s476 apa national conference lost angeles, california...
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S476 APA National Conference
Lost Angeles, California
April 15, 2012
Carol D. Barrett, FAICP
A Dark Green Checklist -- Addressing the Planning Ethics of a Sustainable Project Fair Process that Respects the Rights of Others
Open communication Stakeholder engagement Aware of and respond to local/cultural issues
Long Range Consequences Plan for closure including disassembly and recyclability Built with long term durability, repairability Prevent pollution Eliminate toxicity Use renewable energy Conversion of land to other uses -- loss of open space or
agricultural land or habitat
Interrelatedness of Decisions Identify impacts
Mitigate impacts (monetize pollution?)
Reduce risk
Reduce waste
Generational equity
Observe precautionary principle
Information Sharing information
Clear monitoring and reporting
Regular audits with output reported
Easy to see results of community input
•Social Justice •Promote human welfare •Provide well designed public spaces/amenities serving all •Enhanced education •Identify impacted communities •Relevant mitigations proposed •Values and beliefs understood and honored
•Conserve/Preserve Natural Environment •Conserve resources •Maintain ecological systems •Right of co-existence
APA National Conference April 15, 2012 12:45-2:15 pm
S476
Panelists Helene Smookler, Of Counsel, Sohagi Law Group, Instructor
Sustainability Ethics, UCLA Extension Sustainability Program
Susan Lee, Vice President, Aspen Environmental, Manager environmental assessments for energy projects
Laura Crane, Director of California’s Desert Conservation and Renewable Energy Initiative, The Nature Conservancy
Mitch Glaser, AICP, Supervising Regional Planner at the Los Angeles County Department of Regional Planning
Carol Barrett, MCP, FAICP, Planning Director for the City of San Gabriel and the author of Everyday Ethics for Practicing Planners
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Topics Why is Going Green an Ethics Issue?
Sustainability v. environmental protection Green energy v. natural vegetation/tortoises/eagles/ag land/seashore
How can the AICP Code of Ethics help planners when faced with conflicting environmental goals?
How big is this issue? Are we making too much of this? California Solar v. the Desert; Cape Cod Coastal Wind Farms;
Dartmouth Solar versus Farms.
What dilemmas face planners in green projects? The Antelope Valley Case.
Can planners learn anything from environmentalists who are faced with conflicting goals? The Nature Conservancy ‘s approach.
Can we learn anything from other professional codes of ethics? A Dark Green Checklist: Addressing the Planning Ethics of
Sustainable Project. What would your advise ?– The GreenSun Project
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DEFINITIONS
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Ethics Rules of conduct or moral principles that guide individual
or group behavior.
Branch of philosophy which seeks to address questions about morality, concepts like good and bad, right and wrong, justice, virtue, etc. (also known as moral philosophy).
The study of principles relating to right and wrong conduct; Morality; the standards that govern the conduct of a person, especially a member of a profession.
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Environmental Ethics
The branch of ethics that examines the questions of moral right and wrong relating to the management, protection, or endangerment of the natural environment.
A cluster of beliefs, values and norms regarding how humans should interact with the environment.
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Sustainability Sustainability: “Meeting the needs of the present
without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” (Brundtland Report to the United Nations, 1987)
Sustainable living or development: “Living on the Earth’s income, not its capital.” (James Garvey, Ethics of Climate Change)
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Sustainability Ethics A new discipline that analyzes the issues regarding our
moral obligations to future generations with respect to the environment.
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SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT DIMENSIONS
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What is the source of our
Ethics or Moral Principles
relating to Sustainability?
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What are our motivations for behaving ethically?
Moral philosophies
Reason
Culture
Fear of consequences
Makes us happy – more fulfilled
Evolution – survival
Personal characteristics
Codes of Ethics
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Ethics & Responsibility
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Codes of Ethics
Codes that describe a value system,
ethical values and specific ethical
rules, such as compliance and law,
confidential or proprietary information,
conflicts of interest
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PROFESSIONAL CODES OF ETHICS
AND SUSTAINABILITY
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National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE)
Professional Obligations Engineers shall at all times strive to serve the public
interest. Engineers are encouraged to adhere to the principles
of sustainable development* in order to protect the environment for future generations.
