Rochester Mayor Kim Norton is putting Rochester on a path to address climate change and make an equitable transition toward a clean energy future. The city’s co-designed task force is engaging with the community to forge the path ahead, and their new Sustainability and Resiliency Commission will prioritize their 107 delineated goals and recommendations. The city council, in agreement with the municipal power agency, agreed to move to 100% renewable energy by 2030 and transition the city and downtown into a geothermal energy district. Additionally, the city has adopted GHG standards, a new development code, a universal transportation plan, and is moving toward required benchmarking for buildings citywide (after a successful voluntary effort of well over 100 buildings).

Norton helped secure a federal Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant funding for education and outreach to diverse and underserved community members to ensure their participation in the clean energy future. And have also secured $2 million in federal funds for a district energy project.

Impact:

The city has found that the cost of the energy transition, despite some initial concern over costs, is often cost-neutral and may even be lower due to the federal funding opportunities. Several of the buildings have seen marked decreases in energy use. Norton’s efforts have helped to increase solar uptake by residents, which is expected to increase further with federal funding and ongoing community education efforts.

Colorado State Senator Chris Hansen introduced Senate Bill 23-016 which will help the state achieve emission reduction goals through a comprehensive approach addressing many sectors of the climate crisis. The bill activates every part of the economy to mitigate the climate crisis, incentivizing action from individuals, businesses, and state regulators. 

The bill advances bold greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction goals and provides incentives to reach them, such as a 33% tax incentive for individuals to transition to electric lawn equipment and a new authority of the energy and carbon management commission to promote carbon capture and storage (CCS) in Colorado. 

The bill also establishes a requirement of the Air Quality Control Commission to establish a first-of-its-kind fee/ton on GHGs, a requirement of the Public Utility Commission (PUC) to consider and prioritize transmission line upgrades, and a requirement of the Public Employees Retirement Association to describe its climate-related investment risks, impacts, and strategies.

In addition, the legislation promotes renewable energy, including the recovery of wastewater thermal energy by allowing it to be included in utilities clean heat plans, a clause to prevent Home Owner Associations (HOAs) from disallowing heat pump systems, and a new fee for utilities if they are slow to interconnect distributed generation sources (e.g., rooftop solar systems).

Impact:

The bill will be successful if Colorado is on track to meet its emission reduction targets measured against its next interim target (26% reduction from 2005 levels by 2025). Also, if the state reaches its EPA ozone attainment levels, if there is additional transmission capacity added to existing lines to create a more resilient grid, and if we see geothermal, heat pump, and CCS projects built throughout the state.