HomeMy WebLinkAboutCM Greenhouse Gas Emissions Report and Climate Action Priorities Update____________________________________________________________________________________
FOR CITY CLERK ONLY
Council Meeting: September 5, 2023
Disposition: Accepted the Greenhouse Gas Inventory and Reduction Strategy Annual Report for
2021; Accepted the 2023-2025 Two-Year Workplan Priorities Report
Agenda Item No: 6.a
Meeting Date: September 5, 2023
SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
Department: City Manager’s Office
Prepared by: Cory Bytof,
Sustainability Program Manager
City Manager Approval: ____ _____
TOPIC: GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS REPORT AND CLIMATE ACTION
PRIORITIES UPDATE
SUBJECTS:
1.SAN RAFAEL GREENHOUSE GAS INVENTORY REPORT
2. 2023-2025 TWO-YEAR WORKPLAN PRIORITIES REPORT
RECOMMENDATIONS:
1.Accept the Greenhouse Gas Inventory and Reduction Strategy Annual Report for 2021.
2.Accept the 2023-2025 Two-Year Workplan Priorities Report.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
The City conducts annual greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions inventory reports to gauge progress
toward GHG reduction targets as reflected in the Climate Change Action Plan 2030 (CCAP). The
latest report is for calendar year 2021 which is the latest data available. This report shows the
City has achieved a 33% reduction in GHG emissions since 2005, and a 21% reduction from 1990
levels. In addition, every two years staff submits a two-year workplan for review and updates the
City Council on achievements from the previous two years. Proposed priority focus areas include
some similar areas of focus from the prior two years, including implementing more electric vehicle
adoption programs, energy efficiency programs, economic development initiatives, and
adaptation planning. New proposed initiatives include integrating climate action and resilience
into department goals and projects, exploring a Climate Resilience District, and reimagining the
Volunteer Program.
BACKGROUND:
State of the Climate
Greenhouse gas emissions reached a new high worldwide in 2022, and 28 countries saw their
warmest year on record. 2022 was also the warmest year on record for ocean heat content, which
is a more significant indicator than surface temperature since over 90% of heat trapped in the
atmosphere goes into the oceans. Antarctic sea ice extent dropped to the lowest level on record
in February, and sea levels have risen to a new high as well. These climate trends contributed to
record-breaking extreme heat events in several countries and catastrophic flooding in others.
SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT / Page: 2
More information regarding these statistics can be found at Carbon Brief and World
Meteorological Organization.
Major insurance companies no longer take new customers in California due to the rapid growth
of catastrophes such as wildfires, of which California saw over 7,000 in 2022. The State and
Federal government are focusing more policies and funding on both reduction of the greenhouse
gases that are contributing to climate change and efforts to plan and adapt accordingly. Climate
change and the efforts to address it touch every aspect of society from infrastructure to health,
natural ecosystems, the economy, and housing.
California Climate Goals
The State of California has responded to growing concerns over the effects of climate change by
adopting a comprehensive approach to addressing emissions in the public and private sectors.
This approach was officially initiated with the passage of the Global Warming Solutions Act of
2006 (AB 32), which requires the state to reduce its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to 1990
levels by 2020. The AB 32 Scoping Plan was developed to identify strategies for meeting the AB
32 goal and was adopted by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) in December 2008.
Among many other strategies, it encourages local governments to reduce emissions in their
jurisdictions by fifteen percent below 2005 baseline levels by 2020, and proposed longer-term
goals established by Executive Order S-3-05 to reduce emissions 80 percent below 1990 levels
by 2050.
In 2016, the State Legislature passed SB 32, which set interim targets of 40% reductions below
1990 levels by 2030. CARB subsequently updated its Climate Change Scoping Plan in 2017 to
lay out a strategy to achieve the 2030 target. In 2018, Executive Order B-55-18 committed
California to achieve carbon neutrality – the point at which the removal of carbon from the
atmosphere meets or exceeds emissions – by 2045.
City’s Climate Change Action Plan
San Rafael’s first Climate Change Action Plan (CCAP) was developed by a 17-member Green
Ribbon Committee in 2008 and adopted by the City Council in 2009. In 2011, the City incorporated
the CCAP measures into General Plan 2020 as a new Sustainability Element. A GHG Emissions
Reduction Strategy was also prepared to provide technical support to the Sustainability Element
and adopted CCAP. In 2017, then Councilmember Kate Colin and the City Manager’s Office
convened a 20-member community working group to update the CCAP to meet the new 2030
State targets. The working group developed the greenhouse gas reduction measures/activities
with the assistance of nineteen local subject matter experts. Over 350 San Rafael residents and
business representatives gave input on the plan, which was adopted by the City Council on May
19, 2019.
City’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction Strategy
The City’s Climate Change Action Plan has also been integrated into General Plan 2040 and
serves as the City’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction Strategy. This strategy meets the California
Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) for a “qualified” greenhouse gas reduction strategy. It commits
the City to track implementation measures and emissions reductions while providing a valuable
streamlining tool for reviewing new development and building projects. It allows applicants to
demonstrate that they comply with greenhouse gas reduction strategy measures through
utilization of a compliance checklist, saving time and cost for contractors and staff, while ensuring
that GHG emissions reduction activities are included in projects. San Rafael is currently the only
local jurisdiction in Marin County with such a strategy.
SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT / Page: 3
As part of the CCAP implementation, a City Council sustainability liaison meets quarterly with
primary staff involved with implementing the CCAP as well as the president of Sustainable San
Rafael, with occasional additional meetings as needed to address specific initiatives of high
importance. Councilmember Llorens Gulati is the current sustainability liaison. As liaison,
Councilmember Llorens Gulati chairs the quarterly public CCAP implementation forums
consisting of staff and interested members of the community. The liaison’s role is important in
helping staff prioritize requests from the public and in shaping projects and programs for City
Council action.
Greenhouse Gas Inventory
The City measures progress toward GHG reduction goals through completion of an annual
community greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory report. These reports provide the City Council with
an overview of community-wide emissions as well as status of City actions accomplished in that
same year. The report also fulfills the City’s requirement to report annual emissions for the
strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. GHG emissions and reductions are calculated for
various sectors, including energy, transportation, waste, and water. This is done using a common
protocol cities use to show what is called in-boundary emissions, meaning the emissions created
most directly within the geographical boundary of the City. Emissions data is typically not available
for a year and a half; thus, inventories have a lag time. The last community inventory was
conducted in in 2022 for the 2020 calendar year.