* "Sustainable development" is the challenge of meeting
human needs for natural resources, industrial products, energy, food, transportation, shelter, and effective waste management while conserving and protecting environmental quality and the natural resource base essential for future development.
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AICP CODE OF ETHICS Serve the public interest
Special concern for long-range consequences of present actions
Promote excellence of design and endeavor to conserve and preserve the integrity and heritage of the natural and built environment.
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Proposed Sustainability Codes of Ethics
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Hannover Principles Set of statements about designing buildings and
objects with forethought about:
Environmental impacts
Effect on sustainability
Overall impact on society
Formulated by William McDonough & Michael Braungart
Expo 2000 in Hanover
Living Document
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Hannover Principles Insist on human rights and sustainability
Recognize the interaction of design with the environment.
Consider the social and spiritual aspects of buildings and designed objects.
Be responsible for the effect of design decisions.
Ensure that objects have long-term value.
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Hannover Principles (con’t) Eliminate waste and consider the entire life-cycle of
designed objects.
Make use of "natural energy flows" such as solar power and its derivatives.
Be humble, and use nature as a model for design.
Share knowledge, strive for continuous improvement, and encourage open communication among stakeholders.
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Professional Code of Ethics for Sustainability Professionals
Proposed by Alan Atkisson, President of Atkisson Group, Sustainability Consultancy, Executive Director of Earth Charter International.
Floating around internet.
What’s to become of it?
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Professional Code of Ethics
for Sustainability Professionals FIRST WORKING DRAFT - Dated 1 November 2007 1. Walk your talk.
We cannot promote change in others if we are not striving to exemplify that change in our own personal and professional lives.
2. Keep up to date. As professionals, we have a responsibility to keep learning and constantly informing ourselves about the emerging science and practice of sustainability -- both what is happening to our world, and what can be done about it.
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3. Tell the truth about the trends, as you see it.
In a world of great media noise and confusion, where sustainability
issues and global concerns must compete for attention, we have a
responsibility to our clients to keep them informed. Be clear to your
clients about what you believe to be the most important trends affecting
our world and their future, and why.
4. Share information, and credit, with other professionals.
While client confidentiality must always be respected, it slows down
progress in the field and change for sustainability if we hoard information
regarding new ideas, the development of new methods, and relevant
activity in the market. It also damages overall progress when we use the
work of other people without appropriate permission or citation.
Sustainability Professionals
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5. Prioritize cooperation over competition, and impact over income.
In the community of sustainability practice, seek first for opportunities to
work together with others and build on complementary strengths, rather
than to compete for primacy; and weigh the chance to make change as
more important than making money.
6. Make referrals to other professionals whenever appropriate.
If someone else, or a different methodology, would be significantly more
effective at meeting a specific client's needs than what you can offer,
make the client aware of that option.
7. Tithe to the volunteers.
Donate some fraction of your revenues to voluntary or non-profit
initiatives that are advancing the practice of sustainability.
Sustainability Professionals
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8. Explain your ethical choices.
Be transparent about the criteria you use for structuring your practice
and for choosing your professional engagements.
9. Consider the systemic impacts of your advice and actions.
Sustainability professionals have a special obligation to think
systemically, and to take into account the potential impacts of what
they recommend or do, including impacts beyond the boundaries of the
system they are operating in.
10. Seek to do no harm.
In working with clients and promoting change, seek to avoid actions
and interventions that may cause lasting damage to people, nature,
community, and organizational health.
Sustainability Professionals
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Paradigm for Ethical Decision Making
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The GreenSun Project GreenSun Corporation has proposed building a 250
megawatt solar project on 10 square miles of private land in your county. This project would help your public utility meet its State mandated 33% renewable energy requirement and would provide several hundred construction jobs and at least 75 permanent high-paying jobs. This is welcome economic news for a few of your elected officials since unemployment is high and the tax base for the county is shrinking. The county has laid off law enforcement and other employees.
