Helping Central Valley Cities Reduce Greenhouse Gasses

HealthyCal
March 24, 2011
by Derek Walte

California cities face a daunting deadline. Within nine years they must make a significant reduction in the pollutants that create the state’s carbon footprint. The target of 2020 to make a 15 percent cut in greenhouse emissions may seem a long way off. Yet the Great Valley Center, a Modesto-based not-for-profit, wants to help cities take action now.

They recently launched the Green Communities program, which helps city governments create plans to reduce their emissions and increase energy efficiency. The initiative, funded by PG&E and the California Public Utilities Commission, will help cities and counties acquire a detailed list of greenhouse gas emissions and identify ways to reduce them.

“We recognize the smaller cities don’t have the money, the staff or the resources to say, ‘Hey we want to look at climate change’ and start addressing this issue,” said Stacey Shepard, the program coordinator.

Many smaller municipalities do not have the kind of resources or personnel available to undertake a large-scale inventory of their energy usage, Shepard said. Finding solutions often takes years of research and changes to city operations, something that smaller communities don’t necessarily have the staff power to handle.

The legislation that is driving this initiative is known as the Global Warming Solutions Act (also referred to as AB 32). Its aim is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in California back to 1990 levels. The California Air Resources Board includes a broad definition of emissions targeted for reduction, such as electricity generation, large industrial sources, transportation fuels, and both residential and commercial use of natural gas.

Read more: http://www.healthycal.org/helping-central-valley-cities-reduce-greenhouse-gasses.html