Okay. Good evening and welcome this month's edition of the Environmental Sustainability Committee have a few introductory comments. But before I get started, I'm going to ask our guests to introduce himself and then go up to the committee members to to my council to instant. Thank you, MR. CHAIRMAN Dan Booth City in as a guest tonight District 3 counselor. Thank you, MR. CHAIRMAN Mike district 24. Thank you, MR. CHAIRMAN Jesse Brown District 13 near East Side. Thank you, MR. Chair Brie and Illini District 2 on the North side and I'm Jon Burton, CHAIRMAN Of the committee. So 2 this evening. One is a presentation from Indiana conservation voters and Citizens Action Coalition about the General Assembly and the outcomes of the General Assembly when it
comes to environmental matters. And then secondly, an update on the Thrive. Indianapolis plant. So I know you didn't hear the words centers and But I see there's a lot of folks here who I know thought there is a hearing in data centers, but there's not this that we never had a hearing and then a senator. So that inaccurate. So there is reference to data centers in the legislation portion of the presentation and related matters have to do with the General Assembly. So if you're here because you thought there is a hearing on data centers want to raise your hand. Just one person. Well, because I was going I don't want people to come down and I have the
opportunity to express themselves. So if if you're opposed, data centers want stand up. Just. Ok, so there are there's a lot of people here. So I guess this is what I would invite you to Those of you who are here regarding data centers and because we don't actually have a specific item related to data centers. What I'm going to suggest is between these 2 presentations, if you deputize one person to represent your group and come up and express your views to to the members of the council who are here that way. I want to make sure you have the opportunity to share your thoughts with but again, because we're not having a that matter on the agenda, I don't want to spend huge amount of time on it. But please coordinate. And then after the first presentation ask someone to come up and share your thoughts on the data centers and maybe its
Decatur Township MAY be a spy township, whatever you might want to share. It will have 2 minutes to do in between the 2 presentations. That's an ok? Okay. And and I also appreciate you coming down our mental sustainability committee. You're invited to come every month even when it's suddenly 50 degrees and then 20 degrees. The the fact that you it shows you how how passionate you are about this issue. Okay. So with that, let me turn it over our 2 speakers. Karen in Delaney update us about Indiana General Assembly. I want to thank them for in for the work. They read the General Assembly of work over there Utley for a long time. And it's a it's a complicated process. And it really takes a lot of dedication and effort to stay on top of the issues and to get to know all the legislators and to really dig
into the mining changes that get made from time to time. So thanks for your work and thanks for your presentations. So if I can turn it over to you and you could introduce yourselves and then go ahead and get started. Hello, my name's to or quantum. The government affairs director at Indiana Conservation voters. Colonels in the executive Director, Citizens Action Coalition. We can go the next slide. This is just kind of our contact information and introduction and then the next slide. Kind of hard to read. But this is just a broad overview so we can get to the meat of the presentation. But this shows how Indiana's energy generation fuel mix has changed over time in the last
decade or so largely from coal generation to less coal generation and more natural gas. But you'll see some other energy mix is in there as well. Yeah, I would just add that this is only look at the last decade, but when I started doing this work over 20 years ago, man was effectively 96% reliant on coal fired power. And for the most part we've effectively replaced most of that coal-fired power shifted to. Gas, another fossil fuel. Just point to note. Yes, next slide. Okay. So moving into what kind of past and happened this past legislative session. This is a little bit outdated since we've concluded. And now bills have actually been signed into law, but will
focus still largely on the same points. A big one being hb 10. 0, 2, energy affordability. This was authored by Representative Shock Weiler from Noblesville. It includes multiple pieces, some that provide more immediate relief to low-income households, specifically lie heap households. One is some summer shutoff protections for high heat index days over. 95. You cannot be disconnected during that time and we'll see how that begins to be implemented. In addition, there is a mandate for each utility to have a low income program, which is very flexible and kind of left up to the utilities and the regulatory commission on how that looks like for each utility, customer. But if you qualify for. The existing like Heat and Energy Assistance
program. You can apply for that and get additional assistance through year 2 utility once that becomes available. Those are 2 kind of more immediate pieces and that bill and then there's also a different rate making structure them what we have been doing, which curling is the expert on. The rate making it all things remaking and how we've done it for many years. But the shifts it to a three-year multi-year rate plan, which is going to be kind of stare, step implemented by different utilities. So they'll come in every 3 years for specific rate could be increase or decrease. And using kind of future production models every 3 years instead of maybe every year whenever they need to or
feel like they need to. And then implementing some performance incentive metrics to try to guide the utilities distress. One affordability and 2 on kind resiliency pieces on responding to off nominal how fast you can get back online and things like that. It's very broad overview, but those impacts and seeing how utilities respond to that different rate making structure and incentives will take some time. Yeah, I would just add quickly on a multi-year rate plan I I think was very modest approach to what's called performance-based rate making are changing the way in which we said rates in Indiana. What we did like about it was that
it's a it was a least a recognition that how we're doing things today simply isn't working evidenced by extreme utility affordability it's a modest approach while we're sort of indifferent to the idea of multi-year rate plans are performance-based rate making. It is a recognition that this cost plus regulation we have today where we simply reward the utilities for spending money is leading to extremely high utility bills. Yeah, unfortunately was an old presentation. We didn't get an updated one. Do you guys in time it has on their House Bill? 1333. Year Land use and development that had some controversial stuff in there dealing with the sighting and some data center stuff that bill ultimately died. There
