome today's speakers.
I will now turn to the operator
to open the public comment telephone line.
Operator: The public comment line is now open.
If you wish to speak during the public comment period,
press star one, unmute your phone
and clearly record your name when prompted.
Our first comment comes from Drin Bakhol,
your line is open.
Sharine: Hello, my name is Sharine Bakhol
and I live in Long Beach.
I opposed the current M3.0 proposal, and I'm not alone.
I heard hundreds of people express the same sentiment
at a previous CPUC meeting.
People waited hours to speak to you, including myself.
Now the process has been taken behind closed doors.
Your lack of transparency
over the rooftop solar decision is unacceptable.
You owe the public a clear timeline for your process.
Due to the effects of climate change, I found that my home,
which is near the ocean, needed air conditioning.
It wasn't very long before I invested in rooftop solar
to offset my increased electricity bill.
I am now considering an electric car.
Consumers should be able to control their energy bills
and not be penalized for it,
especially if we are expected to switch
to electric cars and appliances.
Please keep rooftop solar affordable.
It's good for California and it's good for the planet.
Thank you.
-: Thank you.
Operator, next caller, please.
Operator: Thank you.
Our next person, I believe, is Leo Hayes.
Your line is open.
Man: Thanks.
So thanking, we're a global HVAC manufacturer
and we support Solar Care Amazon's building
electrification application to the CPUC.
California has a 2045 carbon neutral
and to achieve this goal,
the rapid acceleration of air so pumps,
especially, those with environmental
energy saving technologies.
Like inverter product with variable speed
compressor essential.
Currently California's annual shipment of SLT pumps
reflect only around 25% of space heat solutions installed.
Without drastic actions achieving the 2045
cover neutrality will be very challenging.
The variety of initiatives like this proposal application,
along with other considerations for significant financial
and non-financial support by the state,
utilities and other key for key stakeholders are critical
for market transformation expansion
of their associate pump sector in the coming years.
Lastly, this application portfolio
to install 250,000 heat pumps in SoCalGas and service area.
Between 2025, 2024 and 2027.
We perceive that this application is essential
to accelerate the adoption of heat pumps in California.
So, as I mentioned before, we support this application.
I can look forward to working with the CPUC
as well as so to drive building electrification
and the carbonization in California.
Thank you very much.
-: Thank you.
Thank you.
Operator, next caller, please.
Operator: Thank you.
Our next one is Sam Renny Wise, your line is open.
Renny: I'm Renny wise from Fremont.
Commissioners ask yourself,
what kind of planet do you want to leave behind
for the next generation?
The effects of climate change are happening much faster
than originally predicted.
Last year, 2021 made the growing pace of climate change,
painfully clear.
We still have time to reduce the worst
of climate change impacts.
But that can only happen if we greatly reduce
greenhouse gas emissions and soon.
We need to boost our transition
to zero carbon emissions faster.
So rooftop solar needs to be increased and encouraged.
That won't happen if you support New N three guidelines
that adds a solar tax to new adopters.
This N three proposal will only enrich utilities books
by standing out their only competition.
This is not a zero sum game.
California needs all clean energy methods on the table.
On what side of history do you want to be remembered for.
The side to destroyed rooftop solar.
That side maybe kept it growing so all Californians
could afford it, no matter their economic status.
Thanks.
-: Thank you.
Operator, next caller please.
Operator: And our next caller is Alison Mayors.
you may go ahead.
Alison: Thank you.
My name is Alison Mayors.
I live in Ventura, California,
where my family and community are outraged.
The SoCalGas is considering expanding
the Ventura compressor station,
which is in a neighborhood literally across the street
from an elementary school and a boys and girls club.
The risk of a leak and consequence health impacts
for an explosion cannot be minimized, they are real.
This was proven true at lease canyon.
No expansion should be allowed there either
as well as apply a Delray storage facility.
In the very least the full environmental impact report
has to be required. Not the biased alternative analysis.
SoCalGas is submitting.
Climate change is real.
We are causing it and we are all suffering
the impacts of it.
Now is the time to get off the fossil fuels.
I requested this PCPUC make decisions that are forward
thinking and in line with science
and with California's greenhouse gas reduction goals
that recognize the needs---
-: Thank you.
Operator, next caller, please.
Operator: Hi, Anascolar Seah Daniels, you may go ahead.
Daniels: Hi, I'm Seah Daniels
and I live up in Santa Rosa, California,
where PG and E our source are dealt
with a lot of the fires of 2017.
We have seen a price increase and I'm hearing
that there is going to be more that's more than doubled.
There seems to be a monopoly of power.
Not only have the public picked up the bills and the cost.
TG and E wants to raise our prices more.
This is bad business.
Historically, back in 1982,
when ATNT held the bell, ma bell monopoly.
When it broke up is when things
were able to positively change.
And we need that now more than ever.
More solutions for electricity power
and for our environment.
So, as I said,
this is a direct hit on the public and we are forced
to pay with very little option.
Thank you.
-: Thank you,
-: Operator, next caller, please.
Operator: Our next caller is Rob Holly.
You may go ahead.
Rob: Hi, this is Rob Holly from San Jose.
I'm a member of the solar rights Alliance.
In December you proposed a vicious anti-consumer giveaway
to the utilities.
I acknowledge that some portions such as the blatantly
biased analysis on the NEM.
Will take some time Don wine.
Still, you owe the public a clear timeline for your process.
However, some portions of that document
were just flawed policy.
You should be able to address those now.
You should be willing to say that the solar taxes off
the table for the future.
After all, even your own study had trouble justifying it.
You should also be able to reaffirm your commitment
to existing solar users.
This is not a banana Republic where the state can promote.
So rooftop solar, one moment, and then say,
just kidding the next.
If we cannot rely on the state to keep its commitments,
what else could be swept away?
Thank you.
-: Thank you.
Operator, next caller, please.
Operator: And our next caller is John Brooks.
You may go ahead
Again, John Brooks, your line is open.
You may go ahead.
John: Thank you.
Can you hear me?
-: Yes, we can.
John: Can you hear me?
-: Yes, we can.
John: Hello?
-: We can hear you.
John: I'm calling from OQ California.
And how many times we're gonna have to tell
you about this compressor in Western Ventura,
before we actually do something about it.
These children are being exposed to gases.
They have high rates of asthma.
It's a dangerous facility, right in the middle of a town.
Nowhere else. There a facility such as this,
come on you people talk about environmental justice,
which you don't do anything.
Shut this thing down.
Call for an EIR, put it on an agenda, at least.
Stop making us take your time, valuable time
to discuss what is clearly environmental injustice.
Thank you very much.
-: Thank you.
-: Operator, next caller, please.
Operator: Our next caller is Dr. Patrick Curl.
You may go ahead.
Patrick: As we approach the business of the state
and issues of importance to our own communities.
Rates would like to acknowledge the contributions
of emeritus Commissioner, Martha Guzman,
to promote the mission of the CPUC
to bring in and design reasonable and just rates.
And to provide water at reasonable rates.
Rates would also like to congratulate
and welcome Commissioner Reynolds
and offer our support in working with the mission
and goals of the Commission.
Finally, Rates would like to encourage the Commission
to make clear notice to rate payers who are in arrears.
Especially, water rate payers as to what they can expect
as February 28th, disconnection deadline comes upon them.
This could be a public health disaster.
If individuals who risk disconnection
are not able to prepare.
Thank you very much.
-: Thank you.
Operator, next caller, please.
Operator: And our next caller is, Faith Myra.
You may go ahead.
Faith: Thank you.
My name is faith Myra and I live in west LA
near the Pia Del Ray gas storage facility.
Almost 500,000 Californians live within a five mile radius
at the storage facility.
The five mile radius also includes 60 schools
and universities at a few hospitals.
The CPUC needs to instruct SoCalGas to stop expansion
efforts at the ply Delray gas storage facility,
disguised as wetland restoration project.
And the CPUC needs to focus on shutting down
the ply Delray gas storage facility, Eli canyon,
and the Ventura compressor station.
Not letting SoCalGas expand.
Please be there for us.
You're there to protect us.
Thank you.
-: Thank you.
Operate our next caller, please.
Operator: Our next caller is Jillian Hall.
You may go ahead.
Jillian: Hi, good morning everyone.
I'm calling from Ventura county, California,
and I'm concerned about the Ventura compressor expansion
currently going on.
There's widespread public support
for shutting down this compressor
from the Ventura city councils
from the county board of supervisors
to have stronger review.
Currently, SoCalGas is expanding
with no environmental review
and completing phone, the alternatives analysis,
which is not an independent analysis and can be very biased.
We are hoping that you listen to the people
and the widespread support and demand a full environmental
impact report for the project.
You have the power to do so.
And the public support for it is overwhelming.
In addition to this full EIR for compressor
urge you towards to work towards shutting down
the Ventura Ali canyon and facilities
to protect communities over profits.
Thank you.
-: Thank you.
Operator, next caller, please.
Operator: Our next caller is Trisha Keen.
You may go ahead.
Trisha: Yes, good morning.
My name is Trisha Keen.
I live in Ventura.
I in my community feel strongly that SoCalGas
is not listening to our concerns about expanding
the operation at the Ventura compressor station.
I've been in a number of rallies
and seen Ventura coming out to protest the expansion.
I attend one of the SoCalGas community town halls.
And although their comments were professional,
it's clear the utility does not care about the health
and safety of the kids and families
that literally attend school and reside
just steps away from this facility.
Their refusal to do an environmental impact report
is deeply disappointing and shows blue latent disregard
for the local community.
Beyond our concern about the impact on the community,
directly affected by the compressor.
There's also the fact that we need to move away
from natural gas use in general,
to meet California's greenhouse gas reduction goals.
We all know what's hap what the challenges
are that we're facing.
So I urge the CPUC to demand a full EIR report
and to protect people and our planet over profit.
Thank you.
-: Thank you.
Operator, next caller, please.
Operator: Our next caller is Cynthia Chalet.
You may go ahead.
Cynthia: Hi.
This is Cynthia Chalet.
Can you hear me?
-: Yes, we can.
Cynthia: Okay.
I am for no tax on rooftop solar.
The most important thing to me is trying to reduce
our reliance on fossil fuels as fast as possible.
And maybe we need PGE to do solar farms,
but the fastest way to get there to reduce carbon
is to have rooftop solar.
So we want no tax on solar.
We wanna encourage more as much as we can.
So please don't change the net metering
and encourage rooftop solar incentivize
it as much as you can.
Thank you.
-: Thank you.
Operator, next caller please.
Operator: Our next caller is Alan
with the Sunrise Movement, you may go ahead.
Alan: President and Commissioners
to meet Californian's goals for clean energy,
you will need both utility sale scale solar
as well as rooftop solar.
According to US department of energy's 2021 report,
rather than taxing those who invested in rooftop solar,
we should be intensify so all Californians
can access nearby power.
That way we will be less dependent on PGE
and other private companies
that care more about shareholder profits
and Californian lives are even providing power at all.
I wish to speak also in solidarity with venturous citizens
who shouldn't be endangered for the sake of outdated energy.
I'm a member of Bay Area Sunrise Hub.
Thank you for your time.
-: Thank you.
-: Operator, next caller, please.
-: Our next caller is Jennifer Tanner.
