Transcripts For SFGTV MTA Press Availability 3117 Van Ness Improvement Program Groundbreaking 20170324

When i signed up for the super green plan, i just had to say that the satisfaction that i had knowing that this little act of resistance and fighting back and knowing that 100 percent of my energy is coming from Renewable Energy, felt really great. So for anyone watching in the public, this is a wonderful way to contribute to fighting back against the defamation of all the protections that we have in place with the federal level. And a way to actual locally, that really makes a difference and feel good sxts really easy. I just wanted to put in my personal plug for that. It is yees to sign up, about two minutes is all that it takes. Yeah. I just have one question also for mr. Sheean. I wanted to know when you are going the out reach activities in the marketing materials, do you offer them in different language snz yes. Yes, we do. All of our enrollment notices are translated into chinese, spanish and filipino, and most of our materials are also translated into chinese, spanish as well. Especially the chinese language and the spanish languages. We also as that translation for our sign up page o line. So you can see it in spanish, chinese and english and we have an automated phone system and, so if you call you press one for english and two for chinese and, three for spanish and, we actually for chinese, mandarin, voice, automated and cantonese automated phone system. Part of the task is to explain energy to the customer and it can be come mri indicate and so we want to make sure that we are explain tg to them in their own language. That is smart. It is come mri xat and technical. And so i am wondering also, when you it looks as though these tabling events are pretty successful. For your super green out reach. At your tabling event, do you have people who speak another language other than english . Yes. We have hired a latino organizer, within our team. And then the larger San Francisco Public Utilities commission has multiple Staff Members that are fluent in mandarene, they are the voices on the automated phone recordings and you can go and hear them and, we were they china town, new years festival with those staffers featuring clean power sf. And so, again, we want to make sure that we are getting to everyone in San Francisco. And languages is not a barrier. Good in my neighborhood i have at Large Russian population, and so i think that in my neighborhood we would need that translation. We are going to take a look at that as we roll out to other parts of the city that may have their own limited english proficiency, population and so that is something that we are looking at as we go forward. Thank you. I think that especially as we look at the earth day, tabling event, and sign ups f we could have as many you know, Foreign Language speakers at that event, to really capture all of the people that will be interested. And i think that, would i hate to miss the earth day opportunity. Sure. I think that so many people are fired up and especially as he mentioned, just with you you know, the fear of losing the power of the eba. I think, you know, now is the time. And to realize that the clean power sf is the way that San Francisco can meet our climate goals. Thank you. Thank you. I wonder if we should i dont know if we should take it for Public Comment on that or executive officer breed would like to present something for us yeah, jason fried will keep my part brief and quick, and participate wg all of the stuff that miss hale and he said that we have been participating. And in front of you today is one part that i wanted to talk about was sb618. We have not taken a position just so you ar wear of when the legization and when the things come before and how we do it. What do i is i first look to the sf puc and the city and county of San Francisco, what are you going on this, and i go to cal cca, before it was all the individual, cca and i can go to cal and, say whaf is your position. Normally they are close, but sometimes there is differents. Knowing where they are at and i go to Community Groups that are out there advocating for cca and say what is your position on this to give us a good broad base understanding of where we are at. Last week when i checked in with the community groupdz they are doing their Due Diligence and have not taken a position, but the city and county of San Francisco and cal have taken oppose it 618 and i encourage to us do the same. If we do take an opposed position, i will participate and pork with cal cca to determine where the right times and there is a hearing on april fourth, is it appropriate for us to be there, is i will go to sacramento if that is the case and join them in their lobby efforts and speak on their behalf. One of the thivengz that does occur with the legislation sacramento, it is be fast moving, ones it get through in a serious manner for us to be meeting regular enough for us to kwhang the position what his is accustomed to the past f they are okay, keeping this is that i work with the chair of the commission, now, the chair, and talk with her about any changes that might need too be made to our position, and continuing to keep the philosophy of are restaying in line with the allies and the sfpuc and cal cca and the Community Groups tlshgs are times where like for example, last year there was a bill that they went to neutral. We stayed with the community alliechls on that bill, we were not opposed what the city was doing, but steet took a different position. Would i look to keep that type of tradition f you want toshgsd you could designate the commissions to be the lead person with us and, it will be up to the commission to give me direction on what to do. But we need to be able to take the action between meet sxgz could use the support in how to do that. So, on that, you have some information in front of you and any questions that you might have on thachlt i actually am comfortable myself having jason actually representing us. Great. So, do i is there, how does anyone feel about it . We just need to make a motion to officially oppose the legislation and to authorize executive officer fried to work with the chair to revise that position, should