was some language from 13. 33 that did up here in another bill. It was House Bill 1210, and that that language with respect to data centers was merely about. A one percent sales tax on the data centers on the electricity used by the data center that will then be delivered to the local community hosting that data center. That language was added to House enrolled act 12, 10 and then there was another bill housing or elect 14. 0, 6, a tax and fiscal matter. Bill. That also spoke to data centers that directs the in concert with the itc to study and analyze the various different tax incentives that have been provided. Data centers and other large projects to see its impact on electricity use and prices
impact on water and its impact on local economic development of that community. That report is supposed to be delivered to the General Assembly by. NOVEMBER 5th of 2026. And then we have also had and there is an active bill Senate Bill, 7 carbon sequestration that bill ultimately died and was not heard in the House. That was a bill that most of us supported that would have required if you're going to capture Co 2, 1, county transport and store, that's you, too. In another county, the county executive of the county in which it was going to be stored would have had to approve that project, but that that bill ultimately did not pass. And then quickly on House Bill 1368, that's another bill dealing with was called Carmen. But that's carbon capture and sequestration and what that bill effectively does. It directs the Impart Department
of Natural Resources, Indiana dnr to file at epa to seek primacy over the issuance of classics permits. Classics permits are the specific permits used in carbon capture and storage. Right now they're issued by the epa exclusively. I think they're 7 or 8 states that currently do have primacy meaning the state issues, those permits and that the federal government this bill requires a dnr to file for approval or for privacy issuing Those sees those those classics permits in order to do ccs. Okay. On to Senate Bill 240, surplus interconnection service. So this is directing kind of utilities and their planning process ease to look at. They're interconnection
capacity. So when we're doing grid planning, we work in a larger regional transmission network and we call it the q when you want to get a new generation project online, you have to go through the q through your transmission organization that work to be able to kind of plug into the grid you get a certain capacity margin for that interconnection. And there are some interconnections where not all of that allowed capacity is being used. So there's extra to go around and there's a lot of especially clean energy projects, solar projects when projects in the q that are smaller, you go and fit into that kind of interconnection capacity. So
that surplus interconnection to get new generation online faster or cheaper generation online faster. And then Senate bill 2.58 slash to 77 new killer facility permits. It was in both of these Ultimately it was taking out Senate bill to 77, which was items agency bill, but remained and signed into law with sp 2.58 which basically looks at kind of items, responsibility. On a new killer waste and nuclear facilities and took that out of code. Some of it was outdated with radioactive waste. Other things would have allowed for more public hearings on nuclear facilities and the state still has jurisdictions and rights too.
Look at and consider other environmental aspects of nuclear facilities. The sides, the radioactive waste, which is under the federal government. And then we have quickly hb 1150, which does impact. The city Indianapolis, local regulations. Kind of pre ms the thriving buildings program here that it can no longer be mandatory to energy benchmarking of buildings. It can only be voluntary. Briefly, just some of the dead bills. There were multiple bills that consider different options for residential customers and renters to partake in try to kind of cut their energy bills. 2 of them were sb 74 and hb 1084, which is plug-in solar. Right now
you have to pay 2 interconnect, a larger residential solar ray. But these plug-in solar panels which are being rolled out in Utah right now. You can essentially plug into an outlet or an upgraded the outlet and kind of offset your energy usage. So you are kind of communicating to utility that you don't want to get paid back for any energy that goes on to the grid. But realistically, there shouldn't be a lot that goes on the grid because it's really only offsetting a small portion of your energy use. And and sb 196, which was community energy. So looking at ways we can get 3rd party investors, not just utilities to invest in small energy facilities, usually less than 5 megawatts. Including community solar, that individuals and renters
can subscribe to and get a bill credit directly on their bill, which requires some communication between the utility. And the community. Energy providers. So that kind of requires legislation. Anything else? Next slide. Yeah. Understanding our time is limited and this is incredibly ambitious slide show. I'll be. On the brief and take any questions. Folks might have. But what we try to do out here is just lay out the current policies that are in place in Indiana with respect to. Energy policy and what we in the state of Indiana Israeli policies that have been extremely pro utility anti-consumer on the left. We have a long list of what are what are called trackers trackers are otherwise known as adjustable rate mechanisms or Bill riders. Those are fees that
are added on your bill on top of the base rates that you are charged to pay for things such as construction of new generation such as grid modernization projects upgrades to the team. The system, including advanced metering infrastructure, otherwise known as smart meters. And it also includes things like pipeline improvements and expansions. But basically what trackers do is allow utilities to charging for things as they are being billed as they're being constructed as just thinking about them and effectively turning rate payers into as she and other consumer advocates like to say in Vail and voluntary finance years of utility companies. And we believe that the explosion of these trackers, especially since 2011, really have led to where we are today with
respect to high utility bills. Very, very pro consumer, very, very pro utility, rather. And the other thing that trackers do is ties the hands of the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission. We created these regulatory commissions to regulate investor owned Utilities to act as a surrogate competition competition. In the absence thereof, we give utility companies the privilege of exclusive monopoly service territory with a captive rate base, a guaranteed rate of return. And in exchange for that, we said you have to subject yourself 2 strong regulations to keep the whims and wishes, if you will, of companies with a fiduciary responsibility their shareholders in check. And the more we passed legislation that says the commission shall approve the commission shall approve. The commission shall
