[FILLED] Help Us Achieve Our Ambitious Climate Goals

Host: City of South Lake Tahoe
Region: Northern California
Openings: 1
Project Focus: Climate Mitigation, Energy Efficiency, Infrastructure Development, including Broadband, Renewable Energy, Transportation / Mobility, Waste Management
Skills Needed: Project Management, Relationship Management, Community Outreach, Technical Writing, Critical Thinking, Self-Motivated

Service Needs & Plans

In this project, the Fellow will be working for the City of South Lake Tahoe, in the City Manager’s Department under the Sustainability Coordinator to help achieve climate goals and actions laid out in the Climate Action Plan and various City Council Resolutions. The City wishes to achieve equitable progress on implementing greenhouse gas reduction projects resulting in substantial emissions savings toward our science-based target. Our City is signatory to the United Nations 24/7 Carbon-Free Energy Compact, one of only three cities in the country. A lot of groundwork has been laid, and we are ready to implement impactful projects with the help of a stellar CivicSpark Fellow.

Project Description

1. Overarching goals of the project
Three projects:
•Energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies.
oMunicipal and community-wide energy efficiency and renewable energy installation
oAn informed public on progress achieving goals via website updates and short video production/coordination

•EV Charging Infrastructure
oUpdated municipal EV fleet transition plan
oInstallation of public and fleet charging infrastructure
oAn informed public on progress achieving goals via website updates and short video production/coordination

•Waste reduction
oVisitors and community members embrace the single-use plastic water bottle ban
oPublic is informed on progress achieving SB1383 goals

2. Role of the Fellow in the project
•Efficiency and renewables
oProject coordination in the form of meeting coordination, notes, follow up email, summaries, staff report preparation for council meetings.
oExploration of potential useful technologies and regulatory barriers.
oOutreach in the form of articles, social media posts, webpage updates.
oMetrics and measurement via GHG inventory coordination.
•EV Charging Infrastructure
oProject coordination with the City’s EV charging consultant.
oEV fleet transition research and procurement coordination.
oEV Microtransit charging infrastructure implementation coordination.
oOutreach in the form of articles, social media posts, webpage updates.
•Waste reduction
oProject coordination for installation of water bottle refill stations.
oWorking in tandem with the City’s waste hauler on community outreach and education.

3. Desired project outcomes in terms of resources developed (e.g., reports, plans, networks, etc.)
•Efficiency and renewables
oMunicipal renewable energy/storage project development
oGHG Inventory Report Update
oWebpage updates and video production/outreach on building decarbonization
•EV Charging Infrastructure
oUpdate of the City’s EV Fleet Transition Plan
oInstallation of fleet and public chargers
oInformation made accessible on City webpage
•Waste reduction
oBusiness community embraces single-use plastic water bottle ban and provides alternatives.
oWater bottle refill stations installed all around town.

4. How these resources will help increase the agency’s capacity to address the resilience challenges you described in the previous section.
•Efficiency and renewables
oIdentify and facilitate implementation of appropriate opportunities, which lowers emissions.
oEducate the public on residential opportunities for efficiency and renewables, which can influence adoption rates and, thus, emissions.
•EV Charging Infrastructure
oHelp the City procure light duty EVs and charging infrastructure, thus lowering emissions.
•Waste Reduction
oWith water bottle refill stations all around town, people will be less inclined to purchase bottled water from the valley that has been shipped to the headwaters, resulting in less plastic waste and emissions.

Desired Skills

  • Excellent verbal and written communication
  • Attention to detail
  • Ability to design and prepare public outreach materials
  • Ability to coordinate projects across internal and external partners
  • Ability to juggle and prioritize among multiple competing demands
  • Ability to work effectively with people from diverse cultures and backgrounds
  • Ability to work both independently and as part of a team
  • Eagerness to learn
  • Passion for climate action
  • Proficient in Microsoft suite

Organization & Community Highlights

Our City’s values are: accountability, communication, honesty, innovation, equity and inclusion, vitality, efficiency, and sustainability. Staff consistently demonstrate these every day. Our commitment to DEIJ is evident across our Strategic Plan, which makes up the workplan of the city staff: broadband for all; midtown revitalization; affordable housing; free microtransit; promoting biking; carbon neutrality; ensuring equitable recreation access; mental health and homelessness programs; hiring practices valuing inclusion and diversity; building a multicultural alliance; economic diversification and green jobs initiatives; resident retention and workforce development. People work hard, are great at their jobs, and thoroughly enjoy one another and the community we live in. The CivicSpark Fellow will be joining a diverse and supportive staff committed to excellence.

We are a 22,000 resident low-income community that hosts millions of visitors a year seeking world class ski or beach experiences. We are on the front lines of climate change and recognize our unique opportunity to be leaders. A respectful and productive City Council is engaged and committed to sustainability and climate solutions. The Sustainability Coordinator will work with the Fellow to shape the workplan to meet the needs and interests of the Fellow, and is committed to mentoring and launching the Fellow into their next position.

People move to this town because they fall in love with the beauty and the outdoor recreational opportunities. Bonding over weekend hikes and skiing is commonplace. Stewardship of the natural environment is a uniquely strong shared value across the community and across the workplace culture.

Remote or On-Site Placement

On-site

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