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Environmental Sustainability Board approves annual update to County Council, sets presentation for Oct. 21
Summary
The Environmental Sustainability Board approved its annual update to County Council and authorized Chair Shannon Blair and staff liaison Angelica Gurule to finalize edits. The board discussed priorities including the plastic bag working group, EV study, education outreach, and challenges from changing federal and state funding landscapes.
The Environmental Sustainability Board approved its annual update to County Council and authorized Chair Shannon Blair and staff liaison Angelica Gurule to make final edits before the presentation scheduled for Oct. 21.
At the Sept. 18 meeting board members reviewed the draft annual update, discussed edits and priorities, and voted to approve the packet for submission to council with final changes allowed by the chair and staff. The motion to approve the update and authorize final edits passed by voice vote; the transcript records no roll‑call tally.
Board discussion focused on streamlining the presentation slides, clarifying who serves on various subcommittees, and emphasizing priorities for the coming year. Members suggested shortening bullet text for the council presentation, listing priorities rather than long ongoing lists and adding coordination with the Board of Public Utilities and the Department of Public Utilities on climate-related work. The board also discussed removing or rewording items that do not reflect active ESB work.
Several specific workstreams were highlighted for council: the plastic bag working group and an informal recycling survey, a communitywide EV charging study (consultant presentation due in October), education and outreach planning (a vendor has been selected and will present a curriculum aligned with the county’s Climate Action Plan), and municipal food‑composting planning (pending permitting and operational questions at the county Eco Station).
Board members raised implementation challenges, including uncertainty in the federal and state funding environment that could change the capital stack for projects and affect grant eligibility and timelines. The draft update will note that changing funding and program rules at higher levels may affect project pacing and the county’s approach to grants and implementation.
On the plastic bag item, the board discussed an informal recycling survey and an outstanding need for a formal waste audit; county staff said a comprehensive audit may not occur before Thanksgiving. Staff also reported a 17% contamination rate in the county’s recycling stream and provided disposal cost data; the board agreed to include a progress update on the plastic bag working group in its council presentation and to incorporate additional findings as they become available.
Other items mentioned for the council slide deck included sustainability alliance activity, the LAHS youth climate summit, recent presentations (bicycle working group), and outreach events such as Clean Up Los Alamos Day. The board will present the approved update to County Council on Oct. 21 in White Rock. Chair Blair and the staff liaison were authorized to make final edits and prepare the presentation materials.
The board also approved an earlier procedural motion to authorize the chair and staff to collect comments on the artificial turf feasibility study and forward those comments to Parks & Rec by Oct. 2; that item will be handled separately from the annual update presentation.
The ESB asked members to submit any final edits to staff by Sept. 30 so materials can be consolidated before the council packet is finalized.