approve. The more we whittle away the primary competition that the investor owned utilities have and those are the regulators. Move along to the next slide, which is about behind the meter things, which is the other competition that utility companies have. What company other competition do. They have? Number one using less energy, otherwise known as energy efficiency. And number 2, customers generating their own energy regulation. Energy efficiency, customer on generation represents the competition. The utilities, if you will, in the state of Indiana, really has done everything they can at the behest of the utility industry to tie the hands of that competition. Not only the
regulators, but also when we canceled energizing Indiana, we repealed Mitch Daniels that raging environmentalist Governor Mitch Daniels at the strongest energy efficiency standards in the Midwest created energizing Indiana. That was working. We were seeing for the first time a downward trend in monthly utility bills. We were seeing a downward trend in demand on the grid. And when Mike Pence of office state passed Senate Rolex 3.40, canceled, energizing Indiana repealed the energy efficiency Resource standard. A few years later, we had a good net metering policy in the state of Indiana that was really enabling home owners, farmers, schools, businesses to install primarily scholer but other renewable energy generation on their properties to reduce their energy bills, take
control of their energy costs. We decided in 2017 to not only repeal net metering, but statutorily prohibited net metering in the state of Indiana. Even if utility wants to offer net metering, they are statutorily prohibited to do so. We replaced it with what's called and e g tariff or excess distributed generation tariff that rather than compensating the owners of those systems at one to one retail swat. Basically the price you pay the utility for your power is the price you are credited for the power you put back on the grid. Now customers get a very small percentage of what they used to get basically making it very economically difficult to
install renewable energy on your property. And then last thing we want to touch on real quick is just the sighting conundrum in the state of Indiana. By that, we mean the sighting of energy generation resources where effectively the utilities and others, if it's thermal power, pipelines, if its carbon capture and storage large transmission and distribution. We've got citing policy utilities have eminent domain, not the case with renewables, not for win, not for solar, not for storage. Over half the counties in Indiana have some sort of restrictive ordinance on the sighting of renewables, making it very, very difficult to cite renewable so long story short. You know, the outcomes that this legislative session didn't do much to help clean energy in the state of Indiana didn't do much to help competition in the state of
Indiana and what we have in Indiana really is tent scales tilted in the wrong direction for better or worse. We have a governor and a new CHAIRMAN Of the irc that is least acknowledging. The issue is if they they're making strong words. So we'll see how things progressed. But if you ask Citizens Action, Coalition, it's this tilted scale of policy. It's this lack of competition that we have in the state of Indiana that has led us this panda taking effect, if you will, on utility bills lead us to the place we are today with an affordable electric bills and very low renewable penetration in the state of Indiana. And with that, I think are times probably expired. So number one, thank thank you again for being here from the presentation. And thanks for the work you do over state House. I don't I don't think you had it listed. But there I
believe, wasn't there a proposal that that would pass successfully further limited items ability to regulate, not necessarily environmental regulations and then on a power specifically, am I right about that? Yes, that was a Senate bill to 77 item agency bill, which very slim margins throughout its period. There were some changes made throughout the process, but a severely limits items ability in certain aspects of environmental regulation in making a lot of what they do or the commissioners decisions discretionary. And specific to want to. Respect the folks who came here today that Dennis is there wasn't that it's a proposal that made an
adjustment to that taxing and sanitize local participation. Can you explain that? I know it's not specifically what we asked you to talk on today. But if you have the information and I think that these will be here. Yeah. Well, what what ultimately past wasn't House enrolled act. 12 can And that is a requirement that a data center after JULY first 2026. So it wouldn't apply to existing data centers or probably proposals that are in the work. But after JULY first 2026, the data center would be required. I believe, on a quarterly basis to pay effectively a one percent tax, but only on the electricity that they use to the county treasure in that in that county show one percent tax on electricity consumed. There were various iterations of
that bill. One of them had a one percent tax on all the data center equipment and the electricity. At one point, they were talking about a a half percent tax on all that stuff. And ultimately in the end, what past was a one percent tax. But just on electricity consumed. There was a version that effectively required the data center to provide their electric bill to the county treasures of the county treasurer. Good audit. That one percent. Big tech does their thing behind the scenes that requirement to submit their electric bill came out. So now it just says one percent. I'm not sure how folks are going to trust but verify. But ultimately I think that was an additional no incentive to local communities. I think probably in response to also a lot of lot of the public pushback as
it wasn't enough. Ok? Thank you. Appreciate going into those other Members of the committee and guess questions. Thank you, MR. Chair thanks to the Always amazing how much detail you all can remember keeps keep track even after the sessions and it Welsh does reduce your iq refresh. Fair enough at a couple questions of both are just sort of tangential to what you presented on. So to the extent you can, first is kind of calling on CHAIRMAN Butts question about data centers. I've seen conflicting reports about how much the increased electric bills can be attributable to the I centers. The main counter argument I've seen is really a lot of it was just the grid modernization, which you mentioned the
trackers to me. A lot of the reason for the grid expansion is for the eye to designers. But I know if you could speak to, you know, estimate what percentage of these increases are being driven by Well, I don't know that we can give you a percentage necessarily. But but we've identified multiple cases where significant amounts of investment in the team. The great have been directly passed on to customers, whether it's the Meta data center down in Jeffersonville that that Duke rate payers are paying for that Google Data center Open Fort Wayne. The 09:00am customers are experiencing increases in transmission costs. We had a lot of those numbers and we've seen both of the rko is
