Emile Callahan

This document outlines a vision for establishing a Carbon Management Business Park in Kern County. The plan aims to address land utilization challenges caused by the Sustainable Groundwater Act by centralizing clean energy and carbon capture and storage projects. Key focus areas include streamlining permitting for various clean energy industries, attracting green investments, and selecting industries compatible with regional water resources and environmental mitigation capabilities. The intended outcomes include generating significant property tax revenue and creating thousands of jobs, providing a sustainable economic future for the county.

This document outlines SoCal Gas's high-level vision for carbon management, specifically focusing on the transport of CO2. The core strategy involves owning and operating new CO2 pipelines, commencing with initial projects in Kern County, to establish an open-access common carrier system. This system aims to connect diverse CO2 capture sites, including direct air capture and industrial point sources like cement plants, to multiple sequestration sites. The overarching goal is to achieve California's target of 100 million tons per year of CO2 capture by 2045, emphasizing safe, equitable, and collaborative implementation.

The panel discussion focused on geologic underground storage, specifically Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS), highlighting recent innovations, ongoing challenges, and opportunities in the field. Experts discussed the potential for CO2 storage in Kern County, referencing a 2018 study on the San Joaquin Basin. Key challenges addressed included the potential for induced seismicity, necessitating thorough monitoring and characterization of faults. The discussion also covered the dual nature (blessing and curse) of idle and poorly abandoned wells, which provide critical geological data but pose potential pathways for CO2 migration. Furthermore, the panel explored risks associated with CO2 dissolving in groundwater, which can lower pH and mobilize heavy metals, referencing research where dissolved CO2's impact on groundwater chemistry was studied.

The forum included discussion of basic budget terms, general operating fund uses and sources, budget actuals, student tuition, campuswide financial aid, and the shortfall. It also covered working with mandatory salary increases, implementing a new instructional budget model, the role of enrollment, achieving a balanced operating budget, the Budget Advisory Committee, the budget advisory committee timeline, and the fiscal outlook. Budget advocacy was emphasized.

The open forum was held to gather input and feedback for the strategic plan of the university. The president emphasized the importance of collective vision, shared ideas, and the themes of excellence, partnerships, and community. The discussion included the future of academic programs, resource allocation, and land utilization. Opportunities for greatness were suggested, such as providing leadership and research for local challenges like air quality, climate change, transportation, and economic diversification.