In addition, approximately every five years, the City conducts a municipal inventory which
provides a deep analysis of the emissions from municipal operations and facilities. The last
municipal inventory was conducted in 2018 for calendar year 2016. The next municipal inventory
will cover calendar year 2023 which staff believes will result in a better comparison to prior years,
avoiding significant anomalies that occurred due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Municipal emissions
typically comprise approximately 1% of community-wide emissions. Almost 99% come from the
community: residents, businesses, and visitors.
The City partners with the Marin Climate and Energy Partnership (MCEP) for conducting the
inventory and developing the report. MCEP publishes all the results on the MCEP website,
MarinClimate.org, and at MarinTracker.org so that members of our community can easily access
the data using an interactive map.
Two-Year Priorities
Every two years staff identifies key priorities taken from the Climate Change Action Plan to focus
limited resources on. These are reviewed with the City Council Sustainability Liaison and at the
Climate Change Action Plan quarterly community forum for review before finalizing into a
workplan. These priorities and workplan align with the subset of objectives represented in the
Sustainability, Climate Change and Disaster Preparedness Policy Focus Area in the City
Council’s adopted fiscal year 2023-24 & 2024-25 goals and objectives.
ANALYSIS:
Greenhouse Gas Inventory Report
The 2021 Greenhouse Gas Inventory Report (Attachment A) provides the City Council with an
overview of community-wide emissions as well as status of City actions accomplished in that
same year. The report also fulfills the City’s requirement to report emissions for the greenhouse
gas reduction strategy. The report provides broad category, best-estimate community-wide
emissions data for calendar year 2021 based on publicly available data. This data shows an
overall reduction of approximately 33% of community-wide emissions since 2005, including an
approximate 7% reduction between 2019 and 2021. Table 1 below shows where our emissions
SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT / Page: 4
reductions came from.
Percent
Change in
Emissions
2005-2021
Transportation -21%
Built Environment -
Electricity -83%
Built Environment –
Natural Gas -13%
Waste -45%
Water -95%
Off-Road -33%
Wastewater +14%
TOTAL -33%
Table 1: Change in Emissions by Sector
Following are a sampling of programs and policies the City undertook to reduce GHG emissions
and increase resilience in 2021 and 2022:
• Promoted ride and drive clean events.
• Contributed to development of a Countywide Electric Vehicle Acceleration Strategy.
• Installed new bike lanes and wayfinding signage.
• Adopted new mandatory composting ordinance in compliance with SB 1383, the Short-
Lived Climate Pollutants law.
• Adopted new Green Building reach codes limiting gas and requiring increased energy
efficiency and electric vehicle charging requirements for all new residential construction.
• Supported residential and commercial outreach programs such as Resilient
Neighborhoods, Canal Community Resilience Council, California Youth Environmental
Services’ Green House Calls, the Chamber Green Business Committee, the Electric
Vehicle Working Group, and Marin School of Environmental Leadership, among others.
• Conducted fire fuel reduction efforts, education, support programs for fire safety, and other
measures in our Wildfire Prevention and Protection Action Plan.
• Secured over $750,000 in funding for equity-based adaptation planning for sea level rise
in and around the Canal neighborhood.
• Hired a new Climate Adaptation and Resilience Planner and convened an internal cross-
departmental adaptation and resilience working group to plan for climate impacts such as
sea level rise and flooding.
• Completed energy efficiency, electrification, and lighting projects at several facilities to
reduce energy consumption.
• Increased zero emissions vehicles in the fleet in Fire Department (1), Public Works (1)
and Parking Services (2).
SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT / Page: 5
The City has made significant progress towards implementation of its CCAP and has a strong
commitment toward continuing to implement policies and programs. San Rafael met its interim
goal of a 25% reduction in communitywide GHG emissions from 2005 baseline by 2020. However,
State targets set by SB 32 and the CCAP referenced above establish a new baseline of 1990
GHG emissions for 2030 reduction targets. This 40% reduction by 2030 using the new baseline
means that emissions reductions will have to be even greater to meet the mark since GHG
emissions were significantly lower in 1990. Translating current reductions to a 1990 baseline
means San Rafael reduced emissions 21% since 1990. In order to meet our CCAP targets of
80% reductions by 2050, San Rafael will need to continue to innovate, collaborate, and be at the
forefront of local GHG reduction strategies.
Finally, regarding GHG inventories, the value of this in-boundary type of inventory is that it isolates
emissions from local sources, providing a snapshot of sectors and activities that can be affected
to some degree by local government actions. In addition, it allows for a rough aggregation of data
to allow for county-wide, regional, state and larger groupings of emissions calculations. This can
be helpful to understand California-wide emissions for instance or to compare to the U.S. at large.
One thing it does not do, however, is get at the larger set of emissions driven by consumption.
Consumption includes all the “upstream” emissions from the things individuals buy, including the
mining, manufacturing, packaging, and transportation of products, which carry a lot of embedded
GHG emissions. A consumption-based inventory would show a very different picture of San
Rafael’s GHG emissions. It could easily triple or even quadruple emissions per capita due to the
number of materials and products we consume, mainly from imported food and goods. In San
Rafael, we have chosen to include consumption messaging – our “carbon footprint” – in our
engagement rather than just rely on an in-boundary inventory. This is a primary focus of the
Resilient Neighborhoods program, which works county-wide to educate residents about this and
help them reduce their household carbon footprint.
2021-2023 Two-Year Workplan Priorities
Every two years staff proposes workplan priorities from the CCAP in order to be efficient with City
resources and stay focused on key initiatives. These are reviewed with our Sustainability Liaison
to the Council and at the quarterly CCAP implementation forums, which are open to the public,
as a means of aligning the workplan with other City priorities and with community concerns. The
practice of setting two-year priorities was established due to the fact that most items require more
than one year to complete.
Below is a snapshot of the accomplishments from the past two years. City Council will receive a
report on one of the 2021-2023 Action Strategies, Develop Electric Vehicle Strategy for San
Rafael, at this City Council meeting.
SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT / Page: 6
Many of the actions in the CCAP 2030 will be completed using existing funding sources, grants,
or other incentives and funding from utilities and community partners. Fortunately, the State is
continually coming out with new programs, mandates, and funding opportunities to assist cities
with climate action and adaptation planning and projects. A table showing the key objectives of
the Draft Two-Year Priorities is below, and can be found in Attachment B. Some earlier priorities
SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT / Page: 7
will continue as they have become more of an ongoing effort, such as continuing to promote solar
and renewable energy, adaptation planning, and installation of electric vehicle charging
infrastructure.
