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OKAY, EVERYBODY, PLEASE TAKE A SEAT.
GOOD MORNING AND THANK YOU EVERYBODY FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
THIS IS THE JUNE 27TH MEETING OF THE MUNICIPAL UTILITIES COMMITTEE.
AGAIN, I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL.
TODAY IS, UM, A DAY WHERE THE COMMITTEE IS ASKED FOR SOME BRIEFINGS, PARTICULARLY ABOUT, UH, HOW BOTH UTILITIES ARE ADDRESSING, UH, THEIR PART OF OUR CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN, HOW THE CITY'S PLANS BEING INCORPORATED INTO WHAT THE UTILITIES ARE DOING, AND AT THE SAME TIME, ASKING BOTH UTILITIES TO GIVE US SOME INSIGHT AS TO HOW THEY BELIEVE THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION WENT, UH, ON ISSUES OF IMPORTANCE TO BOTH UTILITIES AND TO THE CITY.
SO THAT IS OUR AGENDA FOR TODAY.
LET'S GO AHEAD AND BEGIN BY, UH, DOING THE ATTENDANCE.
SEE WHO'S AVAILABLE FOR THE MEETING.
COUNCIL MEMBER MAKI RODRIGUEZ.
PRESENT, COUNCIL MEMBER VERAN.
THE FIRST ITEM, UH, OF BUSINESS WILL BE THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM
[Approval of Minutes ]
THE MAY 23RD M U C MEETING.UH, I HOPE EVERYBODY'S HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT THOSE.
AND, UM, IF YOU HAVE ANY CHANGES, LET ME KNOW.
OTHERWISE, IF THERE'S A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES, MOVE TO APPROVE.
IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF MAY 23RD.
[Public Comment ]
CITIZENS WHO'VE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK TODAY? NO, SIR.THEN LET'S GO INTO OUR, UH, BRIEFING ITEMS.
[Briefing and Possible Action on the following items ]
ITEM NUMBER TWO, BRIEFING BY C P S ENERGY ON UTILITIES, UH, ACTIVITIES, ALIGNING WITH THE CITY'S CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN.UH, REPRESENTING THE CITY TODAY IS GONNA BE JEFF, UH, BEN WON'T BE HERE, AND WHO'LL BE SPEAKING FOR, UH, C P SS ENERGY.
HI, I'M ANGELA RODRIGUEZ, AND I'M FROM OUR CLIMATE AND SUSTAINABILITY TEAM.
UM, GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE FROM INITIATIVES SUCH AS HELPING THE COMMUNITY ADOPT ELECTRIC VEHICLES TO BIGGER INITIATIVES SUCH AS ADDING SOLAR AND MAKING SURE OUR POWER PLANTS ARE READY TO MEET EXTREME TEMPERATURES, WHETHER THEY HAPPEN IN THE SUMMER, LIKE RIGHT NOW OR IN THE WINTER.
WHEN I'M ASKED, WHAT IS C P S ENERGY DOING TO HELP THE COMMUNITY MEET CAP GOALS? MY SIMPLE ANSWER IS USUALLY, ALMOST EVERYTHING WE DO AT C P SS ENERGY IS EITHER HELPING TO REDUCE THE EMISSIONS OR MAKE US MORE RESILIENT TO CLIMATE CHANGE.
THE CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN HAS 29 MITIGATION STRATEGIES OR WAYS TO REDUCE GREENHOUSE GASES AND ABOUT 45 ADAPTATION STRATEGIES OR WAYS TO MAKE OUR COMMUNITY MORE RESILIENT IN THE FACE OF A CHANGING CLIMATE.
FOR TODAY'S PRESENTATION, I'M REALLY CONCENTRATING ON THE MITIGATION OR REDUCTION PIECE, WHICH REALLY AT A HIGH LEVEL FITS INTO THESE SIX BUCKETS.
UM, THIS GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATES COMPREHENSIBLY ALL THE CARBON REDUCING INITIATIVES THAT WE DO AT C P S ENERGY THAT ALIGN AND TIE BACK TO THE CAP.
UH, WHETHER IT'S ADDING UTILITY SCALE SOLAR AND MOVING AWAY FROM FOSSIL FUELS, OR MAKING OUR OWN BUILDINGS MORE ENERGY EFFICIENT, WHILE ALSO HELPING THE COMMUNITY DO THE SAME AT THEIR HOMES AND BUSINESSES.
THROUGH OUR SUSTAINABLE TOMORROW ENERGY PLAN, WE'RE ALSO HELPING THE TRANSPORTATION SECTOR BY INSTALLING CHARGERS AND CONVERTING OUR OWN VEHICLES TO CLEANER SOURCES OF ENERGY.
UM, OUR TREE INITIATIVES WILL HELP OFFSET SOME OF THE CARBON THAT WE DO EMIT WHILE ALSO HELPING WITH THINGS LIKE THE URBAN HEAT ISLAND IMPACT AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY.
PLUS, AS PART OF THE ENERGY TRANSITION, WE'RE MAKING SURE THAT OUR WORKFORCE IS TRANSITIONING TO NEW ROLES, AND WE ALSO HELP THE COMMUNITY BY MAKING SURE THAT OUR TECHNOLOGY PARTNERS, UM, DO SOMETHING IN A COMMUNITY STEWARDSHIP TYPE OF WAY, WHETHER IT'S ADDING DOLLARS FOR EDUCATION OR LOCAL JOBS.
UH, C P S ENERGY HAS A DIRECT OR INDIRECT ROLE IN MOST OF THOSE CAP REDUCTION STRATEGIES, UM, ALL 29 THAT ARE IN THE CAP DOCUMENT, BUT THERE'S TWO BIGGEST IMPACTS THAT WE HAVE ON REDUCING EMISSIONS, AND THAT'S, UM, ADDING RENEWABLES AND ALSO ENCOURAGING ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND CONSERVATION.
AND SO THAT'S REALLY THE, THE TOP BLUE BUBBLE AND THE ORANGE BUBBLE THAT YOU SEE ON THAT GRAPHIC THERE.
UH, YOU'VE SEEN THIS SLIDE BEFORE AT, IF YOU'VE WATCHED OUR RATE ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETINGS, C P S ENERGY BOARD MEETINGS, I THINK WE EVEN SHOWED IT LAST TIME WE WERE HERE AT THE M U C MEETING AT C P S ENERGY.
WE'VE BEEN REDUCING OUR CARBON FOOTPRINT FOR DECADES.
UM, AND WE'LL CONTINUE ON THAT PATH TO NET ZERO BY 2050, WHILE ALSO MEETING THE 2030 AND THE 2040 CAP TARGETS.
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UH, THIS SLIDE REALLY CONCENTRATES ON THOSE TWO BIGGEST IMPACT AREAS THAT I MENTIONED, WHICH IS REDUCING THE CARBON INTENSITY OF OUR POWER GENERATION FLEET AND HELPING OUR CUSTOMERS BE MORE ENERGY EFFICIENT AND CONSERVE.UM, OVER THE PAST 18 MONTHS OR SO, WE'VE MADE REALLY GREAT PROGRESS IN MAKING DECISIONS ON TWO INITIATIVES THAT SET US UP ON THIS PATH.
SO WITH THE HELP OF COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS IN PUBLIC FORUMS, SUCH AS OUR RATE ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETINGS, PUBLIC OPEN HOUSES, BOARD MEETINGS, UM, WE TOOK TWO BIG STEPS TOWARDS PROGRESS OF MEETING THE CAP GOALS.
THE FIRST WAS OUR NEXT PHASE OF ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND CONSERVATION PROGRAMS WAS APPROVED.
WE CALL THAT OUR SUSTAINABLE TOMORROW ENERGY PLAN.
WE KEPT THE SAME ACRONYM AS ITS PREDECESSOR STEP.
UM, AND THROUGH STEP WE'LL HELP THE COMMUNITY AVOID ALMOST 2 MILLION TONS OF CARBON DIOXIDE.
AND A LOT OF THE DISCUSSION AROUND STEP HAPPENED IN THE LAST MEETING THAT Y'ALL HAD WHEN JONATHAN WAS HERE SPEAKING.
UH, THE SECOND BIGGEST DECISION THAT OUR COMMUNITY HELPED US MAKE TO SUPPORT ACHIEVING THE CAP GOALS WAS ON OUR POWER GENERATION RESOURCE PLAN.
THE C P SS ENERGY VOTED ON A PLAN.
UH, THE C P S ENERGY BOARD VOTED ON A PLAN IN JANUARY OF THIS YEAR, AND THAT PLAN REALLY BALANCES CLIMATE MITIGATION ADAPTATION WHILE STILL MAINTAINING RELIABILITY AND AFFORDABILITY.
UM, AND BENNY, UH, ETHRIDGE PRESENTED ON SOME OF THAT PROGRESS WHEN HE WAS HERE LAST MONTH AS WELL.
AND SO BY CLOSING THE SPRUCE ONE COAL PLANT EARLY AND CONVERTING SPRUCE TWO TO NATURAL GAS, ADDING RENEWABLES AS WELL AS SOME FIRMING NATURAL GAS, UM, WE'LL SEE A 41% REDUCTION IN OUR CARBON INTENSITY BY 2030.
AND THAT REDUCTION EVEN TAKES INTO ACCOUNT THE FACT THAT OUR C'S GROWING AND WE'RE HAVING TO ADD LIKE ALMOST 120 MEGAWATTS PER YEAR JUST TO KEEP UP WITH THE RAPID GROWTH.
UH, WE'LL ALSO PREPARE TO MEET THE 20, 40 AND 2050 GOALS AS NEW TECHNOLOGIES LIKE GEOTHERMAL BATTERY STORAGE, UM, LONGER DURATION, ENERGY STORAGE, HYDROGEN, UH, NEW AND INNOVATIVE WAYS TO DO ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND CONSERVATION.
AS THOSE BECOME AVAILABLE, WE'LL INTEGRATE THOSE IN AND WE'LL SEE A EVEN BIGGER DROP IN OUR CARBON INTENSITY.
UH, MEETING THE CAP GOALS IS REALLY A ONE TEAM EFFORT.
IT'S GONNA TAKE, UM, ALL SECTORS AND ITS C P SS ENERGY.
WE ARE DOING OUR PART TO HELP.
I DO WANNA REMIND EVERYONE THAT ALL OF THESE, UM, INITIATIVES DO TAKE INVESTMENTS AND COSTS, SO WE'LL HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ARE MANAGING THE COST IMPACT TO OUR COMMUNITY AS WELL.
UM, AND SO AGAIN, C P SS ENERGY MADE IN THE PAST 18 MONTHS, VERY GOOD PROGRESS TOWARDS CAP MITIGATION STRATEGY NUMBER ONE, WHICH IS INCREASING CARBON FREE ENERGY WHEN WE CHOSE A GENERATION PORTFOLIO.
AND THEN WE ALSO MADE GREAT PROGRESS TOWARDS CAP MITIGATION STRATEGY NUMBER SEVEN, WHICH IS INCREASING ENERGY EFFICIENCY WHEN WE GOT STEP APPROVAL.
AND OUR PATH TO ACHIEVING NET ZERO CARBON BY 2050 WILL REALLY RELY ON A COMBINATION OF ESTABLISHED TECHNOLOGIES, ENERGY EFFICIENCY, AND TIMELY ADOPTION OF STORAGE AND NEW GENERATION TECHNOLOGIES.
AND THESE MOST RECENT DECISIONS THAT WE'VE MADE IN THE PAST FEW MONTHS, UM, HAVE REALLY SET US ALONG THAT PATH.
AND THAT'S MY UPDATE AND I'M, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
A LOT OF THESE HAVE BEEN PRESENTED, UH, BEFORE, SO I THINK THE COMMITTEE'S PROBABLY FAMILIAR WITH ALMOST ALL OF THEM.
ONE THING THAT CAPTURED MY ATTENTION, WHEN YOU STARTED EARLY IN YOUR PRESENTATION, YOU TALKED ABOUT TREES.
COULD YOU EXPLAIN, UH, HOW THOSE MITIGATE ANY KIND OF, UH, YOU KNOW, YOUR, YOUR PARTICIPATION IN, UH, CLIMATE ACTION PLAN? YEAH.
SO TREES ARE A GREAT NATURAL WAY TO SEQUESTER CARBON.
AND SO OF COURSE, THEY'RE PART OF THE CAP.
AND AT C P S ENERGY, WE'VE HAD, UM, TREE PROGRAMS THAT WE'VE WORKED WITH THE CITY ON FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS WHERE WE GIVE AWAY FREE TREES.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE, UM, LOOKING MORE INTO NOW, AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT, UM, DAVID MCCREARY, ACTUALLY, I THINK IT PRESENTED AT A CHECK MEETING OR A B SESSION.
A LOT OF, UM, TREE INITIATIVES HAVE BEEN MORE ABOUT QUANTITY AND GETTING A LOT OF TREES OUT THERE.
AND WE'RE LOOKING AT WAYS TO MAKE IT MORE, UM, MAYBE FEWER TREES, BUT MORE MAKING SURE THAT THEY STAY ALIVE, THEY'RE BEING WATERED.
SO SOME OF THE THINGS WE'RE LOOKING AT IS ACTUALLY ONE THING IS LIKE SUPPORTING THE, UM, ARBORETUM SA, WHICH IS GOING TO ADD TREES TO THE SOUTH SIDE OF SAN ANTONIO.
AND SO ANY WAY THAT WE CAN, YOU KNOW, ENHANCE OR IMPROVE OUR TREE INITIATIVES TO JUST GET OUR TREE CANOPY BETTER FOR ALL THE GREAT THINGS THAT TREES DO, WHETHER IT'S SEQUESTERING CARBON, ADDING SHADES SO YOU'RE NOT AS HOT DURING THE SUMMER, THEY HELP WITH STORM WATER RUNOFF.
I COULD GO ON AND ON ABOUT ALL THE GOOD THINGS THEY DO.
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ARE THE, UH, THE MAIN INCENTIVES BUILT INTO THE STEP PROGRAM AT THIS TIME? WHAT ARE THE INGREDIENTS THAT WE ARE HOPING PEOPLE WILL TAKE PART IN TO HELP US CONSERVE? YEAH.SO THE STEP PROGRAM IS CURRENTLY UNDERWAY TO BE, I GUESS, UH, WHATEVER WORD YOU WANNA USE, REINVIGORATED OR, RIGHT.
AND SO I DON'T HAVE ALL THE DETAILS ON WHAT'S ACTUALLY GONNA BE INCLUDED, BUT I THINK IT'LL BE A LOT OF THOSE, AGAIN, WHAT WE CALL LIKE THE TRIED AND TRUE PROGRAMS OF ENERGY EFFICIENCY REBATES FOR, UM, PEOPLE WHO WANT TO, YOU KNOW, MAKE THEIR HOMES AND BUSINESSES MORE EFFICIENT, AS LONG AS, AND IT'S ALSO GONNA HAVE A CONCENTRATION MORE ON, UM, EQUITY AND HELPING OUR LOW TO MODERATE INCOME, UH, FAMILIES BE MORE ENERGY EFFICIENT, WHETHER IT'S OUR WEATHERIZATION PROGRAMS, THERE'S ALSO GONNA BE A MULTI-FAMILY HOME PROGRAM.
SO YOU'LL SEE A LOT OF GOOD WAYS FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF REBATES AND INCENTIVES.
INCENTIVES TO HELP THEM SAVE ENERGY AND MONEY, THEREFORE REDUCING EMISSIONS.
I REMEMBER A LOT OF THE INCENTIVES FROM PREVIOUS, UH, PROGRAMS, BUT I'D, I'D LIKE TO HAVE YOU ALL SEND US A LIST OF WHAT THE ACTUAL ONES ARE GOING TO BE THAT WILL BE INTEGRATED INTO THE SYSTEM OVER THE NEXT 2, 3, 4, 5 YEARS.
I, IN THIS NEW STEP PROGRAM, I CAN GET WITH JONATHAN'S TEAM AND YEAH, COUNCILMAN.
AT OUR JULY BOARD MEETING, WE'RE GONNA BE GIVEN, UH, OUR BOARD AN UPDATE ON, ON STEP, YOU KNOW, KIND OF A YEAR INTO THE NEW PROGRAM.
AND, UH, ONCE WE GET THOSE MATERIALS TOGETHER, WE'LL SHOOT THOSE OVER TO COUNCIL AS WELL, SO Y'ALL CAN TAKE A LOOK AT 'EM.
'CAUSE I KNOW STEP IS AN IMPORTANT, UH, PART OF THIS.
UH, THOSE ARE ALL QUESTIONS I HAVE EITHER COMMITTEE MEMBER HAVE A QUESTION.
THANK YOU, CHAIR, AND THANKS FOR THE PRESENTATION, ANGELA.
THE CLIMATE, UH, THE CAP PLAN IS AMBITIOUS.
UH, I KNOW, BUT I THINK THAT WE CAN ALL AGREE IT'S, IT'S NO LONGER A LUXURY.
LIKE A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE'RE HAVING TO TRANSITION THROUGH IN THE CITY NOW, UM, WE HAVE TO GET IT DONE.
I'M, I'M GRATEFUL TO SEE THE MOVEMENTS, UM, ESPECIALLY TOWARDS RENEWABLE ENERGY AND OF COURSE GRID MODERNIZATION.
UM, I SORT OF CHUCKLE ABOUT THAT BECAUSE LIKE NONE OF US KNEW WHAT GRIDS WERE BEFORE
BUT, UM, I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE ARE ALL EDUCATED, OF COURSE, ON, ON THESE ISSUES.
UM, AND ON THAT, ONE OF THE BUCKETS YOU HAD IN THE FIRST SLIDE WAS EDUCATE AND EMPOWER.
CAN YOU, UH, I WANNA MAKE A NOTE THAT I DO APPRECIATE THE COLLABORATION WITH THE ARBORETUM SAY, I THINK THAT'S GONNA BE, UM, THAT'S A GOOD PARTNERSHIP.
BUT CAN YOU EXPAND A LITTLE BIT ON HOW, UM, HOW YOU'RE EDUCATING AND EMPOWERING THE COMMUNITY? YEAH.