especially the pjm rt and they in the Northeast sighting increased significant increase transmission costs from data centers being the primary driver. Of electricity costs. I don't know. We have exact percentage a significant amount. That's a helpful one. More question chair and this is, again, a little tangential. But lot of constituent pushback right now about s proposed deal with the consortium, including BlackRock. I know you had mentioned that, you know, our energy regulators, irc have a lot of that shall language where they have less flexibility, less regulatory ability. But what what differences do you anticipate rate payers to see or like average constituents to see with a now private electric investor owned utility? Well, I mean, we're obviously very, very concerned. You're talking
about a private equity firm whose primary responsibility is to deliver shares her deliver, you know, earnings and profits to their investors and squeeze as much profit as they can out of those assets. And should the sale go through one of those assets will unfortunately be the public utility here in the city of Indianapolis. Now granted. Folks understand that they are still required to be regulated fully by the irc just as they are today. So that construct doesn't necessarily change other than the ira. She still governed by those very pro utility statutes. That we see today. So I mean, we have a lot of concerns and was very disappointing that. You know, the idea that the state of Indiana grants these franchises to these monopolies and yet doesn't grant the regulatory commission, the authority to approve or reject. These acquisitions. And these mergers makes no sense. That's been a core
issue. Cac back in 1974, win. Ap first ball for Wayne City Lights. Municipal utility was working to get the General Assembly to give the irc authority to approve or reject those Yes, also has utility in Ohio in Dayton, where the Ohio Public Utility Commission has to approve that merger here in the state of Indiana. The Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission does not have to. Prove that merger folks were aware of that at the state house. There were proposals from both sides of the aisle to address that this session. Those were ignored. There were amendments proposed that were voted down. So it's unfortunate that there's good chance that. But my medicine that the sale MAY go through to him. Let's give you a second to take your medicine. You know alright to my car. Other other comments or questions. Listen again. Thank you both for really appreciated in both
organizations have been really helpful to this committee over the years. I would appreciate it. And look forward to staying connected intravenously. Ok? Back to the folks who came for Dennis discussion as as that earlier. We don't have a specific data center item, but I want to you that you're here and here to express your views. So did you identify someone who is going to come up and speak Dennison U.S.? There's no obligation, big bucks because you're here. I want to give you the opportunity. Yeah. Okay. Really? Please tell us your name. What part of the city live in approximately and you about 2 minutes time. Yes, thank you. My name's Ashley Hooley. I live in Decatur Township. I describe myself as an average neighbor who just started talking to other neighbors. When the proposed data center came in. I'm
curious about data center definitions and how are classifying data centers. The proposal right now in Decatur Township, the capacity of the Hyperscale data center that's being proposed. When you compare that to others is just concerning. So I was curious if this committee or if you're hearing anything with the mdc just for our awareness around how data centers are being defined in classified and how that is being considered. When looking at different zoning that that's a zoning matter zoning proposals all come. They start with the mdc. As this matter it's so important in our zoning doesn't address it. There's been a group working with the city
rethinking our zoning putting forward a vision of how the zoning could progress with a clear definition of what that is. And our and then sort of grading them out from lake small, medium and large. And then what the requirements of the print, one of those. So what I just said. Sounds easy, but it's actually very complicated. As you just alluded to. So we're in the middle of that. And I don't want to put any timelines on it other than to say it's a high priority and we are working in earnest with the with that with the city on this. But when that process starts, it'll start at the nbc will eventually come to the council in come to this committee. Welcome to different committee. But I'm sure they'll be plenty of coverage of that and you'll have opportunity to weigh in the meeting. It's like this. Okay. Thank you. If I could
just urge, you know, there's a lot of sense of urgency and lot of different cases. When I look at current energy consumption and the data centers that are being for posed. Really scary to think how quickly this is all happening in our state. So just respectfully asked for some urgency around Thank you. Yeah, I I agree with you and I think we do have it. We also need to do right. We do want to put something out there that that makes things worse. Aurizon strong in the way you'd like it to be struck. And so we need that. We need to take some time to be thorough and disciplined about it at the same time, moving along with with with some discipline in guns. Were in the same page. Yeah. And that's why the mdc should not approve our case for to cater on Wednesday of this week because that is something that requires a lot of diligence and is needed. Thank you. I again, I want to thank
everybody for on on this matter. I appreciate it. And I know your advocacy is is bringing that this issue to a lot of people's attention. You MAY not have been paying attention. So you're you're doing the work. Yeah. Thank you. I know that the proposed data center in our area, it's going to impact utilities across central Indiana, especially with the other projects right now across the Midwest. Yes, thank you. Okay. Yes. Ma'm. MR. Chair MAY I offer comment on something I observed recently with my constituents and data center. You MAY thank you. I have had this comment come from more than one person in my district. And so the process for which the council is involved in improving data centers. I don't I'm not I'm not speaking for you specifically, but it towards my constituents. That seemed confused. Is that? If it goes
in front of the mdc, if the district councilor goes along with it, then the City Council can't. We don't have a vote on it. If the district councilor disagrees with the nbc's decision, they have the opportunity to what we say, call it down and bring it in front of the full council to hear essentially the mdc case. Again. But again, I think folks in my district were a little confused saying like vote this or vote that. But there is no vote. Unless we get to the incentives, portion of it. And then it comes before the full council. But in terms of like allowing the data center to be in one area of the city or not, if it requires that zoning change and it goes in front of the mdc. It's it's really within hands of that district councilor. And so I just
