Draft Climate Action Plan City of Oak Ridge 11-18-09

1. Draft Climate Action Plan City of Oak Ridge11-18-09 Pat Imperato Oak Ridge Breakfast Rotary Club November, 2009

2. The members of the Oak Ridge Environmental Quality Board James P. Groton, chair Robert Kennedy, vice-chair Joan Nelson, secretary Boyd Carter Pat Fain Pat Imperato Bruce Nigh Fred Stephens Courtney Walls Joe Wood Chuck Agle, Liaison from Planning Commission Ellen Smith, Liaison from Oak Ridge City Council Mike Burns, Liaison from Oak Ridge High School Courtney Walls, Liaison from Oak Ridge High School

3. Directive from City Manager/City Council to EQAB • Conduct a baseline emissions inventory and forecast • Make recommendation on the adoption of • emissions reduction targets • Develop a Local Action Plan • Timeline • Financing mechanism • Implementation assignment • Public consensus • Make Recommendations that will help • green the City of Oak Ridge

4. Definition of Climate Action PlanA plan to identify and evaluate feasible and effective policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through a combination of public and private sector policies and programs

5. GHG Reduction Targets March, 2009 EQAB voted to recommend to City Council that the City Of Oak Ridge follow the Kyoto recommendations of achieving 80% reduction (govt. and community) in GHG by 2050 with an interim goal of 15% reduction by 2014.   Greenhouse gases (GHG): (carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, sulphur hexafluoride) and two groups of gases (hydrofluorocarbons and perfluorocarbons) US responsible for 36.1% of the 1990 emission levels.

6. Elements of a Climate Action Plan • Identify GHG emissions • Identify emission reduction targets • Identify mitigations strategies • to meet targets • Monitor results

7. Climate Action Plan is a significant component of a Sustainability Plan

8. Definition of Sustainability Meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs Sustainability is the capacity to endure

9. Three Pillars of Sustainability Social Economic Environmental

10. Elements of Sustainability Vision Results orientation Strategic financing orientation Adaptability to changing conditions ***Broad base of community support Key champions Strong internal systems Sustainability plan

11. Public Forum • January 17, 2009 • 100+ attendees • 450+ ideas

12. Data Evaluation • Data consolidation • Pair-wise analysis to determine prioritization • Criteria • Is it a critical public service? • Is it sustainable? • Does it improve quality of life? • Is it economically beneficial to residents? • Is it economically beneficial to business?

13. Sustainability Plan for the City of Oak Ridge Create a sustainable community by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and consumption of resources while delivering critical public services, enhancing quality of life and encouraging economic opportunities for our residents, businesses and future generations. Reduce Energy Consumption Revitalize the Built Environment Enhance the Business Community Conserve Natural Resources Educate the Public and Businesses

14. Reduce Energy Consumption Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions (GHGs) Promote the Production and Use of Local Food

15. 1. Reduce GHG Tactics • Minimize the need for power generation • Reduce vehicle miles traveled • Negotiate rate reductions with TVA • based on conservation • Improve/maintain efficiency of • conveyance of water & wastewater • *Power all city facilities with renewable energy Reduce Energy Consumption

16. 2. Promote Production • and Use of Local Food Tactics • Assist in advertising/promoting/expanding • locally grown food markets • Establish rules for allowing back-yard • chicken and egg production • Encourage backyard gardening and • community gardens Reduce Energy Consumption

17. Revitalize the Built Environment Revitalize existing residential and commercial properties Develop a master plan for transportation

18. Revitalize Existing Residential and Commercial Properties Tactics • Establish minimum building code compliance standards for reselling houses • Promote green neighborhoods • Provide incentives to develop gray fields (previously developed commercial properties) and brown fields • *Streamline permitting for green building/renovations • Retrofit municipal buildings to green building standards • Remove/renovate blighted residential/commercial properties • Use landscape architecture to connect residential, commercial and municipal areas • Incorporate green building practices into the waterfront park development Revitalize the Built Environment

19. 2. Develop a master plan for transportation Tactics • Reduce energy consumption by vehicular traffic • Provide streets that are safe, attractive, and provide comfortable access and travel for all users in a sustainable manner • Provide more opportunities for bicycling and walking to reduce vehicular use Revitalize the Built Environment

20. Enhance the Business Community Provide incentives to encourage new businesses that produce green services or products Encourage the development of people-powered- sports Increase the localization and velocity of money Support existing business operations

21. Increase the Localization and Velocity of Money Tactics • Identify local suppliers that can provide goods • and services to local businesses and • residents • *Create a campaign to encourage people to live • where they work • Incentivize local businesses to hire locally Enhance the Business Community

22. 2. Support Existing Business Operations Tactic Create a small business ombudsman to assist businesses with compliance with City ordinances Enhance the Business Community

23. 3. Provide incentives to Encourage New • Green Services or Products • Businesses Tactics • Promote start-ups, innovation and technology • transfer • Create and manage revolving loan fund to • support sustainable objectives • Network with existing companies to transfer • research outcomes into new local business Enhance the Business Community

24. Encourage the Development of People-powered-sports Tactics • Promote the features of the City’s natural • environment that are attractive to people • powered sports enthusiasts and • businesses • * Promote hosting people-powered sports • events in the City Enhance the Business Community

25. Conserve Natural Resources Improve air quality by reducing greenhouse gases Protect the natural environment Improve water quality and quantity Reduce Waste

26. Protect the Natural Environment Tactics • Increase carbon sequestration • Manage, increase and improve common • spaces and parks • Promote natural landscapes • Encourage backyard gardening • Expand litter control program • *Reduce street, parking lot and park • illumination to protect the night sky Conserve Natural Resources

27. 2.Improve air quality by reducing green house gases Tactics • Reduce vehicle emissions • Develop departmental GHG Reduction plans • Eliminate open burning Conserve Natural Resources

28. 3. Improve water quality and quantity Tactics • Mitigate storm water run-off • Establish engineered wetlands for health, • beauty, buffer, recreation, reduced sewer • load, run off filtration • Conserve water usage • Maximize recharge to the aquifer Conserve Natural Resources

29. 4. Reduce Waste Tactics • Re-initiate organic recycling • Partner with businesses to encourage • recycling at businesses • Partner with schools to encourage recycling in • schools • Recycle at all city facilities and public events • Amend policies to maximize purchase of • products with recycled content • Encourage zero waste at city sponsored events Conserve Natural Resources

30. Educate the Public and Businesses Develop more partners to promote sustainability Promote a greener Oak Ridge

31. Develop More Partners to Promote Sustainability Tactics • Identify and work directly with major • business/commercial energy consumers to establish • specific metric objectives; develop baselines and • data collection strategies • Promote sustainability initiatives practiced by the City • Provide incentives for organizations operating in the • city to develop their own sustainability • implementation plans • Partner with organizations to provide technical • assistance on green building • Provide incentives for citizens and businesses to buy • Green Power Educate the Public and Businesses

32. 2. Promote a Greener Oak Ridge Tactics • Develop presentations, seminars on • sustainability topics • Enhance City’s sustainability website • Develop multi-media education program on • sustainability • Stage major awards recognition ceremony at • Earth Day Educate the Public and Businesses

33. NEXT STEPS ??? • Presentation to City Council work • session • Revisions based on council input • Release of recommendations • Public forums • Referral to staff for recommendations • Council defines a process/timeline to • proceed