SO ONE OF THE MAIN PIECES FROM A CAP PERSPECTIVE THAT FITS INTO THAT EDUCATE AND EMPOWER BUCKET THERE IS, UM, THE WORK WE DO WITH THE CITY'S OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY TO DO EVERY TWO YEARS A COMMUNITY GREENHOUSE GAS INVENTORY.
'CAUSE ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW WHEN YOU'RE REDUCING EMISSIONS IS WHERE ARE THEY COMING FROM? SO WE DO, WE WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH DOUG MELNICK AND HIS TEAM TO GET THAT GREENHOUSE GAS INVENTORY DONE.
SO WE, WE CAN SEE WHERE EMISSIONS ARE COMING FROM AND WHERE WE NEED TO START REDUCING.
AND THEN ALSO FROM A C P S ENERGY PERSPECTIVE, ANYTHING WE'RE DOING AGAIN, UM, WHEN OUR TEAM MEMBERS ARE OUT THERE IN THE COMMUNITY TELLING PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, ABOUT OUR REBATES, ABOUT OUR INCENTIVES AND HOW THEY CAN HELP CON CONSERVE ENERGY, THAT'S ALL PART OF EDUCATION AND EMPOWERING.
AND THEN WHAT ALSO FITS INTO THAT BUCKET IS, UH, KIND OF WHAT I MENTIONED BRIEFLY, IS ANYTHING THAT WE'RE DOING TO TRANSITION OUR WORKFORCE, UM, TO THESE, THE ENTIRE ENERGY INDUSTRY IS IN A TRANSITION AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY STILL HAS A PART IN THAT AS WE MOVE AWAY FROM FOSSIL FUELS.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT CAN FIT INTO THE EDUCATED AND EMPOWER BUCKET.
UM, THE REASON I ASK IS IT'S, IT'S ONE OF THE MOST, UM, THE MORE DIFFICULT THINGS THAT WE DO.
UM, IS IS GETTING INFORMATION OUT TO OUR COMMUNITY.
SO I WAS WONDERING IF YOU HAD LIKE, SOME KIND OF INNOVATIVE WAY ASKING FOR A FRIEND TO SEE HOW YOU'RE GETTING OUT TO THE COMMUNITY.
UM, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, OF COURSE, IMPORTANTLY WHAT, WHAT INFORMATION YOU'RE GETTING OUT TO THE COMMUNITY.
MELISSA SOLA, VP CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING.
AND ALSO TO JUST ADD, UM, TO WHAT ANGELA HAVE SAID, WE DO A YEARLY COMMUNITY IMPACT SUSTAINABILITY REPORT.
UM, WE DO HAVE IT AVAILABLE DIGITALLY.
WE CAN FOLLOW UP AND SEND YOU ALL THAT AS WELL.
BUT WE'LL MAKE SURE TO DO A BIG PUSH ON THAT THIS YEAR AS WELL.
'CAUSE IT, IT HIGHLIGHTS EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE DOING FROM A SUSTAINABILITY STANDPOINT, UM, AND THEN SUPPORT OF NONPROFITS IN THE COMMUNITY.
SO WE'LL MAKE SURE YOU GET THAT.
DO YOU HAVE SORT OF A, JUST A ONE PAGER TO HANDOUT OR TO TALK WITH OUR COMMUNITY? UH, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE HAVE OUR NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS AND SOMETHING WE CAN HAND OUT SO THEY CAN SEE WHAT, WHAT Y'ALL ARE WORKING, WHAT WE'RE WORKING ON TOGETHER, WE CAN DO THAT.
I THINK THIS GRAPHIC ITSELF IS A GOOD START FOR THAT.
WELL, I MEAN, THIS IS, IF I WERE TO HAND THIS OUT IN A NEIGHBORHOOD, IT WOULD TAKE THAT SOMETHING MAYBE A LITTLE, UM, MORE,
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UM, EXPLAINING A LITTLE MORE MM-HMM.IF THERE'S A WAY TO DO THAT, YOU HAVE A LOT OF GREAT INFORMATION THAT WE CAN REPURPOSE TO GET YOU SOMETHING THAT'S PERFECT.
YOU CAN HAND OUT AND PEOPLE DON'T HAVE TO DECIPHER WHETHER THIS, YEAH.
AND THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, I KNOW WE'VE RECEIVED, UH, MINI A BRIEFING LIKE THIS, AND I, I GUESS I'LL CONTINUE TO SAY SOME OF THE SAME THINGS THAT I'VE SAID PREVIOUSLY.
AND ONE IS, ESPECIALLY NOW, UH, THAT WE'RE FACING A HUNDRED PLUS DEGREE WEATHER, I THINK IT'S CLEAR THAT IF WE DON'T MEET OUR, UM, OUR CAR, OUR CLIMATE EMISSIONS GOALS, THEN WE'LL SEE MANY MORE HOT DAYS OVER A HUNDRED DEGREES IN OUR FUTURE, AND WE'LL SEE LESS RAIN AND OUR MOST VULNERABLE, UH, RESIDENTS WILL CONTINUE TO FEEL THE MOST IMPACT.
AND RIGHT NOW I'M THINKING ABOUT OUR RESIDENTS WHO ARE IN UNDER WEATHERIZED HOMES WITH, UH, YOU KNOW, WHERE THERE'S ONLY A WINDOW UNIT IF THAT, AND SOMETIMES OUR SENIORS ARE SURVIVING WITH A BOX FAN TO CIRCULATE AIR IN THEIR HOME, AND EVERY SUMMER THEY'RE WAITING FOR THE NEXT BOX FAN GIVEAWAY.
UM, SO I'M, AND I'M ALSO THINKING ABOUT OUR WORKERS AND HOW MANY, UM, C P S ENERGY EMPLOYEES CONDUCT THEIR WORK OUTSIDE WITH POTENTIAL EXPOSURE.
I MEAN, NOT POTENTIAL, BUT EXPOSURE TO EXTREME TEMPERATURES.
AND I KNOW THAT OUR CITY WAS WORKING ON AN EFFORT TO ENSURE REST BREAK FOR REST BREAKS FOR WORKERS, UM, ESPECIALLY DURING EXTREME WEATHER CONDITIONS.
AND I'M WONDERING IF C P S ENERGY HAS A, A REST BREAK POLICY FOR YOUR WORKERS, AND IS THIS PART OF THE CCB, UH, C B A WITH I B E W? YEAH, SO WE DO A COUPLE OF THINGS, UH, EVERY SUMMER.
UM, WE WILL USUALLY START OUR DAYS EARLY, UM, SO THAT WE CAN GET MORE WORK DONE AND, AND BRING OUR FOLKS IN, YOU KNOW, TWO, THREE O'CLOCK IN THE AFTERNOON BEFORE IT GETS INTO THE, THE REALLY HEAT OF THE DAY.
THE OTHER THING WE DO IS, UM, YOU KNOW, WE DO KIND OF A LUNCH PROGRAM FOR OUR, UH, FOR OUR FIELD WORKFORCE TO GET THEM OUT OF THE HEAT AND GET A GOOD MEAL DURING THE DAY.
UM, THEY'LL COME DOWN TO THE C P S ENERGY, YOU KNOW, HEADQUARTERS HERE, UH, IN DOWNTOWN, WE'VE GOT, YOU KNOW, OUR PARKING LOT'S BIG ENOUGH TO PARK OUR BIG TRUCKS.
UM, AND THAT'S ANOTHER WAY THAT WE, THAT WE, UH, YOU, YOU KNOW, UH, HEALTH AND SAFETY PROGRAM THAT WE DO TO, TO GET THEM OUT OF THE HEAT.
SO WE'RE CONSTANTLY, UH, YOU KNOW, PREACHING HYDRATION AND TAKING BREAKS WHEN THEY GET, YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY NEED TO.
AND, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO GET THEM TO SLOW DOWN JUST A BIT.
UM, SO THAT WE ARE, WE'RE REFLECTING, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE, UH, RECOGNIZING, YOU KNOW, THE HEAT THAT THEY WORK IN.
UM, SO WE, WE, WE DO ALL THE THINGS THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO US TO TRY TO ENSURE THAT OUR WORKFORCE IS, IS SAFE.
SO THAT DOES INCLUDE, UH, WATER BREAKS EVERY HOUR OR SO.
UH, JUST WANTED TO HEAR THAT ONE SPECIFICALLY, BUT THANK YOU FOR, UH, THANK YOU FOR THAT.
UM, MY HOPE IS THAT WE SEEK TO HONOR THE IMPORTANCE, IMPORTANCE OF OUR WORKING FAMILIES BY CODIFYING REST BREAKS AND OTHER CONTRACTS WHEREVER POSSIBLE.
UM, AND SO WE'RE GONNA NEED TO COUNT ON EMPLOYERS TO WORK ALONGSIDE, UH, UNIONS TO ENSURE THIS RIGHT IS INCLUDED IN ANY COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS OR OTHER OPERATING PROCEDURES.
AND SO I WON'T JUST BE PUSHING C P S AND SAWS, BUT I'M HOPEFUL THAT WE ENCOURAGE ALL, UH, ALL EMPLOYERS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
UM, AS WELL, TECHNOLOGIES ARE CONTINUING TO EVOLVE, AND I KNOW YOU MENTIONED THAT IN, UH, ONE OF THE SLIDES OR TWO OF THEM.
UM, AND RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES ARE BECOMING MORE AND MORE RELIABLE AND NECESSARY IN OUR GOAL TO REACH CARBON NEUTRALITY BY 2050.
I WOULD LOVE CARBON NEUTRALITY BY A BIT SOONER.
UM, AND SO I WOULD LIKE TO REITERATE MY REQUEST THAT WE REVIEW OUR ENERGY GENERATION PLAN ANNUALLY TO FIND WAYS IN WHICH WE CAN INCORPORATE CLEANER ENERGY, UM, EARLIER IN THE PROCESS.
AND I KNOW WE RECENTLY REVIEWED THIS PLAN WITH, UH, WITH C P SS ENERGY, AND I HOPE THAT ONE YEAR FROM THAT DATE, UM, WE CAN HAVE ANOTHER UPDATE.
UM, AND THE REASON FOR MY INSISTENCE ON THIS POINT, PARTICULARLY, IS NOT ONLY TO HELP US REACH OUR GOALS, BUT BECAUSE THE PUBLIC HEALTH, UH, OF OUR COMMUNITY HAS IMPACTED, WHETHER IT'S ASTHMA RATES OR OTHER HEALTH CONCERNS, I'D LIKE TO MAKE SURE WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING, UM, EVERYTHING WE POSSIBLY CAN TO MITIGATE THE HARMFUL EFFECTS OF DIRTIER COAL-BASED AND NATURAL GAS POWERED ENERGY PROTECTION.
UM, WHEN WE REACH OUT TO CONTACT PEOPLE, UH, AND YOU SURVEY THEM EVERY YEAR, HOW IS THAT USUALLY DONE? IS THERE LIKE AN INSERT IN THEIR BILL THAT TELLS THEM HOW TO SHARE INFORMATION? GOOD MORNING.
UH, SO WE HAVE MANY WAYS TO DO IT.
SO WE DO POST IT ON OUR WEBSITE AND WE TRY AND INCLUDE A LINK IN ALL OF OUR WALK-IN CENTERS.
WE ALSO HAVE A PAPER VERSION OF A SURVEY.
WE DO PARTNER WITH EXTERNAL COMPANIES THAT DO BY PHONE.
OUR PRIMARILY, UM, OUR PRIMARY CHANNEL FOR, UH, SURVEYS IS OVER THE PHONE.
UH, IT'S ABOUT A 20 TO 25 MINUTE, UH, PHONE CALL WITH OUR EXTERNAL PARTNERS.
AND WE'RE ALSO RUNNING A, UH, A VERSION THAT'S ON THE WEB NOW AS WELL.
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SURVEY TOOL, UH, THAT WE'RE GONNA BE TESTING OUT.UH, AND SO WE'LL INCLUDE LINKS.
THE BEST PLACE IS NOT TO PUT THE LINK IN THE BILL, BUT ACTUALLY IN THE, UM, THE, WHENEVER YOU GET AN EMAIL THAT SAYS, HEY, YOU HAVE A C P S ENERGY BILL IS READY, WE PUT THE LINK IN THERE.
THAT WAY THE CUSTOMERS CAN FOLLOW THAT LINK OVER TO IT.
SO WE'RE CONTINUING TO TRY AND FIND DIFFERENT WAYS AS WELL AS USING TABLETS AT DIFFERENT COMMUNITY EVENTS WHERE OUR CUSTOMERS ARE, UH, ARE AT AND GET THEM TO TAKE SOME SURVEYS.
WHAT'S THE AVERAGE RESPONSE TO SURVEYS? HOW MANY PEOPLE RESPOND? UH, ON AVERAGE WE GET MAYBE ABOUT, UH, FOR I THINK OUR OUTREACH, I THINK WE GET MAYBE, UM, 20, 30%, UH, ON AVERAGE WE DO, UH, WITH OUR EXTERNAL CUSTOMER OR EXTERNAL COMPANY THAT WE WORK, WE DO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET A STATISTICAL SAMPLE.
SO WE DO BETWEEN ABOUT, ON AVERAGE 5,000 A QUARTER.
I, I JUST THINK THAT THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE THAT RELY ON C P S ENERGY, UH, AND I CAN'T UNDERSTAND WHY YOU SIMPLY CAN'T PUT SOMETHING IN A BILL, AN EXTRA PAGE THAT EXPLAINS OR ASKS QUESTIONS WITH THE LINK TO GO AHEAD AND GET ONLINE TO DO THAT, OR WITH THE ABILITY TO, UH, YOU KNOW, FOLD IT UP AND PUT IT IN AN ENVELOPE AND RETURN IT.
THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE WHO AREN'T HOOKED UP TO THE INTERNET WHO PAID THE BILLS EVERY MONTH, AND, UH, THEY MAY NEVER SEE THOSE, THEY MAY NEVER WALK OVER TO ONE OF THE SERVICE CENTERS TO PAY THE BILL.
THEY MAY JUST PUT SOMETHING IN THE MAIL.
SO, YOU KNOW, I WANNA ENCOURAGE THE INVESTMENT AND MORE DIRECT CONTACT THAT WAY THAN JUST RELYING ON THE INTERNET, UH, OR PEOPLE WALKING INTO ONE OF THE OFFICES OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
BUT YEAH, SO WE CAN, UH, DO THAT.
JUST FOR CONTEXT, WE DO HAVE ABOUT 70% OF OUR CUSTOMERS DON'T GET A PAPER BILL.
SO WHAT WE TRY AND DO IS HAVE A GOOD BALANCE FOR, FOR BOTH CUSTOMERS, BUT WE CAN ABSOLUTELY SEE WHAT WE CAN DO ABOUT DOING AN INSERT OR BEING ABLE TO MAIL THEIR SURVEY IN.
SO THANK YOU FOR THE FEEDBACK.
I THINK THAT'S ALL THE QUESTIONS WE MAY HAVE FOR C P S ON THIS.
SO, UH, THANK YOU ANGELA, AND I THINK WE'LL GO AHEAD NOW AND HEAR FROM SAS ON, UH, THEIR CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN.
I'M SAS'S DIRECTOR OF CHILL WATER AND ENERGY MANAGEMENT, AND TODAY I'LL BE GIVING A BRIEFING ON SAS'S EFFORTS, ALIGNING WITH SAN ANTONIO'S CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN.
SO, SAN ANTONIO'S CLIMATE AND ADAPTATION PLAN, FOOC OR CAP FOCUSES ON TWO KEY PRINCIPLES, REDUCING GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS THROUGH MITIGATION STRATEGIES, AND PREPARING FOR THE IMPACTS OF A CHANGING CLIMATE THROUGH ADAPTATION STRATEGIES.
SAN ANTONIO'S TWO LARGEST EMISSIONS CONTRIBUTORS ARE ENERGY AT NUMBER ONE AND VEHICLES AT NUMBER TWO.
SINCE SAS IS THE LARGEST SINGLE ENERGY CONSUMER IN SAN ANTONIO, AND BECAUSE WE HAVE A LARGE VEHICLE FLEET, WE PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN SUPPORTING THE CAP.
SAS HAS LONG BEEN A LEADER IN ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP.
BEFORE THERE WAS A CAP, SAS WAS A NATIONAL LEADER IN WATER CONSERVATION, DEVELOPED THE ENVIRONMENTAL TRIFECTA PICTURE HERE, ESTABLISH THE LARGEST DIRECT RECYCLED SYSTEM IN THE NATION, AND WORKED WITH C P S ENERGY ON A MAJOR SOLAR PROJECT, WHICH AT THE TIME WAS THE LARGEST IN THE STATE.
WATER CONSERVATION HAS ALSO BEEN A KEY FOCUS FOR SOIL SINCE THE EIGHTIES.
THROUGH VARIOUS RESIDENTIAL, COMMERCIAL, AND INDUSTRIAL WATER EFFICIENCY AND REBATE PROGRAMS, SAN ANTONIO HAS BEEN ABLE TO REDUCE ITS GALLONS PER CAPITA, CAPITA PER DAY, OR G P C D BY NEARLY 50%.
DESPITE, DESPITE SIGNIFICANT DEMAND INCREASES, THESE SAVINGS HAVE YIELDED SAS'S LARGEST WATER SUPPLIES TO DATE.
FOR REFERENCE, WITHOUT SAS'S CONSERVATION EFFORTS MEETINGS, TODAY'S WATER DEMAND WOULD'VE REQUIRED MORE THAN FIVE ADDITIONAL VISTA RIDGE PROJECTS EACH THAT COST OF OVER A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS PER YEAR.
THESE EFFORTS HAVE RESULTED IN YEARS OF BOTH WATER AND ENERGY SAVINGS FOR SAN ANTONIO SAWS HAS THE LARGEST DIRECT RECYCLED WATER SYSTEM IN THE NATION.
