EcoAction Partners: Survey Request for Public Comment on 2021 Climate Action Plan!

19 Feb EcoAction Partners: Survey Request for Public Comment on 2021 Climate Action Plan!

Telluride’s EcoAction Partners and the Sneffels Energy Board are excited to open their regional collaborative Climate Action Plan (CAP) survey to the public for comment and feedback. This survey is a part of the Ouray and San Miguel County Regional Climate Action Plan, completed in 2021. It sets the stage for the next decade of climate action across our region. The survey and full Climate Action Plan can be found at ecoactionpartners.org/cap

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The Climate Action Plan (CAP) is a regional roadmap for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and creating a sustainable future. The plan is meant to support the Telluride community in reaching its long-term goal of a 90% emissions reduction by 2050. The document also lays out the regional commitment to taking action across all greenhouse gas emissions sectors applicable to the region: community engagement and policy, energy supply, building energy use, transportation and aviation, waste, food, water, and land use. While looking ahead to 2050, the CAP presents 1-, 3-, 5-, and 10- year actions and goals to balance long-term planning with ongoing high-priority, actionable items.

In 2009, EcoAction Partners formed the Sneffels Energy Board to address sustainability at the regional level. In 2010, the Board established a baseline GHG Inventory from which to track progress toward 2020 goals and published the predecessor to this document, a collaborative Sustainability Action Plan. EcoAction Partners continues to update the GHG Inventory annually with available data, analyzes the results, and reports on progress to our communities. Our overall regional GHG emissions have decreased since 2010, despite an overall increase in fossil fuel consumption due to an increased economy, visitor numbers, and full-time resident population. The Telluride region has successfully reduced its energy use emissions by 20% through 2020, according to our 2020 GHG Inventory analysis.

The Climate Action Plan is meant to act as a guide for planning and implementing sustainability initiatives over the next decade across the region. EcoAction designed the plan to represent the needs and priorities of the diverse stakeholder groups across the space, and hope it can balance these interests and support the effective implementation of action items. The actions within this document represent more than GHG emissions reduction potential. The CAP looks at social, economic, and environmental benefits to our community and will support non-profits, community organizations, entrepreneurs, governments, individuals, and other groups in contributing to sustainable development across the region.

No matter how you engage with and participate in our community, this CAP provides an avenue to reduce GHG emissions, save money and improve our social environment. In adopting this document, we will create more inclusive planning and programming through increased community empowerment and engagement, which is why we need your help.

Please take the survey to help give direction and priority to what actions we pursue over the next decade. The survey is designed to capture your thoughts, ideas, and input as we begin to implement our regional Climate Action Plan.

Together, let’s create a sustainable future for our region!