-: Hi, my name is Jennifer Tanner
in the Visible California Green team.
Thank you Commissioner Alice Reynolds and everyone.
You asked for more time for the TD and NIM,
which is a good thing And we appreciate it.
We're glad you're going back to the drawing board
and taking time to get it right.
However, all the people for one year now
have been waiting about rooftop solar,
and waiting to get on with their life
and decisions about it.
All the companies are left hanging,
whether they hire or go bankrupt.
Everyone deserves a real timeframe so people can prepare
and get on with their lives.
It's a whole year.
We have proven that the cost shift is a lie.
And we know that solar is growing
with working in middle class people.
And this is all about utilities, ripping rooftop solar.
Just when working class is starting to get it.
So for everyone's sake,
we need a clear timeline of what to expect and when.
Thank you Commissioners for your leadership.
-: Thank you.
Operator, next caller, please.
-: Our next caller is Gerald Ayala.
You may go ahead.
Ayala: Joe Ayala or Gerald Ayala.
-: We can hear you.
You can go ahead and see it.
Thank you.
Yes, we can.
Ayala: Hi everyone.
My name's Joe Ayala,
and my family and I are very concerned about the CPUC
allowing the SoCalGas to expand their dangerous operation
of Ventura at the Ventura compressor station,
using their biased alternative analysis.
An EIR test should be run there.
SoCalGas need to ignore concerns and demands
of the recent so-called community town halls
in Ventura regarding the compressor expansion.
Many community members were barred from entering
the meeting and sharing their concerns.
SoCalGas does not listen to us and listen to our voices
at events label at community meetings.
We need to CPE to stand up for people
that claims to represent.
We want SoCalGas out of our communities
and We won't stand for any unnecessary
and profit driven need to expand
their operations needlessly.
We need to move away from natural gas use in general
to meet California greenhouse gas reduction goals,
LA county, Los Angeles, LA USD, Ventura county,
Ventura school board and the Ventura county port
of supervisors,
and many others are on record to supported these goals.
I urge to CPUC to demand a full environment---
with Ventura compressor station
and work towards shutting down the Ventura Liso canyon
and play rate facilities to protect people over profits.
Thank you for your time.
-: Thank you.
-: Operator, next caller, please.
Operator: Our next caller is Peter Oakton.
You may go ahead.
Peter: Hi, good morning everybody.
My name is Peter Oakton
and I'm a longtime Santa Clara county resident.
And I'm calling today to thank the CPUC Commission
to give us this opportunity to speak.
And I'm speaking today in the opposition of NEM 3.0,
I respectfully request that this CPUC
puns on nano 3.0 for at least 72 months
to review the Astrip application process,
their funding model for Sri to reallocate
to small projects as compared to large projects currently.
And also I want to voice my support for the residents
of venture county as well.
Thank you again and again my opposition to M 3.0.
Thank you again CPUC board.
-: Thank you.
Operator, next caller, please.
Operator: Our next caller is Dr. Cynthia Loki Rickers.
You may go ahead.
Loki: Hello.
I live in the north bay where there have been recent fires.
I'm a retired senior living alone on a fixed income.
My PGE bill has doubled in the past couple of months
and I hear more increases lie ahead.
Please consider seniors like me,
when making its decisions that affect PGE rates.
Don't make seniors pay PGNE mistakes.
Many seniors are left to choose between food and heating
their homes during recent freezing temperatures.
Please think of us.
Thank you.
-: Thank you.
Operator, next caller, please.
Operator: And our next caller is Alex Niggy.
You may go ahead.
Alexander: Good morning.
My name is Alexander Niggy.
I'm with the stop SoCalGas coalition
communities across El and Ventura are uniting
to protect our communities from harmful SoCalGas operations.
And right now, we're actively fighting to shut down
the Ali canyon gas storage facility,
the Plaza Ray storage facility,
and stop the expansion of the Ventura compressor station.
All of our communities are United on this front,
and we have municipalities across the region,
standing in agreement with us.
We really need an EIR for the Ventura compressor station.
The action UC took last year to tell SoCalGas
to stop efforts, didn't go far enough
and doesn't go far enough in holding SoCalGas accountable.
Furthermore, we have legislation
that was just introduced last Friday
to hold the PUC accountable to putting Lisa canyon
back to a moratorium use acid of last resort
and a shut by 2027.
We just feel that the conversations that are taking place
are letting ---
on the road there.
So thank you for your time.
-: Thank you.
Operator, next caller, please.
Operator: And president Reynold,
there are no more participants on the public telephone
line at this time.
-: Thank you operator.
I'll ask if there's anyone else on the telephone
who would like to make a public comment?
Operator: Yes, if we would like to make a comment,
please unmute your phone, press star one,
and clearly provide your first and last name when prompted.
So I may introduce you.
Again, that is star one.
And please stand by for our next comment.
Our next caller is Robert Pack.
You may go ahead.
Robert: Yes, hi.
I'm a resident of San Diego county.
I'm calling an opposition to NM 3.0.
This is the fourth meeting in a row.
I've called in about it.
I just think that the idea of trying to make could better
for the disadvantaged income communities is a good idea.
But NM3 is not the way to go in my opinion.
And I just hope that I've looked all over the internet.
I can't seem to find what the next step is gonna be.
I've heard different things.
I hope that you guys will take a hard look at it.
I'm more than willing to do whatever it takes
to help you guys.
I put in 50 hours a week to help if necessary.
So please make it public what you're gonna do next.
And I'm so glad that you've at least tabled it for now
because NM3 only helps the public utility,
the big four, and it hurts solar, rooftop solar.
Thank you for your time
and I look forward to what you guys do next.
Thank you.
-: Thank you.
Operator, next caller, please.
-: Next caller is David McCord.
You may go ahead.
David: This is David McCord
and I'm a rate payer in El Sorito.
And a decision on a successor net energy metering regime
is being reconsidered.
Rooftop solar contributes to the state's
renewable energy goal set by SB 100 in 2018
and helps to reduce load and maintenance costs
on the transmission grid.
Net energy metering must pencil out
for low and moderate income home homeowners
who are are thinking of installing solar and storage.
To do this, the grid access charge must be eliminated.
The state must also honor its promises
to present solar customers on how long their present tariff
will last.
Thank you.
-: Thank you.
Operator, next caller, please.
Operator: And president Reynolds.
We have no additional participants
on the public comment telephone line at this time.
-: Thank you.
Should we do one more final check
to see if anyone is still on who hasn't pressed star one?
Operator: Yes, again,
if you would like to make a please unmute your phone,
press star one and record your first and last name
slowly and clearly so I may introduce you.
And president Reynold,
we have no participants in the queue at this time.
-: Okay, thank you operator.
With no more callers on the line,
the public comment period is now closed.
I will now turn to the public agenda.
There are several changes to the agenda.
These are the changes to today's agenda.
Item two is held and will appear on the regular agenda
for March 17th, 2022.
Item seven, 10 and 28 are also held until March 17th, 2022.
Item 32, will be taken up with the Consent Agenda.
We will now take up the consent items.
Is there a motion?
-: So moved.
-: Motion by Commissioner Rechtschaffen,
do we have a second?
-: Second then.
-: Second by Commissioner Reynolds.
We have a motion and a second for Consent Agenda item.
Agenda clerk, please call them.
Clerk: Commissioner Reynolds.
-: Aye.
Clerk: Commissioner Houck.
-: Yes.
Clerk: Commissioner Shiroma.
-: Aye.
Clerk: Commissioner Rechtschaffen.
-: Yes.
Clerk: President Alice Reynolds.
-: Yes.
The Consent Agenda items have passed unanimously.
We'll now take up the regular agenda items.
Item 26, R13-2-008
order instituting rule making to adopt ING standards
and requirements.
Pipeline open access rules
and related enforcement provisions,
which this agenda item is assigned
to Commissioner Rechtschaffen.
Commissioner Rechtschaffen, I will turn it over to you.
-: Thank you, president Reynolds.
I'm gonna give an overview of the decision.
And then some of the specific elements.
This decision implements a 2018 statute, FB1440.
And it establishes a ING procurement program.
And the program is one that I think is carefully crafted
to achieve the state's short lived climate pollutant goals.
And then particular,
the goals call for a 40% reduction in methane
and other short lift climate pollutants by 2030.
The procurement that will result from the decision
will reduce what are otherwise uncontrolled methane
and black carbon emissions in several sectors of economy.
Agricultural, landfill and waste sectors.
And collectively these sectors are responsible
for over three quarters of the state's methane emissions.
I want to emphasize
the north star here is reducing
short lived climate pollutants.
They are far more potent than carbon dioxide
and slowing down their growth
is one of the most effective ways
to arrest the inexorable pace of climate change.
Many of you may have seen as an international study showing
this week showing methane emissions from oil gas,
and coal sectors are much higher than anticipated.
These are the biggest methane sources in California.
So, that's what the decision tackles.
Now in particular,
the decision sets two procurement targets.
One is a short term target 2025.
Which is based on the state's
short of climate reduction goals.
That require about three quarters
of the state's organic waste
be diverted from landfills by 2025.
Our sister agency Cal recycle,
who we work very closely with on this decision
has identified that there's a shortfall
in the infrastructure needed to handle about 8 million
tons of this waste.
The short term target that we've set equates
to what's necessary to converting that 8 million tons
into by Han through anaerobic digestion.
And, what we expect is that much of the organic waste
that's being diverted from landfills
will be converted to bio-methane
through what we call, co-digestion.
That digestion with that and other materials
at existing for treatment plans
that are already using anaerobic digesters,
but that have the capacity to do more,
to process more organic waste.
That's the short term goal, the midterm goal,
or the medium goal of 2030
equates to an amount that will help us meet that 40%
2030 reduction target.
And it includes reducing methane from landfills.
At the same time, it will recognize that over time
gas demand is gonna be decreasing.
Because of our increasing focus on building electrification.
So we don't wanna set a target that's too high.
The final decision
set the target that's about 12% of the gas,
12% of core customer load in 2020.
So 12% of white gas utilities procure
for their core customers, residents and small businesses.
So the absolute amount of the procurement volume
will stay the same.
The target which is about 73 billion cubic feet per year.
But over time,
the percent of core customer load
that this absolute target represents
is likely to increase
because we hope that the denominator,
the gas demand overall will decrease
due to building electrification efforts.
So it's a little different than might first appear.
But that it's a 12 percent target based on current load.
As I mentioned in setting the targets,
we consulted very carefully with Cal recycle,
the California resources board
California's department of food and agriculture
and other agencies.
We were required to consult with Cal by SB 1440.
As the decision says,
we intend to revisit the targets in three years in 2025.
So I wanna highlight a few key provisions of the decision.
The first deals with the question of cost effectiveness,
the decision finds that the program is a cost effective
means of reducing short lived climate to pollutants
and other GHG emissions.
And in particular,
it's less than the avoided social cost of methane,
as well as other avoided costs to rate payers
from the procurement.
Also, and this is very important.
We consulted with Cal cycle and they said,
look, here's there's all these other potential ways
of diverting organic waste from landfill,
such as composting and wood shifts and other options.
And we haven't identified any other feasible methods
to divert all the organic waste
that's needed to meet our short term goals.
So there are no other feasible more options
that they were able to identify for us.