THIS SYSTEM DISTRIBUTES NON-POTABLE WATER THROUGHOUT SAN ANTONIO TO COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL CUSTOMERS FOR THINGS LIKE LANDSCAPING, IRRIGATION, COOLING TOWERS, RIVER FLOWS, AND OTHER INDUSTRIAL AND MANUFACTURING PROCESSES.
SOME EXAMPLES OF SPECIFIC CUSTOMERS INCLUDE TOYOTA, U S A A AND ALL CITY GOLF COURSES.
RECYCLING TREATED WATER IS A MEANS OF BOTH WATER AND ENERGY CONSERVATION, BECAUSE IT REDUCES THE NEED TO PRODUCE AND DISTRIBUTE WHAT WOULD'VE OTHERWISE BEEN POTABLE WATER.
IN 2012, A 20 MEGAWATT SOLAR FARM WAS COMMISSIONED AT THE, AT SAS STEPHEN M KLAUS WATER RECYCLING CENTER.
THE SOLAR ARRAY IS OWNED AND OPERATED BY A THIRD PARTY SON, EDISON, WHO SELLS THE POWER DIRECTLY TO C P SS ENERGY SAS.
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OF LAND AVAILABLE FOR THE LEASE WAS CRITICAL IN MAKING THIS PROJECT POSSIBLE.THIS IS ONE OF THE LARGEST SOLAR FARMS IN TEXAS AND PRODUCES ENOUGH ELECTRICITY TO POWER ABOUT 4,000 TEXAS HOMES.
SAWS IS WATER DIVERSIFICATION PLANNING EFFORTS ARE KEY IN PROVIDING RESILIENCY AGAINST INTENSE DROUGHTS BROUGHT ON BY THE EFFECTS OF A CHANGING CLIMATE.
IN 1995, 100% OF SAN ANTONIO'S WATER CAME FROM THE EDWARDS AQUIFER.
TODAY, SAUCE HAS A PORTFOLIO OF NINE DIFFERENT WATER SOURCES, INCLUDING KEY PROJECTS LIKE VISTA RIDGE AQUIFER STORAGE AND RECOVERY, AND A DESALINATION PLANT JUST TO NAME A FEW.
AS A RESULT, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO REDUCE OUR RELIABILITY IN THE EDWARDS TO 53% OF SAS'S ANNUAL WATER PRODUCTION.
DIVERSIFICATION IMPROVES HABITAT FOR ENDANGERED SPECIES, PROVIDES WATER SECURITY FOR BOTH CURRENT AND FUTURE CUSTOMERS, AND REDUCES THE ADVERSE EFFECTS OF DROUGHT IN SAN ANTONIO.
SO I TALKED ABOUT HISTORICAL EFFORTS.
I'LL TRANSITION NOW INTO CURRENT AND ONGOING PROJECTS.
SAS IS IMPLEMENTING IN SUPPORT OF THE CLIMATE ACTION PLAN, STARTING WITH ELECTRIC VEHICLE PLANNING EFFORTS.
AS PART OF OUR STRATEGY TO MOVE FORWARD TO FLEET ELECTRIFICATION, WE ARE THRILLED TO PARTNER WITH C P SS ENERGY AND THEIR CONSULTANT NEXTERA ENERGY.
WHILE WORKING WITH C P S ON EV INFRASTRUCTURE PLANNING FOR OUR HEADQUARTERS TOWERS, WE LEARNED THAT C P S WAS BEGINNING WORK WITH THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AND VIA FLEETS.
AS PART OF THIS EFFORT, SAS WAS OFFERED AN OPPORTUNITY TO NOT ONLY BE PART OF THE STUDY, BUT TO GO FIRST SINCE SASS HAD THE NECESSARY DATA READILY AVAILABLE.
THIS STUDY WILL HELP C P S PLAN THEIR INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS AS LARGE ORGANIZATIONS LIKE SAWS CONSIDER ELECTRIFYING THEIR FLEETS MOVING FORWARD.
MEANWHILE, THIS STUDY COMES AT NO COST TO SAWS AND WILL HELP US WITH THE FOLLOWING.
IDENTIFYING EV MAKES AND MODELS FOR OUR FLEET, ENSURING THEY MEET OUR OPERATIONAL AND COST REQUIREMENTS, ECONOMIC IMPACT BETWEEN EVS AND EXISTING INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.
DEFINING EV CHARGERS SHORT AND LONG-TERM ENERGY LOAD FOR EACH F FLEET, FACILITY, SITE DESIGN AND UTILITY UPGRADES NEEDED, AND SUSTAINABILITY OUTCOMES.
CALCULATING THE EMISSIONS OF THE CURRENT FLEET AND THE FUTURE EV CARBON EMISSIONS BASED ON LOCAL GENERATION PRIOR TO THIS STUDY, SAWS IT ALREADY BEGIN ITS FLEET ELECTRIFICATION JOURNEY.
WE'RE EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE THAT WE HAVE PROCURED AND RECEIVED SIX CHEVROLET BOLTS IN 2022.
THESE VEHICLES ARE BEING USED BY OUR CONSERVATION DEPARTMENT AND WILL BE SERVICING OUR RIGHT PAYERS WITH IRRIGATION CONSULTANTS THAT HELP THEM CONSERVE WATER WITH THEIR LANDSCAPING.
SAS IS ALSO PLEASED TO INTRODUCE TWO ERAN VANS THAT WERE APPROVED BY OUR BOARD.
THESE VANS WILL BE UTILIZED BY OUR WATER RESOURCES LEAK DETECTION DEPARTMENT TO SUPPORT OUR FIELD INVESTIGATION OPERATIONS.
AND FINALLY, WE HAVE FORD, OUR FIVE FORD LIGHTNINGS THAT ARE ON ORDER AND ARE EXPECTED TO ARRIVE SOMETIME IN 2024.
TO SUPPORT THE SIX CHEVROLET BOLTS SAW HAS INSTALLED SIX LEVEL TWO EV CHARGING STATIONS IN THE BASEMENT OF OUR HEADQUARTERS GARAGE.
WE'RE ALSO EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE THE INSTALLATION OF PUBLIC CHARGING STATIONS AT OUR HEADQUARTERS TOWERS.
THESE ARE COMPLETED IN APRIL, AND OUR FLEET ON OUR FREE FOR PUBLIC USE.
MOVING FORWARD NEW SERVICE CENTERS WILL ALSO INCLUDE EV CHARGING STATIONS.
IN ADDITION TO EV CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE, WE'RE ALSO TRANSITIONING TO ELECTRIC LANDSCAPE EQUIPMENT.
ALL SAWS EXISTING LANDSCAPE EQUIPMENT HAS BEEN CONVERTED TO ELECTRIC, AND WE'RE CONSIDERING REQUIRING FUTURE LANDSCAPE VENDORS TO UTILIZE ALL ELECTRIC EQUIPMENT.
GIVEN THE IMPACT OF VEHICLE EMISSIONS ON SAN ANTONIO'S CLIMATE GOALS, SAS IS COMMITTED TO CONTINUING TO EXPAND OUR FLEET OF ELECTRIC VEHICLES.
MOVING ON NOW TO OUR ENERGY EFFICIENCY EFFORTS.
IN 2021, SAS PARTNERED WITH CASCADE TO BEGIN SAS'S MOST SIGNIFICANT ENERGY PROJECT TO DATE, RATHER THAN TRADITIONAL RETROFIT TYPE ENERGY PROJECTS.
THIS STRATEGIC ENERGY MANAGEMENT PROJECT FOCUSES ON OPERATIONAL AND BEHAVIORAL MODIFICATIONS TO ENSURE WE'RE OPERATING OUR EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE AS EFFICIENTLY AS POSSIBLE.
THIS YIELDS QUICKER ENERGY REDUCTIONS WITH A BETTER RETURN ON INVESTMENT SAWS DEVELOPED AND TRAINED ENERGY TEAMS MADE UP OF KEY MANAGERS AND OPERATORS WHO ARE ULTIMATELY RESPONSIBLE FOR DEVELOPING AND EXECUTING ENERGY REDUCTION PROJECTS.
OUR FORMAL ENGAGEMENT WITH OUR CONSULTANT CASCADE IS SLATE FOR TWO YEARS, BUT WE PLAN ON KEEPING THE STRATEGIC ENERGY MANAGEMENT PROGRAM AROUND AS AN OPERATIONAL PROGRAM CONTINGENCY PERMANENTLY.
OTHER ENERGY EFFORTS OUTSIDE OF THEIR STRATEGIC PROJECT MANAGEMENT PROJECT, I'M SORRY, ARE LISTED HERE.
DEMAND RESPONSE IS A C P S PROGRAM THAT PAYS CUSTOMERS LIKE SALAS TO REDUCE OUR PEAK ELECTRICAL USAGE WHEN DEMANDS ON THE GREATER HIGHEST.
SASA PARTICIPATED IN THIS PROGRAM SINCE 2012.
AND ON AVERAGE, WE'RE ABLE TO REDUCE OUR DEMANDS BY FOUR TO SIX MEGAWATTS.
WE'RE IMPLEMENTING A PUMP STATION OPTIMIZATION PROJECT, WHICH PRIORITIZES RUNNING THE MOST EFFICIENT HIGH
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SERVICE PUMPS WHEN POSSIBLE, RATHER THAN SIMPLY SPREADING RUNTIMES.EQUALLY, WE'RE REPLACING OUTDATED CHILLERS WITH HIGH EFFICIENCY CENTRIFUGAL CHILLERS AT ALL OF OUR CHILL WATER PLANTS.
WE'VE MADE REAL-TIME ENERGY DEMAND DATA AVAILABLE TO OUR OPERATORS SO THAT WE CAN ADJUST OPERATIONS AS NEEDED TO REDUCE ENERGY PEAKS.
AND WHILE MOST OF THESE ARE SPECIFIC TO THE EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE, ENERGY EFFICIENCY IS ALSO A KEY CONSIDERATION IN SAS NEW CONSTRUCTION PROJECT AS WELL.
IN TOTAL, THESE PROJECTS HAVE SAVED ABOUT 4 MILLION KILOWATT HOURS OF ELECTRICITY, WHICH IS THE EMISSIONS EQUIVALENT OF ABOUT 630 VEHICLES DRIVEN FOR ONE YEAR.
IN ORDER TO MEMORIALIZE OUR ENERGY EFFICIENCY EFFORTS AND ESTABLISH A PATHWAY FOR MOVING FORWARD, SAWS IS DEVELOPING ITS FIRST EVER ENERGY MANAGEMENT MASTER PLAN.
THIS PLAN, WHICH IS EXPECTED TO BE FINALIZED LATER THIS SUMMER, WILL INCLUDE SPECIFIC ENERGY REDUCTION GOALS AND ESTABLISH SAS'S COMMITMENT TO PUTTING RESOURCES TOWARDS ACHIEVING THESE GOALS.
WE BELIEVE THIS PLAN WILL BE CRITICAL IN ENSURING THE LONG-TERM SUCCESS OF SAS'S ENERGY PROGRAMS AND SUPPORT OF THE CLIMATE PLAN.
A KEY ADAPTATION AND RESILIENCY STRATEGY BEING IMPLEMENTED IS THE EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS PLAN IN RESPONSE TO SENATE BILL THREE IN ORDER TO COMPLY WITH THE BILL AND PREPARE FOR LONG-TERM POWER OUTAGES THAT MAY RESULT FROM CLIMATE IMPACTS.
SAS WILL BE ADDING BACKUP GENERATORS AT MULTIPLE CRITICAL PUMP STATIONS ACROSS OUR SYSTEM.
IN JULY OF 2022, SAS'S BOARD APPROVED A PROFESSIONAL SERVICE CONTRACT FOR ENGINEERING SERVICES.
AND IN J JANUARY OF 2023, OUR BOARD APPROVED CONTRACTS WITH ENCHANTED ROCK TO PROCURE AND MAINTAIN THE GENERATORS AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT.
IN SEPTEMBER, 2022, SAWS AND C P SS ENERGY ENTERED A RESILIENCY AGREEMENT FOR THE OPTIMIZED USE OF THESE KEY GENERATORS.
THROUGH THIS AGREEMENT, SAWS WILL PROCURE AND INSTALL GENERATORS AT DESIGNATED SAW SITES, AND C P SS WILL OPERATE AND MAINTAIN THESE GENERATORS TO PROVIDE RESILIENCY SERVICE FOR SAWS.
THIS RELATIONSHIP WILL ALLOW SAW C P SS TO RUN THE GENERATORS DURING A NON NON-EMERGENCY SITUATIONS, AND IN TURN, ALLOW SAWS TO RECAP SOME OF OUR UPFRONT CAPITAL INVESTMENT BEING, AS THE CLIMATE PLAN PROJECTIONS INDICATE LONGER AND MORE INTENSE DROUGHTS IN THE FUTURE, THIS 200 PLUS MILLION DOLLAR INVESTMENT WILL BE CRITICAL FOR SAWS OF SERVICE, RELIABILITY AND RESILIENCY MOVING FORWARD.
FINALLY, I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT OUR CONNECT H TWO O PROGRAM, WHICH FOCUSES ON INSTALLING ELECTRONIC A M I OR SMART METERS ACROSS THE CITY.
THIS IS THE LARGENT, THE LARGEST DEPLOYMENT OF STATIC METERS IN NORTH AMERICA, AND WE WERE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO PARTNER WITH C P SS TO UTILIZE THEIR EXISTING METERING NETWORK TO TRANSFER OUR DATA RATHER THAN ADDRESSING EXCESS WATER USE AND LEAKS ONCE A CUSTOMER RECEIVES THEIR BILL, CUSTOMERS CAN CATCH THESE OCCURRENCES MUCH SOONER BY UTILIZING THE REAL-TIME DATA MADE AVAILABLE BY THESE A M I METERS.
THESE MI METERS PROVIDE MULTIPLE BENEFITS, INCLUDING SAVING WATER AND ENERGY, AND ENABLING SAWS TO REMOVE ABOUT 50 VEHICLES FROM THE ROAD.
SAWS IS LISTED AS A KEY INSTITUTIONAL OR LEAD AGENCY FOR NINE CAP STRATEGIES BECAUSE ONE OF THE EFFORTS HIGHLIGHTED BECAUSE OF THE EFFORTS HIGHLIGHTED THROUGHOUT THIS PRESENTATION, PARTICULARLY THE ONES FOCUSED ON ENERGY AND ELECTRIC VEHICLES SAWS, IS WELL POSITIONED TO SUPPORT THE STRATEGIES AND GOALS OF SAN ANTONIO'S CLIMATE ACTION PLAN.
NOW, IN MOVING FORWARD, SAWS ARE COMMITTED TO CONTINUING TO IMPLEMENT PROJECTS AND FOCUS ON EFFORTS THAT SUPPORT THE CLIMATE AND ADAPTATION PLAN.
THIS CONCLUDES THE PRESENTATION.
I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
YOU KNOW, I'M VERY ENCOURAGED BY WHAT I'VE HEARD HERE.
UH, ONE QUESTION THAT COMES TO MY MIND IS, WE KNOW THAT BOTH THE CITY AND C P S ARE ENGAGED IN TRYING TO HELP PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN OLDER HOMES THAT NEED WORK TO PROVIDE, UH, BETTER HELP IN UPGRADING THE QUALITY OF THE HOME, BEING ABLE TO UPGRADE THE ENERGY EFFICIENCY IN IT, UH, AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
I WAS WONDERING IF, IF SAWS MIGHT HAVE A PLAN TO HELP WITH, UH, THE WATER ASPECT OF A LOT OF THESE OLDER HOME.
SOMETIMES THEY HAVE OLDER PLUMBING THAT MAYBE WASTES WATER MORE.
SOMETIMES THEY MAY HAVE LEAKS THAT I KNOW THE NEW A M I SYSTEM MAY, MAY FIND.
I'M WONDERING IF THERE'S A WAY OF COLLABORATING BOTH SAWS C P S AND THE CITY WHEN IT COMES TO LOOKING AT A LOT OF THESE OLDER HOMES AND SUSTAINING THE OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO STAY IN THOSE HOMES OVER A LONGER PERIOD OF TIME.
I'M WITH THE CONSERVATION DEPARTMENT AT SAS, AND WE HAVE THE PLUMBERS TO PEOPLE PROGRAM.
UM, THAT'S OUR PROGRAM TO HELP PROACTIVELY ADDRESS LEAKS FOR OUR LOW INCOME CUSTOMERS.
UM, AND SO WE CAN DEFINITELY WORK ACROSS THE BOARD WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS TO HELP MAKE SURE WE'RE REACHING CUSTOMERS WHO NEED NEED C P S SAWS AND OTHER CITY PROGRAMS. SURE.
YOU KNOW, AND WE'RE GONNA USE, WE'RE GONNA BE USING A M I DATA MM-HMM.
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OF COURSE.THEY'LL, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO DETECT LEAKS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
UH, WHAT I'M THINKING OF IS RIGHT NOW, UH, C P S IS VERY ENGAGED IN TRYING TO UPGRADE, UH, THE ENERGY OF, OF A LOT OF OLDER HOMES.
AND WHEN THEY GO TO SOME OF THEM, THEY FIND THAT THERE ARE OTHER PROBLEMS THAT PREVENT THEM FROM DOING THAT KIND OF WORK.
AND UNTIL A NEW ROOF GOES ON OR YOU CAN FIX OTHER PROBLEMS IN THE HOME, THEY'RE, THEY'RE SAYING THERE'S NO USE DOING WEATHERIZATION AT THE SAME TIME.
CAN WE BE LOOKING AT HOW EFFECTIVE IS THE PLUMBING IN THAT HOME? WHAT CAN BE DONE TO HELP PRESERVE WATER FOR THAT FAMILY? I THINK IT ALL FITS TOGETHER.
UH, AND SO I WAS JUST WONDERING IF THERE'S A WAY OF MAYBE TYING THE CITY AND C P S ENERGY AND SAWS TOGETHER A LITTLE BIT MORE CLOSELY ON, ON DOING SOME OF THAT UPGRADE WORK WHERE EVERYBODY CONTRIBUTES A LITTLE BIT MORE AND WE CAN HELP MORE FAMILIES SUSTAIN THEMSELVES A LITTLE BIT LONGER.