In all cases, staff has communicated with and developed these draft priorities based on input from
community partners such as the County of Marin Sustainability Team, Sustainable San Rafael,
members of our quarterly CCAP community forums, the Marin Climate and Energy Partnership,
our utility partners, and others. This allows for county-wide collaboration and resource sharing. In
addition, whenever possible, staff seeks opportunities to develop work products that other cities
or organizations can use as well to extend their impact. For example, the Chief Building Official
SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT / Page: 8
identified a significant source of emissions coming from extension of gas lines for luxury items
such as hot tubs and Council adopted a novel limitation on gas line extensions in our Green
Building Reach Code that other jurisdictions are employing now as well.
COMMUNITY OUTREACH:
Staff has given presentations with opportunities for input and feedback to the following
organizations: the CCAP quarterly implementation forums (twice), the Canal Community
Resilience Council, Dominican University student and faculty Earth Day committee, and the San
Rafael Chamber of Commerce Green Business Committee. Information has gone out to the public
through the City’s sustainability email list, the City Manager’s Snapshot, and through City social
media channels.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no direct fiscal impact to accepting the reports. However, funding for implementation of
programs identified as two-year priorities will be supported through existing budget resources as
well as grants, and utility-sponsored programs. Where required, supplemental funding requests
for supplemental General Fund support will be contingent on separate City Council action through
the budget process.
RECOMMENDED ACTIONS:
1. Accept the Greenhouse Gas Inventory and Reduction Strategy Annual Report for 2021.
2. Accept the 2023-2025 Two-Year Priorities Report.
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment A: Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Strategy 2021 Annual Report
Attachment B: 2023-2025 Two-Year Sustainability Priorities
CITY OF SAN RAFAEL
COMMUNITY GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS
INVENTORY FOR THE YEAR 2021
August 2023
Prepared by the
Marin Climate & Energy Partnership
TABLE OF CONTENTS
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1
I NTRODUCTION 2
P URPOSE OF INVENTORY 2
GENERAL M ETHODOLOGY 2
COMMUNITY I NVENTORY 4
C OMMUNITY I NVENTORY S UMMARY 4
P ER CAPITA E MISSIONS 6
SIGNIFICANT SOURCES OF E MISSIONS 7
BUILT E NVIRONMENT - E LECTRICITY 7
BULT E NVIRONMENT - NATURAL GAS 8
T RANSPORTATION 8
W A STE D ISPOSAL 9
W A TER U SE 10
W ASTEWATER 11
A PPENDIX A-1
San Rafael Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory 1
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
San Rafael publishes annual community greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions
estimates through the Marin Climate & Energy Partnership (MCEP). Annual
inventories help the City to more closely monitor its progress in meeting its
goal to reduce community emissions at least 40% below 1990 emissions by
2030. The City also publishes GHG emissions inventories for municipal
operations approximately every five years. Municipal emissions accounted
for less than 1% of community emissions when the municipal inventory was
last conducted for year 2016.
This report reviews emissions generated from the community from 2005 through 2021, the most recent year data
is available. The inventory shows that emissions dropped from about 475,000 metric tons carbon dioxide equivalents
(MTCO2e) in 2005 to 320,370 MTCO2e in 2021, which is equivalent to 33% below the 2005 baseline and 21% below
1990 levels. The community emissions trend and targets are shown below. San Rafael needs to reduce emissions
another 78,140 MTCO2e to meet the local and State target for 2030. San Rafael adopted a Climate Emergency
Resolution in 2021 that establishes a goal to achieve net-zero emissions by 2045 or earlier, similar to the State’s
long-term goal. This is expected to be accomplished by reducing GHG emissions approximately 85% below 1990
levels and employing sequestration and/or carbon capture strategies to offset the remaining emissions. San Rafael
needs to reduce GHG emissions another 259,810 MTCO2e to meet the GHG mitigation target for 2045, as shown in
Figure 1.
FIGURE 1: SAN R AFAEL GHG E MISSIONS AND R EDUCTION T ARGETS
Recognizing the need for a collaborative approach to greenhouse gas reductions, City and county leaders launched
the Marin Climate and Energy Partnership (MCEP) in 2007. The City of San Rafael is a member of MCEP and works
with representatives from the County of Marin and the other Marin cities and towns to address and streamline the
implementation of a variety of greenhouse gas reduction measures. Funding for this inventory was provided by the
Marin County Energy Watch Partnership, which administers public goods charges collected by PG&E. Community
inventories are available on the MCEP website at marinclimate.org and are used to update the Marin Sustainability
Tracker.
0
100,000
200,000
300,000
400,000
500,000
19
9
0
…
20
0
5
20
0
6
20
0
7
20
0
8
20
0
9
20
1
0
20
1
1
20
1
2
20
1
3
20
1
4
20
1
5
20
1
6
20
1
7
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1
8
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1
9
20
2
0
20
2
1
MT
C
O
2e
T HE T AKEAWAY:
C OMMUNITY E MISSIONS A RE
D OWN 33% S INCE 2005 AND
21% SINCE 1990
2030 Goal
2045
Mitigation
Goal
San Rafael Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory 2
INTRODUCTION
PURPOSE OF INVENTORY
The objective of this greenhouse gas emissions inventory is to identify the sources and quantify the amounts of
greenhouse gas emissions generated by the activities of the San Rafael community in 2021. This inventory provides
a comparison to 2005 and estimated 1990 emissions and identifies the sectors where significant reductions in
greenhouse gas emissions have occurred. In some instances, previous year emissions were updated with new data
and/or recalculated to ensure the same methodology was employed for all inventory years.
GENERAL METHODOLOGY
This inventory uses the national standard for the accounting and reporting of community-wide greenhouse gas
emissions, the U.S. Community Protocol for Accounting and Reporting of Greenhouse Gas Emissions, version 1.2
(July 2019). Quantification methodologies, emission factors, and activity and source data are detailed in the
appendix.
Community emissions are categorized according to seven sectors:
Built Environment - Electricity
Built Environment – Natural Gas
Transportation
Off-Road Vehicles and Equipment
Waste
Water
Wastewater
C ALCULATING E MISSIONS
Emissions are quantified by multiplying the measurable activity data – e.g., kilowatt hours of electricity, therms of
natural gas, gallons of diesel or gasoline, etc. – by emissions factors specific to the greenhouse gas-generating source.
