Departmental Reports
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CITY COUNCIL MEETING ON ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES OCTOBER 9, 2007 DEPARTMENTAL REPORTS TABLE OF CONTENTS CITY COUNCIL MEETING ON ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES DEPARTMENTAL REPORT TABLE OF CONTENTS PART 1: INTRODUCTION Letter from Council President PART 2: REPORTS FROM DEPARTMENTS > Harbor Department* > Airports Department > Department of Water and Power > Public Works Department o Bureau of Engineering o Bureau of Sanitation o Bureau of Street Lighting o Bureau of Street Services > Department of Planning > Department of Transportation > Community Redevelopment Agency > Department of Recreation and Parks > Department of Building and Safety* > General Services Department > Information and Technology Department > Environmental Affairs Department PART 3: OTHER CITIES ENVIRONMENTAL INITIATIVES Chicago San Francisco Denver Santa Monica New York Vancouver * NOTE: Departments with an asterisk had not submitted written reports as of this writing, but are prepared to give oral presentation to the City Council. PART T: TNTROPT TCTTON October 4, 2007 Dear Honorable Councilmembers: As a result of our Special Goal Setting Session this past July, we identified five policy areas to focus on during this fiscal year. These included housing, transportation, environment, infrastructure, and public safety/gangs. We will be taking these issue areas up in single topic council meetings over the next several months. Our first topic will be the environment and is scheduled for October 9th and 10th, 2007. On Tuesday, October 9th, we have asked city departments to present their environmental policies and programs to the council. This will inform the council and the city of current initiatives on the way and on the horizon, helping to frame where we are and what we have accomplished this far. Presentations will be followed by a dialogue between the members and the departments. On Wednesday, October 10th, we have invited several experts in the environmental community to come and speak to the council about upcoming issues and challenges that the city will face and can meet in the next several years. Panels will be followed by a dialogue between the members and the departments. These two days will give the council the opportunity to take stock of what we have done and suggestions of what we can be doing, and help us identify priorities for the coming years. Each department has prepared a written report that details the initiatives underway to accompany their verbal presentation. These reports are included as part of today’s council packet. Also included are copies of sustainable city plans from various cities throughout the world. These plans comprehensively package their city’s environmental goals and initiatives and provide the foundation for creating a more sustainable future. I look forward to working with you during these two days. Sincerely, Eric Garcetti PRESIDENT PART 2- REPORTS FROM DEPARTMENTS LOS ANGELES HARBOR DEPARTMENT LOS ANGELES WORLD AIPORTS Los Angeles World Airports Sustainability Vision and Principles Los Angeles World Airports - Global Leader in Our Sustainability Vision As the international gateway in our region, Los Angeles World Airports is committed to setting the global airport standard for customer satisfaction and security, regional economic leadership and organizational performance. Building on our core values, we will engage our employees, tenants, customers, and communities in an effort to continually improve our environmental, economic and social performance. Our Sustainability Principles We will foster stewardship and continual performance improvement at all levels within LAWA's organization by complying with applicable legal requirements, integrating sustainable practices into our operations and administrative processes, communicating our endeavors, and following these principles: becoming an innovative ana national moaei in implementing environmental solutions. Taking responsibility for improving our overall operational sustainability. > ' Increasing our business value through improved sustainable performance; - \v’ . ' ' ; ? ' 1 < * Engaging our stakeholders to better understand and address their concerns. > “ Los Angeles World Airports Los Angeles World Airports Global Leader in Airport Sustainability Overview of Environmental Initiatives at Los Angeles World Airports October 3, 2007 Background Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) has been recognized as a leader within the aviation industry for the development and implementation of environmental programs that consistently exceed industry standards. The four airports within LAWA’s system are Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), LA/Ontario International Airport (LA/ONT), LA/Palmdale