The decision includes provisions to limit excessive cost
to rate payers.
So for one,
each of the utilities is required to prepare
what's called a renewable gas procurement plan.
Way to think about that,
it's similar to what we require for electric IUs
in order to meet the renewable portfolio standard.
And those plans will be reviewed by staff.
We will approve them as part of a Commission vote.
They will show how the IUs intend to meet
the procurement goals, including their estimated costs.
They may propose as part of those plans,
cost containment mechanisms to avoid excessive rate impacts.
So that's one set of potential tools.
Additionally, we're setting up
we're directing the utilities
to further development for the work shopping
of a standard procurement methodology.
And that can be used to determine the cost effectiveness
of individual Bio methane contracts.
In addition, there is a plan,
in individual contracts will come for approval before us.
And the methodology that we're tasking them to develop
will help them assess whether a particular contract
is the most cost effective way to reduce GHG emission.
So we're getting a second handle.
There's another handle for that.
We set up a three tier approval process
for the individual contracts
with the higher levels of review.
If the contracts are more expensive.
I wanna just mention one other point about cost.
It's hard to get a exact answer
on what this procurement will cost.
But in part it is significant part,
the relative cost depends on how expensive natural gases
or fossil gases.
And of course,
natural gas prices have been increasing
and they're quite volatile.
And likely will be more so given the events
unfolding in the Ukraine right now.
So in some ways,
a way to think about this is we're getting
renewable natural gas from California.
The vast majority of our gas is imported,
and this could provide some kind of hedge
against the volatile market.
In response to comments on the original,
a proposed decision.
And after consulting with the air resources board and CDFA,
we have modified the decision to allow utilities
to procure bio-methane from dairies
to meet the midterm target.
They can also procure bio-methane
to meet the short term target,
but that's only after they've met their short term goals
of bio-methane produced from organic waste
diverted from landfills.
We wanna make sure that that goal is met first.
We put a ceiling on the amount of dairy bio-methane
that can be procured no more than 4%
of the overall procure target.
And the decision requires measures to address concern,
very legitimate concerns about pollution from dairy
that can impact adjacent communities.
That won't go through all of them,
but among those there's a requirement
that no participating dairy can have unresolved
and action by a state or regulatory agency
involving air or water pollution.
We also are gonna require a workshop where utilities address
how the dairy bio methane facilities
are not causing adverse impacts to water and air quality.
So that's specific to dairies there's other provisions,
a number of provisions in the decision to encourage
sustainable practices at the facilities
that do producing bio methane.
One of these is that new truck purchases and leases
must be electric vehicles if available
or near zero emission vehicles at these facilities.
Also, if a facility selling bio methane
is gonna increase onsite electricity generation
using bio methane or biogas,
it must use a fuel cell or non combustion process
to avoid emissions of pollutants.
And that is the in direct response to the concern
that if you combust electricity on site,
it can result in localized air pollution with great worry
of course, in the central valley.
The final decision that surpass it,
that all contracts under the program have to end in 2040.
They can be 10 to 15 years, but,
or they can be up to 15 years,
but they need to end in 2040.
And we added this limitation trying to be cognizant
of everything else going on in this sector.
We don't know how fast core customer gas demand
will decrease as we electrify our buildings.
We know that we need bio methane
for other hard to electrify sources of the economy,
industrial processes.
We wanna make sure that there's bio methane
available for that.
And maybe over time, this bio methane
will transition to that.
We are looking in other proceedings,
such as our long term gas, OYR
how we might do targeted retirement of portions
of the gas infrastructure system.
So, given there's a lot,
a great likely hood changed in this area
over the next two decades.
We don't want to tie our hands or bind the rate payers
indefinitely with this program.
But we think it's prudent to do it allow for contracts
until 2040, but not beyond that.
As I said again,
we're gonna be revisiting the targets in just three years.
There are provisions in the decision
to address methane leakage.
The procurement contracts must specify
how the leaks are tracked and remedied
and immediate remediation.
The preferred method, if that can't happen,
there has to be a schedule for repairs
and a graduated fee schedule to promote timely remediation
or reduce payments.
If that nothing else is an option.
Couple of final points.
The decision here directs procurement for core customers
by the four major gas utilities.
We do not have express procurement authority
over core transport agents,
who of course also procure guests for core customers.
The decision does recommend that the legislature takes steps
to require core transport agents to be subject
to these procurement requirements.
That's what happened,
what the legislature did in the early two thousands
to extend the renewable portfolio standards
and the electricity sector to community choice aggregators.
We think it makes sense to do that.
Here we,
this decision specifies that our office of Governor affairs
should work with the legislature on this,
and that's our recommendation to the legislature to do that.
And then one final item,
the decision authorizes spending of $40 million
that come from cap and trade allowance,
auction revenue from the gas utilities,
and that money will be used by PGNE
and SoCalGas to each fund a Woody
biomas gasification pilot project.
And these are important projects, gasification,
a promising technology with very low pollutant emissions.
And the facilities
will produce bio methane
from sustainable forestry practices,
Woody agricultural waste or urban waste.
And this technology can avoid emissions of carbon dioxide
and black carbon that comes from otherwise,
uncontrolled burning of these materials.
So that's the decision.
Thanks decision, just complicated and detailed.
Results from the work of many people.
So, thanks are due to a host of people
who worked under this decision over the past couple of years
in the energy division and legal staff.
I want to thank Karen's son, Nickson Johnny
Love as I do corfrin, Adam Bagasia,
Jordan Morganton, Tony Manzo, Jamie Orman,
and Christian Neir in the ALJ division,
our judges ALJs demon doer,
and you assistants chief ALJs McKinney Aden
as well as staff who in ALJ division who worked really hard
under tight deadlines to get this through.
Anna Lisa Herbert, Jennifer Chan, Cal Williams,
Christine Nuchal.
I wanna thank my a keen partner,
Commissioner Houck and her advisors Canice Cho.
And I wanna also thank my advisors,
Sandy Goldberg and Sean Simon.
So with that, I'm happy to answer any questions
and I ask for your support.
-: Thank you, Commissioner Rechtschaffen.
I'll turn now to the other Commissioners.
Commissioner Houck.
-: Thank you, president Reynolds.
I wanna thank my bagley keen partner,
Commissioner Rechtschoffen as well as his advisor,
Sandy Goldberg and Sean Simon for their leadership
on this important decision.
I wanna thank energy division staff, Karen Sang,
and Nick van Johnny,
especially for all of their excellent work
briefing materials and the briefings
that they did with my office.
I wanna thank Tony Manzo and legal division
for briefing my office and keeping us informed
through the revision.
I also wanna thank all of the work that St. Candace show
in my office for all of the work that that she did
in following up on questions and my chief of staff,
Hun G Farian for her support.
I'd also like to thank the stakeholders
for their participation and the proceeding timely
implementation of SC 1440 through.
This PD means that for large gas,
the four large gas utilities must begin procuring methane.
Now as Commissioner wreck shop and described
methane procurement is important
for meeting California short lived
climate pollutants, emissions,
and greenhouse gas reduction goals.
Additionally,
this proposed decision specifically targets
bio methane from landfills in the short term
to help California needed goals related
to organic waste diversion from state landfill.
Although procuring bio mathane is an important tool
in the fight against climate change,
we must also ensure that the program is also cost effective
and the decision clarifies that we do,
and as Commissioner Rechtschoffen
explained in much more detail.
Consider the social cost of methane
to determine that this program is a cost effective means
to reduce the short-lived climate hall pollutants
and other greenhouse gas emissions.
Additionally requiring review and approval of the utilities,
renewable gas procurement plans through Commission decision
will ensure that the utilities have procured according
to the a cost effective methodology
that will be established consistent with the decision
as Commissioner Rechtschoffen described.
The efforts to divert bio methane to productive use
described in the decision would be wasted
if there are no controls to limited remediate leakage.
The PD has revised requirements that the utilities
are to develop a process for immediate remediation
of methane leaks including actions to promote timely repair
and graduated this schedule
again, Commissioner Rechtschoffen explained
this process in more detail.
Many stakeholders actively participated in the proceeding.
I wanna, again,
thank the stakeholders for their thoughtful comments
and any future participation
through the procurement advisory group
that was created through the decision.
And then finally,
I would just note that I will be looking forward
to reviewing the utilities proposals for any remediation
measures necessary to ensure fair treatment
of care customers.
And with that again,
I thank Commissioner Rechtschoffen
for his leadership on this very complicated
and important decision and will be supporting.
-: Thank you, Commissioner Houck.
Commissioner Shiroma.
-: Thank you, president Reynolds.
I will be you supporting this item.
I was initially concerned with the proposed decisions
in or around cost effectiveness and exclusion
of certain industries.
But the revisionist outlined by Commissioner Rechtschoffen
have addressed my concerns.
I'm please, that this will provide advancements for ING.
It's an essential step towards replacing fossil fuel methane
and steer my tenure on the SMUD board
as an elected representative there,
I supported the partnerships with our local landfills,
with the sanitation department
with a food digester effort.
And also I represented a portion of the south county area
of Sacramento county with Dairy.
And along with another director,
we worked to provide for the financial partnership
and the environmental partnership with the dairies
to install dairy digesters.
A firm believer in this effort,
I encourage the joint utilities and CPC staff
to work together closely in developing the granular details
needed to ensure proper cost effects in criteria
and the bio plants.
I'm excited for what to come for Greener gas flows
for our pipelines reduction of the methane footprint.
And especially as Commissioner Rechtschoffen
related to world events really.
Put even more of an emphasis on this effort
and also look what has been happening
with the cold temperatures and the fluctuation
of gas prices.
Very pleased to support this effort.
Thank you.
-: Thank you Commissioner Shiroma.
Commissioner Reynolds,
would you like to make comments?
-: Thank you, president Reynolds.
This proceeding tackled a lot of deeply challenging issues
and competing policy objectives.
So I first wanted to acknowledge and thank
Commissioner Rechtschoffen
for his leadership on phase for this rule making.
And as the Commissioner already stated,
I also wanna extend my thanks to ALJ Bema surfer
and LJ Young Race for their work on this decision,
as well as the energy division lead Karen Sand
and her supervisor Nixon, Johnny,
who both answered a lot of questions for my staff
about this PD.
I'd also like to thank Suzanne Kasada,
my chief of staff for her tremendous work
in supporting our review of this PD,
as well as following up with staff.
I wanna thank and acknowledge the tremendous amount
of staff work that laid the groundwork here,
including the staff proposal led by Karen Sang.
This decision will help to mitigate the effects
of short-lived climate pollutants,
which accelerate the pace of climate change.
Short-lived climate pollutants cut across industries
and fall under a number of different regulatory purview.
So I also want to thank the collective group of people
at this agency and that the California air resources board,
and that are our fellow agencies for their continued
coordination on these issues.
I appreciate this proposed decision is moving us forward
in our implementation of SB 1440
in setting bio methane procurement goals.
And I look forward to seeing this program develop.
And as with all new programs,
I hope that we have the opportunity to learn
from our experiences and refine the program as we go.
As a particular area of interest,
I will note that the cost of this program
are uncertain at this time.
And I'm interested in ways that we as an agency
can examine and mitigate cost impacts in the future.
