Strategic Direction Policies (SD Policies)
SD15: Climate Change Policy
Effective Date: January 3, 2023
The Board recognizes that climate change presents ongoing environmental, economic, and social risk to EWEB, our customers, community, and the world. Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from human activity are known to be the primary cause of climate change, with the energy, industrial, construction, agricultural and transportation sectors generally identified as the primary sources of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States.
The primary direct impacts to EWEB operations from climate change include changes in streamflow –quantity and timing– affecting hydroelectric generation, impacts to water quality and watershed health, increased risk of wildfires, changes in consumption patterns, and increasing threats from extreme weather events. The Board also recognizes that EWEB, as a water and electric utility, impacts our climate through electric generation resource choices, business practices, and the operation and maintenance of our assets, lands, buildings, and transportation fleet.
Consistent with EWEB’s Vision, Mission, and Values (SD1), the Board supports EWEB taking an active role in combating and mitigating the impacts of climate change, within the context of and while executing our strategy and ongoing operations.
Accordingly, the following primary directives are adopted,
- POWER GENERATION: The Board is committed to supporting a low-carbon electric power portfolio that maintains, on a planning basis, over 90% of annual energy from carbon-free resources and targets over 95% of annual energy from carbon-free resources by 2030 to the extent possible and practical without distinct adverse impacts to customer-owners. Using the Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) process including final adoption by resolution (GP7), the Board will work with the General Manager to establish the long-term (20-year) principles, priorities, approaches, definitions (including carbon-free, carbon intensity), measurements, and goals for the electric generation portfolio, demand response, conservation and energy efficiency, and customer impact limitations (including but not limited to reliability, cost, and equity) supporting this directive.
- CLIMATE POLICY: The Board authorizes, delegates, and directs the General Manager to participate in local, state, and regional efforts to encourage, develop and enact measures to minimize and/or mitigate GHG emissions that contribute to climate change. Consistent with Board Policy (GP13), prior to legislative sessions the Board develops and guides EWEB’s positions relative to legislation, including those related to climate and environmental policy supporting this directive.
- EWEB OPERATIONS: The Board further authorizes, delegates, and directs the General Manager to continue efforts to minimize and/or mitigate GHG emissions from EWEB’s operations that contribute to climate change. As initially established in 2010, EWEB adopted a goal to reduce the Scope 1 and 2 (direct GHG emissions and energy) greenhouse gas emissions associated with its operations and facility management activities. Accordingly, and as formally established by this directive, EWEB plans to reduce our net Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions from operations relative to 2010 levels by 25% by 2020, 50% by 2030, and achieve carbon neutrality from our operations by 2050.
- CUSTOMER DECARBONIZATION: The Board further authorizes, delegates, and directs the General Manager to assist customers with achieving their GHG emission reduction goals through partnerships, technical assistance, resources, and programs that support, but are not limited to, energy efficiency, alternative fuels, electric and water conservation, electrification, and carbon offsets and sequestration. Long-term conservation, energy efficiency, and demand-response goals are established as part of the IRP process. Additional program objectives, incentives and budgets will be established annually, as applicable, and/or through revisions to the strategic plan.
- IMPACTS ON EWEB: Consistent with resiliency initiatives included in EWEB’s approved strategic plan, the Board directs the General Manager to evaluate and enact measures, as necessary and appropriate, to prepare for and minimize the effects of climate change that could impact EWEB’s water and electric supply and infrastructure, damaging EWEB’s resiliency and reliability.
IMPLEMENTATION:
In support of the primary directives identified above, major decisions and actions, including those related to this policy, will be evaluated based on a triple-bottom-line methodology, including assessments of consistency with the organization’s values, including safety, reliability, affordability, environmental stewardship, transparency, and equity.
The Board and General Manager will work together to develop annual goals, consistent with Board Policy BL4 and BL5, related to the primary directives, as applicable, including milestones and measurements, and reporting frequency.
So that EWEB’s actions are visible to our community, at least annually EWEB will compile and report GHG emission reduction and/or mitigation activity, including a greenhouse gas inventory (Scope 1 and 2, along with Scope 3 where impactful, applicable, and practical), and will calculate and publish the carbon intensity of our energy portfolio. Definitions, GHG emission reduction and/or mitigation details (e.g., fuel mix, use of offsets, etc.) and carbon accounting methods will be published, consistent with industry standards and/or official reporting requirements where applicable.
Source: Steve Newcomb, Environmental Manager, Approved 09/18/07; Revised 07/10/18, Resolution No. 1820; Revised 01/04/22, Resolution No. 2204; Revised 01/03/23, Resolution No. 2303.
Links and Relevant Resources:
- EWEB Board Policies
- December 6, 2022 Regular Board Meeting: Annual Board Policy Review (including SD15)
- December 7, 2021 Regular Board Meeting: Board Policy – SD15 Climate Change Policy
- July 10, 2018 Regular Board meeting: Consent Calendar – See page 35 of 42 in Consent Calendar PDF
- June 5, 2018 Regular Board Meeting: Draft Revisions to Board Policy SD15, Climate Change
