…Title
Request for ESB Support on the Climate Action Plan and Target to Achieve Carbon Neutrality by 2050
…Recommended Action Motion
I move the Environmental Sustainability Board recommends adoption of the Climate Action Plan and target to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 as presented and requests staff forwards the recommendation to County Council for consideration.
...Body
While the County has been working on sustainability initiatives for decades, a more formalized and focused effort began in December 2020, when a group of concerned Los Alamos County residents submitted a petition to the County Council requesting action on climate change. This petition led to the formation of the Los Alamos Resiliency Energy and Sustainability (LARES) Task Force and a County Council initiative to provide key recommendations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Central to LARES Task Force recommendations was the need for a comprehensive GHG inventory and climate action plan, marking the start of this initiative.
In the summer of 2023, the County hired climate action experts Cascadia Consulting Group to lead this process. The process began by conducting three greenhouse gas inventories - Sector Based Emissions Inventory, County Government Emissions Inventory, and Consumption Based Emissions Inventory. These inventories, along with baseline policy assessments, greenhouse gas and action modeling, and cost analysis, provided a basis for setting targets and identifying actionable climate measures.
Public engagement played a pivotal role throughout the plan’s development. Community input was gathered throughout the entire process including public meetings, focus groups, one-on-one interviews with community partners, community survey, County employee survey, community workshops and an online forum for public comment. Public input was carefully integrated and significantly and shaped the 41 climate actions presented in the final plan.
Looking ahead, the recommended next steps are to adopt the climate action plan and the recommended GHG emission reduction target to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. Additionally, the County Council is encouraged to address the Board of Public Utilities goal to phase out natural gas by 2070. After careful consideration, staff recommends maintaining the goal for residents, while accelerating the natural gas phase-out target for County facilities to 2050 in alignment with the CAP recommendations.
Environmental stewardship has been a core value for Los Alamos County and its residents. Over the past decades, the County established various environmental programs in response to community support for sustainability including free public transit, multimodal pathways, recycling initiatives, wildlife education, wildfire mitigation, water conservation and renewable energy investments. Recently, the County Council funded additional initiatives aimed at advancing climate resilience including expanding EV charging infrastructure, a Fleet Conversion Plan and Community-Wide EV Charging Plan, enhanced outreach to foster climate literacy, and the appointment of a Senior Project Manager to drive implementation of key climate projects.
The climate action plan provides a focused roadmap, enabling the County to implement effective, targeted policies and programs to reduce emissions and strengthen community resilience. By adopting this plan Los Alamos will not only advance its climate goals but also set a powerful example for communities seeking to make impactful strides in combating climate change and inspire broader change.
...Attachments
A - Climate Action Plan Presentation
B - Final Climate Action Plan
C - Final Climate Action Plan with Appendices
D - BPU Response to Council Questions
D - Public Comment on Draft CAP