Regional climate authority presents countywide strategy and Sebastopol water-efficiency program

Representatives of the Sonoma County Regional Climate Protection Authority (RCPA) and the Bay Area Regional Energy Network (BayREN) told the Sebastopol Climate Action Committee that regional coordination and local outreach are central to accelerating building electrification and transportation decarbonization.

"My name is Anna Oliva, and I'm the Bay Area Regional Energy Network or BayREN program specialist," Anna Oliva said, introducing BayREN’s residential and commercial water-efficiency work. She told the committee the Water Upgrade Save program is active in Sebastopol and reported the city currently has 46 active projects enrolled in that program.

BC Capps, climate programs manager with the Sonoma County Transportation Authority and RCPA, summarized RCPA’s climate mobilization strategy, saying the authority was "established in 2009 through state legislation" and that its strategy was adopted by the RCPA board in March 2021. Capps described the plan’s four pillars — decarbonization; carbon sequestration and ecosystem services; resilience and adaptation; and equity and community engagement — and said the countywide strategy focuses current staff effort on building energy and transportation because those two sectors account for more than 80% of county emissions.

On building energy, presenters said the authority is developing an equitable building energy action plan that will analyze the county’s building stock and recommend policy tools such as local reach codes, retrofit pathways, incentive and financing options, and workforce-development measures. BayREN’s Water Upgrade Save was explained as a program that enables residential and commercial water customers in participating utilities to get water-saving upgrades with little or no upfront cost and repay through savings.

On transportation, presenters highlighted the countywide active transportation plan update — intended to prioritize bicycle and pedestrian improvements — and a five-year refresh of the comprehensive transportation plan that will inform regional funding priorities. RCPA staff said they work closely with partner agencies, including Sonoma Clean Power, Sonoma Water and other county entities, and offered to connect Sebastopol with county-level technical assistance and workshops.

Committee members asked practical questions during a long Q&A. One member asked about Sebastopol’s access to the SMART rail corridor and the possibility of a shuttle connection; BC Capps said he would research past requests and coordinate with transportation staff on possible options. Several members pressed for contractor-focused incentives and trainings to expand capacity for heat-pump water-heater and electrification installations; Anna Oliva said BayREN does not provide direct financial incentives to contractors but does offer free contractor trainings, meet-and-greets and resident-facing workshops and is open to partnering on local outreach.

Presenters acknowledged resource constraints and funding limits. One public commenter urged moving beyond planning to funding and suggested RCPA consider a grant-writing position to help small cities pursue competitive funds; presenters and committee members discussed opportunities to better align transportation and climate funding streams.

RCPA and BayREN offered follow-up support, said they would share contacts and materials, and invited the committee to request deeper informational sessions on specific topics. The presentation concluded with agreement to provide follow-up items and a willingness from RCPA/BayREN to return for future meetings focused on targeted technical assistance.