Most emissions factors are the same from year to year. Emission factors for electricity, however, change from year
to year due to the specific sources that are used to produce electricity. For example, electricity that is produced from
coal generates more greenhouse gases than electricity that is generated from natural gas and therefore has a higher
emissions factor. Electricity that is produced solely from renewable energy sources such as solar and wind has an
emissions factor of zero.
This inventory calculates individual greenhouse gases – i.e., carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide – and
converts each greenhouse gas emission to a standard metric, known as “carbon dioxide equivalents” or CO2e, to
provide an apple-to-apples comparison among the various emissions. Table 1 shows the greenhouse gases identified
in this inventory and their global warming potential (GWP), a measure of the amount of warming each gas causes
when compared to a similar amount of carbon dioxide over 100 years. Methane, for example, is 28 times as potent
as carbon dioxide over 100 years; therefore, one metric ton of methane is equivalent to 28 metric tons of carbon
dioxide. Greenhouse gas emissions are reported in this inventory as metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents, or
MTCO2e.
San Rafael Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory 3
T ABLE 1: GREENHOUSE GASES
Gas Chemical
Formula Emission Source Global Warming
Potential
Carbon Dioxide CO2 Combustion of natural gas, gasoline,
diesel, and other fuels 1
Methane CH4
Combustion, anaerobic decomposition
of organic waste in landfills and
wastewater
28
Nitrous Oxide N2O Combustion, wastewater treatment 265
Source: IPCC Fifth Assessment Report (2014), 100-year values
T YPES OF E MISSIONS
Emissions from each of the greenhouse gases can come in a number of forms:
Stationary or mobile combustion resulting from the on-site combustion of fuels (natural gas, diesel,
gasoline, etc.) to generate heat or electricity, or to power vehicles and equipment.
Purchased electricity resulting from the generation of power from utilities outside the jurisdictional
boundary.
Fugitive emissions resulting from the unintentional release of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, such
as methane from waste decomposition.
Process emissions from physical or chemical processing of a material, such as wastewater treatment.
U NDERSTANDING T OTALS
The totals listed in the tables and discussed in the report are a summation of emissions using available estimation
methods. Each inventoried sector may have additional emissions sources associated with them that were
unaccounted for due to a lack of data or robust quantification methods. For example, greenhouse gas emissions
associated with air travel and the production of goods outside the community’s boundary are not included in the
inventory. Additionally, the community inventory does not include refrigerants released into the atmosphere from
the use of air conditioning in cars and buildings.
San Rafael Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory 4
COMMUNITY INVENTORY
COMMUNITY INVENTORY SUMMARY
In 2005, the activities taking place by the San Rafael community resulted in approximately 475,000 metric tons of
CO2e.1 In 2021, those activities resulted in approximately 320,369 metric tons of CO2e, a reduction of 33% from 2005
levels, which is equivalent to 21% below 1990 levels.
The community inventory tracks emissions in seven sectors:
• The Built Environment – Electricity sector represents emissions generated from the use of electricity in San
Rafael homes and commercial, industrial, and governmental buildings and facilities.
• The Built Environment – Natural Gas sector represents emissions generated from the use of natural gas in
San Rafael homes and commercial, industrial, and governmental buildings and facilities. Propane used as a
primary heating source is also included, although it represents less than 1% of emissions in this sector.
• The Transportation sector includes tailpipe emissions from passenger vehicle trips originating and ending
in San Rafael, as well as a share of tailpipe emissions generated by medium and heavy-duty vehicles
travelling on Marin County roads. The sector also includes emissions from Marin Transit and Golden Gate
Transit buses and the SMART train as these vehicles travel within San Rafael’s boundaries. Electricity used
to power electric vehicles is embedded in electricity consumption reported in the Built Environment -
Electricity sector.
• The Waste sector represents fugitive methane emissions that are generated over time as organic material
decomposes in the landfill. Although most methane is captured or flared off at the landfill, approximately
25% escapes into the atmosphere.
• The Off-Road sector represents emissions from the combustion of gasoline and diesel fuel from the
operation of off-road vehicles and equipment used for construction and landscape maintenance.
• The Water sector represents emissions from energy used to pump, treat, and convey potable water from
the water source to the San Rafael water users.
• The Wastewater sector represents stationary, process and fugitive greenhouse gases that are created
during the treatment of wastewater generated by the community. Emissions created from energy used to
convey and treat wastewater are included in the Built Environment sectors.
Table 2 shows how emissions in each sector have changed since 2005. The greatest reductions have occurred in the
Built Environment – Electricity sector (73,812 MTCO2e), followed by the Transportation sector (56,205 MTCO2e) and
the Built Environment – Natural Gas sector (12,156 MTCO2e). The likely reasons for the largest emissions decreases
are described in the remainder of this report.
1 Baseline and historical emissions are recalculated in the annual inventory to integrate new data and improved
calculation methodologies and to ensure consistent comparison across each year. For this reason, emission levels
may differ from levels reported in previous inventories.
San Rafael Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory 5
T ABLE 2: E MISSIONS SUMMARY BY SECTOR (MTCO2 E ), 2005 THROUGH 2021
Year
Bu
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t
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v
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o
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-
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Of
f
-Ro
a
d
To
t
a
l
%
Change
from
2005
%
Change
from
19902
1990 (est.)1 403,713
2005 88,767 92,247 266,928 19,075 2,371 484 5,085 474,956
2006 83,610 95,425 266,209 18,913 2,074 485 5,008 471,723 -1%
2007 111,739 92,455 264,388 17,101 2,804 488 4,895 493,868 4%
2008 112,024 93,985 265,598 14,205 2,579 490 4,611 493,491 4%
2009 101,128 92,767 259,960 12,223 2,593 492 4,235 473,398 0%
2010 76,081 93,296 248,651 12,006 1,486 496 3,895 435,911 -8%
2011 71,056 96,073 244,487 11,718 1,053 498 3,784 428,670 -9%
2012 72,706 90,344 241,741 12,149 1,136 503 3,707 422,286 -10%
2013 68,716 89,797 236,978 12,303 1,323 506 3,666 413,289 -11%
2014 61,976 76,304 231,401 12,437 1,189 517 3,645 387,469 -16%
2015 61,260 77,920 226,110 12,887 933 491 3,609 383,209 -16%
2016 49,936 81,715 222,389 15,147 692 551 3,554 373,984 -18%
2017 26,412 85,650 220,291 15,852 202 541 3,491 352,440 -24%
2018 25,961 85,625 218,402 14,054 71 539 3,396 348,049 -25%
2019 25,813 86,037 217,805 13,397 77 538 3,295 346,961 -26% -13%
2020 18,412 79,630 215,766 12,732 95 553 3,244 330,430 -30% -17%
2021 14,955 80,091 210,723 10,507 115 550 3,427 320,369 -33% -21%
Change
from 2005 -73,812 -12,156 -56,205 -8,568 -2,256 66 -1,658 -154,587 % Change
from 2005 -83% -13% -21% -45% -95% 14% -33% -33%
1 Per California Air Resources Board guidance, 1990 levels are estimated at 15% below 2005 levels.
2 In 2019, San Rafael adopted a Climate Action Plan that established a goal to reduce emissions 40% below 1990 levels by 2030.
