Host: Placer County Community Development Resource Agency
Region: Northern California
Openings: 1
Project Focus: Climate Adaptation, Climate Mitigation, Disaster Response / Emergency Management, Energy Efficiency, Infrastructure Development, including Broadband, Public Health, Renewable Energy, Transportation / Mobility
Skills Needed: Community Engagement, Project Management, Data Analysis, Technical Writing, Communication, Flexibility/Adaptability

Service Needs & Plans

Placer County is currently seeking one fellow with an interest in long range planning with a focus on greenhouse gas emission reduction and climate resiliency. This position would focus on development and implementation of programs in the Placer County Sustainability Plan and would implement five to seven greenhouse gas reduction measures and climate adaptation strategies throughout their tenure.

Project Description

This position would focus on development and implementation of programs in the Placer County Sustainability Plan. This position would implement five to seven greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction measures, including an update to the GHG Emission Inventory, and climate adaptation strategies throughout their tenure, including the following:

A.Implement key GHG reduction programs within the Placer County Sustainability Plan. Work efforts would include:
1)Assist County staff with an update to the County’s GHG Emissions Inventory and prepare a report summarizing the key findings of the inventory. Learn how to utilize State guidance and quantification tools.
2)Work with County Staff and Stakeholders on the development of a local GHG offset program that supports and funds programs and projects that demonstrate locally sustained GHG emissions reductions and climate adaptation. Increase networking skills by conducting meetings and presentations.
3)Work with County Staff and Stakeholders to update the County’s Electric Vehicle Readiness Guide updating a site analysis for the expansion of new EV infrastructure by researching grid capabilities, GHG reduction benefits, and EV demand.
4)Research incentives and other resources to support and promote EV participation, renewable energy generation, battery storage, and increasing energy efficiency.
5)Launch a public outreach and education campaign to increase awareness and resources on energy efficiency, alternative transportation modes, reducing waste, and other GHG reduction efforts.

B.Implement key climate adaption strategies in Placer County Sustainability Plan. Integrate the results and adaptive policies of the climate vulnerability assessment into County planning documents, including the General Plan Safety Element, zoning ordinance, building code, and other relevant efforts. Work efforts would include:
1)Assist with the development of programs for wildfire protection such as biomass and fuel reduction programs.
2)Conduct a gap analysis of the codes and standards in local land development documents (County’s zoning ordinance (Chapter 17) and design standards) to identify the need for zoning ordinance and building code amendments.
3)Coordinate climate resiliency efforts with the California Tahoe Conservancy, Capital Region Climate Readiness Collaborative, the Sierra Climate Adaptation and Mitigation Partnership to assess climate change impacts and to develop and implement strategies.
4)Coordinate resiliency efforts with Placer County Resource Conservation District and Placer County Fire Safe Alliance to identify projects and promote programs to reduce wildfire risk.

C.The fellow may gain additional experience by utilizing various resources including: California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), CalEEMod, Cool California, ICLEI, and the California Natural Resources Agency documents, Implementation Action Plans and Climate Adaptation Planning Guide.

The proposed tasks for the 2023-2024 climate fellow will assist the County by documenting the County’s progress towards achieving its climate goals as outlined in the Placer County Sustainability Plan and to build a more resilient community.

Desired Skills

Desired Traits:

• Integrity
• Drive & Initiative
• Teamwork
• Communication
• Organization

Desired Skills:

Experience with Microsoft programs (Word, PowerPoint), and Canva or other artistic applications

Organization & Community Highlights

Placer County is located in northern California and is part of the Greater Sacramento metropolitan area. Stretches roughly 65 miles from the urban suburbs at Roseville, through the Gold Country Foothills, into the High Sierras of North Lake Tahoe all the way to the Nevada border.

With a diversity score of 89 out of 100, Bestneighborhood.org notes that Placer County is much more diverse than other US counties. The most diverse area within Placer County’s proper boundaries is to the southwest of the county.

Placer County integrates Race, Equity, Access, Diversity, and Inclusion within the workplace as well as the community. Placer READI is a committee group of Placer County behavioral health staff and community partners who represent the different and diverse groups in our community. Placer READI seeks to improve behavioral health services by being responsive to the cultural changes within the community. Placer READI encourages community member participation to help further the goal of reducing barriers to services by identifying and providing outreach to the underserved and diverse populations within the community.

Placer County also demonstrates its continued commitment to providing a healthy and professional environment to work in by hosting health events throughout the year. The County hosts ongoing learning sessions open to all staff (including fellows). These learning sessions include topics such as nutrition, financial wellness, presentation and writing courses, and fitness focused weeks.

Remote or On-Site Placement

Hybrid