Fort Collins Climate Action Plan2010 Status Report Executive Summary

2010 Status Report EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

July 2011

Executive SummaryFort Collins Climate ProtectionClimate change poses a real and serious threat to the world at large and to the quality of life that we value in Fort Collins. Climate change can affect us locally by contributing to more frequent and severe storms, increased drought and risk of forest fires and changes in the timing and amount of spring runoff.

Impacts in Colorado include:

• Since1900,theaverageannualtemperatureinFortCollinshasincreasedby4.1°F.

• Precipitationhasgenerallyincreasedinthestate’shighaltitudes(5–20%inthe20th century) and decreased slightly in the leeward Eastern plains.

• Overallsnowpackhasdecreasedandearlierspringmeltingoccursinthe Rocky Mountains.

• Coloradoskiareasarepredictedtolose50-80%oftheirsnowby2085,havinghugeimpactsonthestate’stourismindustry.

Because local governments like Fort Collins make critical decisions on land use, transportation and energy choices that affect carbon emissions, we can affect our carbon footprint. Reducing the community carbon footprint brings many benefits including reducing exposure to risk from a changing climate. Doing so also allows us to capitalize on local green technology research and development, and to be prepared as carbon regulations come into force.

FortCollinshasa10-yearhistoryofembracingapragmaticapproachtoclimateprotection called “No Regrets.” This approach entails making economically sound choices to curb greenhouse gas emissions, while providing multiple benefits to the community and support for existing community goals.

In 2008 City Council adopted new carbon reduction goals for the Fort Collins community. The 2020 and 2050 goals align with goals established for the state of Colorado.

Fort Collins GHG Emissions and Goals

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20052012 Goal-3% below 2005

2020 Goal - 20% below 2005

2050 Goal - 80% below 2005

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Fort Collins Climate Stewardship Fort Collins greenhouse gas emissions are now 11% lower than they were in 2005, despite a population growth of 13%.

Core community emissions (electricity, natural gas and vehicle travel) dropped by 5%.

And, during 2010, Fort Collins was ranked 4th Best Place for Businesses and Careers (Forbes, April 2010) and 6th Best Place to Live in the Nation (Money Magazine, July 2010), confirming that carbon reductions and high quality of life can, and do, go hand in hand.

Someofthedropisnodoubtattributabletotheeconomicdownturn.Communitiesaround the country are seeing decreases in solid waste as people buy less and construction declines. High fuel prices lead people to drive less. But some of Fort Collins’dropisrightlyattributabletoprogramsandeffortsofmanyinthecommunity.Pay-As-You-Throwtrashpolicies,energyefficiencyawarenessandrebates,andrenewable energy increases all contribute to the drop in greenhouse gas emissions.

This is good news for Fort Collins.

Fort Collins Population, and Emissionsand Regional GDP

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5 Fort Collins-LovelandGDPPopulationGHG Emissions

Fort Collins Community GHG Emissions

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Good News by the NumbersBetween2005and2010:

• TotalcommunityGHGemissionsdroppedby11%.

• Corecommunityemissions(electricity,naturalgasandvehicletravel)dropped by5%.

• PercapitaGHGemissionsdroppedby21%.

• Energyefficiencyprogramsavoidedmorethan60,000metrictonsofCO2ein2010.

• Percapitaelectricityusedroppedby9%.

• 6.5%ofourelectricityisgeneratedbyclean,renewableenergy.

• Annualtransitridershipincreasedby37%.

• Tonsofwastesenttothelandfilldroppedby45%.

• Communitywastediversionratehasincreasedto43%.

• ClimateWisepartnersavoidedmorethan136,000metrictonsofCO2e while savingmorethan$13Min2010alone.

• ThenumberofVanGovansincreasedby53%from2005.

• Transfortsawmorethan2millionridersin2010,a37%increasefrom2005.

