Los Angeles Administrative Code § 22.362 Climate Emergency Mobilization Office and Director.
Sec. 22.362. Climate Emergency Mobilization Office and Director.
There is hereby established a Climate Emergency Mobilization Office within the Department of Public Works to operate under the Board of Public Works’ authority.
The Mayor shall appoint a Director for the Climate Emergency Mobilization Office as an employee of the Department of Public Works. The Director shall have the power and duty, subject to limitations in the City’s Charter, Administrative Code, and Municipal Code, and without conflicting with the lawful and necessary conduct, duties, and operations of other boards, offices, departments, agencies, and bureaus of the City as provided by law, to do the following:
(a) Manage the Climate Emergency Mobilization Office to plan and coordinate the City’s climate, toxic pollution, and resilience responses with a strong environmental justice and worker focus including, as follows:
(i) Preparing strategic implementation plans and timelines;
(ii) Measuring and tracking ongoing greenhouse gas emissions and toxic pollutants;
(iii) Developing emergency and non- emergency climate mitigation;
(iv) Developing annual climate emissions and toxic pollution budgets;
(v) Developing resilience and adaptation programs;
(vi) Coordinating public education and outreach stakeholder processes through community assemblies and the Mayor’s Sustainability and Resilience Offices, scientists, social and environmental justice advocates, local labor unions and union federations, the Neighborhood Council Sustainability Alliance, local Non-Governmental Organizations, neighborhood councils, homeowners’ associations, and business groups;
(vii) Identifying and pursuing grant funding opportunities;
(viii) Identifying critical research needs and recommending key studies;
(ix) Integrating environmental justice considerations into programs, policies, and activities in the region to improve the environment or public health in communities and stakeholders disproportionately burdened by environmental harms and risks;
(x) Addressing environmental justice by ensuring meaningful involvement in the City’s decision-making, building capacity in disproportionately burdened communities, and promoting collaborative problem-solving for issues involving environmental justice;
(xi) Strengthening partnerships with communities and organizations regarding environmental justice and climate emergency issues; and
(xii) Enhancing research and assessment approaches related to environmental justice and the climate emergency.
(b) Cooperate with departments in the City to facilitate a focused and collaborative approach among departments to climate crisis and toxic pollution mitigation and adaptation and responding to climate events, without conflicting with the lawful and necessary conduct of departments’ duties and operations as provided by law;
(c) Respond to direction and advice, including through reports and other documents, from the Mayor and City Council, including items from the Climate Emergency Mobilization Commission, as established under Chapter 35 of Division 22 of the City Administrative Code, or any successor commission thereto, that are approved by the City Council and/or the Mayor for action by the Climate Emergency Mobilization Office; and
(d) Prepare and submit reports to the Climate Emergency Mobilization Commission, as established under Chapter 35 of Division 22 of the City Administrative Code, or any successor commission thereto.
(e) Serve as the City’s designated Chief Heat Officer, with the Climate Emergency Mobilization Office having the responsibility of developing and regularly updating a Heat Action Plan, which at a minimum includes establishment of an early warning system, interagency emergency response plan, and opportunities to reduce exposure from extreme heat events using long-term strategies to protect communities, especially within the City’s most vulnerable areas, through collaboration with other City departments, local agencies, and non-governmental partners.
SECTION HISTORY
Chapter and Section Added by Ord. No. 187,126, Eff. 8-8-21.
Amended by: Subsec. (e) Added, Ord. No. 187,637, Eff. 12-5-22.