What We Need: Aggressive action to curb greenhouse gas emissions and strengthen climate resilience by implementing the Climate and Energy Action Plan, engaging community partners, developing innovative programs, and promoting a green economy.

Climate change is here and we are seeing the signals in the form of higher temperatures, greater wildfire risk, summer smoke, and rain coming in harder bursts. As a climate adaptation planner by profession, addressing the climate crisis is a primary goal of my service to the Ashland community.

Our Climate and Energy Action Plan (CEAP) includes some of the strongest, science-based targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the nation. It also includes specific steps to build our resilience against climate change impacts.

By setting this plan in motion, the Ashland community has committed itself to fully meeting the challenge of climate change over time.  

Climate change targets in the plan include:

• Reducing greenhouse gas emissions associated with City, residential, commercial, and industrial activities.

  • For the Ashland community: Reduce overall Ashland community greenhouse gas emissions by 8% on average every year to 2050.

  • For City of Ashland operations: Attain carbon neutrality in City operations by 2030, and reduce fossil fuel consumption by 50% by 2030 and 100% by 2050.

• Prepare the city’s communities, systems, and resources to be more resilient to the impacts of climate change. Much of this preparation is found in the City’s extensive wildfire risk reduction and water conservation programs.

The City has a Climate Policy Analyst who works to implement the energy conservation and renewable energy projects to help us meet our targets.

Progress

Over the past few years, the City has:

• partnered with Forth Mobility to install ten new electric vehicle (EV) charging stations at the City’s Service Center for its current fleet of electric vehicles as part of the City’s commitment to CEAP goals.

• expanded electric charging downtown

• applied for and received approval for a no interest loan from the USDA to develop a revolving loan fund to help residents and business owners conserve energy and develop renewable energy sources

• worked with Stracker Solar to install six 75kW solar units at the Civic Center on E. Main Street

• designated $1 million from the electric utility to help residents and business owners take advantage of the incentives found in the Inflation Reduction Act

• directed staff to move forward with ensuring that our new water treatment plant meets at least Gold Certification in the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure’s Envision Program

• secured state funding to repair Briscoe School, which includes funding to help the transition process from fossil fuels to electricity for the campusNext Steps

The City Council directed staff to move forward with developing ordinances that will address the health impacts of fossil gas (“natural gas”) appliances and reduce the continued expansion of fossil gas infrastructure in the City. This is particularly important given the amount of development we expect to happen in Ashland over the next ten years.

The USDA revolving loan fund program, coupled with the investment the city made in helping residents and business owners take advantage of the Inflation Reduction Act incentives, will be a game changer for our community, so it is a high priority alongside the ordinances that are in development.

Finally, the City must continue to work on its own emissions. Staff is currently preparing a Facilities Master Plan update that will integrate our goal of attaining carbon neutrality by 2030.

If there is one thing all policy makers across the world can agree on it is that our primary job as adults and decisionmakers is to leave to our children and grandchildren a world that can sustain them. This work is urgent and we must continue to move it forward in spite of the frustratingly slow pace of local government.