SO I'D JUST LIKE TO KNOW THAT THE, THAT THE DEPARTMENTS ARE TALKING WITH EACH OTHER A LITTLE BIT MORE, TRYING TO FIND A LITTLE MORE COMMON ACTIONS THAT CAN BE TAKEN.
I, I UNDERSTAND THE PLUMBING PROGRAM, BUT THAT'S, IF YOU FIND THERE'S A LEAK OR IF SOMEBODY CALLS YOU, BUT YOU MAY NOT REALLY HEAR ABOUT THAT UNLESS THE CITY SAYS, HEY, WE'RE WORKING ON AN OLDER HOME AND THEY'RE HAVING A PLUMBING PROBLEM.
CAN WE TIE ALL THESE TOGETHER? SO I ASKED RUDY TO COME UP HERE.
UH, RUDY AND I, UM, WORK VERY WELL TOGETHER.
AND I, I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS, UM, THE SHARING OF INFORMATION SO THAT ONE PARTICULAR INDIVIDUAL FAMILY DOES NOT HAVE TO QUALIFY FOR US, QUALIFY FOR, UH, C P S IF THE CITY HAS INFORMATION WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO USE THAT.
SO, YES, I, UNDER I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, AND I TRUST WE AND I CAN WORK TOGETHER AND SHARE THAT INFORMATION.
UH, COUNCILMAN, WE'RE, ANYTIME WE'RE IN A HOUSEHOLD, WE'RE TRYING TO PARLAY SERVICES ON TOP OF, OF ONE ANOTHER.
SO I'LL, I'LL VALIDATE THAT, THAT THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO WORK TOGETHER ON THIS.
BUT I, I WOULD BET THAT WE'RE, WE'RE PROBABLY ALREADY WORKING IN CERTAIN WAYS TOGETHER, BUT WE CAN, UH, WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT WE CONNECT IN THE RIGHT WAY.
UM, ONE THING THAT, UH, SAS DID IN THE PAST IS THEY WOULD, UH, HELP REBATE ON REPLACING LOW FLOW TOILETS WITH OLD ONES THAT EXISTED.
IS THAT STILL A PROGRAM THAT'S AVAILABLE? UH, NO.
IT'S NOT BECAUSE IT'S BEEN SO SUCCESSFUL THAT THERE'S NO MORE, UH, THERE'S VERY, VERY FEW TOILETS THAT USE THAT MUCH WATER, AND IT'S, IT'S ONE OF THE SUCCESS STORIES THAT IS THAT WE ELIMINATED THAT PROBLEM.
AND I KNOW THEY USED TO GIVE DEVICES YOU COULD PUT ON YOUR SINK SO THAT IT WOULD NOT USE AS MUCH WATER AGAIN.
DO WE STILL OFFER THOSE TO PEOPLE? TO CUSTOMERS? YEAH.
WE OFFER SHOWER HEADS AND NARRATORS AT OUR SERVICE CENTERS.
BUT AGAIN, A LOT OF, AS MR. PUENTE SAID, A LOT OF WHAT'S OFFERED IN AT STORES WHEN YOU GO TO BUY ANYTHING NEW IS ALREADY A LOW FLOW OPTION.
UM, AND SO WE'VE SWITCHED A LOT OF OUR EFFORTS IN CONSERVATION TO BEHAVIORAL AND OUTDOOR CONSERVATION.
I KEEP REMEMBERING ALL OF THOSE, THOSE THINGS WE STILL DONE.
UH, A AGAIN, I, I'M IMPRESSED WITH WHAT, UH, SAS IS DOING IN THE WAY OF MEETING THEIR OBLIGATION ON THE CLIMATE ACTION, THAT ADAPTATION PLAN.
UH, EITHER, UH, COMMITTEE MEMBER HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
UM, I DO, I AM REALLY PLEASED WITH BOTH, UM, ENTITIES, UH, THE PROGRESS THAT WE'VE MADE, AND JUST IN THE SHORT TIME I'VE BEEN ON COUNCIL, UM, AS FAR AS OUR, UM, CLIMATE CHANGE ISSUE.
UM,
HI, MC CASTILLO, I'M A SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OVER THE CREWS THAT GO OUT AND DO, UH, A LOT OF THE EMERGENCY REPAIRS.
SO THE MINUTE WE SEE A FORECAST FOR, UM, THE HEAT INDEX ABOVE A HUNDRED, NOT THE TEMPERATURE, THE HEAT INDEX, WE IMPLEMENT A HEAT MANAGEMENT PLAN.
AND THAT REQUIRES AT 8:00 AM OR 7:00 AM I'M SORRY.
WE GATHER ALL THE TROOPS THAT ARE GOING OUT FOR THE DAY, AND THEY, UH, WE HAVE WHAT WE CALL TAILGATE MEETINGS AND REINFORCE, EXCUSE ME, REINFORCE THE SAFETY MESSAGE OF THE DAY, WHICH IS HEAT.
WE HAVE FRUIT AVAILABLE, UH, UH, GRANOLA BARS AND THINGS LIKE THAT WITH HIGH-END ELECTROLYTES.
AND THAT GOES IN, IN ADDITION TO THE GATORADE, THE WATER, THE THINGS WE HAVE 24 7.
SO IN ADDITION, WE HAVE WHAT WE CALL, UH, 50 MINUTE BREAKS EVERY HOUR OF WORK.
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OF WORK, SOMEONE'S OUT IN THE FIELD, THEY GET A 15 MINUTE BREAK ON OUR, UM, HIGH PRIORITY LEAKS, THAT WHAT WE CALL P ONE LEAKS, BIG, BIG LEAKS THAT WE SEE, EXCUSE ME, EXCUSE ME.I NEED SOME WATER WHERE WE SEE WATER RUNNING DOWN THE STREET.
WE SEND TWO CREWS OUT, AND THAT ALLOWS THE CREWS TO ROTATE IN AND OUT, AND, UM, THANK YOU.
AND THAT ALLOWS US TO, UH, ROTATE CREWS IN AND OUT AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THOSE 15 MINUTE BREAKS.
SO, UM, A AGAIN, JUST TO REITERATE, ONCE THE HEAT INDEX IS ABOVE A HUNDRED, WE HAVE A HEAT MANAGEMENT PLAN THAT WE IMPLEMENT IMMEDIATELY.
AND I THINK THAT'S A MODEL THAT 15 MINUTES EVERY HOUR IS A MODEL THAT I THINK WE'RE LOOKING TO, UH, REPLICATE.
UM, I ALSO, I WANNA GET A LITTLE BIT INTO
AND SO MY UNDERSTANDING IS, I, I BELIEVE RIGHT NOW WE'RE AT A STAGE TWO WATER USE RESTRICTION.
IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
AND HOW LONG HAVE WE BEEN IN THIS PARTICULAR STAGE? SINCE APRIL OF LAST YEAR? APRIL OR MAY? I CAN GET YOU THE EXACT DATE LATER ON FOR SURE.
I KIND OF KNEW THE, I KNEW THE ANSWER WOULD BE IT'S BEEN A WHILE.
UM, AND WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS OF STAGE TWO VERSUS, UH, THE NEXT STAGE? AND DO WE EXPECT THAT SOON WE MIGHT ENTER STAGE THREE? SO, UM, I THINK YESTERDAY OR THE DAY BEFORE, E A A ENTERED STAGE THREE, THE CITY HAS REMAINED IN STAGE TWO AT THIS TIME.
UM, STAGE TWO ALLOWS FOR WATERING ONCE PER WEEK ON YOUR DAY, DESIGNATED BY THE LAST DIGIT OF YOUR ADDRESS BETWEEN SEVEN AND 11:00 AM AND SEVEN AND 11:00 PM SO BASICALLY EIGHT HOURS PER WEEK THAT YOU CAN WATER, UM, STAGE THREE RESTRICTIONS AMONG OTHER THINGS.
BUT THE MAIN, THE MAIN EFFECT FOR CUSTOMERS IS THAT IT GOES TO WATERING EVERY OTHER WEEK.
SO WE'LL HAVE AN ON WEEK AND AN OFF WEEK OF WATERING.
UM, AT THIS TIME, WE ARE NOT RECOMMEND, WE HAVE NOT RECOMMENDED MOVING TO STAGE THREE RESTRICTIONS.
UM, AND WE DID NOT LAST SUMMER BECAUSE WE HAVE AMPLE SUPPLY FOR SURE.
AND I GUESS WHAT I WOULD, THE, I'M GONNA HAVE TWO KIND OF POINTS I THINK I WANNA MAKE, BUT I DO WANNA KNOW WHAT WOULD BE THE THRESHOLD FOR STAGE THREE.
THE LEGAL THRESHOLD IS THE DROPPING OF THE AQUIFER, UH, AND THE CITY ORDINANCE THAT MANDATES THAT WE GO INTO STAGE ONE, TWO, AND THREE.
STAGE THREE, HOWEVER, SAYS THAT IF, UM, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE CITY MANAGER, UH, THE C E O SAW AS IN CONSULTATION WITH THE CITY MANAGER, BELIEVES THAT BECAUSE OF WEATHER PATTERNS, BECAUSE OF SUPPLY, BECAUSE OF THE CONTROLLING OF DEMAND, ALL THOSE THINGS THAT GO INTO CONSIDERATION, THAT WE STAY IN STAGE TWO.
SO IF SAULS BELIEVES, UH, WE WOULD LET THE CITY KNOW THAT THERE'S SOMETHING GOING ON THAT WOULD MANDATE THAT WE GO INTO STAGE THREE.
BUT SO FAR, AS MARTHA SAID, UH, BECAUSE OF OUR OTHER SUPPLIES, AND YOU SAW THAT DIVERSITY, UH, CHART FROM, UH, CHRIS'S PRESENTATION, WE HAVE ENOUGH SUPPLIES OTHER THAN THE EDWARDS THAT WE CAN, UH, MAKE SURE THAT WE MEET DEMAND.
SO THESE RESTRICTIONS ARE GEARED TOWARDS THE EDWARDS AQUIFER ONLY.
AND THE STAGE THREE THAT SHE WAS TALKING ABOUT IS VERY, VERY DIFFERENT BECAUSE THE EDWARDS OFFER AUTHORITIES STAGE THREE IS A MANDATE TO THE BIG PUMPERS, THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, UH, UH, THE, UM, OTHER, UH, UH, ENTITIES THAT HAVE HUGE PERMITS, UM, OTHER CITIES, UH, OTHER, UM, UH, BUSINESSES, UH, QUARRIES, THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO THAT STAGE THREE IS BY STATE LAW, AND WE'RE, WE AS A UTILITY ARE UNDER STAGE THREE.
SO OUR, OUR PERMIT WILL BE CUT, BUT AGAIN, WE MAKE IT UP WITH THOSE OTHER SUPPLIES.
AND I GUESS JUST THE POINT I WOULD HOPE TO MAKE, THE POINT THAT I'M HOPING TO MAKE THERE IS, UM, ONE, SAY WE WERE TO GET TO THE POINT WHERE WE HAVE STAGE THREE, AND EVEN I WOULD SAY EVEN WITH STAGE ONE WHERE IT'S WATERING ONCE A WEEK, UM, WE DO THE TREE GIVEAWAYS WHERE FOLK ARE ENCOURAGED TO TAKE HOME A PLANT, UH, TAKE HOME A TREE, AND IT TAKES A LOT OF EFFORT TO KEEP A TREE ALIVE, ESPECIALLY IN ITS EARLIER STAGES IN LIFE.
AND SO, UM, WE'RE GIVING OUT TREES, AND THEN THERE'S WATER RESTRICTIONS, AND YEAH, YOU CAN GO WATER IT EVERY, SO YOU'RE HAND WITH A HAND, WATER OR A HOSE, BUT HOW OFTEN ARE SENIOR? THERE'S GONNA BE SOME SENIORS WHO I THINK ARE LIMITED IN THAT.
AND SO I THINK THERE'S A LARGER IMPACT, UH, THAT I WANTED TO MAKE WITH, UH, THAT I WANTED TO MAKE THE POINT OF WITH JUST A SINGLE TREE THAT SOMEONE HAS THAT THEY WILL NOT BE ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF, UH, BECAUSE OF FUTURE WATER RESTRICTIONS AND HOW, UM, THE WATER LEVELS IMPACT OUR SUSTAINABILITY INITIATIVES.
I THINK THE SECOND PART OF THAT IS THAT I KNOW THAT COUNCILS, UH, HAS HAD DEVELOPERS REQUEST ZONING CHANGES AND FUNDING FOR PROJECTS THAT, UH, OVERLAP WITH OUR EDWARDS AQUIFER RECHARGE ZONE.
AND I, I THINK SAWS HAS EVEN OPPOSED A FEW OF THEM.
UM, AND I'M WONDERING, DO WHAT KIND OF IMPACT DO THESE DEVELOPMENTS HAVE ON OUR WATER LEVELS, AND DO WE EXPECT, I'LL GIVE ONE MAJOR EXAMPLE WOULD BE THE SPURS, UH, HUMAN PERFORMANCE CAMPUS.
UM, DO WE SUSPECT THAT THESE WILL HAVE
[00:45:01]
AN IMPACT? WELL, THEY WILL HAVE AN IMPACT BECAUSE IT'S MORE AND MORE CUSTOMERS.SO OUR, OUR, UM, OBLIGATION IS TO MAKE SURE WE MEET THAT DEMAND.
UH, ONE OF THE BIG THINGS WE DID IN, UM, FOR THE LAST, UH, 15 YEARS IS, UH, DIVERSIFY THAT SUPPLY.
THE LATEST SUPPLY THAT WE GOT ONLINE IN 2020 WAS THE VISTA RIDGE PROJECT.
SO THAT PROJECT, UH, IS ABOUT 25% OF OUR TOTAL SUPPLY, SO THAT WE FEEL THAT DOES MEET OUR, UH, OUR WATER SECURITY FOR THE NEXT FEW DECADES ALL THE WAY, UH, INTO THE 2060S.
THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT IS A 30 YEAR PROJECT, PLUS ANOTHER 30 YEARS, SO IT'S A 60 YEAR PROJECT.
SO WE FEEL THAT THE DEMAND, UH, THAT WE'VE BEEN EXPERIENCING BECAUSE OF THE GROWTH AT CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AND THIS REGION, UH, HAS, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO MEET IT BECAUSE OF OUR PRIOR DECISIONS TO BUILD THAT DESALINATION PLANT THAT'S, UH, NON EDWARDS WATER TO BRING IN WATER FROM THE, UH, SINE, UH, PROJECT, WHICH IS NON EDWARDS WATER.
UH, THIS, THE VISTA RIDGE, ALL OF THIS, UH, IS, UH, HELPS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE MEET THAT DEMAND.
AND I GUESS JUST, UM, THIS QUESTION WASN'T ONE I HAD PRE-PREPARED, BUT IT'S JUST OUT OF MY CURIOSITY BASED ON WHAT YOU JUST SAID ABOUT PLANNING FOR DECADES OUT, AND I THINK THAT'S, UH, FANTASTIC.
I'M WONDERING, COUNCILMAN, I'M GONNA INTERRUPT YOU.
UH, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN MM-HMM.
I'D LIKE TO ASK YOU TO VISIT WITH THEM MAYBE A LITTLE MORE SEPARATELY ABOUT THAT, SO THAT WE COULD CONTINUE ON WITH THE REMAINDER OF OUR AGENDA.
I WOULD MAKE THE POINT THAT, UH, THE TWO ISSUES ARE NOT, UH, DISCONNECTED, BUT I'LL YIELD MY TIME.
I'LL, I'LL REACH OUT, UH, AND GET ON YOUR CALENDAR.
UM, NOW WE'VE GOT A PRESENTATION FROM C P S ENERGY ON, UH, THE 88TH LEGISLATURE AND HOW THEY PERCEIVE THAT THE LEGISLATURE ADDRESSED SOME OF THE ENERGY NEEDS THAT C P S ENERGY HAS, AND MAYBE SOME OF THE THINGS WE NEED TO BE WORRIED ABOUT IN THE FUTURE AS WELL.
AND, UH, CARRIE, YOU'LL BE MAKING THAT PRESENTATION.
APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE.
I THINK THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I HAVE PRESENTED, UH, TO YOU ALL.
I'M DIRECTOR OF FEDERAL AND STATE RELATIONS, UH, FOR C P S ENERGY.
I'VE BEEN WITH THE UTILITY ABOUT EIGHT AND A HALF YEARS.
I WORKED IN THE LEGISLATURE ABOUT 10 YEARS PRIOR TO THAT, SO THIS WAS SESSION NUMBER NINE.
UM, BUT I'M HERE TO, TO TALK ABOUT PRIMARILY, UH, WHAT, UM, THE, I'M GONNA FOCUS PRIMARILY ON THE BILLS OF GREATEST IMPACT TO C P S ENERGY, HOW WE WORK WITH OUR PARTNERS INTERNALLY AND EXTERNALLY, AND WHAT WE SEE GOING FORWARD.
UM, I'M SURE, AS YOU ALL ARE FAMILIAR THROUGH YOUR OWN EXPERIENCE AND, AND WORK WITH THE, THE CITY'S TEAM, EVERY SESSION'S DIFFERENT, EVERY SESSION'S UNIQUE.
AND THIS ONE WAS, WAS LIVED UP TO THAT.
UM, IT WAS, I WOULD SAY A VERY DIFFICULT SESSION.
A LOT MORE ATTENTION ON, EXCUSE ME, LOCAL GOVERNMENT ISSUES, A LOT MORE ATTENTION FROM A MUNICIPAL UTILITY PERSPECTIVE ON, UM, OPERATIONS AND MORE TECHNICAL ASPECTS OF THE BUSINESS THAT WE, UM, I'LL GO THROUGH A LITTLE BIT, BUT THEN ALSO THINGS THAT WE FORESEE GOING THROUGH IN THE FUTURE.
SO HERE WE HAVE OUR, UM, OUR MAIN PILLARS OF OUR PUBLIC POLICY AGENDA.