This column will track that progress over time.
Figure 2 shows the relative contribution of emissions from these sectors in 2021. Transportation emissions represent
the largest share of communitywide emissions (66%), while the use of natural gas and propane in the Built
Environment accounts for one-quarter of emissions.
San Rafael Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory 6
FIGURE 2: E MISSIONS BY S ECTOR, 2021
P ER CAPITA E MISSIONS
Per capita emissions can be a useful metric for measuring progress in reducing greenhouse gases and for comparing
one community’s emissions with neighboring cities and against regional and national averages. That said, due to
differences in emission inventory methods, it can be difficult to produce directly comparable per capita emissions
numbers. Per capita emission rates may be compared among Marin jurisdictions, although some jurisdictions may
have higher rates due to the presence of commercial and industrial uses.
Dividing the total communitywide GHG emissions by residents yields a result of 8.4 metric tons CO2e per capita in
2005. Per capita emissions decreased 36% between 2005 and 2021, falling to 5.2 metric tons per person. Figure 3
shows the trend in per capita emissions over time. It is important to understand that this number is not the same as
the carbon footprint of the average individual living in San Rafael, which would include lifecycle emissions, emissions
resulting from air travel, etc.
F IGURE 3 : E MISSIONS P ER C APITA
Built Environment -
Electricity
6%Built Environment -
Natural Gas
25%
Waste
3%Wastewater
<1%
Off-Road
1%Water
<1%
Transportation
66%
8.4 8.4 8.7 8.7 8.3 7.6 7.4 7.2 7.0 6.5 6.4 6.2 5.9 5.8 5.8 5.4 5.2
0.0
2.0
4.0
6.0
8.0
10.0
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
MT
C
O
2
e
P
e
r
P
e
r
s
o
n
San Rafael Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory 7
SIGNIFICANT SOURCES OF EMISSIONS
The following sections provide a year-by-year analysis of the changes in source GHG emissions in the Built
Environment, Transportation, Waste, and Water sectors. Whenever possible, each section discusses the change in
emissions from previous years and the likely influence of state and local programs or policies and external factors
on reducing emissions.
BUILT E NVIRONMENT - E LECTRICITY
Purchased electricity consumption in homes and businesses in San Rafael decreased about 22% between 2005 and
2021. Greenhouse gas emissions from this electricity use decreased 83% since 2005, as shown in Figure 4. This is
primarily due to the lower carbon intensity of electricity. PG&E has been steadily increasing the amount of renewable
energy in its electricity mix. In 2021, PG&E electricity came from a mix of renewable (48%), large hydroelectric (4%),
nuclear (39%), and natural gas (9%) energy sources and was 91% GHG-free.2 MCE Light Green electricity came
primarily from renewable (61%) and hydroelectric (37%) sources and was 98% GHG-free.3 In 2021, about 12% of
MCE electricity purchased by San Rafael customers was 100% renewable Deep Green electricity, including electricty
purchased by the City for facilities and operations.
FIGURE 4: ELECTRICITY USE AND EMISSIONS
BUILT E NVIRONMENT - N ATURAL G AS
Natural gas is used in residential, commercial, and industrial buildings to provide space and water heating and power
appliances. Use of natural gas is highly variable depending on the weather conditions. This variability has led natural
gas use consumption in San Rafael to fluctuate from year to year, from a high of 18 million therms in 2011 to a low
of 14.2 million therms in 2014. Reduction in energy use may also be attributed to energy efficiency programs and
rebates, local green building ordinances, and State building codes.
2 PG&E 2021 Power Content Label, 2021 Power Content Label submitted by Pacific Gas and Electric Company
(ca.gov). Nuclear and large hydro sources are considered GHG-free.
3 MCE 2021 Power Content Label, 2021 Power Content Label submitted by MCE (ca.gov).
0
20,000
40,000
60,000
80,000
100,000
120,000
0
50,000,000
100,000,000
150,000,000
200,000,000
250,000,000
300,000,000
350,000,000
400,000,000
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
MT
C
O
2e
kW
h
s
Electricity Electricity Emissions
San Rafael Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory 8
Natural gas consumption was virtually flat between 2020 and 2021 and was 13% below the 2005 level. Unlike
electricity emissions which reflect the power content mix, natural gas emissions track the amount of natural gas
consumed (Figure 5).
FIGURE 5: NATURAL GAS USE AND EMISSIONS
T RANSPORTATION
Transportation activities accounted for approximately 66% of San Rafael’s emissions in 2021. According to the
transportation model and annual data the City uses to calculate passenger and commercial vehicle miles, vehicle
miles traveled (VMT) have decreased approximately 2% since 2005.
On-road transportation emissions have decreased 21% since 2005 due to more fuel-efficient and alternatively fueled
cars (Figure 6). As shown in Figure 7, most transportation emissions come from passenger vehicles, which accounted
for 72% of transportation emissions in 2021. Marin County continues to be a leader in zero emission vehicles (ZEVs)
– second only to Santa Clara County – with 15,449 ZEVs in Marin at the end of 2022, or about 8.1% of registered
automobiles. ZEVs include battery electric cars, plug-in hybrid electric cars, hydrogen fuel cell cars, and zero-emission
motorcycles. San Rafael had 2,779 ZEVs by the end of 2021, or 4.8% of registered light-duty vehicles.
While it is difficult to pinpoint exactly how each land use and transportation policy affects emissions, the City has
undertaken many efforts to reduce transportation emissions. The City encourages workforce housing and has made
improvements to the transportation network to make it easier for residents to bicycle, walk, and take public
transportation. The City has also promoted electric vehicle adoption by installing chargers and providing free
electricity at select municipal EV charging stations.
