BEYOND HYBRIDS AND LIGHT BULBS: BEST PRACTICES FOR CLIMATE CHANGE IN ALACHUA COUNTY

BUILDING A RESOURCE EFFICIENT AND RESILIENT COMMUNITY LAND USE, ENERGY POLICY AND TRANSPORTATION

June 24, 2008

Summary

Taking stock Where we are today? Where do we want to be?

Beyond low-hanging fruit, best policies and advice Land Use Energy Policy Transportation

Miami-Dade County: Miami-Dade County: Nonlinear rise of 3 to 5 Nonlinear rise of 3 to 5

ft by 2100.ft by 2100.

Potential capital losses

William D. Nordhaus. 2006. The Economics of Hurricanes in the United States. NBER 12813, 47pp.

Florida – Ground Zero

Alachua County

Charter date: 1987

Population : 240,764

Area (sq/miles):

961

County Seat:

Gainesville

Joined ICLEI CCP: 1999

Alachua County Climate ChangeLeadership Green

Infrastructure Investment Program Comprehensive

Plan Alachua County

Forever Land Development

Regulations

Collaboration Citizen Advisory

Boards Intergovernmenta

l Partnerships Intragovernmenta

l Organization

Inventory of Emissions

1999 County joins ICLEI Cities for Climate Protection – four of five stars by 2007Developed greenhouse gas inventory for Alachua County

Establish an emissions target: 20% reduction from 1990 levels by 2010.

Developed and obtained approval for Local Action Plan

Implemented policies and measures

Monitor and verify results (pending star)

Alachua County Carbon Liability

Linear projection of total tons of

carbon emissions based on 2001 GHG inventory.

1990 base year est to be 2.4 M

Tons CO2e

Community-wide Emissions by Source

1998 Alachua County

Community Greenhous

e Gas Emission Inventory by Source

Total Equivalent

CO2 Emitted:

2.8 M Tons

Source: 2001 Alachua County GHG Inventory

Community-wide Emissions by Segment

1998 Alachua County

Community Greenhouse

Gas Emission

Inventory by Community

Segment

Total Equivalent

CO2 Emitted: 2.8

M Tons

Source: 2001 Alachua County GHG Inventory

County Government Emissions

1998 Greenhouse

Gas Emissions

from Alachua County

Government Operations by Source

Total Equivalent

CO2 Emitted:

17,525 Tons

Source: 2001 Alachua County GHG Inventory

Mitigation - Can we do it?

William Chameides

Emissions for

“business-as-usual”

Emissions target

80% cut in emissions by

2060

We need at least 7 wedges (More than 7?)

Land Management(Green Infrastructure)

2000 Alachua County Forever land conservation program approved

Land Use – Green Infrastructure

Beyond the low hanging fruit 2002 Integrate ICLEI emissions target of 20%

reduction from 1990 levels by 2010 into the Comprehensive Plan

2006 County updates land use policies to promote infill development and green infrastructure

2008 Alachua County Forever protects 12,000 acres locking up 40,000 tons CO2 per year.

2008 NACo Achievement Award; Best in Category Green Infrastructure Investment Program

Approved 69 site plans, 2,038 acres*: 877 acres of green infrastructure set-aside (43%) 940 acres of pervious developed areas 221 acres (11%) of impervious area 67% tree canopy retained 540 acres of conservation areas (89% protected)

321 acres of strategic ecosystems 151 acres of listed species habitat 185 acres of wetlands preserved < 1/20th acre of wetlands impacted

* Results from March 2006 – April 2008

Alachua County Green Infrastructure from Land Development Projects

2003 New County Court House built to LEED Silver standard

Energy Policy

Beyond the low hanging fruit 2002 Energy Conservation for County Facilities

added to Comprehensive Plan 2003 Energy Conservation and Resource Reduction

Program to conserve and cut energy usage by 1/3 2003 Landfill gas to energy project 4,179 tons CO2

Offset per year and 57,120 tons CO2e for methane 2003 New County Court House built to LEED Silver

standard. 2005 electronic ballasts and CFLs saves $330k and

approximately 98 tons of CO2; Energy performance contracting saved $118k

Hybrids – First Toyota Prius purchased 2000

Transportation

Beyond the low hanging fruit 2001 County bus

passes for employees As of 2007 Gainesville

RTS 8.9 million passenger trips offsetting 6,150 tons CO2/year

As of 2007 14% of the County cars, trucks or utility vehicles are either hybrid or pure electric

2008 FloridaWorks GreenRide web-based carpool matching service

2008 Bus Rapid Transit integral part of mixed use development, Newberry Village

2008 MTPO Investigates Peak Oil for long range transportation model – First in the Southeast

Conclusion

Land Use: Value Green Infrastructure; especially wetlands

Energy Policy: Energy conservation for County structures, LEED Standards

Transportation: Multimodal transportation; walk; bike, bus and bus rapid transit ; Prepare for Peak Oil

Start now Ask for help Involve and educate your

citizens Have land use policies

that address climate change

Measure your performance

Be ready for the benefits of coming carbon markets (and your community’s carbon liability)

Best Policies to reduce CO2 Best Advice

Resources

Alachua County Website www.alachuacounty.us

Alachua County Comprehensive Plan http://growth-management.alachua.fl.us/compplanning/compplanning_index.p

hp

Alachua County Environmental Protection Department www.environment.alachuacounty.us

Climate change and land use in Florida: Interdependencies and opportunities http://www.alachuacounty.us/assets/uploads/images/epd/documents/ECSC/Mul

key.pdf

Potential for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy to Meet Florida's Growing Energy Demand http://www.aceee.org/pubs/e072.htm

Opportunities for Greenhouse Gas Reduction Through Forestry and Agriculture in Florida http://snre.ufl.edu/research/greenhouse.htm