Lawrence City Officials Contemplate Energy Policies Amidst Sustainability Goals
In a recent meeting, Lawrence’s Environmental Sustainability Advisory Board (ESAB) and Mayor Brad Finkeldei delved into potential strategies for enhancing the city’s energy policies. The discussions centered around an energy benchmarking policy proposal and the future of the city’s existing clean energy ordinance.
ESAB members presented a comprehensive energy benchmarking policy to the mayor. This proposed policy would mandate certain property owners and landlords to annually disclose their energy consumption data, making it publicly accessible to ensure tenants are aware of their building’s energy efficiency.
“We think it’s really important that we do something to make the utility costs transparent to renters so that they can take into consideration the cost, not only of the rent, but also their utilities,” stated ESAB Chair Nancy Muma.
Proponents of the policy argue that it could incentivize landlords to enhance the energy efficiency of their properties, thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Mayor Finkeldei emphasized that any decision regarding the benchmarking policy should align with the city’s broader goals, particularly in light of budget constraints. He noted that any new initiative must be weighed against other citywide priorities, including existing energy and sustainability projects.
Currently, the city’s clean energy ordinance, Ordinance 9744, aims for 100% clean, renewable energy for municipal operations and citywide by 2035. However, there is an ongoing debate about possibly revising or repealing this ordinance.
“What are we going to do with 9744?” Finkeldei questioned. “What’s the goal going to be, and then how are we going to try to implement it?”
City sustainability director Kathy Richardson, along with other staffers, has expressed that the ordinance might be unachievable, suggesting instead a new resolution targeting climate neutrality by 2050. This could potentially align with the countywide climate plan that Lawrence is part of, which provides adaptable goals for each area.
Despite these challenges, ESAB members have drafted a letter to city commissioners advocating for a revision of Ordinance 9744 rather than its repeal, arguing that the ordinance’s failure stems from a lack of a concrete enactment plan.
As discussions continue, the board intends to collaborate with city staff to assess the feasibility of the benchmarking policy alongside other initiatives. They aim to determine which projects are most crucial and financially sustainable before making formal recommendations to the city commission.
Following the discussions, the board resolved to send their letter to the commission with minor adjustments. Board member Chris Reimer remarked on the potential outcome, stating that even if the ordinance is transformed into a resolution, it should not halt the progress towards developing actionable ordinances.
Original Story at lawrencekstimes.com