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Show SALT LAKE CITY'S LOCAL CLIMATE ACTION PLAN: REAL ACTIONS, REAL RESULTS, No EXCUSES Ross C. "Rocky" Anderson Another major benefit of our actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions is the benefit to air quality. Although surrounded by some of the most pristine wilderness anywhere, Salt Lake City faces serious air quality issues. This summer alone, we had a record 15 days of poor air quality warnings. In our region the urban pollution problem is compounded by a winter temperature inversion that traps pollutants in the valley and creates a serious health risk for valley residents. Not only is public health at risk; poor air quality is damaging to economic development. The measures taken under the Salt Lake City Local Climate Action Plan will improve our air quality, create greater opportunities for economic development, and serve the international community by reducing our contribution to global warming. MAJOR SALT LAKE CITY GOVERNMENT CLIMATE PROTECTION INITIATIVES 22 High Performance Buildings Initiative 22 Energy efficiency retrofits 22 Renewable energy sources 22 Alternative fuel vehicle fleet and right-sizing 22 Corporate recycling 22 Methane recovery at the landfill and water treatment plants In Salt Lake City, local government does not encourage citizens to take any actions regarding climate protection the municipal government is unwilling to take itself. Projects that are part of Phase 1 will set standards for responsible growth and resource use in Salt Lake City in the future. Our High Performance Buildings Initiative has created practical guidelines to promote the construction and retrofit of buildings designed for high performance and efficiency. All buildings constructed by the City or using city funds will adhere to guidelines designed to conserve energy, water and material resources, and utilize materials produced in an environmentally responsible manner. New lighting retrofits at our city hall eliminated hundreds of tons of greenhouse gas emissions, while saving taxpayers more than $33,000. By reinvesting a portion of this money in pollution-free wind energy, Salt Lake City was able to make the largest purchase of wind power in Utah. All of this is accomplished without any net increase in expenditures and with a combined decrease of 559 Tons of equivalent COz. My personal car runs on clean natural gas and, according to EPA standards, is 97% cleaner than the gasoline model of the same type. Converting our municipal fleet to alternative fuel vehicles has been a high priority program that was kicked off this year with 5 natural gas capable cars. We are also reevaluating our fleet to make sure the size of the vehicle reflects the use. With a new city-wide recycling program, we have been able to increase the amount of material being recycled in Salt Lake City by more than 60%. Finally, we are going to install methane recovery and cogeneration technologies at our city land fill and water treatment plants. CLIMATE PROTECTION SOFTWARE FROM THE INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL FOR LOCAL ENVIRONMENTAL INITIATIVES 22 Baseline Data 22 Emissions Target 22 Emissions Projections 22 Quantification of Measures 22 Monitoring and Reporting We cannot determine if we are meeting our commitment to the Kyoto Protocol without the ability to establish a baseline emissions inventory and monitor our progress. Salt Lake City has found the Cities for Climate Protection "Climate Protection Tool Kit" and "Climate Protection Software" invaluable to the implementation and success of our action plan. To use the software tool, Salt Lake City input information regarding the amount of electrical and natural gas consumption, vehicle fuel use, and the cost of using these resources during 2001. The software returns specific and accurate information on carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide, sulfur oxide, carbon monoxide, Volatile Organic Compounds, and particulate 64 |