While I appreciated the decisions added clarification
in the revisions,
that assert program is a cost effective means
to reduce short-lived climate pollutants.
This is an area we must continue to examine more closely,
and I look forward to further refinement
of our cost effectiveness analysis through workshops
and the standard bio methane procurement methodologies,
which will be developed in the future.
Turn in their comments,
estimated that the cost of this program
could be over one billion in dollars per year
in additional gas costs for home heating and hot water.
Well, as the Commissioner acknowledged,
we do not yet know what the exact prices will be
for any future bio methane contracts.
We know they will be expensive and will warrant
for this scrutiny by this Commission to predict rate fairs.
To that end,
I will be very interested in reviewing
the renewable gas procurement plans
filed in a formal proceeding
and see more comprehensive planning
and cost information at that time.
And I appreciate and support the thoughtful revision
to this PD that moved the renewable gas procurement plans
to formal proceedings
rather than the tier three advice letter process.
Because I think that will help provide,
help us provide another opportunity to refine
what bio methane procurement planning
should look like going forward.
The proposed decision,
also notes that these renewable gas procurement plans
may include measures to contain
and mitigate rate payer costs
such as cost caps and rate limit, and rate increased limits.
And I look forward to reviewing those plans
and seeing what measures we can take to protect rate payers.
And if this initial procurement effort is successful,
I think we'll need to take a close look
at these kinds of rate mitigation tools, going forward.
To close, I will be supporting this item.
And once again,
I would like to thank Commissioner Rechtschaffen
for your leadership in this area.
Thank you.
-: Thank you, Commissioner Reynolds.
I joined my colleagues
in thanking Commissioner Rechtschaffen
in advancing this important decision
and also think the many hard working individuals
who helped with this really heavy lift,
decarbonizing California's economy is a formidable task
because carbon has been the input output
of so much of our economy for so long.
This reality comes into even more focus as we move beyond
the easy are first steps to the more complex ones.
As Commissioner Rechtschoffen described
this decision considers a variety of different interests
and viewpoints and strikes a good but complicated balance
to advance the critical goals of decarbonization,
protecting the environment and implementing
the legislature's direction and advancing Senate bill 1440.
It tackles many issues from setting procurement targets
for bio methane to addressing the concerns
of local communities,
to establishing processes for contracting
and cost effectiveness review.
And I intend to keep a sharp focus
on those cost effectiveness with an eye toward doing
everything we can to minimize impacts on rate payers.
I look forward to monitoring how the future workshops
address cost control mechanisms like cost caps
or rate increased limits.
And I hope to see strong measures
to ensure rate payer protection.
I'll be looking for impacts on customer rate
at many decision points going forward.
Including some of the ones that Commissioner Rechtschoffen
mentioned, the standard bio methane procurement methodology
advice letters, the renewable gas procurement plans,
the various individual contracts that will come before us.
The biomass pilot project applications
and the future filings that will address
the balancing accounts prepared pursuant to this decision.
Having said that, this decision is a very good example
of California state agencies consulting
and working together to advance the critical goal
of addressing climate change.
It will continue to ensure that we have a safe, reliable,
and affordable gas system for those who need it.
While we tackle decarbonization, environmental justice,
and other pressing issues.
There's a common refrain that under federalism,
the states are laboratories of democracy.
I hope this decision and its implementation
can be part of California's climate laboratory or sorts.
A model for other states to follow as we jointly face
our common goal of combating climate change.
Thank you, and I will be supporting this decision.
With no more remarks,
is there a motion on item 26?
Motion by Commissioner Houck?
Do we have a second??
-: All second of motion.
-: Commissioner Shiroma, second.
We have a motion and a second for item 26.
Agenda clerk, please call the roll.
Clerk: Commissioner Reynolds.
-: Aye.
Clerk: Commissioner Houck?
-: Yes.
Clerk: Commissioner Shiroma?
-: Aye.
Clerk: Commissioner Rechtschoffen.
-: Yes.
Clerk: President Alice Reynolds.
-: Yes.
The vote is five, zero.
The item passes.
Turning now to agenda item number 27.
R20-08-021.
Order instituting rule making regarding revisions
to the California advanced services fund,
which is assigned to Commissioner Houck.
Commissioner Houck, I will turn it over to you.
-: Thank you, president Reynolds.
Last summer, Governor Newton signed
an historic $6 billion broadband package
that included funding for among other items,
a state middle mile network, a last mile deployment program,
a loan loss reserve account to support local agency
and nonprofit network deployment
and a local agency technical assistance program
to assist tribes and local governments
during the initial stages
as of broadband network development.
In September, I issued an amended scoping memo
in our California advanced services fund rule making
R20-08-021 to address certain aspects
of the Governor's broadband package.
This scoping memo included a staff proposal
for a local agency and tribal technical assistance program.
Today's proposed decision adopts
the local agency technical assistance program,
which will reimburse tribes and local government agencies
for cost extended in the broadband network
development phase.
When those costs will lead to, or are reasonably expected
to lead to a broadband deployment project.
The importance of local development and local ownership
of broadband networks and closing the digital divide
cannot be over sighted.
For years, we have seen a failure to deploy
or maintain adequate broadband networks in rural tribal
and disadvantaged communities.
This decision will help support the crucial role
of public actors to step in and bring this essential service
to all Californians.
Local networks will also bring much needed competition
to internet service markets and increased customer choice.
This decision retains the separate tribal technical
assistance program,
and further sets aside 10% of the program funding
specifically for tribes,
ensuring tribal communities have sufficient opportunities
to receive funding,
to improve broadband access in communities
that have long been under or unserved.
This decision is the result of a great team effort.
And I want to recognize the team members of this team.
So thank you to our communications division staff
for their role in the development of this program.
And of course the future work
that will go into administering the program
is approved today.
This past year has been incredibly busy
for our communications decision.
And I'd like to particularly thank Rob Osborne, Michael min,
Karen Eckersley, Jonathan LCRI,
Michelle King and Selina Wong for their work on the program.
A big thanks also go to am my former bagley king partner,
Commissioner Martha Guzman Evans for former chief of staff,
Jonathan Colts and advisor, Sarah Sharp
without their efforts, we may not be here
today adopting the decision.
I also want to thank my new bagley king partner,
president Alice Reynolds and her advisor, Michael Melaney.
Michael has been instrumental in moving the state broadband
effort forward and seeing what was a vision
becoming a reality.
I'd like to thank Stacy Castro and Enrique Giardo
from our legal division
and our assigned Administrative Law Judge, Valerie Gal
for all of their hard work in the preparation
and finalization of this decision.
I wanna thank my chief of staff,
Hun G Faran and advisor Christie Chu
for all of their work on the proceeding.
And I wanna provide a special thank you to my advisor,
Eileen Odel for her outstanding tireless efforts
and ensuring from my office that our CASF program work
is on track and moving forward.
Irene has taken the lead on CAS issues in my office
and has spent long hours working with staff,
the office of government affairs
meeting with stakeholders and coordinating
with the office of my BK partner
and furthering moving this matter forward.
So again, I wanna recognize all of the hard work
that this amazing team has done to bring this decision
to the finish line.
And now I'm gonna ask for your support
in getting this effort across the finish line
by approving this important program today.
So thank you.
-: Thank you, Commissioner Houck.
I'll start with some remarks.
I'm happy to support this decision.
This is the first in a series of decisions.
The Commission will be adopting to implement
the historic broadband package enacted by Governor Newsom
in the legislature last year.
This package recognized the vital role
that local government play in providing essential services.
It expanded the type of local agencies eligible
to deploy networks and issue broadband bonds.
It created a loan loss reserve,
made local governments eligible for last mile grant funds
and created the program that is a subject
of today's decision.
Providing technical assistance grants
for deploy public broadband network.
There are already hundreds of public networks
across the country.
Many of which provide future proof services
that ensure equity, affordability,
and access for the entire community they serve.
My hope is that this grant program will jumpstart
a new generation of public networks in this state.
Networks not guided by profits,
but by providing the highest quality service
to their communities.
I look forward to partnering with local governments
over the coming months and years,
to help launch these networks and ensure their success.
My thanks to you, Commissioner Houck, your staff,
the communications division and to ALJ Valerie Cal
for developing this decision.
Thank you.
I now turn to the other Commissioners.
Would any other Commissioners like to make remarks.
Commissioner Shiroma, I saw you first.
-: Thank you, president Reynolds,
I'm pleased to vote in favor of this decision.
It provides as you outlined,
as Commissioner Houck has outlined
the resources for local participation
for local assistance, cities, counties, community services,
powers, authorities and so forth,
have a key knowledge of the local needs of the community.
And these resources will really help
to empower them to assure that broadband
is brought to every corner of California.
I'm excited to see that there is a goal
of 98% of a household
in a very short period of time.
And also that there is an assurance funding allocated
to a tribal grant payers.
Thank you, I'm in support.
-: Thank you.
Going next Commissioner Reynolds.
-: Thank you, president Reynolds.
I will be supporting this item.
I would like to thank Commissioner Houck
for your leadership in this decision,
as well as judged out for her work
in developing this proceeding.
I really appreciate that we're establishing
this local agency technical assistance grant program.
Local agencies and tribes will require assistance programs
such as the loss half more than ever.
As we were to pose the broadband digital divide
for unserved and underserved households.
Developing broadband strategic plans
and other eligible activities are important to effectively
deploying the funds.
The legislature is authorized and that the Governor
has signed into law to expand broadband access
through projects that CASF funds.
I look forward to seeing future projects developed
with the help of this technical assistance.
And I hope that this is the first step on the way
to this Commission supporting the use of the broadband
investment package to close the digital divide
and to build an advanced telecommunications network
that is en of the nation and of the world, really.
Thank you.
-: Thank you.
Next to Commissioner Rechtschoffen.
-: Thank you, president Reynold.
Thank you Commissioner Houck
for your leadership on this item.
I'm supporting this for all the re reasons
that my colleagues said.
This is really a model that we should think
about using more broadly too often, we approve programs,
but we don't provide the beneficiary recipients
or communities with the support they need
to access the programs.
And it's no surprise that they are disproportionately
unable to access these funds.
So I think this is a very, very important model,
and I'm glad that there's robust funding for it.
I'm particularly pleased
that we have a separate funding source for tribe.
Even though we have an existing program,
the need is great.
The programs are differently designed,
different fundings amount amounts and so forth.
And I'm also supportive of the intent in the decision
to review and monitor funds
to make sure that there's inequitable distribution
in accordance with our environmental
and social justice action plan.
If there are modifications that are needed,
we can ascertain that through this monitoring effort.
With that, I'll be supporting the decision.
-: Thank you Commission Rechtschoffen.
With no more remarks,
is there a motion on item 27?
-: Removed.
-: Motion by Commission Reynolds?
Do we have a second?
-: Second.
-: Second by Commissioner Rechtschoffen.
With a motion and a second for item 27,
agenda clerk, please call the role.
Clerk: Commissioner Reynolds?
-: Yes.
Clerk: Commissioner Houck?
-: Yes.
Clerk: Commissioner Shiroma?
-: Aye.
Clerk: Commissioner Rechtschoffen.
-: Yeah.
Clerk: President Alice Reynolds.
-: Yes.
The vote is five.
The item passes
Turning now to item number 29, management report.