any changes be made at a later date. Great, i second that. Okay. Thank you so mudo we want to take the Public Comment . I do believe that we will lose quorum very, very soon. So we will move quickly. Is there any mim of the public that would like to speak on these items . Thank you. Alina ingle. Since the chair is leaving, i am a district nine resident, long time resident, and i am with 350, San Francisco. Sovy been responsible for finding volunteers to go out and canvas for clean power sf. So what you are going to hear is more of a report from the field. We have been out and we were at earth day and sunday streets and we do farmers markets and all of these kind of Public Events and we go and sign people up for early inrollment or for 100 percent green. And i want to say that we are thrilled that we are now at 40 percent, as the base line from 35 percent for what our energy mix is. And it is thrill thag we are also green e, certificate and because that, that makes people feel that this is really a program with integrity, and you can be sure that it is really green. And i guess that based on the enthusiasm that i see from san franciscans in the field, i think that it is ridiculous that we have a 5 percent goal for 100 percent green . Lets be bold. This is silly. This is people are ready to go. This is if you nrp texas maybe, or some other place. But, and my other question is, when are we expecting to have all customers at 100 percent, i mean that we have not even rolled out yet, which we need to kind of start moving on. But, people want this. So, and one other one small thing that i would say for the chair is that it is not a small act to go 100 percent green. Because the compounding aspect is this, as we go more to electric and we get off of fossil fuels, electricity is where we are going to. And if our electricity is 100 percent green, that means that our charz and electric cars are 100 percent green and our house whz we fuel them with electricity are 100 percent green. Thank you. I just want to ask we will lose commissioner ronen in mere minutes, and lose quorum. And i dont want to keep any member of the public from speaking, and so as you know thanks we are all open to receive any comments, by email or phone call and i can make myself available, to anyone. But i would like to ask if there is anyone that opposes the motion on the table . We do need to approve the 2017 schedule. Or we cant meet again. So which is the next agenda item is there any member of the public either melissa who have turned in a speaker card that turned in that would have an objection that would like to speak at this time. I really appreciate your help wg that. So, seeing no other member of the public speaking Public Comment is closed. And could we take a motion to oppose the legislation that mr. Fried is at senate bill, 618. And with any changes that the chair sees fit over the next couple of months, on the committee. So, moved. By. And second and seconded moved by commissioner fewer and seconded by commissioner ronen. And madam clerk could you item six . It is a 2017, lafco regular meeting schedule. Jason, the executive sneshgs front of you have two meeting days, may 18, july, 20, september 21, november, 30th, at 10 30 in this room. Any changes to the room assignment we will let you know ahead of time and you might want to approve that we can move on. Motion to approve. You need to take Public Comment. Is there any Public Comment on the proposed 2017 lafco schedule . Seeing none, Public Comment is closed. And that was moved by commissioner ronen and seconded by commissioner fewer and seeing no objections the meeting schedule is approve. Madam chair could you read item four. Executive officers report. The only thing that i will say is turn in your form 700 commissioners i know that some of have you done that already. If you havent, make sure ta do so. They are due by april third i believe, whatever that monday is. Great. Are there any public of the member that would like to speak on seven, Public Comment is closed nochlt action for the commission to take on this matter. Madam clerk could you read eight. Public comment. Is there any member of the public that would like to speak at general Public Comment. Yes, eric burks again, San Francisco Clean Energy Advocates San Franciscos for Energy Choice. And just to take an opportunity if you need to head out commissioner ronen that is fine. But now i want to take the time to make some key comments on clean power sf. First of all San Franciscos for Energy Choice and 350 bay area are also now opposed to 618. And the key thing that is going to object your plate now, that we need to move forward on, is to remember that when clean power sf and another Community Choice programs first got started, the objective is here to get San Francisco on 100 percent local and regionally sourced generated Renewable Energy within five to ten years and that is still the objective. And what we are facing state wide, i can tell you from my state wide work. That within the next five to ten years it is conceivable that every possible customer in the state with a utility will become a Community Choice customer. At that point, the demand will be so high for renewables that if we are not building robust, renewables here in the San Francisco bay area, trying to go on the market will be expensive. We need to get the plan under way and the key to that is to growth plan. We need to do the same thing without that Customer Base on board, we will not have the financial ability to leverage the bonds to do the builds out that we need to prevent a scenario where there is not enough clean energy to buy, so that is next thing on your plate. Thank you, and are there any members of the other members of the public that would like to speak at general Public Comment . Im with the club and i would want to say congratulations to you. And i just wanted to make a quick emphasis on Community Choice. And i want to emphasize the importance of 100 percent customer inclusion and we would like to see more aggressive marketing and planning on moving forward. And we want to see a plan on the local build out as eric mention and we hope to Work Together as to advance the clean power sf and i look for toward to