wanted to make it clear that we don't have a vote necessarily on every data center case. And I think that was something that my constituents were have been confused about. So thank you, Mr. Chair get canceled due have a comment. And to the point of advocacy, you successfully turn a non data center, meaning into a data Me so they're just go that were can service thank you, MR. CHAIRMAN just a follow-up on that. Another reason we do not always have a vote is because if it is a variance request, which is what's happening Decatur situation that never comes back before the council. So the mdc decision is the
final decision. If it's a zoning change request, that is a change of the county Lou law and therefore we are the legislative body. So if it's a zoning change, then does come back before the council. If as council delayed mention, the domiciled counselor calls it down. If that council does not. And historically, we have no power to even change any voting. That decision as well. We're not one that's are not really having like you in a time. Where does yes make one comment. If that's okay. Just briefly. Yeah. Just to 30 seconds. Yes, it's just very concerning to us that I, too can go through a variance because that opens it up to any I too, going through any variance. So that's just very disturbing to Decatur Township. Thank you guys for
being here. Thank you. Ok, now we're going to proceed to the next agenda item. One of the things that we do in this committee is more closely with a the city's office of Environmental Sustainability on the implementation of the Thrive. Indianapolis plan they've been doing this work for a long time developing this plan and implementing this plan and reporting in this committee so that people that was know the status how is proceeding in a newly we receive a report on the status. And so we're going turn over to the director to give us an update how the thriving Apple's plan is proceeding. Thank you, CHAIRMAN Bart and thank you, counselor being here with us and thank you to our community
for being here to hear this presentation Rams moment, Reynolds and the director of the Office of Sustainability for the City of Indianapolis. I have an excellent team that's been trying doing our best to partner with our community partners throughout our community to deliver on the promises. And 59 action items within thrive. Indianapolis. As a brief overview, we're going to tell you a little bit about the reporting we did last year little bit about the threat action items have been completed. I also want to mention that outside of the work you're seeing here, our office does a number of reporting necessary organizations that are go through national and international reporting qualifications, including a c Triple e cdp otherwise known
as the Carbon Disclosure project. And then every 3 years, greenhouse gas emissions inventory. We also do a number of media relations and digital media content. And one thing I can at clue in on is that we're going to we've evolved some of our logos and communication pieces. And so you'll see some of that in the future. This is our team. We've got 4 excellent people, all of which will see behind me that are on this small but mighty team I say we are gsd get stuff done. The 2024 thrive. Indianapolis in port was 27 annual data points. And 21, every three-year 0.9 of which there metric surpassed their 2025 targets. So these were metrics that were promised as a part of original thrive in Annapolis plan. And every year since 2021, we have put out an annual report so this past year in 2025, we publish the 2024 report. The
compass the last year's data. We are going to move into a new development phase of these annual reports. And in this year in Twenty-twenty 6, we will not put out a traditional annual report. We are evolving. Our ghg inventory software and we will be moving instead into a much more data based scientific target based work that actually charts us toward carbon neutrality, which well, I will get to in a future slide. But here are the week like to give ourselves medals. But these are for our community and not for self that these are 59 action items that have been completed with either city staff, city partners, individual constituents. These are excellent achievements throughout our community. Over the past 5 years. Again, just to this is the logo we're
going to We're going to update just to give you a little bit of a reminder as to some of this look and feel. We specifically focus on resilience and sustainability. And that also reflected in our overarching goals, including, as I said, increase at achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. And that's where I was discussing the new software and the new projection out that we're doing within that particular measurement that we will release later this year and then increasing community resilience and prioritizing equity and policy planning and project implementation. That's particularly important. So that's not just the sustainability, but that's the resilience part where we like to talk about our community, not only bouncing back from things and experiences but bouncing forward. How can we get those folks in a different and more progress version of The ix? The standards that
they've experienced? This is the framework of the plan. Just to remind various themes. That we're going to touch on one at a time. I'll try not to belabor this. Similar to most national organizations, international organizations, states, local governments, federal governments, you're seeing a very similar breakdown in ghg emissions. And so this is a lot of what our drive and our work focuses on most of that being from the built environment, space buildings and the systems that power them. As you see about 2 thirds there. Another 3rd from the transportation section and then a very small. But the most increasingly quick growing section being from the waist sector. As a reminder,
we mayor Hogsett committed to carbon neutrality by 2050, in 2017 in 2019, the threat plan was published and in 2021, we embarked on our first ordinance passage. In the built environment section from that ordinance. Passage came the thriving buildings program has seen incredible success since its thriving since its passage of the ordinance. And then subsequent program in 2025. Specifically I'll call your attention to that. We saw 5 times increase in the compliance rate from the previous year. Michael Milner's, our project manager and has done an incredible job with this program. Delaney in the previous presentation mentioned House Bill 1150, that as she said, perf prohibits the county or municipal municipality in the
unit from adopting or enforcing a utility usage. Town essentially moving our program into a voluntary stage. We have a number of pit strategies that we still think can achieve. Very a lot of the success, including reaching out to all sorts of buildings rather than just the above 50,000 Square feet, which was the threshold reflected in the ordinance, increased stakeholder outreach engagement. And then really trying to create what are the resources and the reasons why energy efficiency can be seen from the original measurement of energy, benchmarking and utility benchmarking. In our economy section. We have excellent partner in the Indian and Independence Fund. So this is a green bank that was reflected in one of the Thrive. Indianapolis action
