2003 U.S. EPA CLIMATE PROTECTION AWARDS
Title of project or activity: Salt Lake City Local Climate Action Plan
Approximate date project began: 2001
Name of award nominee: Office of the Mayor, Salt Lake City, Utah
Address: Office of the Mayor, 451 S. State Street, Salt Lake City, UT 84111
Name of contact: Mayor Ross C. "Rocky" Anderson
Care of: Lisa R. Romney, Environmental Affairs Coordinator
Phone: 801.535.7939
Fax: 801-535-6331
Email: lisa.romney@slcgov.com
NOMINATED BY: Sue Gander
Organization/Affiliation: US EPA, Office of Atmospheric Programs, Global Programs Division, State and Local Capacity Building Branch
Address: 1200 Pennsylvania Ave, NW (6205J)
Washington, DC 20460
Phone: 202-564-3527
Fax: 202-565-2155
E-mail: gander.sue@epa.gov
REFERENCES:
Name: Sarah Wright
Land & Water Fund of the Rockies' Utah Wind Power Campaign
Address: c/o 917 2nd Avenue, Salt Lake City, Utah 84103
Phone: 801-673-7156
E-mail: utahwind@lawfund.org
Name: Ryan Bell or Abby Young
Organization/Affiliation: International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI)
Address: 15 Shattuck Square, Suite 215
Berkeley, CA 94703
Phone: 510-540-8843
Fax: 510-540-4787
E-mail: rbell@iclei.org/us or ayoung@iclei.org
Description
Salt Lake City Local Climate Action Plan
In February of 2002, on the eve of the 2002 Winter Olympics, Salt Lake City Mayor Ross C. "Rocky" Anderson announced a commitment to achieve a reduction in greenhouse gases of 7% below 1990 levels by 2012. This move was motivated by a recognition of the important role municipalities can play in addressing greenhouse gases (GHGs) as well as a concern with the potential impacts of climate change. Less than a year from announcing this commitment, Salt Lake City is well on its way to reducing its emissions through a comprehensive Local Climate Action Plan that incorporates a series of innovative and cost effective initiatives. These initiatives are expected to reduce GHGs from Salt Lake City by thousands of tons and will provide valuable examples for other cities and states around the country.
Salt Lake City's Local Climate Action Plan (attached) involves actions in a full range of categories, including transportation, energy, waste and forestry. It was developed under the Cities for Climate Protection Campaign, administered by the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI) and sponsored by the EPA.
Most of the actions identified by Salt Lake City are already well underway, and beginning to result in emissions reductions and cost savings, including: installation of 861 LED traffic signals (for estimated savings of 241 tons of CO2e and $32,901 in energy costs per year); conversion to energy efficient lighting in the City/County Building (for estimated savings of 344 tons CO2e and $33,368 in energy costs per year); and fuel switching to bio-diesel for airport ground service equipment (for estimated savings of 229 tons CO2e per year). (Estimated savings are for 2000 and are detailed in the attached spreadsheets, based on a model developed for ICLEI.) Other efforts that are underway include a purchase of 35,000 kWh of wind power each month; an initiative to convert the city's fleets to 100% alternative fuel vehicles; increased recycling efforts; a landfill gas project; a high performance buildings initiative and an urban forestry effort.
The outstanding leadership of Mayor Anderson and his office has been a critical part of making the Salt Lake City Local Climate Action Plan so successful. Helping to develop the plan and guide its implementation is a broad-based stakeholder group known as the "Green Team" that includes representatives from city/state agencies, industry, academia and environmental groups (see http://www.ci.slc.ut.us/environment/grenteam.htm). Part of a broader "Salt Lake City Green" initiative, the Local Action Plan is designed to help the city ensure a health and sustainable future. A key objective of City's efforts is to set an example to other cities by showing how they can achieve greenhouse gas reductions that are economically feasible and yield additional air quality and quality of life benefits.
As a leader on climate change whose efforts are leading to reductions in greenhouse gases and providing numerous examples for other cities to follow, I am pleased to nominate the Office of the Mayor, Salt Lake City, Utah, for the 2003 EPA Climate Protection Awards.