There's no report for item number 29,
management report and discussion on recent consumer
protection safety activities.
There's also no report on item 30,
management report on administrative activities.
Item 31 is the presentation
from the disadvantaged communities advisory group.
Today we have Angela Islas,
chair of the DACAG and Partita Lopez,
vice chair of the DACAG.
Thank you to you both.
I will begin by turning it over to Angela, Miss Islas,
who I believe is on the line.
Miss Islas if you wanna
turn on your video and your audio.
Okay, It will be just a moment.
We're checking.
Angela: Can anyone hear me?
-: We can hear you now.
Angela: Oh my gosh, great.
Wow.
Sorry about that.
-: No problem.
It's technical difficulties have been happening.
So thank you for joining.
I just introduced item 31
and we're ready for your presentation.
Angela: Okay, great.
Yeah.
If anybody has the slide that I had submitted
that would be great to just have on the screen.
I don't know who would be able to do that.
-: Miss Islas,
it sounds like there are some technical difficulties
on presentation slide.
Oh, I know.
It looks like it's still taking some time.
Angela: Oh.
-: They're working on it.
Angela: So should I just be on standby?
-: Would you be able to start without the slides?
Angela: Very visually pretty.
-: Why don't we give it a few more minutes
they're working on it.
Joe: This is Joe Hagens, technical host.
We're resolving some screen lag issues.
-: Okay, let's give it a minute then.
Angela: So question, should I have my video on?
-: That would be great.
Yes, please.
-: Oh, okay, great.
Just needed to know when I can make that click.
-: There you are, that's perfect.
-: Okay, great.
So blank space, sorry, everyone.
I don't have a great background like all of you.
-: That's great.
Well, Mr. Card Lopez be joining as well.
-: So unfortunately, due to receiving some,
I guess some news that he had a recent family passing,
he will not be able to join the meeting today
to present with me.
-: I'm sorry to hear that, but thank you for joining.
-: And I have already shared him all your condolences
to his family during this time.
So he really appreciates everybody
for sending those positive vibes.
-: Thank you.
It looks like we're ready.
-: Great, awesome.
So,
again, thanks so much to president Reynolds,
as well as to all of the Commissioners.
Really excited to finally be able to share
some of the new updates that we had made
with our 2021 day tag annual report.
As well as we're gonna do sort of a little bit
of some background and introductory slides
just for, to give president Reynolds
as well as Commissioner John Reynolds
an opportunity to see who the date tag is.
What have you been doing in the last couple of years
with a lot of the work that we've been working closely
with the CEC, as well as with the CPUC
and where we're at right now in terms of priorities
and where we're gearing towards in focusing more
to work really closely alongside with CTC
on many of your efforts,
which I know you have already worked on and shared earlier
in the meeting today.
So can I get the next slide please?
-: It's still on the first slide.
-: Looks like they're still having technical.
There we go.
-: Okay.
Sorry, everyone.
you'll get like a couple of seconds of lag here.
Oh, okay.
So,
so the dispatch community advisory group
who we are, is that we are a set of community
representatives leaders across the entire state
of California that are here in this advisory group
to represent disadvantaged and low income
and tribal communities based on the overall purpose
of why the community advisory group was formed.
So as sort of a little bit of background,
the purpose of this main body is to advise the CPC
as well as the California energy Commission
regarding the development and implementation
and in impacts of proposed programs
related to the clean energy
and pollution reduction act of 2015.
Which is also known as SB350 in disadvantaged communities.
So we do many of us across the state,
which I will show in a little bit.
Either work very alongside dispatch communities,
vulnerable communities,
disproportionately impacted communities.
Or work very closely with tribal communities
across the state and ensuring that there is access
to opportunities for innovative technologies
that will help reduce pollution on impacts in their area.
Or also bring more affordability into their communities.
And so, all of the DACAG members have various roles
and responsibilities outside of the DACAG
in their daily work environment but we definitely are very,
we're very pleased to say that we do have a very good amount
of expertise in our day tag that has been evolving
since its inception in 2018.
And we're getting more and more closer to be able
to work more on trying to see if there's any more dispatch
communities that we need to address further
in a lot of the programs that we are working alongside
with you all in advising to properly be able
to support those communities better.
Next slide, please.
Okay, great.
So in the exception of the day tag starting
in about April of 2018,
this is a nostalgic photo of the first.
I know some of you can't see that very well,
but it it's a nostalgic photo of the first meeting
that I was in as well as a lot of our day tag members,
as well as Commission Rechtschoffen
and this among surveys.
This was the first meeting that we had in April, 2018,
just starting off with the day tag
and starting to kind of get to know what responsibilities
and roles we will have in order to help work alongside
with CPC and the CEC.
But most importantly,
what I wanted to highlight in this slide
is that between April and September of 2018,
there were four day members that includes myself,
that we wanted to build more of a guiding principle
within the day tag to just kind of have like more structure
in how we would be able to appropriately advise
with a lot of programs that the CPC and the CEC
were working on.
And so,
the disadvantage community advisory group equity framework
was a framework that we had developed in order to advocate
for equitable programming to reach a lot of vulnerable
communities that we feel are in still need
of being able to access a lot of these innovative
technologies as well as affordable programs.
And so the definition of disadvantage communities,
we had defined it in various kind of different metrics
to be able to indicate which communities
would be able to benefit from programs.
There still need to be benefited from these programs.
It's not highlighted on the slide,
but I do wanna point them out that we had incorporated
in our equity framework, the Cal and virus screen tool,
which is defined by Cal EPA.
That was one that we incorporated
as well as land being another metric that we would want
the programs to ensure that there's accessibility there.
We also added two kind of metrics that we may still feel
that it was a way to ensure that we're targeting
low income communities more properly.
But one is census track with area medium income,
as well as state medium income, less than 80%.
And household with medium household income,
less than 80% of the area medium income.
So those two were very important for us to try to target,
because again, with the equity framework,
we did have some day tech members
that were very focused solar access.
And that was something that many of the day tech members
wanted to ensure that with program
I think it's availability.
And for them to be able to qualify,
these were two census checks
that we felt that it was necessary to incorporate
in order to see if the programs can be more efficient
in having these households be more kind of just be able
to be more qualified.
So,
the framework still has some of the set criteria
that we felt that would still be able to align
with some of the programs that we would wanna advise
for the CPC and the CEC health and safety
was actually one of our main points
that we wanted to ensure that was there,
as well as financial benefits,
access and education, as well as consumer protection.
But for this framework,
it is set in stone in our charter.
And the CEC has took in a lot steps
to really kind of follow the framework
and work on kind of taking a lot of what we had highlighted
to define it into many of their various tools
that they had developed.
Which I did mention here that they had used
a lot of our definition of the stats in their CEC energy
equity indicator tool.
And so that's really been something
that's been also helpful, but then,
we've been also thinking about how we can better
the framework to still be able to coordinate appropriately
with the CPC and the CDC staff.
So this is definitely a really great beginning
for our group to start with.
Next slide, please.
Okay.
So, quick introduction to all of our members,
we do have a total of 11 members and many of these members
have been with the day tag since April, 2018.
I do wanna quickly note that there were six members
this year that were up for reappointment.
And I know as of now, that five of the members
are going to be re seeking appointments
to either continue with the day tag or finalize
their final term with the day tag.
We still need to confirm one member
to just let us know if he will be re seeking
appointment or not.
So it is exciting.
We will still have a full body as of after March.
We will hopefully have a full body still of 11 members
continuing with the DACAG.
So first and foremost,
this is the pop office for the DACAG.
Myself I am the current chair with the DACAG.
Roman Partida Lopez, he is our current vice chair.
And Stephanie Chen, is our current secretary.
And then in our next slide, please.
We have our other members.
Next slide, please.
I'll go on.
Okay, it's just a lag of everyone.
Sorry about that.
So we do have other members that consist of Adrian Martinez,
as well as Ramirez, there are our Southern
California representatives.
Hopefully you'll see 'em in the next slide.
But they are also members that have been with us since 2018.
And a lot of their work really is on the port,
Los Angeles port.
And,
did I just have a bit of an issue here?
I'm sorry, my screen just kind of like went in and out.
So I was just checking if it,
-: I think they're still trying to advance to the next slide.
-: Oh, okay.
Should I continue?
-: Feel free to keep going.
We can hear you,
but it appears that they're having trouble with the slide.
-: Okay, great.
Thanks president Reynold.
I'm sorry about that.
I was really hoping for those visuals.
Well y'all oh, here we---
Great.
But yeah, of various members,
like throughout the slides
and I hope that you'll have a copy of the slides
for your review afterwards.
But I do wanna point out
that we do have two tribal representatives
and I know one of them was appointed
by the Governor's office to represent the DACAG and she,
it's Janet Danion.
She will be re seeking appointment
and she has been very amazing in our team
to really work alongside with us on a lot of the work
that we have been working alongside
with the CPC and CEC and advising.
So I know at this point right now,
we definitely are gonna be very grateful
that we'll still have a body that will continue
and many of us will be finishing our terms
and finalizing our time with the DACAG.
I do wanna point out that I have been very appreciative
to have been working with everybody alongside,
as well as Commissioner Rechtschoffen
and Commissioner Shiroma through our beginning stages
with just trying to coordinate and be able to have a path
with the DACAG working alongside with these two agencies.
So I'm gonna continue to, I think it's slide seven.
So next slide, if it'll advance.
I'm going over, DACAG priorities.
Thank you.
So,
every year, the day tag adopts new priority areas
that reflect what the agencies are working on.
And that helps us really be able to narrow
the scope of the group's focus.
Because we don't wanna just kind of go off on a tangent
where it's like,
this is our area of focus based on what we work outside
of the day tag, blah, blah, blah, blah.
Like we just wanna make sure that we're aligning
appropriately with each of the staff
and making sure that we're coordinating appropriately
in future agenda items that we wanna hear,
based on a proceeding or based on a new program
that CEC is presenting.
So we definitely wanted to keep that structure
very present in order for us to have like proper updates
on yearly with the priority areas.
And so for April, 2020 through April, 2021,
we had established these following priorities,
which is about 14.
And those were overall based on feedback from the CEC staff,
the CPUC staff, as well as the DACAG members
to ensure that we are covering our kind of basis
with the priorities that we want to have the staff
be able to kind of look into and reach out to us with any
areas that they wanted to present and get our expertise on.
Next slide, please.
So I'll become covering some bases
through the 2020, 2021 annual report.
And so if you can go to this next slide, please.
This is just kind of like a short, small summary
of our activities that the annual report
is going to be covering.
And so first and foremost we did hold about 11 meetings,
they were all virtual, excuse me, last year.
And we did hold multiple subgroup meetings
with the CPUC staff,
as well as with the CEC staff to just kind of get updates
on certain programs that the staff was seeking advice on,
or just feedback before comment letter periods.
So various of those meetings we did kind of do
between 2020, 2021 to advance our advice
to many of the programs that your agency
had been presenting to us and receiving our feedback.
In the last year, we did onboard three new members,
as you hopefully had seen in the last couple of slides.
It's Elena Crager.
I think Curtis silvers and Jose Hernandez,
they are all Southern California representatives
and they all work in different areas of renewable energy,
as well as job access.
Those are some of the areas that those members
work more closely on.