items. They are not only making loans in the commercial space, but they recently started doing residential lending. So this is excellent work with as little lowest possible interest rates. And again, focusing on energy efficiency, renewable energies in this space around financing. Those things. Also in the economy section, there is work around the Green Jobs Initiative where keeping Foundation announced a 75,7750 $1000 investment to help launch this Green Jobs Initiative with 100 participants specifically around the has 40 certain certification. And that was this past year. Another per another partner would like to call out is recycle force, receiving half a million
dollars in Brownfields. Job training, which trains 75 students and placed 7 aef. 95 students placing in 75 jobs. It will. Thank you. In the energy section, our office and are very city partners were able to make integrated resource planning comment as Indiana's integrated resource planning. That has been about a year's worth of work and presentations by a yes, we provided comment to the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission on this plan, specifically reflecting the thrive goals you've seen here. Us Indiana's Peter Burke. First Petersburg facility is one of the last to be refueled. They call it from whole filed cool fired units onto fossil fuel or methane
gas. So again, just re firing refueling. It. And this that puts Indiana as Indiana skews me at the that's positioned to be the first Indian utility essentially out of coal. Also in that energy space, we partnered with the Indian e iu Environmental Resilience Institute to bring a mechanic climate fellow this past year into our community and do some local education around. He pops. He pumps are especially useful because they are not only energy efficient, but they were place much many of the uses of a furnace and home. So that's improving air quality. And as I said, energy efficiency. Also in the energy space we've partnered with fund or organization called Iff to put out and create the thriving nonprofits program. If you can't, how we like things thriving in our office
is a part of our work. This is an energy focused buildings assessment for nonprofits to look at their building space and assess where they can make. Energy efficiency is or ploy renewable energy. This was a one for one match where we were able to partner essentially make grants to 10 nonprofits in this first cohort. So it's a building made things like energy efficiency led lighting upgrades solar panels. Energy efficiency, appliances hba season heat pumps. And there you'll see one organization that worked on some of their doors and air quality control. And then over here, there were the implementation of brand new appliances that were much more energy efficient. We are in. We have also been refunded for that were funded again for that. And so we will launch cohort number 2 coming very
soon. In the food agriculture space. This is simply a reflection of our partnership with community, nutrition and food policy section of Office of Public Health and Safety, not taking any credit for their work. And is our office responsible for all of these things simply speaking to them as parts of thrive. Indianapolis and collaboration with our many partners both internally and externally. In the natural resources space. There's a whole lot of advocacy advocacy happening here. There's a excellent partnership on the country. Continued Clean Choices. Clearwater advocacy, the dpw Employees has a suite of educational and pledge related tools to get citizens. Both activated on understanding their water impacts but also committed to making actions. If you recall, MAY be from some parks work that Grassy
Creek and Riverside Adventure Park where both big uses and reuse is of particular parts of land that are both publicly accessible now and preserving them for continue to says and then last but not least in the natural resources section. The usd, urban says urban and community Forestry Grant that will happen through JUNE of 2029. Amongst a few of its many highlights includes increasing native trees and shrubs by about 8,000 and removing about 1200 hazardous trees in our community. And that's all being done between kb the dpw Urban Forestry Program and Office of Lands Stewardship. Excuse me in the public health and safety section. Our office maintains and operates the knows own programs. That's when we're talking about ozone in our air and pm 2.5 particulate matter
under 2 and a half microns. So essentially talking about in our hearts, tear your air quality and how that affects the central Libyan is air quality. We are entering into that no-one's season here coming soon. That happens between in OCTOBER. So potentially keep your eyes open for when those days are happening and what you can do to help me to get air quality in our community. On on the right. You'll see a few various actions, including walking and biking, more using vehicles, less waiting until it's cool to refuel your vehicle waiting until it's cool to power lawn equipment. To use powered lawn equipment, avoiding idling looking out for anyone with respiratory and cardiac issues. Also in the public health and safety section, we have worked very closely with Mesa on completing the multi Hazard mitigation Plan update in
2024, something else that came out of that was that Mesa is updating outdoor warning sirens. And so they have there in barking on that replacement this year. One really important thing that Mesa has. That's an opportunity for residents to be engaged on extreme weather is to text. And the s a I n d y 2, 6, 7, 2, 8, 3, to receive those text alerts and especially on these public safety threats. In the transportation land use section again. This is a little bit of an ala carte of just things that we want to highlight, including Pacers, Bikeshare, excellent partner, Pacers bike. Share establishing station 3 stations at Butler and creating a record amount of trips of 196,000 trips taken in 2025. The nickel plate trail as I'm a number of you
are involved in with 103 miles completed in Indianapolis and connecting that to Hamilton County has an excellent new resource and in our community. And then something that is a huge part of our Transportation Lady Section is indigo and the ways that we are accommodating to public transit. And as you see here, the Purple Line in its first year as one of the most highly used it routes in all of Indigo had about 800,000 riders in its first year. And then the next brt line of Bus Rapid Transit Line. Indigo. The blue line is now under construction. In the waste and recycling our office along with Department of Public Works and solid waste policy and planning. We're able to rebid over the last few years are solid waste, recycling, solid waste. Contrast. Excuse
me. And the way that that will what that will bring into our community is a few new faces or organizations, including I knew trash hauling, recycle the trash and recycling hauler. Excuse me for all of residential areas except where the city the service is. Trash, though. If you are republic customer or a wma customer in the past Lrs Lakeshore Recycling services is now very likely your trash and recycling hauler. And then if you are a city customer, you are still a city customer. What's that will also bring into our community is by 2028. We will be trans transitioning every one of 279,000 households to universal curbside recycling, which is a major undertaking, again, reflected as a goal and