0
20,000
40,000
60,000
80,000
100,000
0
2,000,000
4,000,000
6,000,000
8,000,000
10,000,000
12,000,000
14,000,000
16,000,000
18,000,000
20,000,000
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
MT
C
O
2e
Th
e
r
m
s
Natural Gas Natural Gas Emissions
San Rafael Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory 9
FIGURE 6: ON-ROAD TRANSPORTATION VEHICLE MILES TRAVELED AND EMISSIONS
FIGURE 7: TRANSPORTATION EMISSIONS BY VEHICLE CATEGORY, 2021
Note: Public transportation includes emissions from Marin Transit and Golden Gate Transit fixed-route buses and the SMART train.
W ASTE D ISPOSAL
Waste generated by the community decreased 1% between 2020 and 2021 and was 19% below the 2005 level by
2021 as shown in Figure 8 (based on countywide disposal data). Total landfilled waste includes alternative daily
cover.4 Emissions from waste disposal decreased 45% due to the lower organic content of landfilled waste and
material used for alternative daily cover (Figure 8).
4 Alternative daily cover is cover material other than earthen material placed on the surface of the active face of a municipal solid
waste landfill at the end of each operating day to control vectors, fires, odors, blowing litter, and scavenging.
0
50,000
100,000
150,000
200,000
250,000
300,000
0
100,000,000
200,000,000
300,000,000
400,000,000
500,000,000
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
MT
C
O
2e
VM
T
VMT On-Road Emissions
Passenger Vehicles
72%
Commercial Vehicles
27%
Public Transportation
1%
San Rafael Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory 10
FIGURE 8: DISPOSED WASTE
W ATER USE
Per capita water use declined 29% since 2005, as shown in Figure 9, based on Marin Municipal Water District (Marin
Water) district-wide data. Emissions, which are based on an estimate of energy used to pump, treat, and convey
water from the water source to the City limits, dropped 95% between 2005 and 2021 (Figure 10). The reduction is
primarily due to the lower carbon intensity of electricity. Marin Water began purchasing MCE Deep Green electricity
in mid-2017. The Sonoma County Water Agency (SCWA), which supplied approximately 38% of Marin Water’s water
in 2021, uses renewable and carbon-free sources for its electricity needs; a small amount of emissions comes from
stationary and mobile combustion of fuels used in SCWA’s operations.
FIGURE 9: PER CAPITA WATER USE
0
5,000
10,000
15,000
20,000
0
10,000
20,000
30,000
40,000
50,000
60,000
70,000
80,000
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
MT
C
O
2e
To
n
s
Waste Waste Emissions
142 144 145 146
132 126 124 130 139
117 112
101 106 110 107 116
101
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
Ga
l
l
o
n
s
P
e
r
C
a
p
i
t
a
P
e
r
D
a
y
Source: Marin Water
San Rafael Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory 11
FIGURE 10: WATER USE AND EMISSIONS
Marin Water provides rebates and programs to reduce water use. Rebates are available to replace fixtures with high-
efficiency clothes washers and to purchase cisterns and rain barrels. Marin Water provides free home and landscape
water-use evaluations as well as free high-efficiency showerheads and faucet aerators. The City of San Rafael actively
promotes water conservation and Marin Water rebates and programs to residents and businesses.
W ASTEWATER
Greenhouse gas emissions are created during the treatment of wastewater generated by the community. These
emissions have increased 14% since 2005 as San Rafael’s population has increased.
Emissions created from energy used to convey and treat wastewater are included in the Built Environment sectors.
The Central Marin Sanitation Agency (CMSA), located in San Rafael, has two anaerobic digesters that process primary
sludge, thickened waste-activated sludge, and organic waste to produce biogas. The biogas is used to generate heat
and renewable electricity via the cogeneration system. CMSA normally produces 100% of the facility’s power needs,
and, at times, exports renewable energy to the grid, which is procured by MCE.
In 2023, the Las Gallinas Valley Sanitary District completed a Secondary Treatment Plant that expanded the
treatment plant’s capacity and the recycled water facility’s capacity from 1.4 million to over 5 million gallons per
day.
0
500
1,000
1,500
2,000
2,500
3,000
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
MT
C
O
2e
Mi
l
l
i
o
n
G
a
l
l
o
n
s
Water Use Emissions
San Rafael Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory Appendix A-1
APPENDIX: COMMUNITY INVENTORY
Community GHG Emissions Summary Table
Jurisdiction: City of San Rafael Inventory Year: 2021
Population: 61,179 (CA Department of Finance) Date Prepared: August 7, 2023
Number of Households: 23,373 (CA Department of Finance) Reporting Framework: Communitywide Activities
ID
Emissions Type
Source
or
Activity
Included,
Required
Activities
Included,
Optional
Activities
Excluded
(IE, NA,
NO or NE) Notes
Emissions
(MTCO2e)
1.0 Built Environment
1.1 Use of fuel in residential and commercial stationary
combustion equipment Both ● 80,091
1.2 Industrial stationary sources Source NE
1.3 Power generation in the community Source NO
1.4 Use of electricity in the community Activity ● Includes transmission and distribution
losses 14,955
1.5 District heating/cooling facilities in the community Source NE
1.6 Use of district heating/cooling facilities in the community Activity NE
1.7 Industrial process emissions in the community Source NO
1.8 Refrigerant leakage in the community Source NE
2.0 Transportation and Other Mobile Sources
2.1 On-road passenger vehicles operating within the community
boundary Source IE Obtained data for preferred activity-
based method instead
2.2 On-road passenger vehicles associated with community land
uses Activity ● 151,449
2.3 On-road freight and service vehicles operating within the
community boundary Source IE Obtained data for preferred activity-
based method instead
2.4 On-road freight and service vehicles associated with
community land uses Activity ● 57,725
2.5 On-road transit vehicles associated with community land uses Activity ● 1,306
2.6 Transit rail vehicles operating with the community boundary Source ● 244
2.7 Use of transit rail travel by the community Activity NE
San Rafael Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory Appendix A-2
2.8 Inter-city passenger rail vehicles operating within the
community boundary Source NO
2.9 Freight rail vehicles operating within the community
boundary Source NO
2.10 Marine vessels operating within the community boundary Source NE
2.11 Use of ferries by the community Activity NE
2.12 Off-road surface vehicles and other mobile equipment
operating within the community boundary Source ● 3,427
2.13 Use of air travel by the community Activity NE
3.0 Solid Waste
3.1 Operation of solid waste disposal facilities in the community Source NE
3.2 Generation and disposal of solid waste by the community Activity ● Includes alternative daily cover 10,507
4.0 Water and Wastewater
4.1 Operation of water delivery facilities in the community Source IE Energy use is included in 1.1 and 1.4
4.2 Use of energy associated with use of potable water by the
community Activity ● 115
4.3 Use of energy associated with generation of wastewater by
the community Activity ● Energy use is included in 1.1 and 1.4
4.4 Process emissions from operation of wastewater treatment
facilities located in the community Source NE
Wastewater treatment facilities are
located in the community but only
process emissions associated with
generation of wastewater by the
community are reported in 4.5
4.5 Process emissions associated with generation of wastewater
by the community Activity ● 550
4.6 Use of septic systems in the community Source NE
5.0 Agriculture
5.1 Domesticated animal production Source NE
5.2 Manure decomposition and treatment Source NE
6.0 Upstream Impacts of Communitywide Activities
6.1 Upstream impacts of fuels used in stationary applications by
the community Activity NE
6.2 Upstream and transmission and distribution (T&D) impacts of
purchased electricity used by the community Activity IE Transmission and distribution losses
included in 1.4
6.3
Upstream impacts of fuels used by water and wastewater
facilities for water used and wastewater generated within the
community boundary
Activity IE
6.4 Upstream impacts of select materials (concrete, food, paper,
carpets, etc.) sued by the whole community. Activity NE
San Rafael Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory Appendix A-3
Legend
IE – Included Elsewhere: Emissions for this activity are estimated and presented in another category of the inventory. The category where these emissions are included should be
noted in the explanation.
