Boulder getting to work to combat global warming

BOULDER – Known for its environmental focus, Boulder is pioneering an effort to reduce the carbon emissions of its residents and businesses.

With voter approval of the Climate Action Plan Tax last November, Boulder is the first municipal government to impose an energy tax on its residents to directly combat global warming.

The tax will be used to fund Boulder’s Climate Action Plan, which was approved by the Boulder City Council in June 2006. The plan is a roadmap to meet the goals of the Kyoto Protocol to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 7 percent below 1990 levels by 2012. The main strategies outlined in the plan are to increase energy efficiency, promote renewable energy and alternative vehicle fuels and reduce vehicle miles traveled.

The tax will be based on the amount of energy used and is expected to generate about $1 million annually through 2012 when the tax is set to expire. Xcel Energy will begin collecting the tax April 1.

According to Boulder’s Office of Environmental Affairs, the average household will pay $1.33 per month and an average business will pay $3.80 per month. Xcel will then transfer the money to the city of Boulder in the form of a monthly check.

According to Sarah Van Pelt, environmental sustainability coordinator for Boulder’s Office of Environmental Affairs, the city will offer energy efficiency, renewable energy and transportation programs that will target residential and commercial sectors. Van Pelt said just over half of the funds will be devoted to programs for residents because the utilities already provide a lot of incentives for the commercial and industrial sectors to improve energy efficiency.

“Energy efficiency is our top priority because it has good payback,´ said Van Pelt. “By promoting energy efficiency, you reduce energy usage as well as energy costs.”

Boulder will continue its energy audit program, including providing follow-up phone calls and lists of contractors who have gone through training programs coordinated by Boulder. It will continue its program of performing energy audits and improvements for low-income residents.

On the business side, Boulder will be partnering with Boulder County to offer a full-service energy audit program for small businesses, which will prioritize recommendations, identify contractors to make improvements and oversee the work.

Van Pelt said most of the programs should be available in March. The timing has been dependent on the initiation and renewal of contracts.

Jonathon Koehn, manager of the Office of Environmental Affairs, said his office will use some of the money to immediately hire key personal. The office is screening applicants for two positions. One will be dealing specifically with the transportation sector, working with GO Boulder and the Transportation Department to implement the components of the Transportation Master Plan.

The position’s focus will be to assist in reducing vehicle miles traveled and work on making alternative fuel resources available locally. The second position is a marketing and outreach coordinator that will work specifically on the Climate Action Plan and getting the word out to members of the community on how they can reduce their carbon footprint.

“We have the opportunity to do a lot of singles and doubles, but we’re going to need some home runs, some very bold initiatives, to meet our robust targets,” Koehn said.

Boulder will measure the success of its plan and programs by doing an annual emissions inventory.

The tax has sparked the interest of other communities in the United States and around the world. Several communities are starting to draft language for their own carbon tax.

“I believe one reason for the interest is because it is a very impactful way to maximize impact on carbon reductions,” Koehn said. “While what Boulder is doing has a small impact on global scale, it builds momentum. If what we do in Boulder encourages a program somewhere else, we’ve done our job. That’s really exciting.”

Taking action

Residents or businesses interested in programs offered by the city of  Boulder’s Climate Action Plan can contact the Office of Environmental Affairs at 303-441-4900 or visit its Web site at www.bouldercolorado.gov/environmentalaffairs.

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