Status Update – Regional Decarbonization Framework 

NOTE: Board consideration of the Integrated Regional Decarbonization Framework will be rescheduled to a future date following the confirmation of a new District 4 representative. This will allow District 4 constituents to have an official voice on this important initiative. An updated version of the RDF Playbook reflecting stakeholder feedback to date will soon be available.

The Regional Decarbonization Framework item has been rescheduled to the May 24, 2023 Board of Supervisors meeting.

You can participate in the hearing in person or virtually. Instructions on how to attend and provide comments can be found on the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors website. Additional information about the Framework can be found on our project website. If you have any questions, please contact the project team at zerocarbon@sdcounty.ca.gov.

Draft Implementation Playbook Available for Public Review Until March 10

As part of the Regional Decarbonization Framework, the draft Implementation Playbook (Playbook) has been drafted to provide strategies to get us to a zero carbon future for the San Diego region. The draft Playbook is available for public comment and viewing until March 10, 2023 on the Engage San Diego County website.

The community input provided up to this period will provide a basis for the March 15 discussion at the Board. In parallel to this draft Playbook, an online, web-based version of the Playbook is intended to be a user-friendly resource that will be continually updated. Public comment and input will therefore continue on this version to help the region reach its goals by evolving and reflecting best practices available in current regulatory and technical environments.

Additional information about the Framework can be found on our project website. If you have any questions, please contact the project team at zerocarbon@sdcounty.ca.gov.

We have received many public comments regarding the activity “Adopt a policy to waive or expedite permitting requirements for projects with renewable energy generation and storage” in the draft of the Implementation Playbook (Table 4.3.1). In conferring with our technical consultants (USD EPIC), it is evident that this action was intended to apply to renewable electric generation at customer premises (e.g., buildings or parking lots) not utility-scale electric generation projects. This is consistent is with recommendations received during the Special Topic Working Groups and will be clarified in updated versions of the Playbook as follows:

1. REMOVE from Community Scale, Grid Supply: “Adopt a policy to waive or expedite permitting requirements for projects with renewable energy generation and energy storage”

2. ADD an action related to Community Scale, Customer-Side Supply to "Adopt a policy to waive or expedite permitting requirements for rooftop and infill projects that combine renewable generation and energy storage on or adjacent buildings (residences, businesses and parking lots) in new construction, alterations, or additions"

County Hosts District 3 Residents at Forum on Local Climate Solutions

The Regional Decarbonization Framework team is hosting a community meeting in Pacific Beach to engage and educate the public on the impacts of climate change and our goal of getting to zero-carbon emissions. This meeting, originally scheduled for January 23, will now be on February 21 from 6:30-8 p.m. Doors will open at 6 p.m. and the agenda will begin at 6:30 p.m.

Meeting Details

February 21 – District 3 | Mission Bay High School Cafeteria: 2475 Grand Avenue, San Diego, CA 92109

• Register https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_0gUsgO_7S-WED7kIMx-DGg to participate virtually

If you did not attend your district event, please feel free to join this convening.

Translation will be available at the meeting, if requested in advance. Please send your translation requests to zerocarbon@sdcounty.ca.gov as soon as possible.

Additional information about this framework can be found on the project website. We value your participation in our movement to lower the region’s carbon footprint and encourage you to comment and ask questions on our Engage San Diego County website.

Draft Implementation Playbook Available for Public Review Until February 2

On January 27, 2021, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors (Board) voted to create a Regional Decarbonization Framework (Framework) to guide our collective future actions on reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the San Diego region. As part of the Framework, a draft Implementation Playbook (Playbook) was prepared by the University of San Diego’s Energy Policy Initiatives Center at the direction of the County’s Office of Sustainability and Environmental Justice, and with robust stakeholder input and ideas through working groups that occurred during Fall 2022. The draft Playbook is intended to be a user-friendly resource that provides different long-term strategies to get us to a common goal – a zero-carbon future for our region with consideration to time and cost of implementation. The draft Playbook is now available for public comment and viewing on the Engage San Diego County website. The public review period will be open until February 2, 2023.

Additional information about the Framework can be found on our project website. If you have any questions, please contact the project team at zerocarbon@sdcounty.ca.gov.