TheFortCollinscommunitycollectivelyavoidedmorethan456,000metrictonsofCO2ein2010alone.Thesereductionsarecomparabletoavoiding:

• AnnualGHGemissionsofmorethan89,000passengercars

• Emissionsfromtheenergyusedin39,000homesforoneyear

• Carbonsequesteredinmorethan11milliontreeseedlingsgrownfor10years

• GHGemissionsavoidedbyrecyclingmorethan158,000tonsofmaterialeachyear

Air Pollution Benefits

2010climatemitigationactionsalsoreducedairpollutioninFortCollins:

• 127tonsnitrogenoxidesavoided

• 47tonssulfuroxidesavoided

• Carbonmonoxide,VOCs,andparticulates(tonsavoidednotquantified)

Fort Collins Per Capita GHG Emissions

21.1 20.8 20.518.9 18.5

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Action HighlightsEnergy PolicyTheprimarygoalsoftheEnergyPolicy(adoptedinJanuary2009)aretosustainhighsystemreliabilityandtocontributetothecommunity’sclimateprotectiongoalsandeconomic health.

KeyoutcomesfromimplementationoftheEnergyPolicyin2010include:

• 2010efficiencyprogramsavoidedmorethan20,500MWh,or1.4%ofthetotalcommunity electric use. This is equivalent to the annual electric use of more than 2,250typicalFortCollinshomes.

• 2010lifecyclecostofenergyconservedthroughefficiencyprogramswas3.8centsperkilowatt-hour,cheaperthananaveragewholesaleelectricitycostof4.5centsperkilowatt-hour.

• 6.5%ofourelectricityisgeneratedbyclean,renewableenergy.

• Localon-sitephotovoltaiccapacitygrewtomorethan350DCkWin2010.

• Efficiencyprogramsin2010generatedmorethan$13.7millioninlocal economic benefits through reduced utility bills, incentives, leveraged investment and indirect activity.

Morethan129,000metrictonsofannualcarbonemissionswereavoidedfromEnergyPolicy-relatedprograms.

Climate Wise

During2010theClimateWiseprogramgrewby54organizationstoinclude247localbusinesspartners.With74%ofpartnersreporting,thenumberofGHGreductionprojectsimplementedbyClimateWisepartnersgrewtoalmost1,000in2010.

In2010ClimateWisepartnersavoidedmorethan136,000metrictonsofCO2e. The projects saved the partners $13millionin2010alone,andmorethan$39millioncumulativelysincetheprogrambeganin2000.

WaterConservation:Cumulativesavingssince2000-6.3billion gallons of water.

ElectricalEnergy:Cumulativesavingssince2000-480,000,600kWh.

NaturalGas:Cumulativesavingssince2000-12,000,000therms.

Reduce,Reuse,Recycle:Cumulativesavingssince2000-170,000tonsofmaterialsdiverted(equivalenttotheweightof12,000TransfortCitybuses).

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Fort Collins Solid Waste Diversion

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Solid Waste/Recycling

FortCollinsdocumenteda19%dropintonsofgarbagecollectedin2010inthecommunity,adecreaseof30,000tonscomparedto2009.Recyclingvolumesgrewby1,005tons–about1%.

Thecommunity-widewastediversionratenowstandsat43%.CitizensofFortCollinsgenerated3poundsofrecyclingand5.1poundsoflandfillwasteperday,comparedtothestatewideaverage(2009)of1.7poundsofrecyclingand6.8poundsoftrashper day.

Localprogramsarecontributingtothereductions.In2010,54%ofFortCollinscurbsiderecyclersmoveduptolargerrecyclingpoly-carts.Citizensincreasinglyexpress interest in diverting more organics from landfill disposal, as evidenced in 2010bytwocompaniesinFortCollinsthatbegantoofferfoodscrapcollection/composting.

Transportation

Transfortridershiplevelsin2010reachedmorethan2milliontrips,a37%increasefrom2005.Ridershipinthe“GeneralPublic”sector(excludingstudents,seniorsanddisabledpeople)grewby68%inthesameperiod.At3.9milesperbustriponaverage,Transforthelpedavoidmorethan7.9millionmilesofvehiculartravelinFortCollinsin2010.

Alsoin2010,FortCollinsreceivedmorethan$895,000ingrantstoadvancebicyclinginthecity.Todate,morethan3,000residents,students,andvisitorshavebecomemembers of the Bike Library.

The2010“SafeRoutestoSchool”programincludedBiketoSchoolDayandweeklyWalkingandWheelingWednesdays.SchoolsiteauditswereconductedincoordinationwithPoudreSchoolDistrict,variousCitydepartments,andparents and students.

