Title
Approval of Board Expenses for Member Heavner to attend the ECA Forum in May 2024.
Recommended Action
I move that the Board of Public Utilities approve travel expenses not to exceed $2,500.00 for Member Matt Heavner to attend the ECA Forum in Kennewick, WA in May 2024.
Utilities Manager's Recommendation
The Utilities Manager recommends that the Board approve the motion as presented.
Body
Energy Communities Alliance (ECA) is pleased to host the third annual ECA Forum with support from the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Energy. The only meeting designed to bring together DOE, federal, state, local and tribal governments and policymakers with developers, utilities, regulators, industry, and academia to identify opportunities, challenges and to build the partnerships necessary to support nuclear development.
Communities across the country are considering nuclear projects for many reasons - from diversifying regional economies, creating clean energy jobs or meeting carbon reduction goals, to increasing energy security and rebuilding the U.S. supply chain. Some communities have a familiarity with nuclear energy projects, while others are just beginning to evaluate potential interest. The ECA Forum is designed to enable shared learning so that local, State and Tribal governments evaluating nuclear projects can be meaningfully engaged - and prepared - to match the strengths and needs of their communities with new nuclear developers and opportunities.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND?
The ECA Forum is open to communities, State, Tribal and local policymakers, industry, utilities, developers, experts, financiers, state legislators, community groups, and economic development organizations working to build capacity and support for new nuclear development in the U.S.
AGENDA:
ECA, with support from the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Nuclear Energy, has developed an agenda that continues to look holistically at the what a nuclear project entails: from the front-end of the fuel-cycle to the back-end of the fuel cycle, from building local support, to state support and enabling legislation, from identifying the right public-private partnerships, to understanding regulatory oversight. Session topics include:
How to Build Community Acceptance
Reusing Energy Sites for New Nuclear Development
Understanding Industrial Applications of Nuclear Energy
Pursuing a Reliable, Domestic Nuclear Fuel Supply
Rebuilding the U.S. Nuclear Supply Chain
Utilities Manager Philo Shelton invited all Board Members to attend via email (see Attachments A & B.) The estimated cost for Member Heavner to attend is detailed in Attachment C.
Fiscal and Staff Impact
There is sufficient budget to cover these travel expenses. Los Alamos County is a member of the Energy Communities Alliance and will reimburse travel expenses for two participants. One County Councilor would also like to attend so Member Heavner could be the other reimbursed participant (see Attachment D.) There is no staff impact aside from assistance with travel arrangements and submission of the reimbursement request, which falls within the regular duties of the Executive Assistant.
Attachments
A - ECA Forum Email Invitation
B - ECA Forum Agenda
C - Member Heavner Travel Estimate
D - 2023 ECA Expense Reimbursement Form