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Board approves SFPUC easement to PG&E for Southeast plant after climate concern
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Summary
The Board approved a permanent easement to PG&E for ~3,000 sq ft at the Southeast Water Pollution Control Plant to provide additional natural gas to larger digesters; Supervisor Fielder cast the lone no vote, citing conflict with climate goals. SFPUC staff said the easement is for heating digesters, not for biogas capture.
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors voted March 10 to authorize a permanent easement to Pacific Gas and Electric Co. at the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission's Southeast Water Pollution Control Plant to relocate solids-treatment facilities and provide additional natural gas service.
The clerk described the easement as approximately 3,000 square feet at 1800 Gerald Avenue, to allow PG&E to replace and relocate SFPUC solids-treatment technology and to supply additional natural gas to heat new, larger digesters. The measure would extend term upon approval and recordation by the city's assessor-recorder.
Supervisor Fielder said he could not support the easement, arguing that adding natural-gas infrastructure contradicts the city's climate goals and noting the technology relied on older design assumptions. "Knowing what our climate goals are, I just cannot support this," he said.
Jeremy Spitz, SFPUC government-affairs staff, responded that the easement is not for the biogas portion of the biosolids digester project but to provide natural gas to heat the larger digesters. He said SFPUC moved away from on-site cogeneration because of environmental-justice impacts on nearby communities. Spitz described the design decision as a project-level trade-off intended to reduce localized impacts while meeting process requirements.
On roll call, the board approved the resolution 10–1, with Supervisor Fielder voting no. The clerk recorded 10 ayes, 1 no and the resolution was adopted.