201020092008200720062005

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City of Fort Collins Municipal Greenhouse Gas Emissions

2020 Goal (20% below 2005)

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Municipal GHG Goals

City government provides numerous services to Fort Collins citizens and businesses, including electricity delivery; water treatment and delivery; wastewater treatment; trafficsignalsandstreetlights;constructionandmaintenanceofparks,naturalareas,roadsandtrails;andrecreationfacilities.MunicipalGHGemissionsare2%ofcommunity emissions.

In2009,theCityofFortCollinssetagoaltoreduceGHGemissionsfrommunicipaloperationsatleast2%peryearstartingin2009inordertoachieveareductionof20%below2005levelsby2020;ultimatelytoachievecarbonneutralityforthemunicipal organization.

2010 Municipal Progress

• Netmunicipalemissionshavedeclined10%from2005.

•Percapitaemissionshavedeclinedfrom.39MTCO2ein2005to.31MTCO2e in 2001,a20%decline.

This reflects conscious choices to reduce the carbon footprint of the organization, increasedoperationalefficiencies,andfinancialsavingsthroughlowerutilityusagetodeliver services.

City of Fort Collins 2010 Action Highlights

•AsolarthermalsystemthatcapturessunlighttogenerateheatwasinstalledatEPIC.Itisexpectedtosave$8,500peryearinheatingbills.

• A5kWPVsystemwasinstalledattheCityofficebuildingat215N.MasonSt.

•TheFortCollinsMuseum/DiscoveryScienceCenterandtheLincolnCenterconstruction projects are being built to meet LEED standards for certification.

•Localon-sitephotovoltaiccapacityincreasedby374kilowattsin2010.Totalcapacityattheendof2010was711kilowatts.

•Anin-vesselcompostingsystemdemonstrationprojectwasinstalledusingfederal funding.

•BigBellySolartrash/recyclingcompactorswereinstalledatRollandMooreParkandOakStreetPlaza.

•Sixnewcompressednatural gas Transfort buses were placed in service.

•155employeesparticipated in Bike to WorkDay,avoiding782miles driven.

•Parks’electricgolfcarts avoided the combustionof2,000gallons of fuel.

ENERGY•Zerointerestloansforapprovedenergyefficiencyprojects,woodstoveupgradeorremoval,andradonmitigationsystems.

•$60subsidizedauditsthroughacontractedcompanyforUtilitieselectriccustomers.

•Rebatesforairsealing,insulation,newwindowsandmore(homeenergyauditsrequired).

•Rebatesupto$3,000forresidentialsolarpanels.

•TuneupyourACsystem&receivea$50billcredit.

•$25billcreditforpurchasingENERGYSTAR® qualified dishwashers.

•$50billcreditforpurchasingENERGYSTARhigh-efficiencyclotheswashers.

•SubscribetoUtilities’GreenEnergyProgramforrenewableenergy.

•TaketheFortZEDEnergyChallengepledgetoconserveenergy.

•PurchasediscountedCFLbulbsatlocalretailers.

WATER

•$35rebatetoreplaceawater-guzzlingtoiletwithaqualifiedWaterSense®-labeledmodel,andanadditional$15forrecyclingyour old toilet.

•Zerointerestloansforhighefficiencywashingmachinesandwaterservicelinerepair.

RECYCLING•VisittheRivendellRecyclingCenter(1702RiversideAve.),opendaylighthours7daysaweek.

•Takeadvantageofpay-as-you-throwratesbydownsizingyourtrashcanandorderingalargewheeledrecyclingcart.

•Participateintheleafexchange,wormexchangeandChristmastreerecycling.

•Geta$35billcreditforrecyclingyourrefrigerator/freezer.

TRANSPORTATION

•DiscountTransfortpassesareavailableattheDowntownTransitCenter.

•Checkoutregionalcarpoolmatchingandvanpooloptions.

•Takea“SafeRoutetoSchool.”

•JoinFortCollinsBikeLibrary,afreeservice.

P. O. Box 580Fort Collins, CO 80522

970.221.6600fcgov.com/climateprotection

Resources for Citizens to Reduce Carbon Emissions

Visit fcgov.com/green to learn more.