NE – Not Estimated: Emissions occur but have not been estimate or reported (e.g., data unavailable, effort required not justifiable).
NA – Not Applicable: The activity occurs but does not cause emissions; explanation should be provided.
NO – Not Occurring: The source or activity does not occur or exist within the community.
San Rafael Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory Appendix A-4
Community Emissions Data Sources and Calculation Methodologies
Sector/ID Emissions Source Source and/or Activity Data Emission Factor and Methodology
1.0 Built Environment
1.1
Stationary
Combustion
Stationary Combustion
(CO2, CH4 & N2O)
Known fuel use (meter readings by PG&E) and estimated fuel
use (American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, and U.S.
Energy Information Administration Household Site Fuel
Consumption data).
Default CO2, CH4 & N2O emission factors by fuel type (U.S.
Community Protocol v. 1.1, Appendix C, Tables B.1 and B.3). U.S.
Community Protocol v. 1.1, Appendix C, Method BE.1.1 and
BE.1.2.
1.4
Electricity Use
Electricity Use (CO2, CH4
& N2O)
Known electricity use (meter readings by PG&E and MCE) and
estimated direct access electricity consumption.
Verified utility-specific emission factors (PG&E and MCE) and
eGrid subregion default emission factors. U.S. Community
Protocol v. 1.1, Appendix C, Method BE.2.1.
Electric Power
Transmission and
Distribution Losses
(CO2, CH4 & N2O)
Estimated electricity grid loss for Western region from eGrid. U.S. Community Protocol v. 1.1, Appendix C, Method BE.4.1.
2.0 Transportation and Other Mobile Sources
2.2
On-Road
Passenger
Vehicle
Operation
On-Road Mobile
Combustion (CO2)
Estimated passenger vehicle miles traveled associated with
origin and destination land uses (Metropolitan Transportation
Commission, CAPVMT Data Portal 2.0 (mtcanalytics.org)).
CO2 for on-road passenger vehicles quantified in the EMFAC2021
v.1.0.2 model. Passenger vehicle emissions calculated according
to U.S. Community Protocol v. 1.1, Appendix D, Method TR.1.A.
On-Road Mobile
Combustion
(CH4 & N2O)
Estimated vehicle miles traveled associated with origin and
destination land uses (Metropolitan Transportation
Commission, CAPVMT Data Portal 2.0 (mtcanalytics.org).
CH4 and N2O for on-road passenger vehicles quantified in the
EMFAC2021 v.1.0.2 model. Passenger vehicle emissions
calculated according to U.S. Community Protocol v. 1.1, Appendix
D, Method TR.1.A.
2.4
On-Road
Freight and
Service Truck
Freight
Operation
On-Road Mobile
Combustion (CO2)
Estimated commercial vehicle miles traveled within the
boundary (Metropolitan Transportation Commission utilizing
Plan Bay Area 2050).
CO2 for on-road commercial vehicles quantified in the
EMFAC2021 v.1.0.2 model. Emissions allocated utilizing LEHD
data according to U.S. Community Protocol v. 1.1, Appendix D,
Method TR.2.A.
On-Road Mobile
Combustion
(CH4 & N2O)
Estimated commercial vehicle miles traveled within the
boundary (Metropolitan Transportation Commission utilizing
Plan Bay Area 2050).
CH4 and N2O for on-road commercial vehicles quantified in the
EMFAC2021 v.1.0.2 model. Emissions allocated utilizing LEHD
data according to U.S. Community Protocol v. 1.1, Appendix D,
Method TR.2.A.
2.5
On-Road
Transit
Operation
On-Road Mobile
Combustion (CO2)
Estimated vehicle miles traveled within the boundary (Marin
Transit and Golden Gate Transit) and estimated diesel fuel
efficiency for transit fleet (Golden Gate Transit). Fuel type
provided by Marin Transit and Golden Gate Transit.
Renewable diesel emission factor provided by NEXGEN. U.S.
Community Protocol v. 1.1, Appendix D, Method TR.4.A.
On-Road Mobile
Combustion
(CH4 & N2O)
Estimated vehicle miles traveled within the boundary (Marin
Transit and Golden Gate Transit) and estimated diesel fuel
efficiency for transit fleet (Golden Gate Transit). Fuel type
provided by Marin Transit and Golden Gate Transit.
Renewable diesel emission factor provided by NEXGEN. U.S.
Community Protocol v. 1.1, Appendix D, Method TR.4.B.
San Rafael Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory Appendix A-5
2.6
Passenger Rail
Mobile Combustion
(CO2, CH4 & N2O)
Estimated train-miles by multiplying the number of train cars
per day (in both directions, according to the SMART published
schedule) by the railway track mileage located within the
community boundary (Marin Map). Average Diesel Multiple
Unit fuel efficiency provided by SMART.