THESE WERE APPROVED BY OUR BOARD OF TRUSTEES AT OUR JANUARY, UH, MEETING EARLIER THIS YEAR.
I WILL NOTE THAT, UM, MY REMAINING SLIDES WILL FOCUS PRIMARILY ON THE SECOND AND THIRD PILLARS, WHICH DEAL WITH UTILITY GOVERNANCE AND RELIABILITY AND RESILIENCY, BUT WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT CUSTOMER AFFORDABILITY AND IMPACTS IS INTRICATELY WOVEN INTO EVERYTHING THAT WE DO EVERY SESSION, AND WAS REALLY OUR DRIVING FORCE WITH THOSE OTHER TWO.
THESE ALLERGIES ARE GETTING TO ME.
SO, AND ALSO I'LL JUST ADD TOO, THAT CUSTOMER AFFORDABILITY AND IMPACTS WAS, UM, IT WAS, WE DON'T EVER SEE IT AS ANYTHING SEPARATE AND APART FROM ANYTHING ELSE WE DO, IT IS OUR DRIVING FORCE.
SO WE DON'T HAVE AN INDEPENDENT SLIDE, BUT JUST KNOW THAT WAS, UM, WHAT DROVE OUR ENGAGEMENT IN THESE OTHER AREAS.
SPEAKING FIRST ON UTILITY GOVERNANCE, SEVERAL BILLS WERE FILED THIS SESSION THAT WOULD'VE DIRECTLY IMPACTED THE M O U BUSINESS MODEL.
AS YOU ALL ARE AWARE, BILLS, UM, RELATING TO MUNICIPALLY OWNED UTILITY BUSINESS MODEL IS NOT UNCOMMON IN A LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
I WILL NOTE THAT THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCE THIS SESSION IS THAT BILLS THAT WERE FILED WOULD'VE APPLIED TO ALL 72 MUNICIPALLY OWNED UTILITIES IN THE STATE.
IN PREVIOUS SESSIONS, WE'VE SEEN BILLS FILED AT SPECIFIC, UH, ENTITIES
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NEVER BEEN GEARED DIRECTLY AT C P S ENERGY, BUT THE DIFFERENCE WAS THIS SESSION, IT WOULD HAVE IMPACTED C P S ENERGY AND OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR CITY OWNER AND OUR COMMUNITY.A COUPLE OF THE BILLS OF, OF MOST, UM, SIGNIFICANT POTENTIAL IMPACT WERE, UM, WOULD'VE GIVEN THE PUBLIC UTILITY COMMISSION SOME TYPE OF AUTHORITY TO REQUIRE A MUNICIPAL, A MUNICIPAL UTILITY TO WITHHOLD EITHER A PORTION OR ALL OF THE GENERAL FUND TRANSFER TO OUR CITY OWNER.
IF, FOR EXAMPLE, THE P U C DETERMINED THAT A GENERAL FUND TRANSFER WOULD LEAD TO A FINANCIAL DEFICIT AT THE UTILITY, OR, OR PUT THE UTILITY INTO A FINANCIAL, OR EXCUSE ME, NECESSITATE A, A RATE INCREASE.
IN ANOTHER EXAMPLE, THE P U C WOULD'VE BEEN GIVEN THE AUTHORITY TO REQUIRE SOME WITHHOLDING OF GENERAL FUND TRANSFER IF THEY DETERMINED THAT OUR VEGETATION MANAGEMENT PROGRAM AND ACTIVITIES WERE INSUFFICIENT.
I THINK, UM, I KNOW YOU ALL IN PREVIOUS INSTANCES, WE'VE DISCUSSED SOME OF THESE BILLS.
UM, AND I THINK A LOT OF THE, THE CONCERN AND THE ATTENTION CAME FROM A MISUNDERSTANDING OR CONCERN ABOUT HOW THESE VERY COMPLEX PROCESSES WORK WITHIN EVERY COMMUNITY.
AND THROUGH OUR WORK WITH OUR TRADE ASSOCIATION, WITH OUR WORK WITH THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, OUR, OUR PARTNERS, WE WERE ABLE TO EFFECTIVELY EDUCATE ON THE SOUND STRUCTURE THAT WE HAVE WHEN IT COMES TO OUR GENERAL FUND TRANSFER, THE SOUND DECISION MAKING PROCESSES AND TRANSPARENCY WE HAVE RELATED TO BOTH OUR GENERAL FUND TRANSFER AND OUR VEGETATION MANAGEMENT PROGRAM, AND REALLY SHOWING THAT WE, WE DO THINGS VERY WELL HERE.
WE DO THINGS WITH OUR CUSTOMER AT THE FOREFRONT.
AND THESE POTENTIAL PIECES OF LEGISLATION WOULD HAVE ONLY SERVED TO BE A DETRIMENTAL NEGATIVE IMPACT TO THE UTILITY AND TO OUR COMMUNITY WITH NO SUBSTANTIVE BENEFIT.
SO NONE OF THESE BILLS PASSED.
UM, I KNOW ONE IN PARTICULAR THAT, THAT THE COUNCIL'S PREVIOUSLY DISCUSSED WAS SENATE BILL 1110, AND THE CITY TESTIFIED IN OPPOSITION.
WE SUBMITTED TESTIMONY AND OPPOSITION THAT BILL, UM, DID NOT GO ANYWHERE.
THE OTHER BILLS I MENTIONED DID NOT PASS, BUT WE DO EXPECT CONTINUED INTEREST IN HOW THESE BUSINESS PROCESSES WORK.
AND SO OUR PLAN IN COORDINATION WITH OUR PARTNERS IS GOING TO BE CONTINUING TO EDUCATE AND MAKE SURE IN PREPARATION FOR THE NEXT SESSION AND ADDITIONAL CONVERSATIONS, THAT OUR OFFICES HAVE A FULL UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THE GENERAL FUND TRANSFER WORKS, HOW FROM A C P S ENERGY PERSPECTIVE, HOW FLOW OF FUNDS WORKS, HOW OUR VEGETATION MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS ARE, ARE FUNDED AND OPERATED.
THE OTHER PILLAR, UH, THAT I WANTED TO HIT ON AT A HIGH LEVEL TODAY IS, UH, RELIABILITY AND RESILIENCY.
THE NEXT COUPLE OF SLIDES HAVE SOME HIGH LEVEL AREAS, UM, THAT I'LL HIT, BUT, UM, WHAT WE SAW GOING INTO THE SESSION FROM AN ENERGY PERSPECTIVE OVERALL WAS THE LEGISLATURE'S INTEREST IN INCREASING RELIABILITY AND RESILIENCY OF THE GRID BY TRYING TO FIND WAYS TO INCENTIVIZE NEW DISPATCHABLE OR ON DEMAND GENERATION TO THE GRID.
PRIOR TO THE SESSION, THE PUBLIC UTILITY COMMISSION HAD, UH, AUTHORIZED A STUDY ON DIFFERENT IDEAS FOR HOW TO DO THAT.
AND WHAT THEY ULTIMATELY CAME UP WITH WAS THEIR SUPPORT FOR A CONCEPT CALLED PERFORMANCE CREDIT MECHANISM, WHICH WOULD'VE BEEN, WHICH WOULD BE A PROGRAM THAT WOULD, UM, COMPENSATE GENERATORS WHO WERE ONLINE AND WORKING AT THE HIGHEST STRESS TIMES ON THE GRID.
AFTER THEY, UH, VOTED IN SUPPORT OF THIS LEGISLATURE SAID, PLEASE WAIT.
DON'T TAKE ANY FURTHER ACTION.
WE WANNA LOOK AT THESE THINGS.
WE WANT TO NOT ONLY ASSESS THE PERFORMANCE CREDIT MECHANISM, BUT MAYBE ALSO LOOK AT OUR OWN IDEAS FOR HOW WE INCENTIVIZE NEW GENERATION LIKE C P S ENERGY.
THIS LEGISLATURE WAS FIRST AND FOREMOST WANTING TO MAKE SURE THAT THE CONSUMER WAS PROTECTED AND THAT COSTS, UM, WERE, WERE MITIGATED AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
AND AS I HAVE HERE, WE LOOKED AT EVERY PROPOSAL THAT WAS PUT FORTH THROUGH THE LENS OF WHAT ARE THESE PROPOSALS SEEKING TO DO RELATIVE TO RELIABILITY AND RESILIENCY COMPARED TO WHAT'S GONNA BE THE COST THAT IS BORNE BY UTILITIES AND ULTIMATELY OUR CUSTOMERS.
IN TOTAL, WHAT THESE BILLS DO TAKEN TOGETHER IS, UM, THE LEGISLATURE ULTIMATELY DECIDED THAT THE P U C CAN CONTINUE TO LOOK AT THE PERFORMANCE CREDIT MECHANISM, BUT REQUIRING SOME STUDIES TO GO FORWARD, UH, PUBLIC INPUT PROCESSES.
ADDITIONALLY, UM, WE DO HAVE THE CREATION OF A NEW STATEWIDE LOAN PROGRAM, AND I'LL GO AHEAD AND MOVE TO THE SLIDE BECAUSE THESE ARE THE MAIN ELEMENTS OF THOSE BILLS.
AGAIN, THIS IS NOT ALL ENCOMPASSING, JUST THE MAIN ITEMS THAT WE'D LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT TODAY.
I WILL NOTE THAT C P S ENERGY ENGAGED IN, UH,
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CONVERSATIONS AND STAKEHOLDER NEGOTIATIONS ON ALL OF THESE BILLS OR ON ALL OF THESE COMPONENTS.SO AS I MENTIONED, THE, UM, THE LEGISLATION THAT, THAT ALLOWS THE PERFORMANCE CREDIT MECHANISM TO CONTINUE TO BE STUDIED BY THE P U C AS WELL AS CREATES SOME NEW SERVICES IN THE MARKET.
THE BILLS DO REQUIRE THAT THERE BE ERCOT AND P U C STUDIES ON THE COST AND IMPACT OF THESE PROGRAMS BEFORE THEY BE IMPLEMENTED, AS WELL AS LOOKED AT, AS WELL AS LOOK AT HOW COSTS WOULD BE ALLOCATED BECAUSE THERE ARE CERTAIN, UM, THERE'S CERTAIN WAYS TO ALLOCATE COST TO MARKET PARTICIPANTS, WHICH ARE ULTIMATELY PASSED DOWN TO CUSTOMERS.
AND SO THE P U C AND ERCOT WILL BE REQUIRED TO STUDY ALL OF THESE VARIOUS THINGS BEFORE THEY CAN IMPLEMENT.
AND AS I NOTE HERE, OPPORTUNITIES FOR FUTURE STAKEHOLDER INPUT.
BECAUSE OF THESE PUBLIC PROCESSES, ENTITIES LIKE C P S ENERGY CAN CONTINUE TO MESSAGE ON BEHALF OF OUR CUSTOMERS AND OUR COMMUNITY TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PRIORITIES THAT WE HAD, UH, PRIOR TO THE SESSION AND THROUGH THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS, CONTINUE THROUGH THESE REGULATORY RULEMAKING PROCESSES.
THAT'S WHY I HAVE THOSE IN GREEN WAS THESE ARE ITEMS THAT, THAT PASSED, UM, THAT WE SUPPORTED IN A WAY THAT WE SUPPORTED.
THE, UH, TWO ITEMS I HAVE THERE IN YELLOW ARE ITEMS THAT, UM, EITHER PASSED IN A WAY THAT WE DIDN'T ENTIRELY SUPPORT OR MAYBE WE'RE STILL ASSESSING.
AND, UM, BUT TAKEN IN TOTAL, NONE OF THESE HAVE AN OVERALL DETRIMENTAL IMPACT.
WE BELIEVE THAT, UM, THE THINGS THAT PASSED ARE WORKABLE AND WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO WORK THROUGH THE VARIOUS IMPLEMENTATION PROCESSES.
SO THERE'RE ON THE, THE BILLION DOLLAR STATUTORY CAP, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE LEGISLATURE THOUGHT WAS VERY IMPORTANT WAS TO PUT A CAP ON THE COST FOR THE PERFORMANCE CREDIT MECHANISM, AGAIN, TO PROTECT THE CONSUMER FROM, UM, FROM ANY POTEN OR FROM THE POTENTIAL, UH, COST INCREASES.
WE WERE SUPPORTIVE OF A CAP, BUT WE WERE SUPPORTIVE OF A CAP THAT COULD BE MORE DYNAMIC, THAT COULD BE SET BY THE P U C AND NOT PLACED IN STATUTE, BUT THE LEGISLATURE THOUGHT IT WAS IMPORTANT THAT THEY PUT THE CAP IN STATUTE.
THE SECOND ITEM IS THE, UM, WHAT'S CALLED THE TEXAS POWERING TEXAS FORWARD ACT.
IT CREATES A $10 BILLION LOAN PROGRAM FOR THE, UH, MODERNIZATION OR BUILDING OF NEW DISPATCHABLE OR ON DEMAND GENERATION, BECAUSE IT'S USING $10 BILLION IN STATE MONEY AND CREATES A NEW FUND.
IT WILL HAVE TO GO TO THE VOTERS IN NOVEMBER.
AND ASSUMING THAT THE VOTERS APPROVE IT, THEN THE P U C WILL HAVE TO CREATE THE PARAMETERS OF THE PROGRAM, WHO'S ELIGIBLE TO APPLY HOW TO APPLY, AND THEN THEY WILL HAVE TO START, UH, ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS BY JUNE OF NEXT YEAR, AND ULTIMATELY, AWARD DOLLARS IN DECEMBER OF 2025.
THE LAST ITEM ON THERE THAT WE HAVE IS READ ARE, ARE, UH, ENCAPSULATE ISSUES THAT WE EXPRESS CONCERNS ABOUT OR OPPOSE THAT DID PASS.
THERE ARE SOME ELEMENTS IN THESE BILLS THAT, UH, EITHER PENALIZE OR EXCLUDE RE UH, NON DISPATCHABLE RESOURCES, OR IN MANY CASES, RENEWABLE RESOURCES.
FOR EXAMPLE, UH, RENEWABLE RESOURCES CANNOT PARTICIPATE IN THE PERFORMANCE CREDIT MECHANISM PROGRAM.
WE BELIEVE EVERY, EVERY MEGAWATTS IMPORTANT, AND IF YOU CAN PROVE THAT YOU CAN PERFORM, YOU SHOULD BE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY.
BUT THE LEGISLATURE, UH, EXCLUDED THEM.
THERE'S ALSO OTHER, UH, ELEMENTS IN THERE, LIKE A, A COST ON NEW GENERATION INTERCONNECTING TO THE GRID.
UH, THE, UNDER THIS PROVISION, THE PUBLIC UTILITY COMMISSION WILL SET A CAP ON HOW MUCH, UM, CAN BE SPENT ON CONNECTING A NEW GENERATION SOURCE TO THE GRID.
IF A GENERATION SOURCE GOES OVER THAT CAP, THEY HAVE TO THEN PAY WHATEVER THEY, THEY WERE OVER.
THE STATED INTENT IS TO PROTECT CONSUMER COSTS, BUT WE SEE IT AS, AND, AND OTHERS SEE IT AS, UM, A PENALTY OR A PENALIZATION ON RENEWABLES AND OTHER GENERATION SOURCES THAT, FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS, CAN'T CITE NEAR A TRANSMISSION LINER NEAR LOAD FOR MAYBE ENVIRONMENTAL REASONS OR LAND USE REASONS.
SO, UM, THOSE WERE AREAS THAT WE SUPPORTED.
BUT FOR THE CAP IS A GREAT EXAMPLE.
UM, THERE'S STILL WORK TO GO ON THAT.
AND SO WE WILL CONTINUE TO, TO WORK AS BEST AS WE CAN TO SHAPE THOSE POLICIES.
GOING NOW TO NOT ONLY WHAT WE WORKED ON, BUT HOW WE WORKED ON IT.
UM, WE ENGAGED INTERNALLY OVER 50 INTERNAL SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS WHO HELPED US LOOK AT THE OPERATIONAL, LEGAL, AND FINANCIAL IMPACT OF EVERY BILL THAT COULD IMPACT C P S ENERGY IN OUR COMMUNITY.
THEY HELPED US, UM, MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE SHARING THE RIGHT MESSAGES AT THE CAPITOL.
WE ALSO WORKED, UH, HAND IN HAND WITH OUR COLLEAGUES AT THE CITY, UM, AND OUR COLLEAGUES AT, AT SAWS TO WORK ON SHARED PRIORITIES AS WELL AS MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE KEEPING UP WITH ONE ANOTHER AND BEING ABLE TO SUPPORT EACH OTHER WHERE WE COULD.
UM, THAT INCLUDED REGISTERING OFFICIAL POSITIONS OF SUPPORT AND OPPOSITION
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AND PROVIDING A VERBAL AND WRITTEN TESTIMONY.ONE KEY ITEM, UH, WAS INTERESTING FOR US AND UNIQUE THIS SESSION IS WE TRACKED FEWER BILLS THAN WE HAVE IN PREVIOUS SESSIONS, BUT THE BILLS THAT WE DID TRACK WERE FAR MORE COMPLEX AND COMPLICATED AND CHANGING A LOT FASTER THAN THEY DID IN PREVIOUS SESSIONS.
YOU KNOW, WE USED TO, WE USED TO SEE A TWO OR THREE PAGE BILL IN THIS SESSION.
IT WAS 40, 50 PAGES, AND YOU WOULD HAVE TWO TO THREE DAYS TO LOOK AT IT, AND THEN IT WOULD CHANGE AGAIN.
SO JUST, UM, FEWER BILLS, BUT A LOT MORE COM COMPLEXITY THERE.
HERE I JUST HAVE A FEW, UH, EXAMPLES OF WHERE WE REGISTERED OFFICIAL POSITIONS OR WHERE WE PROVIDED TESTIMONY.
ONE I WANNA HIGHLIGHT IS, UM, SENATE BILL 2012, UH, OUR PRESIDENT, C E O RUDY GARZA CAME UP TO AUSTIN TO TESTIFY IN SUPPORT OF THE BILL AT THE TIME OF HIS TESTIMONY THAT BILL WAS THE LEADING BILL ON MARKET DESIGN TOPICS.
