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Commission honors Outside Lands and Clean Cities awardees; director outlines community outreach for electrification
Summary
The commission presented an environmental service award to Outside Lands and recognized two U.S. Department of Energy Clean Cities awards to the San Francisco Clean Coalition. Director Rafael described an 'anchor partners' outreach initiative to support equitable electrification and introduced new departmental staff.
The San Francisco Commission on the Environment presented an environmental service award Nov. 25 to Outside Lands for sustainability steps at the festival, and recognized two U.S. Department of Energy Clean Cities awards to the San Francisco Clean Coalition for renewable diesel fleet use and a zero‑emission vehicle education program.
Commissioner Wald introduced Outside Lands and noted the event’s work on waste reduction (reusable cups and refill stations). Annie Farm accepted the award and thanked the Department of the Environment, the parks and public‑health departments and partners including Superfly and Another Planet Entertainment.
Suzanne Lisonbee described two DOE Clean Cities awards the city received: one for greatest energy‑use impact for renewable diesel and a second for a ZEV education program (EV 101 workshops). Lisonbee told commissioners the city uses about 7,000,000 gallons of renewable diesel annually in municipal operations, a substitution the presenter said displaces some 85,000 tons of greenhouse gases per year. Director Rafael credited Tom Fung and Bill Zeller with leadership on the renewable diesel transition and praised partnership work with advocates such as Elena Engel.
In the director’s report, Director Rafael described an "anchor partners" initiative: the department will fund trusted community organizations to lead outreach for electrification efforts to reduce natural‑gas use in existing residential buildings while minimizing displacement risks. Rafael said the department will use convening power to bring labor, the building trades and other stakeholders into a zero‑emission building task force and will schedule outreach events including an electrification expo and a Dec. 4 field trip to McAteer High School to showcase school electrification and food program changes.
Rafael also introduced a cohort of new staff and interns working on outreach, toxics reduction and school education programs. Commissioners and the public welcomed the new hires.
The commission recessed after awards and staff updates and then proceeded to policy items and votes.