thrive. Indianapolis. And then another big piece of this puzzle for us was working with the process or so. It's not just what recycling and what gets picked up at your curb. But how it gets processed. And so w m formerly Waste Management has invested in a 60 million dollar. What we call them or for materials recovery facility that's going to be doing the processing of all that recycling. That is all of our themes. I we love to shout out again. Our incredible sustainability and community partners that make so many of these action items happened. 4 people in an office within city government could not make these things happen at all. We are simply collaborating connecting in telling the story. Thank you, director. A couple questions for me and turn it over to others on this. This is a question you'll be surprised
about because we've talked about a lot over the years. But how involved is your team in helping doing the outbound communication to folks about the universal curbside change in the or we deferring to the haulers. There's a city going to have a drumbeat about it. Just curious how how we're going to do that. Outbound. Yeah, that's an excellent question. And again, no one department or organization would be able to reach, especially in the multiplicity of times that we will need to contact 279,000 homes to let them know over the next few years. What will be happening with their solid waste services. So it's really cool collaboration, as I said between the Department of Public Works in solid waste policy and planning our
office. Our holler and our processors. So Lrs wma and city partners will all be collaborating on this. There are also some external organizations that are due recycling and solid waste advocacy throughout the nation that have seen us as major target. And so hopefully very soon we will be able to report back to you on this topic. And they're bringing some dollars to our community to help us do that. And then the only other question I wanted to to talk about was the extreme weather preparedness there's just more to with with climate change is the biggest. The fact that we're going to have probably extreme weather where some cities where they're already being hit much more dramatically in the southwest.
For example, they built out teams to to be on the ground and communicating d. Do you foresee the need for the city to be doing more investing along these lines? I know previous budgets we've invested more dpw. His ability to respond to fell trees. For example, and deal with water situations. You foresee that as something council needs to be plan needs a plan to deal with in the coming years. So great question. We certainly collaborate with internal and external partners to help tell the story of how climate is affecting our community today. And I often like to say, unfortunately, we're making this up as we go along so much of what we're experiencing with climate change and sustainability. We've never experienced before. So we're having to constantly responsive to these things. There's no indication it's
going to get better without doing nothing. So we're going to need to to constantly both mitigating the effects of climate change, but also adapting to what's already happened. Thank Members of the committee counsel Tony. Thank you, MR. Chair, I have one comment and then a question one as a public service announcement. Anyone watching it. I personally subscribe to the Mesa text messages and I wanted to come back to that. What you do is you text and the s a I n d y to the number 6, 7, 2, 8, 3, to receive text alerts for public safety threats. And I've signed up for them. And just yesterday I got one that said me, Cindy alert. Severe thunderstorm
warning issued MARCH 15th at 11:29pm. Eastern daylight time until MARCH 16th at 12, 15, 18 eastern daylight time by the National Weather Service, Indianapolis, Indiana. And for the most part, I just get those National Weather Service alerts. But it's nice to know when we do have severe weather threats coming to Indianapolis and so I just again, you text me, Sir. Indy all one word to 7, 2, 8, 3, That's my comment. It it's a great service. And so I want to make sure more people are aware of that. Yeah, I couldn't agree with you, Mark Counselor, I'm that's what I've done. Both my phones. And it's really one of the least utilized services in terms of communication in our city. And we are absolutely advocating that more folks be informed about what's coming
to their area. Yeah, absolutely. Take thanks to your suggestion. I and I'm looking around the room. Multiple other people are probably have signed up to many others who are watching this both now and in the future. Yeah, absolutely. And then the second one is back. You have on your waste and recycling slide right in the middle. You have community drop-off, recycling locations, clean, dry loose. Don't bag it. I wanted to come back to that because I had someone come up to me recently and complain how a drop-off site that I heard that parks means this committee. I it's a constant issue that kind of keeps coming up every year about folks dropping off regular trash and dumping. And I was hoping you could just. Described the policy and what we need. What we don't need
an. Just kind go through that a little bit more. Yeah, there are big serious you. I can't lie to you. That's why we've chosen to try to move 10279,000 households to curbside to that everyone is responsible for their own been and not couple ing, you know, it. 100 families could put all of their perfectly recycled things in community drop-off location. And if one person decides to come and throw a ton of, you know, roofing tiles and there it really contaminates that box to an extreme amount. And we have understood this now and we have understood this for many years. We can do our best to try to advocate advocate and educate. We've tried a number of different pivots to try to make those accessible as
possible. And in this. But as I said in the last couple years, rebuilding the solid waste contracts has been our opportunity to set a course along the way. That will move 279,000 households to universal curbside. Thank you for drawing that connection because I I hadn't done that. And so I think that's agree answer and Segway when that does come up. So thank you for that. And thanks to city leadership for moving forward with the universal recycling. So thank you and thank you, MR. Chair. Kuz around and then cancel think you as thanks as always, for great presentation. Tomorrow and thanks to entire team at like want to say as often as I can. I think you guys are criminally underfunded and understaffed. And most can citrus can't tell because you punched so hard about your
