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Livermore staff reports progress on 2024 Climate Action Plan; renewable projects and heat-mapping highlighted
Summary
City staff presented the 2024 Climate Action Plan progress report, noting increased permits for solar, EV infrastructure, use of renewable diesel and pilot projects including solar EV chargers funded by a DOE rebate, a pending California Energy Commission grant for facility chargers, a NASA 'Moon Tree' planting and student-led heat-mapping work.
Tricia Ponto, presenting the city’s 2024 Climate Action Plan progress report, told the council the plan (updated in November 2022) pursues three goals: prepare the community for climate impacts, achieve carbon neutrality by 2045, and position Livermore as a climate action leader.
Ponto highlighted 2024 implementation accomplishments: streamlined permitting for rooftop solar, EV chargers and heat pumps; several hundred all‑electric housing units under construction; a transition to renewable diesel for the city fleet (reporting over 26,800 gallons used in 2024); and two solar EV charger installations at the Civic Center largely funded by a U.S. Department of Energy rebate. She said the city was selected for a California Energy Commission grant to install charging at five city facilities pending final approval, and that staff expect work to begin after the grant is approved.
Ponto also described a community engagement and education thread: a gifted sequoia sapling "Luna" associated with the Artemis I mission will be planted behind the Civic Center Library with programming for students, and a carbon‑garden partnership with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory is being studied for local carbon sequestration. Staff are collaborating with local students and Quest Science on an urban heat‑mapping project to guide targeted urban cooling strategies.
Council members commended the clarity of the report. Vice Mayor Branning asked whether priority actions remain on track; staff said all but one priority action remain on track. The AVA/renewable‑100 priority is currently on hold because of concerns about increased energy costs and customer bill impacts; staff said they will continue to monitor conditions and identify triggers for advancing that work.
No formal action was required or taken on the climate report; staff said the progress report is posted online for public review.