Regional Airport (LA/PMD), and Van Nuys Airport (VNY). Each of these airports present a unique set of environmental challenges given the significant variance on issues such as type and level of airport operations, economic impact, capital improvement and master planning, geographical location and ecology, and density of the surrounding communities. In February 2006, the Board of Airport Commissioners (BOAC) adopted a vision and mission which included a “commitment to set the global airport standard for customer satisfaction and security, regional economic leadership, and organizational performance”. This vision, coupled with LAWA’s core values of: honesty, integrity, responsibility, respect/collegiality/collaboration, and transparency and citizenship, guide our efforts in continually improving our economic, social, and environmental performance. Our commitment applies to our internal business practices as well as our external relationships with our clients, tenants, contractors, suppliers, peers, and the communities in which we operate. gpbardofA.rpo,. -1 Figure 1 graphically presents the core ^Vj.Gominissioriere^o business model adopted by the BOAC. As shown in the figure, a foundational element of fifSiSis-.-^Executive Director1 * Corporate Oversight/ > ' - our business model is a LAWA-wide £ “Common Good" Services,. - ^ ^ _ p.1 commitment to “Green” airports. Through i‘i:i :Inten’al t ,;j|^Elaiuung & Implementing implementation of this core business model, Support IWv.- ‘-Serving LAWA Customers/^ ' • -tiTe Best Use of Airport s *' ■^Services ' ./v. The Traveling Public * Assets to Meet LAWA and’s LAWA has committed to work continuously to : ■ .j^' SWeholders’ Needs q p ? £ improve our economic growth, environmental stewardship, and social responsibility performance in keeping with our position as a Figure 1 global aviation leader. LAWA recognizes that as the “Gateways to Southern California” our airports represent the first impression of Los Angeles to business and recreational visitors. As such, we know we have a responsibility to make a good impression. We take that responsibility seriously. In August of this year, the BOAC adopted a Sustainability Vision and Policy which forms the foundation of LAWA’s environmental program. A copy of that vision and policy is included as an attachment to this document. To make LAX the “Greenest Airport in the World” and contribute to making Los Angeles the “Greenest Big City in the Nation”, LAWA has designated a Deputy Executive Director to oversee and manage all aspects of its environmental programs that cover a wide range of areas including, but not limited to, air quality, water quality, recycling, wildlife management, hazardous materials management, noise mitigation, social responsibility and sustainability. New environmental regulations continually challenge the traditional way of doing business: through implementation of our sustainability vision and principals, LAWA will remain a global leader in social responsibility, economic growth, and environmental stewardship through its foresight and direction. -1 - Overview SUSTAINABILITY On October 10, 2006, Los Angeles City Council introduced a “Greening LAX” Motion (File No. 06-2423). This motion required that, among others, LAWA immediately embark on a sustainability program and requested that the BOAC develop an aggressive 10-year program to make LAX the “Greenest airport in the world.” Additionally, the motion requested that the BOAC direct LAWA staff to prepare and submit annual reports to City Council on the progress of implementing the Greening LAX Program. On January 22, 2007, through Resolution No. 23199, the BOAC adopted a policy requiring new remodeling and tenant-improvement construction projects at facilities owned and/or operated by LAWA include design and construction elements that comply with or are substantially consistent with the highest possible Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards, or their practical equivalents. Additionally, the BOAC required that, should the United States’ Green Building Council adopt standards specifically applicable to airport facilities, LAWA will formally pursue the highest practical LEED certification for all projects planned and built after adoption of those standards. Lastly, the BOAC required that LAWA staff develop a comprehensive sustainability program that addresses all environmental aspects of LAWA’s operations. On February 8, 2007, LAWA submitted a Sustainability Program Improvement Management System report to City Council and responded to various related questions by Council members. At the March 7, 2007 City Council meeting, Council noted and filed the LAWA report and adopted the recommendations contained in the Greening LAX Motion, with the amendment to have LAWA submit semi annual, instead of annual, progress reports. On July