Thank you again for that I Want to make that comment. And then a couple quick questions. One was about the thriving buildings and how the mandatory nature was just ripped out by the state house. I would hope. Yeah, maybe I guess. Don't break my heart. If this is untrue about hope that large building owners made some complaints directly your office. First, was there. Was there anything the council could have done to help bridge that gap to like make that more of a conversation and less of a moms go tell dad to change the rules. I just always hate when we have this conflict between the state as the city council. And if there's something we could be doing better, I would like to do it. Thanks. Yeah, it's hard. You know, hindsight is 2020 things happen at the state house. You don't sometimes know where they come from. We did as much as we could to advocate. In fact,
over the last 2 sessions, we're we survived the 2024 legislative are the most recent legislative session before this one. And yeah, just they had sharper knives this time. And so they were able to move this into a more successful bill that passed with this is an amendment. I think if I can speak for both Michael and myself, we're excited about the opportunities to pivot here. It's unfortunate that other municipalities won't get the opportunity to have a program that they can enforce. But I think there are examples of this throughout the nation that our utility benchmarking programs that are voluntary that are still fairly successful. And we're excited to figure out what those strategies are. Awesome. Yeah. Well, again, let us know how we can be helpful. I think that one of the most important things that your whole team
does is provide this kind of data for the whole city to kind of look ourselves in the mirror and figure out what we could be doing better. So keep it up and let us we can help. Thank you. Saint Building, building owners are way and we're glad to try to figure out with them. Not only how to the benchmark, their utility data, but what energy efficiencies can be found from that. Thank you, MISTER CHAIRMAN. Thank you. Director the Colonels. Good to see you again as well. Comment and a question comment. The is the I'm very excited about universal recycling. Think that's a great idea. I think between now and then though, what I would suggest might be helpful would be. Little bit greater. Residential education on what is and what is not recyclable. I am one who is guilty. If it's not biodegradable or it does not
something that compost. I think it's recyclable and I know that's not true. There you know, many classes, the plastics. And is I understand that we only hit take a couple of the classes. So if there's any way too. Better, educate the public going forward infographics or something like that that we as counselors can include in our social media week. We've got a newsletter going up next month and love to have a primer on what truly is and is not recyclable under Marion County regulations. Excellent. We're glad to partner with you. And with anyone putting out information on that, in fact, as I mentioned earlier, this partner, this national partner that is coming to our community and going to help us
with some funding to penetrate into the market. You know, there's only so much that social media platforms where constituents have to volunteer to follow can do. And now we are able to penetrate the market a little bit more in terms of reaching into folks in their homes and to their places of work into their schools, into their house of worship, to spread a little bit more of this message not only in the next year and a half, but especially toward the 27 28 transition and universal curbside recycling. And then with respect to the I think it's a it's built. Well, 50 that rendered thriving the optional for 11, 50 11:50am, somewhat numbers. Silly numbers, exact their lives now. Do you have any indication are feeling even our gut instinct on? That rendering being rented from
and mandatory. Optional. The impact that's going to have on the program or the numbers of buildings are participants in the program. The sense I assume that's going to be a decline. A great question. I think we already had a number of voluntary building owners in our system so we can, of course, expand our reach to, as I said, not only buildings over 50,000 Square feet, which was our threshold for regulation. 4 required participation, but to all buildings. We have about 600 buildings in the software that we measure this with. And in other communities, 600 buildings would be quite a good number. We have about 2000 buildings that were in our building was that were above that 50,000 Square threshold. It the most significant difference will be
that we were going to collect extremely low one time or second time nominal fees that we were going to collect in a fund that we would then make grants for energy efficiencies within these participating building owners. And at this, we just won't be able to include that portion of our program. Okay. Thank you. In that. Finally first with respect to the universe, recycling. I think I'm safe in saying the current. Program by which trash bins were collected and reissued. Collected again has been less than Smoove. And I am still yet today trying to get. Personal bins that were taken by the haulers and not
returned. It's been a nightmare. And my understanding is republic has washed their hands and said too bad. You fired So therefore, I'm not lifting a finger to help with this program. And that poor lrs and dpw have had to pick up the ball. So I would just encourage you 2, do whatever can be done to make sure this next transition. Let's move and that we hold the contractors responsible. My opinion. We should never let Republic walk away. So readily. And leave us with thousands of That we don't know what to do with. And collecting bins that weren't, I understand, too, Republican, many of these contractors don't even have information of who's paying for Watt. We couldn't even track who has a
recycling bin to pay for it. That got one, but they didn't pay for it. How do we know they have no records. That's unbelievable to be that we have a contractor that's providing such a core service to our people and the run like cheap hot dog stand. So I just hope we really put. Some microscopes on these next projects and make sure we're holding vendors to the contract make sure we void what is, you know, kind of embarrassing when I'm getting hassled, buy something in dpw will do if they can't do it. No one has a record that this is a terrible look for the city. So, yeah, I know that message and others like it have been certainly reached to the department policy planning in department public works and to the solid waste Division of Department public works. If imagine for people on this
team are not necessarily associated with the operations factor of that. But we are certainly sensitive to that message. And I hope you would have the grace that when we are transitioning 279,000 households that every single one will not be done perfectly. But we are certainly interested in proper contract enforcement. Sure. Thank you. Thank you, MR. CHAIRMAN. Thank you. Good questions. Council Ruth, One last opportunity for questions. Okay. Well, let me think the director and your team, I second what counts around said you always punch about your weight and do a great job with a small team. In fact, let's take a minute. If you everyone who in the department raise your hand so we the folks at home can see you people. Thank you for your hard work thanks for being prepared today and thanks everyone for being here and
will wrap up today's meeting. Thanks very much. Thank you. Thanks for your time.