And then in over the last year,
we have welcomed and built a relationship
with the California energy Commissioner, vice Gunda.
We've been able to establish a great relationship
and work alongside with just taking any advice
or recommendations on his side
for what we need to be kind of looking into.
But most importantly, with Commissioner Houck
coming in the last year,
we have been very grateful to be working alongside
with her and her having her presence in our meetings monthly
to just share with us any proceedings or programs
that we need to be looking into in future agenda items.
So definitely Commissioner Houck we really appreciate
the relationship that we have built in last year
with you being able to be in our meetings.
Next slide, please.
So I'll go very quickly on these slides.
They are kind of a little detailed,
but I do wanna just kind of point out that there's been
various activities going on with each of the priorities
that we had established from 2020, 2021.
And so there was a lot of activity
with each of the priority areas
that were either developing comment letters
in response to some of the CPUC programs,
which with the storage priority area,
there was a group that had worked in developing
a comment letter in response to the self-generation
incentive program, equity resilience budget.
So we've been following that very closely.
Well, one of the members said
had been following it very closely under this priority area.
And that's what that group
was mainly focusing on was just in development
of that comment letter.
And then in the solar act program,
there was a lot of discussion and ways
to balance conflicting goals of building out,
distributed solar with a prevention of customers
not being fully impacted with any issues
that were going on in that area.
So in the next slide,
I'm gonna share other priority updates.
And so in transportation electrification,
there was some stuff that was going on last year.
I know one of them isn't mentioned here, but with the CEC,
we were a part of the policy feedback
with their recent clean transportation plan updates.
And many of the comments that we had made
to Commissioner Monahans office,
as well as supporting with providing our feedback
to their recent CTP update.
We've definitely been appreciative
of the agency taking our recommendations,
as well as our feedback with where we would wanna see
incentives go for that recent funding
that they had received.
But on the CPUC side, we did meet with PGME.
A small group met with PGME to just discuss
the low carbon fuel standard programs
and provide suggestions with some of those activities
and projects that they were looking into.
Pursuing under the low carbon fuel standard program credits.
And then we also provided input to the CPUC
Transportation Electrification framework.
And that was during one of our meetings,
which we really appreciate and we will still be ongoingly
on trying to work with that team to receive further updates.
Related to SB 100,
the DACAG supported community based organizations request
for a joint agency meeting,
I think to include non combustion scenario
and revised outdated cost effective tests
related to some of the methodology in SB 100.
We've been participating a lot too in certain workshops
that the CEC was organizing related to SB 100
and community engagement.
And we did, I believe submit a comment letter last year,
which I know I'm not sure if that's in the day tags
annual report but, we did submit a comment letter
with feedback based on what I had present it just now.
Next slide.
Great.
So related to public safety power shut up,
we were definitely having this as a priority last year.
And even in 2020, that was definitely
a lot of kind of events that we've been hearing and one,
and there was some encouragement on the CDC
as well as CPUC side and just kind of tune in a little bit
more on this issue.
And so we did provide some recommendations
on related to wildfire prevention, grid outages,
and how to have more availability of certain resources
that would protect disadvantaged communities
during these types of grid outages.
But I know that this is still kind of more developing.
It's still more of a process
that we're trying to still stay tuned into.
I do recognize that there was a time
that we had received a presentation
from each of the ILUs on community engagement plans
that they had been developing
related to public safety, power shutoffs.
And that was something that the date had had weighed in on,
in providing recommendations and feedback
to just enhance the overall human engagement plan
to be very effective during that this event.
So next slide please.
Okay, and so to telecommunication
was definitely an area that we didn't necessarily
touch on too much,
or we didn't have enough activity
to really kind of weigh in our feedback,
but this was something that I think two of the members
in the DACAG really wanted to ensure
that there was a priority area
to just kind of have a preliminary discussion
on related to telecommunications.
So we wanted to really just ensure that we got some aspects
from each of the members that have probably
had some feedback to share based on their work
that they may have like,
seen and related to telecommunications
and how we can kind of be able to support the CPUC
and for in kind of looking into this area
a little bit more since I know that there's still some.
-: Sorry to interrupt Miss Islas.
We've just gotten a request.
Could you speak a little slower
just for the Spanish translator?
-: Oh, I----
-: Because we're doing Spanish translation.
Sorry to interrupt to your flow.
It's great, and really enjoying the presentation,
but they're just having some trouble with the translation.
-: (foreign language)
So, sorry.
I totally forgot.
So my apologies for the translator.
-: No worries.
-: Okay, great.
So next slide, just so that we can,
I can kind of get myself back on a rhythm.
But I think this is the second to last slide
for the priorities that I wanna cover real quickly.
This one in particular was I guess,
a few members that had an interest in wanting
to see what COVID 19 response looked like
in terms of the CEC and the CPUC.
Seeing what has been kind of been an issue
or what's been backtracking with program of implementation.
And it was just something that we wanted to ensure
that there was a group that was able to work alongside
with the CPUC staff.
As well as the CEC staff to address these types of issues
that had arose due to the COVID 19 pandemic.
And some of the issues that the pandemic had caused
in terms of timeline kind of extensions
or even also like some interruptions
with program program implementation.
So definitely it was something that we wanted
to just fill that there was something there to ensure
that the staff can be able to reach out to us an talk
one on one with how we can address that appropriately.
Next slide.
And lastly, community engagement.
This was definitely very important,
especially during the COVID 19 pandemic.
We wanted to ensure that this group worked alongside
with the CPUC, as well as the CEC
to be able to give recommendations
on how to pursue certain opportunities,
to engage more effectively
with community based organizations as well, maybe,
having there be more solicitation opportunities
for community based organizations to be funded
and to be able to conduct capacity building
and other community engagement efforts
related to CPUC as well as CEC programs and proceedings.
So DACAG members did provide various suggestions
to ensure that there was procedural equity
and community participation,
especially during the COVID 19 pandemic.
But this is gonna still be an ongoing conversation.
And hopefully we've being seeing
a lot of different of our recommendations being pursued
on the CPUC side, as well as the CEC side.
And we've definitely been appreciative
of just keeping this priority as really of importance.
Especially if this is something that we definitely highlight
very closely in our equity framework
under access and education.
Next slide, please.
This is the last slide.
So for the translator, it's almost over.
So this is our new day tag priority list that we had just,
I believe approved last year towards the end of 2021.
It is a lot less than what you had seen previously.
We did go from 14 to now 10, very concrete priorities.
And this year we wanted to be more focused
as well as more intentional with arranging our priorities,
to be very much so aligned with the CPUC staff,
kind of recommendations,
as well as the CDC staff recommendations.
We've also had the pleasure to receive recommendations
based on Commissioner house office to kind of see
what kind of priorities we would really want to format
to meet some of the work that her office is doing.
I know we've had some conversations
with Rechtschoffen as well.
I believe in Shiroma's office to really make sure
that we get your feedback with certain priorities
that we should be looking into coming
into the new year for 2022.
And so with this new list,
we had done some changes.
It was very procedural and intentional
because I know that some of the advisors,
as well as the CPUC advisors on to the DACAG,
we wanted it to be a little bit more structured
and just kind of keep it more that it's not,
they're not subgroups since we know
that we were trying to work ourselves around the bagley keen
act and make sure that we weren't triggering
any of those kind of issues with having an open meeting
if it was more members.
So we did kind of reduce it to where we're now calling
each of these areas based on subject matter experts.
And each of those subject matter experts
will have one or two leads
that will be going kind of working
with each other to work on some of the priorities.
Or kind of arrange any future meetings with staff
to be able to discuss each of these priorities
based on what the CPUC staff or the CEC staff
wanna like work with us on,
or just present based on that priority
of the such matter experts that they're in.
So it is a little bit more refined.
It's more cleaner than the other version that we have,
but we've definitely appreciated Commissioner house office.
Most importantly, for really kind of weighing in on,
our decision making to have this priority list be more
refined and also more targeted to the efforts
that she is doing in her office,
which most importantly,
I'll highlight that it's affordability.
That's one that we really took into consideration
from her recommendations.
And I believe also we saw reliability
and distributed energy resources as another priority area
that we took into consideration based on CPUC
and Commissioner house recommendations.
So we're very excited overall.
We're excited to see where this list will take us
in terms of how to better coordinate with the CPUC staff,
as well as your fellow colleagues in the CEC.
And furthermore, with the last slide,
I just wanna thank everyone
for allowing me to just kind of go through this presentation
as well as the DACAG report.
And I'm happy to take any questions
from the Commissioners at this time.
And lastly,
I apologize to the interpreter for not going very slow.
-: Thank you, Miss Islas.
We really appreciate that presentation.
And I wanted to apologize for the technical difficulties
you got through it very well, despite the delay.
And I agree that the slide were worth seeing,
especially the photo of the first meeting.
It kind of shows the longevity of the DACAG.
So that was wonderful.
I'm gonna turn to the Commissioners now for comments.
Commissioner Houck.
-: I just wanted to thank you Angela for the presentation
and all the work you and DACAG has been doing.
I've had an opportunity to see first hand.
I think I've attended most of the meetings last year,
at least for a portion of them.
And I think the work that you're doing is really important
and helps inform what we are doing in our proceedings
and to the extent there's ways that we can make it easier
for us to get feedback or contributions
from the advisory group.
I'd be interested to hear some of your thoughts
in that regard.
I know as I think I mentioned at the last
advisory committee meeting,
the affordability on Bon is gonna be next Monday
and Tuesday.
And so any feedback that day tech has from that would be
greatly appreciated or any efforts we can to continue
that discussion specifically with you.
And I know Commissioner Rechtschoffen
kicked off that proceeding
and has worked with you a lot on that in the path.
So anything that you can provide
to any of us as Commissioners would be really helpful.
And on community engagement,
I just wanted to note,
I think that you're aware that through
the arrearage proceeding,
we've been having a number of workshops
about how we can bring in community based organization
into working with some of our most disadvantaged customers
to address in particular, some of the arrearage issues
that we're dealing with in COVID as well as disconnection.
So we appreciated all of the feedback
that the advisory committee gave on how to engage..
With all support and feedback you've provided
or different members of Dayak have for those working groups.
So thank you again for the presentation.
And again,
any thoughts you have on how we can help
get input from you in these priority areas
would be appreciated.
-: Thank you, Commissioner Houck.
Other Commissioners?
Commissioners Shiroma.
-: Yes.
Thank you, Angela,
for the thorough and informative overview
of all of the tremendous work of the DACAG.
I think that the advisory group has been very successful
in really putting this is communities into our DNA
in terms of looking at our environmental
social justice goals
and really looking through that lens
for each of the proceedings that we have.
And I do wanna thank Roman
for attending the low income oversight board meeting
back in December.
There's a nice partnership that has formed
between the leadership of the DACAG
and a low income oversight board.
And also, the advisory group that advises on lifeline.
Now forward to the synergies of all of those efforts.
We have our clean mile standard workshop coming up on March.
Let's see, what do I have right here,
March 8th, yes, March 8th.
And I think that we have invited Roman and your committee
to tune in if you can.
We will be really focusing of course, on the statute,
which is requiring that transportation network companies
transition to electric vehicles.
But a big feature is to look at how do we assure
that there isn't a financial harm
to low and moderate income drivers
and also folks from the low and moderate income community
that would like to use the transportation network companies.