AND MANY OF THE ELEMENTS THAT HE TESTIFIED IN SUPPORT OF AT THAT COMMITTEE HEARING MADE IT INTO THE FINAL VERSION OF HB 1500.
THAT INCLUDED ALL OF THE MARKET DESIGN, UH, ELEMENTS.
AND ONE OTHER ONE I'LL HIGHLIGHT THERE, 'CAUSE IT'S NOT ALL DOOM AND GLOOM AT THE LEGISLATURE SOMETIMES IS, UH, HB 8 98 ON THERE.
THAT, UH, INCREASES THE PENALTIES FOR, UH, DRIVERS WHO VIOLATE THE MOVE OVER SLOWDOWN LAW.
WE WORKED A COUPLE OF SESSIONS BACK, UH, TO WORK AT GETTING, UH, UTILITY AND OTHER PUBLIC VEHICLES ADDED TO THAT LAW.
AND SO WE WERE HAPPY TO SEE THAT THE LEGISLATURE AND THE GOVERNOR, UH, INCREASE THE PENALTIES FOR THOSE WHO VIOLATED.
AND LASTLY, IN TERMS OF OUR NEXT STEPS, WHAT WE SEE GOING FORWARD IS, UM, WE UNDERTAKE AN INTERNAL POST SESSION COMPLIANCE PROCESS AT THE UTILITY.
AND WHAT THAT IS, IS MAKING SURE WE'RE, WE'VE GOT EVERY BILL THAT PASSED THAT REQUIRES SOME, EITHER SOME CHANGE OR JUST ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FROM C P S ENERGY.
AND WE WORK WITH OUR COUNTERPARTS AND OTHER BUSINESS UNITS IN LEGAL AND COMPLIANCE TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY HAS A MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT'S REQUIRED AND THAT WE'RE READY TO CARRY THAT FORWARD.
THERE'S ALSO, UH, REGULATORY RULEMAKINGS, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO MARKET DESIGN, BUT IN OTHER AREAS, WE'LL SEE THIS TOO.
THE LEGISLATURE PASSED THEIR VISION.
THEY SAID, HERE'S WHAT WE WANT TO HAPPEN, AND NOW REGULATORY BODIES GO WRITE THE RULES TO MAKE THESE THINGS A REALITY.
SO WE ARE GOING TO BE HEAVILY INVOLVED, UH, OUR COUNTER OR MY COUNTERPARTS AND OUR ENERGY MARKET POLICY TEAM WHO ARE HERE WORKING HAND IN HAND WITH THEM AND OUR OTHER BUSINESS UNITS TO PARTICIPATE IN THESE REGULATORY RULEMAKINGS.
WHETHER IT'S THE COST IMPACT STUDY THAT THE P U C NEEDS TO CONDUCT ON, UM, THE PERFORMANCE CREDIT MECHANISM OR THE OTHER OF, OR THE OTHER PROCEEDINGS THAT NEED TO OCCUR TO MAKE THESE BILLS ACTUALLY WORK.
WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO TAKE THOSE MESSAGINGS FORWARD, PARTICIPATE IN STAKEHOLDER NEGOTIATIONS, SUBMIT COMMENTS, ET CETERA.
OUR WORK ESSENTIALLY TO SAY OUR WORK ISN'T DONE JUST 'CAUSE THE LEGISLATURE PASSED WHAT THEY PASSED.
AND THEN, UM, SPECIAL SESSIONS, AS WE ALL KNOW, WE ARE IN, LET'S SEE, SECOND TO LAST DAY OF THE FIRST SPECIAL SESSION ON PROPERTY TAX REFORM, THE GOVERNOR HAS STATED THAT HE INTENDS TO CALL MULTIPLE SPECIAL SESSIONS, BUT IN HIS ANNOUNCEMENT, HE DID INCLUDE THE WORK THEY DID ON ELECTRICITY AS A SUCCESS.
AND SO AT THIS TIME, WE DON'T EXPECT THAT ANY GRID OR ELECTRIC ISSUES WILL BE ON A SPECIAL SESSION AGENDA, BUT OUR TEAM IS CLOSELY MONITORING THAT AND WE'LL PIVOT AS NEEDED.
UM, AND AGAIN, THAT IS, THAT IS ABOUT ALL THAT I HAVE TODAY.
UH, HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
APPRECIATE THE CHANCE TO BE HERE.
CARRIE, LET ME ASK YOU, BECAUSE A LOT OF THIS WAS VERY TECHNICAL ORIENTED IN A NUTSHELL, UHHUH,
SO TO YOUR FIRST QUESTION, I THINK THE CONTINUED, UH, ATTENTION TO THINGS LIKE GENERAL FUND TRANSFER, HOW AN M O U FUNCTIONS AND WORKS WITH ITS CITY OWNER, I THINK WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO SEE ATTENTION TO THAT.
I THINK MORE SO WE SAW THIS TIME FROM HOW THE FINANCIAL ASPECT OF THE RELATIONSHIP WORKS.
I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE, THAT'S GOING TO CONTINUE TO BE AT THE FOREFRONT.
UM, PROTECTION OF THE M O U BUSINESS MODELS ALWAYS OUR TOP PRIORITY.
AND I THINK THOSE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO BE TOPICS OF CONVERSATION.
IN TERMS OF ONE THINGS THAT, THINGS THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE HAPPEN, I THINK ONE ITEM, UH, THAT I'LL NOTE IS ONE OF THE MESSAGES THAT WE CARRIED THROUGH ON THE MARKET DESIGN CONVERSATIONS WAS THAT WHILE THE PRIMARY FOCUS WAS ON INCENTING NEW GENERATION, WE ALSO, WE ALSO THINK THERE'S A ROLE FOR THINGS LIKE ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND DEMAND RESPONSE TO PLAY.
AND WE WOULD LIKE TO CARRY THOSE MESSAGES FORWARD AND SEE IF THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES IN FUTURE LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS.
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UM, AND THEN ALSO WE DID ON CUSTOMER AFFORDABILITY AND IMPACTS, WE DID TRY TO, UH, WITH THE SURPLUS THAT THE, THE STATE HAD, WE DID TRY TO SEEK OPPORTUNITIES TO, TO DIRECT SOME OF THAT FUNDING TO CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE.THE LEGISLATURE DECIDED TO, TO WORK ON THE LOAN PROGRAM IN OTHER AREAS.
BUT, UM, I THINK THOSE ARE, THAT'S ANOTHER AREA TOO, IS WE WILL CONTINUE TO FIND WAYS WHERE WE CAN ASSIST OUR CUSTOMERS DIRECTLY THROUGH, UM, VARIOUS AVENUES.
DO YOU THINK THERE'S A WAY OF OVERCOMING THE, UH, LEGISLATURES OBJECTION TO ALTERNATIVE ENERGY DEVELOPMENT? YOU KNOW, MORE SOLAR AND MORE WIND? UH, ARE THEY SO STRONG? CAN THEY BE EDUCATED TO THE BENEFIT OF INCREASING THAT? I JUST AN OPINION I WOULD.
YEAH, I, I WOULD LIKE TO THINK SO.
UM, BUT I, I, I WILL SAY THAT A LOT OF THE ACTION THAT WAS TAKEN TO THE LEGISLATURE THIS SESSION, UM, FROM SOME MEMBERS WAS IN REACTION TO THINGS LIKE THE I R A AND THE I I J A AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, AND THEIR CONCERN, UM, OR BELIEF THAT THE, THAT THE FEDERAL LEVEL SO MUCH HAS BEEN DONE TO SUPPORT RENEWABLES.
AND A CONCERN THAT THAT IS NOW TIPPING THE BALANCE TO WHERE NOW THERE'S SO MANY RENEWABLES COMING ON THAT IT'S, THAT IT'S UNBALANCING THE RELIABILITY OF THE GRID.
AND SO WHAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT IS ALL OF THE ABOVE.
EVERYTHING HAS A PLACE AND EVERYTHING SHOULD HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE.
SO I, I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
AND I, ONE THAT WE'RE GONNA TRY TO, TO KEEP WORKING ON IS TALKING ABOUT AN ALL OF THE ABOVE APPROACH THAT EVERYTHING HAS A ROLE.
YOU KNOW, ONE THING THAT YOU, YOU TALKED ABOUT WAS, UM, HOW THEY EVALUATE MONEY TRANSFERRING FROM THE UTILITY TO THE CITY MM-HMM.
OF WAY USAGE, FRANCHISE FEES, THINGS LIKE THAT TO SHOW THAT WE'RE REALLY, UH, PROVIDING THE SAME SERVICE FROM A PUBLIC ASPECT.
UH, AND THE SAME COSTS WOULD BE PASSED ON TO THE COMMUNITY, EVEN IF IT WAS A PRIVATE ENTITY.
HAVE WE DONE THOSE KINDS OF ANALYSIS TO HELP THEM UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE REALLY IN LINE WITH A LOT OF THE PRIVATE INDUSTRY ENERGY? I WILL SAY THAT WE'VE, CONCEPTUALLY, ONE OF THE THINGS WE DID EXCEPTION WAS CONCEPTUALLY TALK TO OFFICES TO MAKE THOSE COMPARISONS, TO, TO EDUCATE THEM ON HOW, WHAT THOSE COMPARISONS ARE WITHIN AN INVESTOR ON UTILITY.
I WOULD NEED TO LOOK AT MY, ANY OF MY COUNTERPARTS.
IF NOT, WE'D BE HAPPY TO I NOT POSITIVE ABOUT ANY TYPE OF TECHNICAL ANALYSIS, BUT WE'D BE HAPPY TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT.
MR. CHAIRMAN, I'LL, I'LL JUMP IN IF I COULD.
THAT WAS ACTUALLY THE, THE CENTRAL CORE OF BEN'S TESTIMONY, RIGHT? WAS THAT OUR MODEL, AS YOU MENTIONED, THE THE 14% IS IN LIEU OF PROPERTY TAXES IN LIEU OF FRANCHISE FEES AND A RETURN TO THE OWNER JUST AS A PRIVATE UTILITY WOULD BE.
AND FOR, FOR ADDED MEASURE, HE PASSED OUT A SLIDE THAT HAD BEEN PRESENTED AT THE LAST C P S BOARD MEETING THAT SHOWED RESIDENTIAL RATES IN ALL THE MAJOR CITIES IN TEXAS, AUSTIN, AND SAN ANTONIO BEING REGULATED WHERE THERE'S A MUNICIPAL UTILITY AND DALLAS HOUSTON AND FORT WORTH BEING DEREGULATED WITH MULTIPLE PRIVATE COMPANIES.
AND, UH, THE LOWEST RATES WERE IN AUSTIN AND SAN ANTONIO.
SO, SO THAT WAS, THAT WAS THE CENTER OF THE CITY'S TESTIMONY AT THAT HEARING.
SO THAT'LL BE THE CONTINUING CENTER OF OUR TESTIMONY IN THE NEXT SESSION, TOO, IF IT COMES UP AGAIN.
WELL, AND I THINK ANOTHER THING THAT, THAT THE LEGISLATORS ARE REALLY FOCUSED ON WAS CONCERN THAT A GENERAL FUND TRANSFER WAS BEING MADE AT THE EXPENSE OF, OR, OR TO THE DETRIMENT OF OTHER UTILITY FUNCTIONS OR PRIORITIES.
AND SO IT WAS REALLY GREAT FOR US TO BE ABLE TO SHOW HOW THE FLOW OF FUNDS WORKS AND HELP THEM UNDERSTAND THAT WE ARE INVESTING IN OUR INFRASTRUCTURE.
WE'RE, YOU KNOW, MAKING OUR DEBT PAYMENTS, WE'RE INVESTING IN OUR FUTURE, THAT WE ARE MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING FOR OUR INFRASTRUCTURE AND COMMUNITY.
SO IT WAS, IT WAS SOME, SOME CONCERN FROM OTHER LEGISLATORS.
WE WE'RE LUCKY TO HAVE A VERY STRONG BEXAR COUNTY DELEGATION THAT REALLY UNDERSTAND HOW C P S ENERGY WORKS, BUT MEMBERS IN OTHER AREAS, OR THOSE THAT MAY NOT HAVE AN M O U WEREN'T, WERE WORRIED THAT THAT PAYMENT WAS BEING MADE AT THE SACRIFICE OF UTILITY FUNCTIONS.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, EITHER ONE OF YOU HAVE A QUESTION.
I THINK YOU HIT ON EVERY POSSIBLE QUESTION THAT COULD BE ASKED, BUT I, I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR, UM, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION, AND THANK YOU FOR, UH, BEING A PARTNER IN OPPOSING, UH, THE LEGISLATION THAT, YOU KNOW, TARGETS MUNICIPALLY OWNED UTILITIES.
AND I WE'RE ALL THANKFUL THAT IT DIDN'T PASS.
UM, I GUESS, AND PERHAPS I'M WONDERING IF THERE WERE, OR, AND MAYBE THIS WAS ALSO ASKED, UH, I'M WONDERING IF THERE WERE ANY EFFORTS TO EXPAND WEATHERIZATION
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OF OLDER HOMES, UM, GIVEN OUR PREVIOUS CONVERSATION ABOUT CLIMATE READINESS.IS THERE A STATE PROGRAM THAT SUPPORTS OUR LOCAL WEATHERIZATION EFFORTS? AND IF, UH, AND I, THE ROOT OF THAT QUESTION IS IN THE FUTURE, IS THIS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN REQUEST FROM THE STATE, UH, SINCE THEY SEEM TO BE HAVING RECORD SURPLUSES? YEAH, THAT I, I'M NOT SURE ABOUT THE QUESTION ON THE STATE PROGRAM.
I WILL SAY THERE, UM, I THINK THERE WERE SOME BILLS FILED, BUT I NEED TO FOLLOW UP WITH YOU SPECIFICALLY ON THAT.
AND, UM, WE DID, UM, WHEN WE WERE ADVOCATING FOR, YOU KNOW, USE OF SOME SURPLUS FOR CUSTOMERS, IT WAS, YOU KNOW, THINGS LIKE BILL ASSISTANCE OR WEATHERIZATION.
SO THAT FOR US IS GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT WE DO CONTINUE TO LOOK AT.
'CAUSE I, I DO THINK THERE ARE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES GOING FORWARD FOR THE USE OF STATE FUND.
I KNOW THERE'S THE STATE ENERGY CONSERVATION OFFICE.
I THINK THAT MIGHT BE AN AVENUE, BUT I'D BE HAPPY TO FOLLOW UP WITH MORE SPECIFICS.
AND, AND I'LL JUST ADD, COUNCILMAN, I BELIEVE THERE IS A FEDERAL FUNDING SOURCE THAT FLOWS THROUGH THE STATE TO ACOG FOR WEATHERIZATION PROGRAMS AS WELL.
WE, OF COURSE, HAVE OUR OWN LOCAL MM-HMM.
UM, I JUST WANNA, UH, THANK YOU OF COURSE A AGAIN ON YOUR WORK IN AUSTIN AND, UH, LIKE MY COUNCIL COUNCIL COLLEAGUES HERE, UH, UM, THANKS FOR HELPING US DODGE THAT BULLET
I AM CURIOUS THOUGH, UH, IT SOUNDS LIKE Y'ALL PRETTY WELL PUT IT TO BED.
ARE WE WORRIED THAT IT MIGHT COME UP IN ANOTHER? UM, I THINK SO.
REALLY EVERYBODY'S NODDING THEIR HEADS.
SO IT FEELS LIKE ONCE IT'S BEEN INTRODUCED, LIKE IT MAY MAYBE TAKES A WHILE TO, TO REALLY KILL IT OR IF, IF IT EVER DIES.
UM, AND, AND AGAIN, IT'S, IT'S NOT EVER BEEN MEMBERS THAT ARE FOCUSED ON C P SS ENERGY OR SAN ANTONIO.
UM, WE ARE TYPICALLY THE MODEL.
OUR, OUR CITY AND OUR COMMUNITY ARE TYPICALLY THE MODEL THAT'S HELD UP MM-HMM.
AND SO IT WAS REALLY CONCERNING FOR US THIS SESSION THAT WHILE SAYING THAT SOME OF THESE BILLS, MANY OF THESE BILLS WOULD'VE NONETHELESS IMPACTED US AND BEEN A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE TO OUR GOVERNANCE.
SO WE, IT, IT'S, IT, YES, WE DO EXPECT THAT THESE WILL CONTINUE TO COME UP AND IT'S A CONSTANT EDUCATION REEDUCATION THAT WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO.
SO GIVEN THAT, UH, FACTOR, ARE WE, ARE WE MAYBE BEING PROACTIVE AND, AND BEFORE THE NEXT SESSION AND GOING OUT TO MAYBE COMMUNITIES THAT DON'T HAVE, UM, THE LUXURY OF, OF OUR PUBLIC UTILITY AND JUST EDUCATING THEM BEFORE IT EVEN GETS TO THE POINT.
DO WE HAVE ANY PLAN FOR THAT? ABSOLUTELY.
WE'RE CONSTANTLY, WE HAVE OUR PUBLIC POLICY AGENDA AND, UM, WE HAVE OUR TOPICS THAT WE PROACTIVELY EDUCATE FOLKS ON.
AND SO THIS BEING ONE OF THOSE THAT WE'VE, WE'VE, WE HAVE ADVOCATED ON IT PRIOR TO, BUT THIS WAS THE FIRST SESSION WHERE PEOPLE REALLY WANNA TAKE THE DEEP DIVE MM-HMM.
SO WE'VE, YOU KNOW, BEEN REFRESHING OUR EDUCATION MATERIALS.
WE DO BRIEFINGS AND VISITS DURING THE INTERIM AND ALL LOOKS LIKE WE GOT RUDY, DID YOU WANNA HEAR CARRIE IS BEING, UH, VERY, UH, POLITICALLY
IN, IN HER COM IN, IN HER RESPONSE.