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The GreenSun Project The site is ideal. It is flat and there is approximately
300 days of sun each year. The area is served by transmission lines and there is possibility of locating other solar and windfarm facilities nearby.
There is, however, growing opposition from residents, campers, and environmental groups. The area includes some farm land and camping grounds. In addition to visitors who come to see the beautiful spring fields of poppies, the area is home to several endangered species including the Stebbins’ Morning-glory, the soft-leaved Paintbrush, the giant garter Snake, and the Arroyo Toad.
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The GreenSun Project The Trust for Public Land has been trying to raise
money to purchase the land to preserve it as open space, but is not close to its goal.
You are the Director of Regional Planning for the County. The Staff Report and recommendation for the Planning Commission is due tomorrow.
Should the Planning Commission recommend approval of the GreenSun Project to the elected officials? What is the basis for your recommendation?
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The GreenSun Project Site Proposed Project
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Helene V. Smookler Helene is Of Counsel at The Sohagi Law Group, where she represents public agencies in land use and environmental matters, including climate change, CEQA and NEPA, air quality, transportation, goods movement, housing, and environmental justice. A significant part of her practice also involves mediation of complex public policy disputes, principally environmental and land use issues. Helene was formerly Chief Counsel at the SCAG. She is also an Adjunct Professor at USC’s School of Policy, Planning and Development where she teaches Public Policy Dispute Resolution. She also teaches Sustainability Ethics in UCLA Extension’s Sustainability Certificate Program.
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Carol Barrett Carol Barrett, FICP, is Planning Director for the City of San Gabriel
and the author of Everyday Ethics for Practicing Planners, the only book ever published under the imprimatur of the ACIP. Carol served on the AICP Ethics Committee and helped write the Code of Ethics, has written extensively on the Code and has taught ethics review sessions. She is a frequent ethics guest lecturer on college campuses in the Los Angeles Region. Carol was in the first class selected as Fellows of the American Institute of Certified Planners. Carol previously worked as Planning Director or Assistant Planning Director in Annapolis Maryland, Berkeley California, Austin Texas, and San Marcos Texas.
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Susan Lee Susan is the Vice President of Operations, Aspen Environmental
Group. Her expertise is in management of environmental assessment for energy projects (pipelines, transmission lines, and electricity generation facilities) under both CEQA and NEPA. She has managed the analysis of large solar energy projects and has also had an active role in the California Energy Commission's assessment of utility-scale solar energy projects to support State's Renewable Portfolio Standards. She also managed preparation of EIRs and EISs for several major electric transmission lines, including the Sunrise Powerlink Project, Devers-Palo Verde No. 2 Project, and the Los Banos-Gates (Path 15) Project. She also managed the two EIRs for controversial utility-scale solar projects in San Luis Obispo and San Benito Counties; both are now approved.
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Mitch Glaser Mitch is a Supervising Regional Planner at the Los Angeles County
Department of Regional Planning (DRP). Mitch joined DRP in 2001 and is currently responsible for long-range land use planning in the unincorporated Santa Clarita and Antelope Valleys. His two major projects are the Santa Clarita Valley Area Plan Update (One Valley One Vision), a joint effort with the City of Santa Clarita, and the Antelope Valley Area Plan Update (Town & Country). He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) and holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Planning and Development from the University of Southern California.
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Laura Crane Laura is Director of California’s Desert Conservation and
Renewable Energy Imitative for The Nature Conservancy, oversees the Conservancy’s work in California related to renewable energy. She directs a team to provide scientific analyses and collaborates with government, industry, and other NGOs to influence the development and mitigation of clean energy in order to preserve and protect the unique biodiversity and functioning of the Mojave and Sonoran desert ecosystems. In addition, Laura oversees the Conservancy’s work in the California portion of the Mojave Desert, including the Amargosa River Project and science-based planning for the Conservancy’s involvement in a wide range of issues such as energy development, invasive species, and water problems.