seeing the green plan. Thank you, are there any other members of the public . I just want, and i do want to emphasize that, you know, okay. I will be very quick. I also i am from 350, San Francisco, and i wanted to that we have the people signing up and talking to them and explaining the programs, and but right now, very little specifically super green promotion supports the table of these effort and they could be very much more effective if there was specifically super green promotion and i also wanted to point out that since the sign up of the super green is online, that online promotion is a natural and especially, via social media. And so, we would like to see much more aggressive and specifically targeted promotion of super green and this will help us to really push 100 Percent Clean Energy in San Francisco. Thank you very much. Thank you, and i just want to apologize again for members of the public that showed up today, to speak to us. That we are running short on time and i appreciate your working with us and looking for ward to having some more discussions. Thank you so much. If there is know other member of the public, that would like to speak, the Public Comment is closed. Madam clerk could you call item 9. Future agenda items. Okay. I would like to make a motion to postpone item nine to the next general meeting. And then, if any discussions happen in the next two months prior to that, that need some additional discussion, then we can call a special meeting. We can even move future agenda items to the beginning of the next meeting so that we are talking about the budget more fully, taking into consideration, future agenda items is there a second for that. Second. And we do need to have it opened it up for Public Comment. One more time, eric brooks. With the two groups that i mentioned before and also with public nat San Francisco which is working for public broadband, i just want to flag two key items. On that front, one is we need to get public broadband fully under way in the lafco this year, because this year when it is going to happen. This year is when the Trump Administration is going to try to privatize everything in sight on the internet and this is it and we need lafco to be on top that have and i am also with the San Francisco green party and our city San Francisco and we have worked closely with clean action and other Environmental Justice organizations, on making sure that there is proper clean up of the navy site in the bay view, point and on Treasure Island and since you probably have seen in the news that revelation vz come out that the contractor was covering up and falsifying data on radiation and toxic chemical clean up. The problem we face and we need lafco to take this up especially since the Treasure Island authority is a separate agency and it falls under your purview is that when we have spoken for the epa and the department of toxic substances in the bay view Hunters Point we are able to get the navy to hold up and transsdperz we have stopped the transfers of the property in the bay view Hunters Point, and Treasure Island is not officially recognized even though it is really dangerous, and toxic ask radioactive. It is not recognized by the federal government as a super fund site. So what epa has said to us that it is not in their jurisdiction and so we need a mechanism to get the halting that is happening in the bay view unters point before the lands are transferred to happen on Treasure Island to protect those residents from radiation, no one is doing that right now. So i would strongly recommend that since the board is not taking this up, we need great, thank you so much. Is there any other member of the public . I would just like to direct executive officer if you could maybe just get us more information before the next meeting on Treasure Island and up date from the department of technology of where the broadband is . Just the informational item. Happy to do so. Great and, Public Comment is closed. Madam clerk is there any other business before us today. That concludes our business for the day. Thank you very much, local Agency Formation commission is adjourned. Much. clapping. well good morning and thank you all for being here im ed reiskin the director of transportation and cant tell you how existed and speak on behalf of everybody here to be at this milestone after many years somewhat our decades ever planning to break ground on a transformative project for one of the citys anyhow unique and special streets i there is a way this works folks without whom we wouldnt be here ill give an opportunity to speak and afterwards go out and literally 0 break ground i want to acknowledge folks not speaking im not sure theyre here by representatives from Nancy Pelosis office and senator harris and there was a lot of work to be done at the freshen over the years and leader pelosi in particular was a huge comment thank her and stare half and at the state level hearing from the state a strong will be afforded when the item is reached in the meeting with the transportation and our legislatures want to acknowledge supervisor chiu and Supervisor Scott Wiener and a lot of folks made that happen but really the lead for this project has came into from right here in San Francisco and one of the hallmarks of our mayor has been to forge collaboration amongst city agencies within the government and with the community and because of complexity of that project there were probably a dozen city agencies and newcomers state agency and the federal government as well as important stakeholders including some of the ones that occupy the building around where were standing it took that kind of collaboration in other words, to get to this point i want to start off by introducing the mayor of San Francisco mayor ed lee. clapping. thank you ed reiskin good morning, everybody. Welcome to the groundbreaking of our van ness corridor bus Rapid Transit i want to say thank you to everyone on stage and offstage since 2003 with the prop k been working hard to get this project done well and right a lot of Community Groups thank you, again to the mta to the commissioners, staff, who working hard to get a lot of views settled but our county transportation agencies and state and federal