UH, WE GET CAUGHT UP IN THIS STUFF BECAUSE, UM, THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND AUSTIN ENERGY, YOU KNOW, DOESN'T HAVE AS GREAT A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LEGISLATURE, UH, AS WE ENJOY, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE ALL THE LEGISLATORS ARE ALL CUSTOMERS OF AUSTIN ENERGY, AND THEY HAD A REALLY ROUGH WINTER, UH, THIS PAST WINTER.
SO A LOT, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY DIDN'T BRACKET THE BILLS LIKE THEY SOMETIMES DO.
UM, TO JUST AUSTIN, YOU KNOW, UH, THEY, THEY LEFT IT, YOU KNOW, WIDE OPEN.
SO A LOT OF WHAT WE DEAL WITH IS JUST OTHER UTILITIES WHO, YOU KNOW, GET IN INTO SOME, YOU KNOW, UH, NOT, TROUBLE'S NOT THE RIGHT WORD, BUT JUST GET, YOU KNOW, THEY BECOME A FOCUS.
UM, AND WE END UP HAVING TO DO A LOT OF THE HEAVY LIFTING DURING THE SESSION TO, YOU KNOW, TO, TO MAKE BAD BILLS GO AWAY, PROTECT OURSELVES.
UM, I MEAN, MAYBE THAT'S AN ALTERNATIVE NOT TO, NOT TO THROW ANY OTHER CITY UNDER THE BUS, BUT IF HE, IF HE GETS REAL TRACTION NEXT TIME, MAYBE ASKING FOR THAT BRACKET.
UM, ALTHOUGH I DO, I DON'T LIKE THE IDEA OF OPENING THE DOOR.
'CAUSE ONCE IT'S HAPPENING IN ONE COMMUNITY, IT COULD MAYBE EASILY SPREAD TO A DIFFERENT ONE.
THIS IS CLEARLY ON THE LEG, CERTAIN LEGISLATORS RADAR SCREEN.
AND I WOULD IMAGINE IT'S GONNA KEEP COMING BACK UP.
UM, I HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION, BUT, UH, IT'S REALLY MY, MY, UM, ATTEMPT TO UNDERSTAND MORE ON THE, THE CAP FOR THE P UH, THE P C M, UM, THE REALLY KIND OF UNDERSTANDING WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT Y'ALL WANTING IT TO BE MORE DYNAMIC.
UM, BUT, BUT THEY MADE IT STATUTORY.
UM, AND THEN I SEE ON THE SLIDE, IT'S A 1 BILLION STATUTORY CAP.
WHAT, WHAT, WHAT WOULD KIND OF YOUR IDEAL HAVE BEEN THERE? UM, AND, AND THEN ALSO THEN ARE, ARE THERE ANY SAFEGUARDS THAT ARE BEING DEVELOPED? COUNCILWOMAN? I I ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, UH, IN MY TESTIMONY AT AT HOUSE STATE AFFAIRS, YOU KNOW, AND THIS WAS KIND OF
[01:15:01]
MY PHILOSOPHICAL POSITION, UM, IF, IF THE, THE P U C THROUGH THE P PC M OR WHATEVER MECHANISM THEY USE HAVE, ALONG WITH ERCOT, HAVE TO DEFINE WHAT LEVEL OF RELIABILITY WE'RE AIMING FOR.YOU KNOW, AND, AND FROM THAT POINT, IT BECOMES A MATHEMATICAL KIND OF, YOU KNOW, FORMULA THAT SPITS OUT WHATEVER THE, THE COST IS.
IF YOU SET, YOU KNOW, UH, A CAP, THEN THAT MAY OR MAY NOT GET YOU THE LEVEL OF RELIABILITY THAT YOU SUGGEST YOU'RE LOOKING FOR.
SO OUR APPROACH WAS SOLVE, YOU KNOW, ANSWER THE QUESTION ON RELIABILITY STANDARDS FIRST.
AND THEN LET'S DECIDE WHAT THE CAP SHOULD BE THAT'LL GET US THAT RELIABILITY.
YOU KNOW, UM, WHEN, WHEN I WAS ASKED POINT BLANK, YOU KNOW, THEY WERE TRYING TO SET A $500 MILLION CAP, YOU KNOW, AND I, AND I SAID, IF YOU'RE GONNA INCLUDE A CAP, YOU KNOW, YOU OUGHT TO MOVE THAT CAP AT LEAST TO A BILLION DOLLARS, BECAUSE I DON'T BELIEVE 500 MILLION WOULD'VE GOTTEN US THERE.
YOU KNOW, SO, AND I DON'T KNOW THAT A BILLION DOLLARS WILL GET US THERE, BUT IT'S AT LEAST A LITTLE BIT MORE FLEXIBLE THAN THE $500 MILLION WOULD'VE BEEN.
MAYBE, I MEAN, IT WORKS BOTH WAYS.
MAYBE NEXT TIME AROUND WE, WE CAN ADVOCATE, UM, FOR, WELL, I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE THE STATUTE, THE STATUTE DOESN'T DELINEATE A, A NUMBER.
MAYBE IT'S MORE OF A, UM, BASED ON THE, THE PROJECTED RELIABILITY OR THAT'S WHAT WE WERE SUGGESTING.
AND, AND THEY WERE HARD AND FAST ON A CAPTAIN IN THERE.
NOW WE'LL GO AHEAD AND PROCEED TO HEAR FROM SAS ON THEIR LEGISLATIVE UPDATE FROM THE LAST SESSION, AND HOPE IS GOING TO MAKE THE PRESENTATION.
I'M THE VICE PRESIDENT OF LEGISLATIVE AND REGULATORY AFFAIRS AT SAAS, AND I'LL BE PROVIDING OUR UPDATE TODAY.
SO, I WANTED TO START WITH A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR OVERALL LEGISLATIVE PERSPECTIVE.
WE APPROACH EVERY SESSION WITH THE GOAL OF FACILITATING A STABLE AND EQUITABLE REGULATORY ENVIRONMENT WITH REASONABLE CERTAINTY AND PREDICTABILITY TO INVEST OUR REPAIR DOLLARS, UH, IN MAJOR PROJECTS.
WE ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT CERTAINTY COMES WITH BALANCING, UH, PROTECTION OF THE RESOURCE AND REGULATION BY, UH, LOCAL DISTRICTS AND OTHER REGULATORY AUTHORITIES.
ON THESE NEXT FEW SLIDES, I WANTED TO GIVE A QUICK HISTORICAL BACKGROUND, ESSENTIALLY A QUICK CATCH UP ON WATER RELATED LEGISLATION IN THE PAST, SUCCESSES THAT WE'VE HAD TO ENSURE OUR WATER SUPPLY.
UM, AS I UNDERSTAND, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT WE'VE PRESENTED ON LEGISLATIVE MATTERS, AND SO IF YOU WOULD INDULGE ME THOSE FEW MINUTES, ESPECIALLY WE TALKED ABOUT A LOT OF OUR DIVERSIFICATION EFFORTS AND HOW IT'S IMPACTED HOW WE FEEL, UH, IN GOOD SHAPE.
AND SO I THINK IT'S HELPFUL BEFORE I MOVE TO THE CURRENT SESSION.
UM, SO JUST QUICKLY, UH, SENATE BILL ONE, TWO, AND THREE, UM, KIND OF PROVIDE THE BACKBONE OF TEXAS, UH, STATUTORY FRAMEWORK FOR WATER RESOURCE PLANNING.
AS YOU KNOW, MR. PUENTE WAS HEAVILY INVOLVED IN THESE, UH, PIECES OF LEGISLATION.
SENATE BILL ONE REVAMPED THE PLANNING PROCESS TO PROVIDE FOR A BOTTOMS UP APPROACH.
REGIONAL PLANNING GROUPS DETERMINE A STATE WATER PLAN.
SAWS IS ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN OUR PLANNING GROUP, MR. PUENTE, AS OUR REPRESENTATIVE.
UH, NOTABLY I'LL JUST SAY THAT SENATE BILL ONE DID INCLUDE SOME IMPORTANT LANGUAGE THAT ALLOW, ALLOWS SAWS TO RETAIN OWNERSHIP OF OUR AFFLUENT IF WE MOVE IT DOWNSTREAM THROUGH A BED AND BANKS PROCESS THAT WE'RE UTILIZING TODAY.
SENATE BILL TWO FOLLOWED IN 2001 THAT WAS FOCUSED ON GROUNDWATER MANAGEMENT, ESTABLISHING GROUNDWATER MANAGEMENT AREAS, UH, GROUNDWATER, UH, AVAILABILITY MODELING ESTABLISHES MUCH OF THE REGULATORY STRUCTURE WE OPERATE TODAY.
AND THEN FINALLY, SENATE BILL THREE IN 2007, UH, NOTABLY, UH, ESTABLISHING ENVIRONMENTAL FLOWS PLANNING PROCESS.
AGAIN, SAWS HAS BEEN HEAVILY INVOLVED IN THAT PROCESS HERE IN SAN ANTONIO FOR OUR GUADALUPE SAN ANTONIO BASIN.
UM, AND IN FACT, WE ARE UTILIZING THAT BED AND BANKS PROCESS.
I, I MENTIONED IN SENATE BILL ONE RIGHT NOW, IN AN EFFORT TO PROVIDE DEDICATED ENVIRONMENTAL FLOWS, UH, IN OUR RIVER.
THE EEA A'S ENABLING ACT WAS ALSO AMENDED IN SENATE BILL THREE, WHICH I'LL TALK ABOUT ON THE NEXT SLIDE.
THE PASSAGE OF THE E A A ACT IN 1993 REALLY SET THE FRAMEWORK FOR MANAGEMENT OF OUR, UH, OF OUR AQUIFER.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, TALKED ABOUT THAT A BIT TODAY.
UH, THE CORNERSTONE OF OUR SUPPLY.
THE ACT WAS AMENDED IN 2007, UH, TO INCREASE TO 572,000 ACRE FEET WHEN IT BECAME CLEAR THAT THE ORIGINAL CAP WOULD NOT BE MET.
UH, AS PART OF THAT COMPROMISE, THE CRITICAL PERIOD REQUIREMENTS WERE SET IN STATUTE.
WE REFERENCED THOSE EARLIER TODAY, AND REQUIRED THE PARTICIPATION OF STAKEHOLDERS IN AN EDWARDS AQUIFER, UH, RECOVERY IMPLEMENTATION PROGRAM OR ERI TO PREPARE A HABITAT CONSERVATION PLAN.
THE CREATION OF THAT PLAN, UH, UH, DEVELOPED BY SAWS, OTHER CITIES, STATE AGENCIES, STAKEHOLDERS IN THE REGION, UM, RESULTED IN AN IN INCIDENTAL TAKE PERMIT BY FISH AND WILDLIFE, PROTECTING BOTH THE SPECIES, THE AQUIFER USERS, AND REALLY, UH, MOST IMPORTANTLY, ENDING DECADES OF DEBATES ON HOW WE WERE GONNA MANAGE
[01:20:01]
THE EDWARDS.UH, NOW MOVING FROM THE EDWARDS AS CORNERSTONE TO OUR EFFORTS, UM, UH, THAT HAVE BEEN HELPFUL IN DIVERSING, DIVERSIFYING OUR SUPPLIES, CHRIS TALKED ABOUT THE, THE CHART WITH ALL THE DIFFERENT SUPPLIES.
IN 2009, WE SOUGHT LEGISLATION, UH, RELATING TO THE OPERATION OF OUR RECYCLED WATER SYSTEM, ALLOWING IT TO OPERATE AS ONE LOOP AS OPPOSED TO INDEPENDENT SEGMENTS.
REALLY HELPED IT TO BE MORE EFFICIENT AND TAKE ON ADDITIONAL DEMAND.
IN TERMS OF OUR AQUA FOR STORAGE AND RECOVERY, UH, SYSTEM HOUSE BILL 6 55 IN 2015, UH, WAS DESIGNED TO CLARIFY THE REGULATORY STRUCTURE.
THERE WERE SOME UNANSWERED QUESTIONS, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY FOR SAWS, HE WAS ALREADY UP AND RUNNING WITH THE ESTABLISHED PROGRAM.
IT PROVIDED LEGAL PROTECTIONS FOR THAT WATER THAT WAS ALREADY STORED.
UH, AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE CLOSE TO 200,000 ACRE FEET NOW STORED IN THAT, UH, MOVING TO BRACKISH GROUNDWATER DEVELOPMENT.
UM, HOUSE BILL 26 54, WHICH WAS AUTHORED BY MR. PUENTE IN 2007, PROVIDED FOR A LESS INTENSIVE AND STREAMLINED GENERAL PERMITS SO WE COULD DISPOSE OF THE BRINE ASSOCIATED WITH OUR H TWO OAKS FACILITY.
AND THEN WE ALSO SPEARHEADED THE PASSAGE OF HOUSE BILL 7 22 IN 2019.
UH, THAT PER REDUCES REGULATORY HURDLES IN CERTAIN BRACKISH ZONES THAT WE HOPE MIGHT BE HELPFUL IF WE EXPAND OUR PROJECT IN THE FUTURE.
UM, AS I MENTIONED, OUR KEY TENANT IS PERMITTING CERTAINTY.
UM, PARTICULARLY HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS GOING INTO THESE PROJECTS.
FOR EXAMPLE, OUR GONZALEZ PROJECT, UH, THAT'S PERMITTED BY THE GONZALEZ, G C D OR VISTA RIDGE, WHICH IS PERMITTED BY THE POST OAK DISTRICT.
OUR CONCERN HAS ALWAYS BEEN THAT SHORT-TERM PERMITS MAKE IT HARD TO PROCEED WITH THAT, UH, HAVING THAT KIND OF STABILITY.
AND SO IN 2015, WE WORKED TO PASS AN A BILL 8 54 THAT PROVIDES DISTRICT OPERATING PERMITS ARE AUTOMATICALLY RENEWED AS LONG AS YOU'RE IN COMPLIANCE WITH DISTRICT RULES, NOT ASKING FOR CHANGES IN 2019.
WE FOLLOWED THAT UP WITH 10 66, WHICH REQUIRES EXTENSION OF AN EXPIRING TRANSPORT PERMIT TO MATCH THE OPERATING PERMIT AND ROLL FORWARD TOGETHER, WHICH WAS AN ISSUE WE'RE SEEING IN, IN THE VISTA RIDGE PROJECT.
SO, FINALLY, NOT ON THIS SLIDE, BUT, UH, THIS PAST SESSION, WE HAD A GOOD PROCESS IMPROVEMENT BILL.
UH, THAT INCLUDES ADDITIONAL TRANSPARENCY IN THE DESIRED FUTURE CONDITIONS PROCESS, WHICH IS A PROCESS BY WHICH DISTRICTS IN AN AREA DECIDE HOW MUCH WATER DO THEY HAVE TO PERMIT GOING FORWARD.
WE WANTED TO BE SURE THAT ALL THE STEPS OF THAT PROCESS WERE TRANSPARENT FOR PERMIT HOLDERS LIKE OURSELVES.
AND SO THAT WAS A GOOD PILL THAT PASSED HOUSE BILL 32 78.
SO THAT'S JUST A QUICK REVIEW OF ALL OF THE LEGISLATIVE EFFORTS, WE THINK HELPED SOLIDIFY OUR SUPPLIES, HELPED WITH THE CITY'S ECONOMIC GROWTH.
REALLY KIND OF SETTLED A LOT OF DEBATES THAT HAVE BEEN GOING ON IN TERMS OF US HAVING SUFFICIENT SUPPLY AS WE REFERENCED EARLIER, UH, AND HAS ALLOWED US, I THINK, TO KIND OF FOCUS LESS ON PROACTIVE ASKS AT THE LEGISLATURE ALONG THE LINES OF ALL OF THESE THINGS TO BE ABLE TO FOCUS A LITTLE MORE DEFENSIVELY AND RESPONSIVE TO THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON.
SO, MOVING TO THE, UH, UH, WE TRACKED ABOUT 417 BILLS.
UH, AS YOU CAN SEE, THERE WERE OVER 8,000 BILLS FILED THE SESSION, WHICH WAS A RECORD FOR THE NUMBER OF SESSIONS FILED.
UM, BUT 417 RELATED OF COURSE, NOT ONLY TO WATER, UM, BUT GENERAL BUSINESS OPERATIONS CONTRACTING, THINGS LIKE THAT.
THE GOVERNOR'S VETO PERIOD ENDED, UH, ON JUNE 18TH.
THERE WERE A FEW LOCAL WATER BILLS, UH, THAT WERE VETOED, BUT NOT SPECIFICALLY, UH, RELATED TO SAWS.
I WANNA MENTION HERE, UH, THIS IS A SLIDE THAT REPRESENTS OUR TEAM, UH, AND THE EFFORTS, UH, SIMILAR TO WHAT CARRIE TALKED ABOUT.
UH, DONOVAN BURTON, OF COURSE, IS HERE, UH, HELPS QUITE A BIT WITH THE SESSION.
UM, BLAIR PARKER IS OUR EXTERNAL RELATIONS GOVERNMENTAL COORDINATOR.
ALSO HELPS US QUITE A BIT, UH, MYSELF.
AND THEN, AS YOU CAN SEE, WE HAVE, WE HAVE AN INTERNAL LEGISLATIVE PROCESS.
WE MEET WITH EACH DEPARTMENT BEFORE THE SESSION, DISCUSS IDEAS, UH, AS WELL AS ISSUES TO WATCH FOR, TO BE PROACTIVE ABOUT.
UH, THESE ARE THE DEPARTMENT LIAISONS, UM, THAT WORK WITH US TO COORDINATE ANALYSIS OF BILLS, DEVELOP OUR POSITIONS, AS I MENTIONED, WITH, WITH 417 BILLS.
WE APPRECIATE ALL THEIR HARD WORK, UH, AND HELPING US WITH THOSE, UH, AS WELL AS OUR LEGAL TEAM.
UH, NANCY IS HERE, UM, OUR GENERAL COUNSEL, AS WELL AS OUR BOARD, MR. PUENTE, FOR ALL THEIR GUIDANCE DURING THE SESSION.