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Photos: (top to bottom) © Ian Shive, Laura Crane/TNC, Tom Klare
Two Sides of Ethical Green
National Conference of the American Planners
Association
By Laura Crane, The Nature Conservancy
April 15, 2012
The Joshua Tree: An Introduction
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Photo credits: Petroglyphs, night sky, solar facility and wind turbines by Laura Crane/TNC; Off-road vehicles creative commons photo by Don Barrett; Wildflowers photo by David McChesney; Public
domain U.S. Air force photo by Kevin Robertson; Rock climber photo by Karine Swenson.
Public domain photo, USGS
Magnitude of the Demand
California law requires that by 2020, 33% of
the electricity provided to a projected
population of 45.5 million people in California
will be generated from renewable energy.
Saudi Arabia of Solar Energy
Impacts
Photo by Burning7Chrome
Impacts
Photo by NASA
Current Renewable
Energy Production:
28 projects Data source : Ventyx, October 2010
Purple circles
= solar
Blue circles
= wind
Potential
Renewable Energy
Production:
86 projects Data source : Ventyx, October 2010
Achieving Sustainability Objectives: Nearly 1.8 million acres of land that is ecologically
degraded, but still flat, sunny and potentially suitable
for development exists across the Mojave…
…enough to meet California’s renewable energy
goal seven times over.
Photo by Laura Crane/TNC
Mojave Desert Conservation Values
by Ownership/Management
Perc
ent
of Tota
l Are
a
Land Owner/Manger
Recommendations
1. Create a common vision through
integrated, landscape-scale planning
2. Consider existing information and
analyses
3. Integrate water and energy planning and
considerations
4. Look for Both Sides of Ethical Green
Photo by Laura Crane/TNC
Stuck in the Middle The Local Government Perspective
Mitch Glaser, AICP
Supervising Regional Planner
L.A. County Dept. of Regional Planning
Antelope Valley Area Plan Update
Overview of
Utility Scale Solar Projects in California
AMERICAN PLANNING ASSOCIATION
The Two Sides of Going Green Ethical and Environmental Dilemmas in Sustainability Planning
Susan Lee, Aspen Environmental Group
April 15, 2012
Solar basics
Photos & descriptions of solar technologies
Lead agencies & jurisdictions
Status of solar project applications in California
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Utility scale solar
◦ Generation large enough to sell to a utility under a Power Purchase Agreement
◦ Usually considered to be facilities >20 MW
One megawatt (MW) powers 240-300 homes
◦ A 20 MW plant powers 4,800-6,000 homes
◦ A 500 MW solar plant powers 120,000 -150,000 homes
Solar facilities require from 4.5 to 13 acres per MW
◦ A 1 MW facility is the size of a couple football fields
◦ A 20 MW solar plant requires about 160 acres
◦ A 500 MW solar plant requires 3,000 to 5,000 acres
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A “Small” Solar Project
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Tracking PV
(SunPower)
Fixed Tilt PV Panels –
Thin Film (First Solar)
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Concentrating Solar Photovoltaics on a Pedestal
Federal: Bureau of Land Management (BLM) issues right-of-way grants for use of public lands
Lead agency for National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), National Historic Preservation Act, and other federal law compliance
State: California Energy Commission (CEC) certifies thermal power plants 50 megawatts or greater
Lead agency California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)
Local: Counties issue Conditional Use Permits
Solar photovoltaic projects or solar thermal less than 50 megawatts
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Several waves of applications
1. First generation – solar thermal on public lands (2007-2010: ARRA Funding)
2. Second generation – solar PV inland valleys
(2009-2010)
3. Third generation – solar PV in central valley
(2010-2012)
