Glenwood Springs approves updated climate action plan

The Glenwood Springs City Council has officially approved an updated Energy and Climate Action PlanThe city's goal is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 60% by 2035, with 2022 as a starting point.

Glenwood Springs' first climate action plan was developed in 2009. City staff and consultants from CLEER and BlueStrike have been working on the new plan for the past year.

The city council voted unanimously for the new plan at its meeting on August 15.

Zuleika Pevec is with CLEER, which helped the city develop the plan. During the meeting, she said each goal is linked to strategies and actions the city must pursue. One example is a comprehensive goal of energy efficiency and conservation.

“One of the actions is to continue to work with us at CLEER to provide Glenwood Springs residents with rebates and other incentives to reduce their electricity use,” she said.

Another goal is to reduce emissions from employees’ commutes.

Proposed measures to achieve this goal include better options for bike commuters, including discounts on e-bikes, as well as discounts on RFTA bus fares and carpooling.

Rich Swanson of the group BlueStrike, which helped the city develop the plan, told the council that they wanted to make the plan achievable.

“For each recommended strategy, there is a lead department, a measurement of emissions impact potential, and a recommended start and completion year,” he said.

He said there is also a cost estimate and financing proposal for each strategy, which city officials can access in an online appendix with additional data and information.

Some city councilors expressed concern that the South Canyon landfill was not part of the plan, even though it accounts for 90% of the city's greenhouse gas emissions.

Instead, a separate mitigation plan will be developed.

This is because the city is working on current studies and measurements of pollutants such as methane at the landfill, and the state is issuing new landfill management policies and programs throughout the year.

The City Planning and Zoning Commission and all city department heads will receive a copy of the plan to better understand their role in implementing the strategies.