Boulder County municipalities awarded climate grants

BOULDER — Cities and towns in Boulder County have been awarded about $600,000 in Environmental Sustainability Matching Grants.

“The grant program provides funding to governmental organizations in Boulder County for environmental sustainability projects,” county officials said in a news release. “In addition to supporting local efforts, Boulder County’s Environmental Sustainability Matching Grant Program leverages community resources for a coordinated, countywide approach to environmental sustainability.”

Projects, according to a Boulder County news release, supported by the grants include:

• Boulder: $211,774 to launch a pilot incentive program to support the adoption of electric commercial-grade landscaping equipment by landscaping service providers. 
• Erie: $25,980 to offer water conservation rebates as well as water conservation services in partnership with Resource Central. 
• Jamestown: $13,062 to support diversion of waste from the landfill through the continuation of recycling and hard-to-recycle material diversion.
• Lafayette: $61,437 to support four projects, including updating the community-wide sustainability plan, supporting a community-wide greenhouse gas inventory update and piloting an electric bike incentive program.
• Longmont: $194,233 to support three projects, including addressing resilience to extreme heat due to climate change through building electrification and natural climate solutions, increasing waste diversion by supporting recycling and composting at schools, adding recycling bins in parks, and increasing energy efficiency and renewable energy generation at municipal facilities. 
• Louisville: $41,285 for the continued support of a sustainability coordinator position to implement Louisville’s Sustainability Action Plan, make progress toward climate action goals, and maintain regional partnerships. 
• Lyons: $15,000 to hire a consultant to research approaches to increase the community’s use of renewable energy.
• Nederland: $15,000 to continue contracting with a sustainability expert for program management, sustainability expertise, and streamlined communication to the town and community.  
• Superior: $25,500 to support innovative nature-based solutions to manage ponds and water quality without harmful chemical applications, a community sustainability event in partnership with nearby municipalities, and a part-time sustainability fellowship. 

“Boulder County is proud to have so many communities with progressive ideas that advance sustainability and climate action,” Boulder County senior sustainability strategist Lea Yancey said in the release. “The county looks forward to seeing these grant-winning projects come to fruition in the coming year.”

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