AND OUR PARTNERS C P S IN THE CITY.
SO THIS IS JUST A QUICK NOTE ON, UH, LEGISLATIVE LEADERSHIP OF THE COMMITTEES, UH, IN THE LEGISLATURE ON THE SENATE.
UH, WE HAVE CHAIRMAN, UH, CHARLES PERRY OF LUBBOCK FOR THE WATER AGRICULTURAL RURAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE.
SENATOR ROLAND GUTIERREZ SITS ON THAT COMMITTEE FROM THE BEAR DELEGATION, UH, IN THE HOUSE.
IT'S CHAIRMAN TRACY KING OF LAREDO.
WE DO NOT HAVE A BEAR MEMBER, UH, IN THE HOUSE THIS SESSION.
ONE THING I WILL NOTE IS THAT HISTORICALLY, UM, RURAL REPRESENTATION IS MADE UP THE BULK OF THE COMMITTEE AND ITS LEADERSHIP, OF COURSE, WITH
[01:25:01]
THE EXCEPTION OF MR. PUENTE'S TENURE, UH, MR. LARSSON AFTER THAT.UM, BUT WE HAVE HAD TO, WE HAVE A LOT OF FOCUS TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT THE LARGER URBAN SY SYSTEMS ARE AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE DISCUSSIONS EVERY SESSION.
AND, AND THAT WAS AN ISSUE THIS SESSION AS WE WORKED ON WATER FUNDING.
SO AS FAR AS, UM, WATER AND INFRASTRUCTURE WIN FOR WATER THIS SESSION, UH, SENATE BILL 28, AND THE ACCOMPANYING JOINT RESOLUTION TO PUT CREATION OF A NEW TEXAS WATER FUND BEFORE THE VOTERS DID PASS, UH, CREATING AN AVENUE FOR NEW WATER INFRASTRUCTURE, UH, STRUCTURE FUNDING, AS WELL AS WATER SUPPLY FUNDING UNDER THE BILLS PROVISIONS.
THIS NEW UMBRELLA FUND CAN BE UTILIZED EITHER TO TRANSFER EXISTING MONEY, UH, TO THE WATER DEVELOPMENT BOARDS, PROGRAMS, OR EXISTING PROGRAMS, MONEY TO EXISTING PROGRAMS FOR WATER INFRASTRUCTURE OR TO THIS NEW WATER SUPPLY FUND FOR TEXAS, WHICH ACCORDING TO THE BILL'S TERMS, AIMS TO PROVIDE 7 MILLION NEW ACRE FEET OF WATER, UM, BY, UM, BY 2033, WHICH IS AMBITIOUS, UH, DIRECTIVE.
SO THE BILL DOES INCLUDE, UM, SOME SPECIFIC DIRECTIVES FOR THE TYPES OF PROJECTS TO BE FUNDED, INCLUDING SMALL AND RURAL SYSTEMS. BUT ONE OF THE BIG WINS I THINK WE HAD FOR THE SESSION, ALONG WITH SOME OTHER UTILITIES IN A COALITION THAT WE WORKED WITH, WAS TO ENSURE THERE WAS FLEXIBILITY FOR THE WATER DEVELOPMENT BOARD WHO WILL BE IN CHARGE OF ALL THIS NEW FUNDING, UH, TO ALLOCATE THOSE TO A DIVERSE POOL, INCLUDING LARGER SYSTEMS. SO THAT WAS A REAL FOCUS FOR US THIS SESSION THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS, UM, THE LEGISLATURE PROVIDED 1 BILLION OF SUPPORT FOR THIS TEXAS WATER FUND, A TOTAL OF A BILLION DOLLARS.
UH, AND I'LL JUST NOTE THAT IN ADDITION TO THAT MONEY, UH, THEY ALSO PROVIDED 125 MILLION TO DRAW DOWN FEDERAL INFRASTRUCTURE FUNDING AS WELL.
SO, UM, WE ARE, WE ARE HAPPY TO HAVE THAT FUNDING AND, AND WE'RE HAPPY TO PARTICIPATE IN MAKING SURE THAT WE CAN HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY.
MOVING NOW TO THE SUNSET BILLS.
UM, AS YOU KNOW, SUNSET IS THE PROCESS OF EXAMINING STATE AGENCIES ON A, ON A CYCLE, UM, AT USUALLY 12 YEARS.
UH, WHAT WAS UNUSUAL IS ALL THE WATER RELATED ENTITIES WERE UP AT ONE TIME.
SO BETWEEN THAT AND THE SENATE BILL 28 DISCUSSION WATER WAS, WAS ON THE FOREFRONT.
UM, ALL OF THEM PASSED T C Q, UM, AND WATER DEVELOPMENT BOARD WITHOUT REALLY MAJOR FLOOR AMENDMENT, WHICH IS UNUSUAL A LOT OF TIMES.
SUNSET BILLS WILL BECOME CHRISTMAS TREES WITH LOTS OF THINGS THAT WEREN'T NECESSARILY VETTED.
SO YOU'RE VERY WATCHFUL FOR THAT.
UM, AND OF COURSE, AS A WATER ENTITY, WE WERE, BUT THAT LARGELY DID NOT HAPPEN.
THEY MOVED THROUGH WITH MOSTLY THE OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCIES AND THINGS THAT THE SUNSET STAFF HAD RECOMMENDED, WHICH WE DID NOT HAVE, UH, CONCERN WITH, UH, P U C AND ERCOT, AS CARRIE MENTIONED, THAT DID HAVE SOME MODIFICATIONS ADDED TO IT WITH RESPECT TO MARKET REDESIGN THAT SHE WENT THROUGH.
BUT NONE OF THOSE ADDITIONS WERE SPECIFICALLY WATER RELATED.
THEN, UM, JUST TOUCHING ON SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT WE ENGAGED IN MORE GENERALLY, NOT NECESSARILY GOING THROUGH THE SPECIFIC BILLS IN EVERY INSTANCE, BUT OF COURSE, AS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, AND I KNOW YOU TALKED ABOUT AT COUNCIL BRIEFING, ATTEMPTS TO REGULATE, UH, MUNICIPAL ACTIVITIES, RESTRICT MUNICIPAL ACTIVITY OR UTILITY ACTIVITY, WE WORKED IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE CITY AND OTHER UTILITIES ON A NUMBER OF THOSE TYPE MEASURES.
OF COURSE, HOUSE BILL 2127, THE PREEMPTION BILL, UH, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THAT ONE, UH, HAS CREATED SOME UNCERTAINTY, UM, IN TERMS OF ITS MEANING AND IMPACTS, AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK CLOSELY WITH THE CITY ON ANY IMPACTS THAT ARE IDENTIFIED THERE.
UM, WE ALSO WORKED ON BILLS RELATING TO RATES, UM, PARTICULARLY ATTEMPTING TO CAP OUR LATE FEES, UM, THAT WE CHARGE AND PROVIDE AN AVENUE OF APPEAL AT THE P U C, WHICH WE ALWAYS, UM, OPPOSE ANY NEW AVENUES OF APPEAL OF OUR LOCALLY DETERMINED, UH, RATES THAT WE'RE INVOLVED WITH.
OF COURSE, WITH COUNSEL, UH, WE WERE SUCCESSFULLY ABLE TO OPPOSE THAT BILL, UM, ALONG WITH OTHER UTILITIES CONTRACTING AND CONSTRUCTION.
UM, THAT'S ANOTHER PERENNIAL ISSUE, UH, FOR US.
UM, WE WERE SUCCESSFUL IN AMENDING SEVERAL BILLS, UM, TO PRESERVE EXEMPTIONS FOR CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE THAT ARE IN CURRENT LAW.
ONLY ONE OF THOSE BILLS ULTIMATELY PASSED, BUT THAT IS A CONTINUING ISSUE.
WE TALKED ABOUT THINGS THAT ARE LIKELY TO COME BACK UP.
UH, WE'VE HAD SOME CONVERSATIONS WITH STAKEHOLDERS IN THE CONTRACTING ARENA.
THEY WANNA WORK IN THE SESSION IN THE INTERIM TO TRY TO FIND WORKABLE SOLUTIONS TO SOME OF THESE CONTRACTING MEASURES.
WE HAVE A MEASURE WE'D LIKE TO PROACTIVELY WORK ON TO RAISE THE COMPETITIVE BIDDING THRESHOLD, UH, TO BE MORE IN LINE WITH CURRENT WITH INFLATION AND CURRENT LAW.
SO WE'RE HOPEFUL WE'LL BE ABLE TO WORK ON SOME OF THESE ISSUES PROACTIVELY.
IMPACT FEES, THAT'S ANOTHER ONE THAT COMES UP.
CHARTER SCHOOLS HAVE FOR SEVERAL SESSIONS
[01:30:01]
SOUGHT AN EXEMPTION FROM IMPACT FEES.UM, AND THERE WAS ALSO A BILL SEEKING AN EXEMPTION FOR ACCESSORY DWELLING UNITS.
SO WE SUCCESSFULLY AMENDED THE CHARTER SCHOOL BILL TO REMOVE, UH, THAT EXEMPTION.
WE REACHED COMPROMISE LANGUAGE ON THE A D U BILL.
UM, THE CHARTER BILL PASSED THE A D U BILL DID NOT.
SO THAT MAY BE AN ISSUE IN EVEN LARGER RESPECTS.
FINALLY, UH, BILLS RELATED TO BOIL WATER NOTICES AND REPORTING TO T C E Q.
UM, SPECIFICALLY ONE BILL DID PASS HOUSE BILL 38 10, AND THAT REQUIRES UTILITIES TO REPORT, BOIL WATER NOTICES AND UNPLANNED OUTAGES TO T C E Q AND THE DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.
WE WORKED QUITE A BIT ON THAT BILL, TRYING TO MAKE IT SOMETHING WORKABLE WHERE IT WAS NOT SO ONEROUS TO US THAT WE WERE REPORTING EVERY OUTAGE FOR A FEW HOURS TO ONE OR TWO CUSTOMERS, BUT STILL MAKING IT USEFUL INFORMATION TO THE COMMISSION.
SO WE GOT FAR WITH THAT BILL, BUT WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO WORK ON IT FURTHER OVER THE INTERIM AND RULEMAKING.
SO JUST TO CONCLUDE ON INTERIM OUTLOOK, UM, AS CARRIE MENTIONED, WE HAVE THE SAME BILL IMPLEMENTATION, RULEMAKING ISSUES.
WE'LL BE WORKING QUITE A BIT ON THAT RULEMAKING OF WORKING WITH THE WATER DEVELOPMENT BOARD ON ANY GUIDANCE OR RULES TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE A SEAT AT THE TABLE ON THE FUNDING.
AND THEN, UH, P U C AND THEIR SUNSET HAS A REVIEW OF WATER WASTEWATER RULES AND PROCESSES.
SO THOSE ARE JUST SOME EXAMPLES.
THE PROPOSITION RELATING TO THE NEW WATER FUND, UH, WILL BE ON THE BALLOT IN NOVEMBER.
INTERIM CHARGES ANOTHER TOPIC, OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE PROACTIVELY IN WHAT INTERIM CHARGES ARE DETERMINED, AND ALSO, UH, GIVING US A PREVIEW OF THINGS THAT MIGHT COME UP NEXT SESSION.
THAT'S A GOOD AREA TO SEE THAT.
AND THEN FINALLY, PARTICIPATION IN STAKEHOLDER EFFORTS.
WE WORK WITH THE TEXAS WATER CONSERVATION ASSOCIATION, THE TEXAS SECTION OF AMERICAN WATERWORKS, OTHER GROUPS TO DETERMINE OUR STEPS FORWARD IN THE NEXT SESSION.
SO THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
WELL, IT SOUNDS LIKE, UH, SAS HAD A SUCCESSFUL, UH, WORK WITH THE LEGISLATURE.
ONE THING THAT I'VE BEEN CONCERNED ABOUT, SOMETHING I THINK MANY OF US IN SAN ANTONIO HEARD ABOUT WAS THAT, UH, THE PEOPLE AT THE OTHER END OF THE VISTA RIDGE PROJECT HAD A LOT OF CONCERNS AND COMPLAINTS ABOUT THEIR FALLING WATER TABLES OR THE AMOUNT OF WATER LEAVING THOSE AREAS COMING DOWN TO SAN ANTONIO, I WAS CONCERNED THAT THERE MIGHT BE SOME LEGISLATIVE ACTION THAT WOULD RESTRICT OUR ABILITY TO CON CONTINUE TO RECEIVE THAT WATER.
WAS THERE ANY, UH, MOVEMENT IN THAT AREA, AND HOW DID ALL THAT RESOLVED? AND WILL WE SEE IT AGAIN IN THE FUTURE? WELL, WE ALSO SHARED THAT CONCERN BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THERE WERE FOLKS IN THE NEIGHBORING, UH, DISTRICTS THAT HAD CONCERN ABOUT MITIGATING WELLS.
UM, THE LEGISLATURE FOCUSED VERY MUCH RATHER THAN ALTERING, PERMITTING, UH, RELATED ISSUES, FOCUSED ON MAKING SURE THAT THERE WAS SUFFICIENT OPPORTUNITY IN THE STATUTE FOR MITIGATION OF WELLS, FOR DISTRICTS TO ADOPT PROGRAMS TO MITIGATE THE IMPACTS OF PUMPING, UH, WITHIN THEIR DISTRICTS.
UH, THAT WAS ONE OF THE CONCERNS THAT ONE OF THESE NEIGHBORING DISTRICTS HAD, IS THEY DIDN'T FEEL THEY HAD THE STATUTORY ABILITY, UH, TO DO THAT.
AND SO, UM, THERE WAS A LEGISLATION, THERE WAS ACTUALLY SPECIFIC LEGISLATION TO ONE OF THESE DISTRICTS LOST PINES, UH, TO ALLOW THEM TO EXPRESSLY ADOPT MITIGATION AND HAD SOME, UH, ADDITIONAL, UH, REQUIREMENTS.
UH, THAT WAS ONE OF THE BILLS THAT WAS VETOED.
UH, HOWEVER, THERE WAS AN UMBRELLA, UH, CHAPTER 36 BILL, BASICALLY INCREASING MITIGATION FEES, UH, IN GENERAL, UH, PUTTING AN ESCALATOR IN IT FOR FUTURE INCREASES.
AND ALSO EXPRESSLY SAYING THAT MITIGATION WAS ONE OF THE PURPOSES THAT YOU COULD, COULD USE FEES FOR, AND PARTICULARLY EXPORT FEES.
SO THE LEGISLATURE WAS VERY FOCUSED ON THAT ASPECT OF IT.
UH, AND, AND, YOU KNOW, WE ARE SUPPORTIVE OF MITIGATION PROGRAMS HAVE WORKED IN, IN NUMEROUS DISTRICTS ON THOSE.
AND SO THAT, THAT WAS, THAT WAS ULTIMATELY THE FOCUS.
WERE THERE ANY DISCUSSIONS ABOUT, UH, THE CITY'S AUTHORITY OR SAS AUTHORITY IN THE EXTRA TERRITORIAL JURISDICTION AREAS? I KNOW THAT WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT THAT TO TRY AND DETERMINE WHAT'S OUR OWN RANGE OF AUTHORITY.
UH, SO WHAT WAS ANY DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THAT ON ANY LEGISLATIVE ACTION? WELL, I THINK WE, WE LARGELY WORKED WITH THE CITY AND, AND TRIED TO KIND OF FOLLOW, LEAD ON REACTING TO THOSE BILLS.
AND OF COURSE, SHARED SORT OF THE SAME GENERAL CONCERN ABOUT IMPACTS IT COULD HAVE.
UM, I KNOW THE ONE BILL THAT, THAT PASSED A SENATE BILL 2038, ENDED UP HAVING THE LANGUAGE THAT EXEMPTS THE, THE AREAS SURROUNDING MILITARY BASES.
SO WE OF COURSE WERE VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THAT EFFORT AS WELL.
UM, THERE WERE A NUMBER OF OTHER ONES, ONES THAT I BELIEVE ULTIMATELY DIDN'T PASS.
THERE WAS ONE ON THE DIS DE ANNEXATION.
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IF YOU WEREN'T RECEIVING FULL MUNICIPAL SERVICES.WE WERE CONCERNED ABOUT, UH, AND SEVERAL OTHERS THAT DIDN'T.
NOW, IF, UH, IF THERE WERE SOME THAT I THINK WERE STILL IN THE SAME BOAT AS THE CITY IS STILL TRYING TO FIGURE OUT ARE THERE ANY IMPACTS OR INTENTIONS WILL IMPACTS TO US FROM BILLS THAT DID PASS, UM, STILL KIND OF FERRETING THAT OUT AND MAKING SURE.
WELL, I HAVE NO OTHER QUESTIONS.
ANY OTHER COMMITTEE MEMBER JUST SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR OF COURSE.
ROBERT, DO YOU HAVE A COMMENT? UH, YES.
I WANNA SAY THAT IN 19 97, 1 OF THE BEST LEG LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS I TOOK WAS I HIRED HOPE IN 1997 WHEN I CAME TO SASS.
FIRST THING I DID WAS TAKE HER WITH ME TO SAS
UM, I THINK THAT CONCLUDES OUR AGENDA FOR TODAY, BUT LET ME ASK, UH, IF EITHER COMMITTEE MEMBER HAS ANYTHING THEY'D LIKE TO HAVE ON A FUTURE MEETING, LET US KNOW AND WE'LL GO AHEAD AND, AND PUT IT ON ANOTHER AGENDA.
UM, I THINK WE'VE HAD, UH, GOOD, UH, RESPONSES FROM BOTH C P S AND ENERGY AND SAWS OVER OUR LAST FEW MEETINGS.
UH, WE WILL NOT MEET IN JULY, SO OUR NEXT MEETING WILL BE IN AUGUST.
UH, AND I THINK IT'S, I THINK IT'S SCHEDULED TO BE A SAS MEETING, BUT I'M NOT SURE.
WE'LL GET OUR AGENDA TOGETHER AND LET Y'ALL KNOW WELL ENOUGH IN ADVANCE.