partners that are part of funding and vision zero of of this our regional mta as well because the state road were still on a lot of people here talking today and ive been told in no Uncertain Terms to keep my remarks under two minutes ill let them talk about all the benefits of bus Rapid Transit and all the advantages as a city what im also exciting to talk about is that were going to have better lighting along this wonderful avenue closing in the very lengthy distance for people to cross better lighting, better walk abilities more bounce on the street will be improvements i think that People Living and walker users this corridor will have a great benefit but also existed to say as your formerly c p w infrastructure person in the city excited to see four more miles of water sewer piping underneath more miles of sewer and stormwater pipelines underneath they wont leak nor break theyll be new 2000 new feet of our auxiliary water system been also underneath this is try infrastructure and i think im making a point that is when we tear up the roads and side medium and do all the traffic relayed improvements were now improving as a city while were there lets take care of what is underneath we never do the that in the past ive not seen an vastly improved and safer avenue an avenue that serves thousands of People Better because of bus Rapid Transit but all the other smart things were doing to include and work underneath while we have at the medium and sidewalks opened up thats Real Progress for a city like San Francisco and, yes well take that as a thank you with that my two minutes are are up lets get the dirt digging and the project done thank you. clapping. thank you, mr. Mayor that is from to have a mayor who was a public works go director not on exciting stop i like hearing the mayor get exist bye about the sewers and other things and the benefits the lighting benefits and go, of course, the traffic and transit benefits a project of this scale was dont happen without the locate leadership were pleased to be joined spy the president of the board of supervisors would grew up not far from the street a great leader and supporter of transit in district 5 and across the city please join me in welcoming president of the board of supervisors london breed. clapping. good morning, everybody. Well, ive had the prestige of riding the 47 and 49 along the van ness beyond a reasonable doubt or corridors when i went to Galileo High School although the next generation of young people wouldnt use the excuse that muni was late when i did back then we are doing what we can to make sure their arriving on time 16 thousand people that use this line gets to work on time and school and get to their designations and thats what this project is about yes, we made mistakes long ago before any any of us were born when we didnt underground the Traffic Systems that is expensive along the central subway and the bus Rapid Transit is reliable it is not underground but a way to speed up up the line and based on the initiatives preliminary numbers that will change the travel time by over 32 percent thats big that is big when you rely on muni to get you back and forth every single day to our example work and designation one of the most important projects in the city and i cant wait until that happens because it is going to make a huge difference address isly with improvements comes sacrifice so for the next 3 years well have sacrifice do send me emails complaining when it is done youll thank us to create something great for the future thank you all so much. Thank you supervisor president london breed. One of our Main Partners is the community of Transportation Authority they lead the first phase the planning and get United States to e got us to a point theyre a Strong Partner and were pleased to be joined by now the chair of the Transportation Authority who during his first couple of terms in office sat at the Transportation Authority when the project was coming to light please help me welcome chair the ta Commission Supervisor peskin. clapping. thank you, ed and by way of the history didnt start during my first term in 2000 behind us this was the firebreak from the 1906 San Francisco earthquake o were on time and on budget so with little disruption there will be disruption weve been doing a lot of outreach with the community to best manage and might mitigate one of the unique aspects of this project as you heard most of us feel like van ness is a San Francisco city street that is our street and while that themselves that way technically this is the state highway so the street didnt belong to us this street belongs to the state of california so were very grateful to have as we do with the federal government a great partner in the State Government maneuvered in the leadership of the district 4 director of caltrans who with his staff we work closely at the levels of detail to make sure that design will work for the state highway so i want to thank him and his staff for the great work and please join me in welcoming for caltra caltrans. Thank you, ed good morning mayor and supervisors and distinguished guests and agencies and staff and members of the public it is a pleasure to be here today to join all of you as we break ground for the first brt project in San Francisco weve been wanting to reach this milling and reaching this point in the project is reflective of the tireless work for the federal and state and redeeming level those who had the vision for the project those who helped fund it can and the great staff of all agencies that naektd in through the maze of approval necessary for us to reach this point as was stated earlier van ness project brt utilities the dedicated places separated from the paragraph on the u. S. 101 will be used by muni and golden gate Transit Route 101 and then van ness is a regional important route serving 45 thousand people driving on this road everyday and helps navigate those people from the peninsula to the south side and to the north and also obviously the main street in the city of San Francisco lined with mixed use and other mixed use spaces that will enhance the traffic separation within the two mile corridor that will separate transit from auto and stations between traffic times