U.S. Community Protocol v. 1.1, Appendix D, Method TR.5.
Emission factors from Equation TR.5.2.
2.12
Off-Road
Vehicles and
Equipment
Off-Road Mobile
Combustion (CO2)
Estimated fuel use from OFFROAD 2021 v.1.0.1 for Lawn and
Garden and Construction equipment. All categories are
allocated by share of countywide households.
CO2 emissions calculated according to U.S. Community Protocol v.
1.1, Appendix D, Method TR.8. Emission factors provided in Table
TR.1.6.
Off-Road Mobile
Combustion
(CH4 & N2O)
Estimated fuel use from OFFROAD 2021 v.1.0.1 for Lawn and
Garden and Construction equipment. All categories are
allocated by share of countywide households.
CH4 and N2O emissions calculated according to U.S. Community
Protocol v. 1.1, Appendix D, Method TR.8. Emission factors
provided in the Local Government Operations Protocol Table
G.11 and G.14.
3.0 Solid Waste
3.2
Solid Waste
Generation
and Disposal
Fugitive Emissions from
Landfilled Waste (CH4)
Estimated landfilled tons based on reporting to CalRecycle by
Marin County Solid and Hazardous Waste JPA and allocated to
jurisdiction based on share of countywide population. Waste
characterization based on the Statewide Waste
Characterization Study (2008, 2014, 2018 and 2021) and
Alternative Daily Cover by Jurisdiction of Origin and Material
Type as reported to CalRecycle.
Emission factors calculated utilizing U.S. Community Protocol for
Accounting and Report of Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Version
1.1, July 2013, Appendix E, Method SW.4.
4.0 Water and Wastewater
4.2
Water Supply
&
Conveyance,
Treatment
and
Distribution
Electricity Use (CO2) Water consumption data provided by Marin Water. Sonoma
County Water Agency (SCWA) delivery amount provided by
SCWA.
Verified utility-specific emission factors (PG&E, MCE and SCWA).
Emissions calculated according to U.S. Community Protocol v. 1.1,
Appendix F, Method WW.14.
Electricity Use
(CH4 & N2O)
Water consumption data provided by Marin Water. Electricity
consumption data provided by MMWD.
eGrid subregion default emission factors. Emissions calculated
according to U.S. Community Protocol v. 1.1, Appendix F, Method
WW.14.
4.5
Treatment of
Wastewater
Stationary Emissions
from Combustion of
Digester Gas
(CH4)
Known amount of digester gas produced per day and known
percent of methane in digester gas provided by Central Marin
Sanitation Agency. Known amount of digester gas produced
per day (2016) and known percent of methane in digester gas
(2017) provided by Las Gallinas Valley Sanitary District.
Emissions calculated according to U.S. Community Protocol v. 1.1,
Appendix F, Method WW.1.a.
Stationary Emissions
from Combustion of
Digester Gas
(N2O)
Known amount of digester gas produced per day and known
percent of methane in digester gas provided by Central Marin
Sanitation Agency. Known amount of digester gas produced
Emissions calculated according to U.S. Community Protocol v. 1.1,
Appendix F, Method WW.2.a.
San Rafael Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory Appendix A-6
per day (2016) and known percent of methane in digester gas
(2017) provided by Las Gallinas Valley Sanitary District.
Process Emissions from
Wastewater Treatment
Plant without
Nitrification or
Denitrification
Estimated population served by wastewater treatment plant
provided by Central Marin Sanitation Agency.
Emissions calculated according to U.S. Community Protocol v. 1.1,
Appendix F, Method WW.8.
Process Emissions from
Wastewater Treatment
Plant with Nitrification or
Denitrification
Estimated population served by wastewater treatment plant
provided by Las Gallinas Valley Sanitary District (2010 data).
Emissions calculated according to U.S. Community Protocol v. 1.1,
Appendix F, Method WW.7.
Fugitive Emissions from
Effluent Discharge
(N2O)
Estimated population served by wastewater treatment plant
provided by Central Marin Sanitation Agency. Assumed
significant industrial or commercial input.
Emissions calculated according to U.S. Community Protocol v. 1.1,
Appendix F, Method WW.12(alt).
Fugitive Emissions from
Effluent Discharge
(N2O)
Estimated population served by wastewater treatment plant
provided by Las Gallinas Valley Sanitary District. Assumed no
significant industrial or commercial input.
Emissions calculated according to U.S. Community Protocol v. 1.1,
Appendix F, Method WW.12.
CLIMATE ACTION PLAN PROGRAM WORKPLAN
Draft Two-Year Priorities: 2023-2025
COLLABORATING TARGET START
ACTION STRATEGIES DEPARTMENTS DATE
1. Work with City departments to integrate climate action and
resilience into department goals and projects.
All Depts Jan 2024
2. Implement SB 1383, including enforcement, reporting,
procurement, and edible food recovery requirements.
Code
Enforcement
In progress
3. Explore a Climate Financing District with County & other
stakeholders to help plan adaptation and mitigation combined with
housing security
City Manager In progress
4. Adopt and implement an Electric Vehicle Strategy based on the
Countywide EV Strategy done by TAM and MCEP. Include City fleet
as well as public charging infrastructure and focus on equity.
Public Works In progress
5. Work with County to promote energy efficiency and electrification
of existing buildings, including investigating potential for
community microgrids
Community
Development
In progress
6. Develop the Equitable Low Carbon Economy program
recommendations and begin work on relevant projects.
Economic
Development
In progress
7. Continue the Illegal Dumping program pilots and bring a suite of
solutions to Council for consideration for long-term dumping
reductions.
Together San
Rafael Team
In progress
8. Complete the grant-funded Canal Collaboration and SLR Feasibility
Assessment project toward identifying adaptation priorities to
pursue.
Community
Development
Public Works
In Progress
9. Develop a citywide climate resilience plan and integrate with Local
Hazard Mitigation Plan and other resilience planning efforts and
documents.
Community
Development
Public Works
January
2024
10. Implement and respond to state laws such as automated solar
permitting, green building, renewable energy, and others that arise.
Community
Development
Public Works
City Attorney
Ongoing
11. Reimagine and rebuild the Volunteer Program including
development of new positions in departments and new community
volunteer opportunities such as increasing community cleanups
and tree and landscape programs.
All
Departments
January
2024