Look forward to working with you in the DACAG
in your community activism.
Really appreciate you being here today.
-: Thank you, Commissioner Shiroma.
Did I see your hand Commissioner Rechtschoffen?
Yes, Commissioner Rechtschoffen
-: You gotta look fast on my hands.
-: I know I almost missed it.
So quick.
Angela, thank you very much for being here.
Thank you for all your service on the DACAG
over these past four years.
And,
this advisory group is among the hardest working advisory
groups in state government.
You can see,
they have to be told to do less rather than more.
They want to do more.
So they wanna have 14 priority
and now they've scaled it back to a mere 10.
So I really appreciate all the work you've done.
And I think the 10 priorities are excellent ones.
And there's several that include de-carbonization work
that I'm involved in and I appreciate your taking feedback
from our office.
I wanna just mention one thing and maybe
make a suggestion, our community engagement.
The point in your last five talks about building capacity
and that's an issue for us that we've been trying
to grapple with more generally.
And we've been talking about over the past year
or so internally,
are there program of pilots that we could launch to provide
kind some kind of funding for technical capacity
that go beyond our icon program?
So that's one point we're gonna keep talking about that.
But secondly, and I know my advisor sent me.
George came to you the last meeting
to talk about the long term gas OIR,
and how best to engage with communities,
including ones who are not part parties
or part of our processes in that process.
I think one challenge for us
is to think about how to best structure,
the ways we engage community participation
or community engagement so that your voice
is heard most effectively.
And especially ways that go beyond the traditional
approaches we've used.
So for example, I know that the resources board,
they select one person from their environmental justice
advisory committee to sort of be the first questioner
and some more workshops and have a specialty to the table.
I don't know if that's the right approach
or what is the right approach?
But, the request is to help us think through ideas
for restructuring, some of the workshops or engagements
we have with communities so that we don't follow
just the standard approach 'cause that's not always
effective at max, the voices of community members.
Thanks.
-: Thank you, Commission Rechtschoffen.
Commissioner Reynolds.
-: Thank you.
And just briefly,
I'd like to like to thank you for this very helpful overview
as well as for the work that you and your colleagues
at DACAG have been doing to make sure
that disadvantaged communities are represented
and issues that impact them are being brought
before this Commission for consideration
and looking at your priorities for both 2021 and 2022,
I can't help, but think about how many different issue areas
we deal with as a body that can have unique impacts
on disadvantaged communities.
And I think the work of you and your colleagues
is so critical to making sure that we are taking
into account those impacts and continuing
to build on how we engage with disadvantaged communities.
So I look forward to continuing to work
with you and have further engagement
with you and your colleagues.
Thank you.
-: Great.
Thank you, Commissioner Reynold.
I just wanna close by saying,
reiterating the thanks that you heard
from the other Commissioners for the presentation,
as someone who is new to the Commission,
it was helpful to me to hear about your priorities
from last year and your new priorities.
I look forward to getting to know you better
and also wanted to put out a kind of thanks
and welcome to engage with the other members of the DACAG.
I recognize just the breadth of knowledge and experience
that all of the members bring and really take
that role seriously and recognize the value
of the advice that the DACAG is giving to the Commission.
And I'm struck by the way that you are really
taking into account the processes
that we have going on and the proceedings
and diving into those and really working
through the issues there,
and then looking at it with an eye toward your priorities,
your experience, the community's voices.
And helping us recognize things
that we might not have otherwise recognized.
So just wanted to say thank you very much again,
and look forward to working
with you in the rest of the DACAG.
-: Yeah, that was really, really appreciate those kind words.
And I did forget that I have a meeting right now,
so I just wanted to quickly
address sort of what Commissioner Houck
as well as Commissioner Rechtschoffen had commented.
And so with Commissioner Houck,
I think that's still sort of something
that we're navigating internally in the DACAG
on how we would better want to structure, like,
I guess like a process where the CPUC stuff
can like really help us out.
Like, with staying in tune with some of the proceedings
that are kind of going on.
And I know with comment letters,
that's still something that we're navigating since,
there's a process with how the subject matter experts
need to kind of like be notified ahead of time,
like, oh, there's something going on.
There's we need a comment letter from the DACAG
and then we have to be given permission
to do the comment letter and then bring it back
and then get it approved so that we can get it in on time
to your staff or other CPC staff to be able to incorporate
in the program during comment letter period.
So I know that that's just still
gonna be ongoing conversations.
What is gonna fit?
What each of the DACAG members like,
in a way that they feel like there can be a proper process
of coordination to receive the information early
or receive it like at a better time
so that we can have that structure
with designing our comment letters
and being able to present it on the timely matters.
So that's why I just feel like it's still gonna be ongoing
and even your willingness to really kind of help us
be able to have that better process
is more than what I would really hope
for to just see that you really wanna coordinate with us as,
at our best to be able to kind of get our comments
in on time.
So definitely will still be discussing this further
with you and like future DACAG meetings.
So I really appreciate you for bringing that up,
'cause definitely,
I would want our day members to coordinate with your office
as well as the other offices,
as best as possible to get our feedback in on,
at a good time.
So I really appreciate that.
And definitely looking forward to that development
and with Commissioner Rechtschoffen,
I do wanna say that,
yeah, I definitely hear you on the,
just kind of the restructuring
on the workshop for community engagement.
I will say on a personal, like kind of perspective,
it was challenging even for us as a nonprofit
to try to restructure like proper workshop engagement
with community residents.
And I know that some of that is kind of out
of our control with broadband access,
'cause not a lot of communities
here in the San Joaquin valley have broadband access
and sometimes it might end up being like a conference line.
Be needing to be available alongside with the work,
the virtual workshops to be able to make it coordinate well,
especially with the translators that we hired.
Like to make sure that there was that availability
for there to be proper engagement.
So even for it was like a tough thing to navigate,
but even still it's kind of like something
that is developing for us to properly see like,
what works best.
So we're definitely open to work alongside
with you to figure that out
and help you just kind of find the right restructure
to be able to have that proper engagement
in future workshops.
So more than willing to kind of have this conversation
with you and your office in future DACAG meetings.
And other than that, I do need to hop off.
So really.
-: Great.
Thank you very much.
And you're right.
Continuing conversation.
With that will end item number 31.
And move to the next item on the agenda,
which is Commissioner report.
Who would like to go first?
Commissioner Shiroma.
-: Thank you.
So I mentioned the clean mall standard workshop.
We recently opened up the rule making on that.
And so the Commission's consumer protection
and enforcement division will be conducting
that workshop on March 8th.
The clean mom standard was established in 2018
by Senate bill 2014.
I described that it affects looking to lower the greenhouse
gas emissions from transportation network companies,
the California Aris nurses,
board adopted targets and goals for the program last year.
And now it is in our rubric to implement the program.
So again,
a key feature is to really look at how to mitigate
the effect on low and moderate income drivers
and to true up our efforts with the Commission's
environmental and social justice action plan.
So we are pleased that Senator Skinner,
the author of the original legislation will be able
to join us at the workshop and provide open remarks.
Make a number of you are also planning to join in.
And we do have confirmation that several of the Commissions
from the California energy Commission
will also be joining us.
So all our welcome and more information can be found
on the daily calendar.
And then our quarterly universal lifeline telephone service
trust administrative committee or ELT SAC,
is having its first quarterly meeting virtual
on Monday, March 21st.
As many of you know,
the life line program provides discounts
on the home phone and cell phone services
to qualified households.
And during this meeting,
our staff will present on a number of things, the budget,
the renewals effort, the status of the foster
product program that we're looking to transition
into our main lifeline program.
The lifting of the renewal freeze and what is happening
to customers in that effort as we are in the various
March horn and lifting in response to COVID 19.
And there'll be more information on the website
in terms of the agenda and the meeting information.
Again, that will be on March 21st.
And then I mentioned
the low income mobile website board earlier,
and it is holding its first quarterly meeting
of 2022 on March 24th.
It will also be virtual.
The low income oversight board advises the Commission
on low income electric gas and water customer issues
and programs that benefit income qualified customers.
This is through the California ultimate rates for energy
or care family electric rate assistance referral,
and the energy saving assistance or ISA programs.
These programs are essential to help cope
with the disconnection moratorium ending
the extra cold whether that we are experiencing
and overall the rate pressures that have come to bear.
I want to thank Jessica Lin,
who has been a program manager
at Southern California Edison.
She has been the energy utility representative
on the low income oversight board,
and she has departed to a new job.
And so I wanna welcome
the Veronica Hernandez,
who is also a program manager
also with Southern CA state Anderson.
And she'll be joining us at the March meeting
completing Jessica's two year term
expiring in October, 2022.
Last year, we changed the terms
for the energy representatives,
energy utility representatives from one year to two years.
And so the energy utilities rotate
and we would anticipate participation
from one of the other utilities starting next fall.
And more details will be forthcoming
on who that first will be.
But meanwhile, it is Verloria Hernandez
and we do welcome her.
More information will be on the enroll end oversight board
web page for the March 24th meeting.
And then I want to announce
that I have a new advisor joining my office, Kelsey Choin.
She'll be serving as my water and energy advisor.
Kelsey joins us from the CPUC energy division,
where she has worked as an analyst on resource adequacy
to Burke and keel matters,
transmission rate cases and utility securitization
prior to joining the energy division.
Kelsey served as an analyst in the public advocate's office,
working on class, a water general rate cases.
She is a graduate of Carnegie Mellon University
and is based out of our San Francisco headquarters.
So please join me in welcoming Kelsey, to team Shiroma.
Thank you.
-: Thank you, Commissioner Shiroma.
Commissioner Houck, could you like to go next?
-: Yes, thank you, president Reynolds.
So first I would like to just again,
remind anyone out there interested
that we are gonna be having our affordability
on Bon caring next week on February 28th
and March 1st, 2022.
The PUC instituted the affordability proceeding,
which is R18 07006 in 2018
to develop common understanding methods and processes
to assess the affordability impacts
of individual PUC proceedings and utility rate requests.
The phase one portion of the proceeding
defined affordability, an essential service
identified metrics and data sources to measure affordability
and determine essential services and the useful application
of the affordability framework.
Phase two, launched in June of 2020
and examined issues such as how to implement affordability
metrics and methodologies adopted by the PUC.
In phase three, which is being launched through this OnBank.
We are going to look at soliciting information
from a broad range of experts
regarding affordability recommendations.
The workshop or on bond that's gonna be on Monday
and Tuesday is going to a number of panels
that will include experts from academia, industry,
environmental justice groups
and consumer advocacy organizations
to consider issues that are related to the rule making
and make proposals to limit and or mitigate future
electricity and natural rate increases.
I'm hoping that my fellow Commissioners
will all be joining me, if possible.
We've also invited Commissioners from the energy Commission
representatives from carb, Cal IO
and the state legislature to join us
just for my no votes or actions will be taken
on any items for information only
and information on our website
as well as the daily calendar.
And I just wanna give a special thanks to Paul Phillips
and his team.
They have been working tirelessly and have done an excellent
job in putting some amazing panels together
and putting just really packing in information
into the these two days.
So again, I hope you will all join my bagley keen partner,
Commissioner Shiroma and I for this event.