4. AND: First generation thermal projects changing to PV!
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Parabolic Troughs
(CEC jurisdiction)
Photovoltaics
(local agency jurisdiction)
Name/Technology MW / CEC Approval Status
Blythe Solar Power Project (trough>PV)
1,000 MW CONSTRUCTION Started; Now
on Hold: converting to PV Lawsuit & Bankruptcy
Ivanpah Solar Energy Project (power tower)
400 MW filed 370 MW approved
CONSTRUCTION UNDERWAY Lawsuit
Genesis Solar Energy Project (trough)
250 MW CONSTRUCTION UNDERWAY
Lawsuit
Imperial Valley Solar Project (Stirling>PV)
750 MW filed 709 MW approved 9/10; terminated
8/11 (PV)
Sold: Convert to PV (new CEQA required)
Lawsuit
Calico Solar Project (Stirling > PV)
850 MW filed 663 MW approved
Sold; reconfiguring (new CEQA required?)
Lawsuit
Palen Solar Power Project (trough>PV)
500 MW filed 484 MW approved
BLM not yet approved; Reconfiguring to PV
Bankruptcy
Rice Solar Energy Project (power tower)
150 MW BLM & Western Area Power
Admin federal approval
Name / Applicant Technology MW Approval Date
Victorville 2 Solar-Gas Hybrid
• City of Victorville
Hybrid (parabolic trough solar)
50 MW solar 7/16/08
Beacon Solar Energy Project
• Beacon Solar LLC Parabolic trough 250 MW
8/25/10 On hold>PV?
Mojave Solar Project
• Abengoa Solar Inc. Parabolic trough 250 MW 9/10/10
City of Palmdale Hybrid
• City of Palmdale
Gas/solar hybrid (parabolic trough)
62 MW solar Aug 2011
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• Desert solar projects on private land – No BLM approval.
• Approved between July 2008 and 2011
Note: Map is a year old and there have been
recent changes to application areas (orange).
BLM approved
◦ First Solar Desert Sunlight (450 MW)
San Luis Obispo County approved:
◦ SunPower California Valley Solar Ranch (250 MW)
◦ First Solar Topaz Solar Farm (550 MW)
San Benito County approved:
◦ Solargen Panoche Valley Solar Farm (400 MW)
Kern County approved:
◦ JLB Maricopa Sun Solar Complex Project (700 MW)
◦ RRG Antelope Valley Solar by (650 MW)
San Bernardino County considering:
◦ Stateline Solar (300 MW) – joint CEQA/NEPA with BLM
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Lead Agency CEQA Process Project Size
Imperial County >6 MNDs
6 EIRs
23-80 MW
50-255 MW
Kern County 27 Projects Approved (1,942 MW)
18 Being Processed (1,171 MW)
9-700 MW
33,000 acres total
Fresno County 7 Projects Approved
29 Being Processed
1,400 acres
11,000 acres
Tulare County 6 MNDs 20-60 MW
San Bernardino County
7 MNDs
1 EIR
2-40 MW
300 MW
City of Lancaster 4 MNDs 3-20 MW
Kings County 2 MNDs 9-39 MW
Sacramento Co. 4 MNDs 4-15 MW
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Biological Resources Loss of habitat and individuals (wildlife, plants)
Agricultural Land Loss of productive farm land Loss of land under Williamson Act contracts
Visual Resources Cultural Resources Soil and Water Resources
Changes in surface water flow Use of groundwater
Multiple Resource Use Limitations Projects must be completely fenced
Cumulative Effects Consideration of other renewable projects in similar
habitats or land use types
Indirect Impacts Transmission line upgrades, water facilities
Alternatives Offsite alternatives
Private land / disturbed land
Reconfiguration of project components on proposed site
Reduced acreage alternatives
Distributed / rooftop photovoltaics
Solar projects are high priority for meeting GHG reduction goals (at both state and federal levels)
New concerns and impacts arising given unprecedented nature of project disturbance
New analysis & mitigation approaches have been developed in the past 3 years
Mitigation and permitting requirements are substantial
Changes in technology and product cost are affecting schedules
Contact information
Aspen Environmental Group
◦ Susan Lee, Vice President
◦ (415) 955-4775 x203
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