Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Department Operations topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Director Rafael reports program wins and upcoming initiatives including EV strategy and LED giveaway
Summary
Director Deborah Rafael updated the Commission on recently signed ordinances, 0-waste rollout and energy program successes, and previewed an EV strategy working group, a large LED giveaway for affordable housing and a Green Christmas outreach partnership.
Director Deborah Rafael told the Commission that the department has secured legislative and program successes in recent months and described several near-term initiatives.
Rafael noted two recent local measures the Mayor signed: an antibiotics and meat "right to no" ordinance (signed Oct. 24) and a ban on the sale of furniture and children's products with flame retardants (signed Nov. 4). She credited nonprofit and scientific partners for helping shape those measures and said the votes have drawn broad media interest.
Rafael and staff highlighted program performance: the department's BayREN multifamily and EnergyWatch programs are on track to exceed annual targets (EnergyWatch projected to exceed goals by roughly 20%, BayREN by 25%), and the department delivered its first-ever trainings for Trader Joe's management staff as part of the 0-waste rollout. Staff also described a new citywide EV strategy working group to plan use of VW settlement funds and PG&E investments for charging infrastructure.
Outreach staff described a new Green Christmas partnership with Friends of the Urban Forest to promote live-tree adoption in workplaces and raise donations for future street trees; outreach elements include workplace posters and a web landing page (sfenvironment.org/greenchristmas). Rafael also previewed a large LED giveaway targeted at affordable housing and single-room occupancy buildings.
Public comment during the director's report focused on pesticide policy in natural areas, with public commenters urging stronger signage and expanded restrictions on tiered herbicide use. The director noted the department will host a public hearing on the draft reduced-risk pesticide list and that staff will follow those processes.
What happens next: staff will continue implementing the 0-waste rollout, finalize the EV strategy working group charter and bring back additional program-level metrics to the Commission.