Also, I wanna note on March 7th,
there's gonna be a workshop in the provider
of last resort proceeding,
which is rule making 2103-001.
And the purpose of the workshop is gonna be
to discuss the proposed framework
for considering the objectives of phase one,
which is focused on an overview of the existing rules
and procedures that define investor own utility operations
and their current role is the provider of last resort.
So again, that'll be on March 7th and information
is also on our website and on the daily calendar.
And then last,
I think most folks know that Suzanne Kasaza
is no longer in my office and I just really wanted
to thank her for all of her amazing work.
She's got on onto a great and wonderful opportunity
that I really am so happy to see her being able to have.
And again, she's greatly missed in our office,
tremendous loss to us.
But again,
she's has this amazing opportunity
and I really just wanted to thank for all of her great work.
She's definitely one of our shooting stars
out of many here at the Commission.
And I just can't say enough to thank her for everything
she did in helping to set up my office with my team.
So with that, I will turn it back to you president Reynold.
-: Thank you, Commission Houck.
Commission Rechtschoffen.
-: Thank you, president Reynolds.
I wanna take a couple minutes to report out
on the new look for transmission taskforce meeting
that took place last week in DC.
It happened right after the conclusion of the Naruk
annual meeting I attended virtually.
there were four of the five fur Commissioners were there,
including the new Commissioner Willie Phillips
from DC who was very active and actually very supportive
of transmission reform.
Commissioner Danley was not there.
He's the most skeptical, I would just note
that some of these efforts.
For those of you who are interested, you can access.
You can listen to the whole four hour meeting.
It is on the, there's a has a webpage on the task force.
So you can follow that.
And I also want to just mention,
I have excellent support in the work I'm doing
on this task force from the legal division
and energy division, including Jonathan Nap,
Simon Herd and David With row.
The focus of this particular session
was transmission benefits and cost allocation principles.
Traditionally transmission projects
fall into three categories, reliability, economics
and public policy.
And actually,
we have the first public policy transition line
in the country.
That's haS be line that was approved in the 2000.
Some regions have never done public policy projects,
but a lot of the focus was talking about,
should we expand those categories
or should we define them broadly?
And several of us argued that we should.
That when we're doing transmission planning
and cost allocation.
We would consider issues like resilience,
the insurance value of transmission
for dealing with extreme events.
We have that both super storm sandy.
We have hard, Yuri,
we have everything we face in Southern California.
Environmental benefits, mitigation or market power.
And other benefits like that.
As we talked about,
there are now well established methodologies
that come from other regional transition organizations
in the rest of the country for doing this.
There seem to be, I would say significant interest
in the part of several of the fruit Commissioners
in a more expansive views of view of benefits,
particularly, dealing with resilience.
So I think if lucky,
if you take a hopeful view of folk may provide guidance
to the regions about including resilience
as a category of benefits that could be considered.
We then talked about cost allocation principles
and posed the question do should the existing
set of six principles be updated or revised.
And Naro itself, this taskforce has basically said,
men that don't end it,
that the principles are mostly sound.
And part of the reason is they give,
they provide flexibility
and there's not a straight jacket
of what proper cost allocation, you could argue.
And people do that's some of the detriment
of the existing principles.
But some of the things we talked about are using more
probabilistic or scenario modeling to evaluate
a range of possible benefits from transmission, planning.
I think that's particularly important
as we start to evaluate which we in California
have been pushing.
The benefits of transmission that goes 10, 15, 20 years
into the future when it's not exactly clear
what development there's gonna be in generation resources.
And doing that kind of analysis,
even if the benefits are not susceptible
to precise quantification right now.
So that was one theme.
Another theme that people talked about is,
should we evaluate not just each individual
transmission project on its own,
but rather a portfolio of projects
that the region might be approving.
And look at whether that whole basket of projects
makes sense from a cost benefit analysis.
I think that's a good idea.
I really think that's gives us a more comprehensive view
of what's going on.
And then we also discussed without resolving
this very thorny question of whether states
that would benefit from projects
should be assigned costs to them even if the states
haven't approved the projects.
So you can imagine that raises all kinds
of issues of state control.
On the other hand,
if you have a multi-state transition line
with tremendous benefits, do you want
to let one state deto that project?
So those are the kinds of issues that we talked about.
Finally, it was interesting Commissioner Christie
who came from Virginia.
He raised a question of whether or not
there should be some kind of mandatory inter regional
coordination or inter regional planning.
There's been almost no inter regional planning
anywhere in the country.
Including in California says that the inter regional
planning process hasn't worked very well.
But he said to address situations like winter storm URI,
where you really wanted one region
to come to the aid of another region.
Should we have some kind of minimum threshold
of transfer capability between regions
to inter regional planning?
And he asked for a role call of all the state Commissioners
and they ran out time before they got to the act.
I support, I think it's, it makes sense,
but that may be something folks pursuing.
So the next taskforce meeting chair click flew out,
he suggested that we might cover cost oversight,
which is a very big deal for the POC.
That was a big focus of the comments that we filed
on Fe's advanced notice of rule making.
So that's a good thing.
Interconnection reform, also a big important issue
and inter regional planning.
And again, that's something that we strongly support,
'cause we haven't seen a lot of it.
That's been very effective for any of it really
in the west so far.
So that's a summary of the latest meeting.
That's all I have president Reynolds.
-: Thank you.
Commissioner Reynolds.
-: Thank you, president Reynolds.
I am very excited to join my colleagues on this Commission.
As we tackle critical policy issues at an inflection point
for California's future.
I would like to thank Governor Newsom
for entrusting me with this responsibility.
And I would like to thank president Reynolds
and my colleagues on the virtual dias
for your warm welcome.
For my sincere gratitude to my staff,
who I'm excited to introduce in just a moment
who were doing tremendous work to get me up to speed
on key issues and attune to Commission processes.
There are too many people at the CPUC to thank individually
who have been helpful in ensuring
that my office is up and running.
I would like however to specifically thank deputy director
Christie Stoker, in the office of the Commission
who has been instrumental in providing clarity
and surmounting logistical hurdles during my onboarding.
I have had the distinct pleasure
of working with many staff at the PUC.
As well as numerous practitioners
in my prior life at the agency.
I served in a variety of roles over roughly six years
at this agency, including working in our legal division,
serving as an advisor to former Commissioner Peterman
and as interim chief of staff to my colleague Javie Romo,
I have been away from the agency for nearly three years.
And during that time I worked as an attorney for crews,
a San Francisco based company,
developing autonomous vehicle technology.
For those I've had a chance to work with in the past,
I look forward to reconnecting and working together
to develop sound policy,
to deliver Californians safe and reliable utility services
at just and reasonable rates.
While also delivering on our state's ambitious climate goals
and adapting to continuing climate impacts.
If we have not yet met and had a chance to work together,
you may find me to be on the quiet side.
But I hope you will also find me to be a thoughtful
and collaborative decision maker focused on the impacts
that our decisions will have on Californians
and on supporting a robust regulatory process
with integrity.
When I'm not diving into the details
of California regulatory policy,
you may find me enjoying east bay hiking trails
with my wife, Anne Leah.
With that,
I would like to introduce my fabulous staff.
To start with, I will, will offer my apologies
and thanks to my colleague Commissioner Houck.
I will start with Suzanne Kasaza
who joins my office as chief of staff.
Suzanne joined the CPUC in 2015,
and most recently served as legal and energy advisor
to Commissioner Houck.
Suzanne previously served as legal and energy advisor
to former Commissioner lean Randol.
Previously, Suzanne also worked as an analyst
in the energy division,
a legal and policy fellow for Santa Clara county,
supervisor Cindy Chavez,
and a legal intern at the us department of labor.
Suzanne holds a JDUC Hastings college of the law
and a bachelor's degree in English from UC Irvine.
Suzanne enjoys bay area hiking with her husband,
Alex and her dog.
Next, Justin Fall, joins our office as an advisor
after previously serving as advisor due Commissioner Guzman
on water telco and customer programs.
He has been with the Commission since 2017,
serving in the public advocate's office
and the consumer affairs branch.
Prior to his work at the Commission,
Justin worked in startups as a business analyst
and an executive compensation as an associate consultant.
He graduated from the university of California, Santa Cruz,
with a degree in international economics
and a minor in French.
In his free time,
he enjoys spending time with his soon to be wife, Marisa
and his English bulldog, Butch
along with cooking and yoga and cycling.
Next,
Maria Satero, has been with the CPUC since 2014.
First in energy division.
And since 2017 as energy advisor
to former Commissioner, Martha Guzman.
She previously worked for the California energy Commission's
energy R and D division and for the think tank,
New America Foundation.
She earned her masters in public administration
and environmental science and policy
from Columbia university,
and has a BA in urban studies and planning
from UC San Diego.
She is also a proud graduate
of her hometown community college.
She lives in Oakland with her husband
and three year old daughter.
So her hobbies mostly involve thinking of creative ways
to get a toddler into a car seat.
Laura Enrika, joined the CPU C as deputy chief of staff
to Commissioner Guzman.
And now serves in our office.
Previously, she participated in the capital fellows program
where she served in Ramona hand's office
as the California energy Commission.
As a native to rural he, California.
She is motivated in building bridges for community members
through political and economic advocacy.
She earned her BA in Chicano studies with an emphasis
in public policy from the university of California.
She enjoys running, reading, and cooking
with her nine year old daughter.
Please join me in welcoming this wonderful team.
Very excited to join you all
and is one matter of a brief business.
Before I turn back over to president Reynolds,
I would like to share with my colleagues
that we will be holding public participation hearings
in the PGEGC on March 1st, March 10th and March 22nd.
We will be holding on each day,
remote public participation hearings at 2:00 PM and 6:00 PM.
If you or your offices would like to join
the March 10th, remote public participation hearing
will be on San Joaquin Valley customers.
With that, thank you all so much,
and turning back to president Reynolds.
-: Thank you, Commissioner Reynolds.
I should have really appreciate your comments
and I should have added sooner, my thanks,
personal thanks for making sure
that I wasn't the newbie at the Commissioner for very long.
Welcome again.
I did have one matter to report to close this out.
I wanted to highlight the workshop
that we are in the middle of now
on public safety, power shutoff PSPS.
This workshop is for the electric investor on utilities
to provide the Commission and the public information
on their 2021 PSPS performance.
Including lessons learned and improvements planned
in preparation for the 2022 wildfire season.
So yesterday we heard from PGNE,
Pacific core and Liberty utilities.
And tomorrow on February 25th,
we will be hearing from SoCal, Edison and SDGNE.
The workshops have been attended by the leadership
of Cal fire, the office of energy infrastructure safety,
the California office of emergency services
and CPUC Commissioners.
I'm hopeful that this event
and ones like it can help the utilities
to better execute PSPS events and lead to reductions
in the use of PSPS by these lessons learned
critiquing current practices,
improving oversight and accountability,
strengthening lines of communication
and improving joint operations of utilities,
government entities,
community based organizations and others.
I also want to thank Commission staff, Tony Nole,
and Steven Cliber for their efforts
in organizing these workshops.
That concludes the Commissioner reports,
portion of the agenda.
And that finishes our public meeting agenda for today.
A public meeting is now adjourned.
Thank you.
Moderator: That concludes today's conference call.
Thank you for your participation, your----