Clean Energy Future for New Hampshire Communties

Problem

Climate change represents an existential threat to our environment, ecosystems, economy, and social structures not only in the United States but on a global scale. The current federal administration is engaged in a dramatic roll-back of common sense action to meet the challenge of climate change, abdicating leadership on both a domestic and international basis. As a result, climate leadership must be assertively pursued on a state and local level. Over 125 cities across the United States such as Concord, NH have committed to achieving 100% renewable energy generation by 2050 and are actively implementing projects to move towards this goal.

Solution

Concord, NH is providing leadership on both a municipal and statewide basis on practical solutions to meet the challenge of climate change while controlling our energy destiny, creating economic opportunity and jobs, and improving our environment. When the Concord City Council adopted the 100% renewable energy by 2050 goal, a process to create a detailed strategic plan was initiated through an intensive community input process. The plan covers three sectors -electricity, transportation, and thermal energy. Specific projects such as reforming zoning rules to encourage solar development and deploying utility scale solar projects on municipal properties are underway by city of Concord.

Concord, NH Ready for 100% Clean Energy

Problem

Climate change presents a variety of challenges to public health, the built environment, ecosystems, and cultural resources. In New Hampshire, climate change impacts include increased risks for asthma and other respiratory diseases, sea level rise that effects our coastal communties, more frequent and powerful storms, a steep decline in our moose population as a result of the proliferation of ticks, and the negative economic impacts on industries such as maple sugaring and winter sports. The significant reduction of carbon pollution is essential to meet these varied challenges.

Solution

Ready for 100 sets the goal of a community transition to 100% clean energy sources by 2050. This ambitious program will address climate change’s impacts on health, tourism, and natural disasters on a community level. In addition, the transition creates economic opportunities and job creation impacts by moving from a high carbon to a low carbon economy, and helps ensure Concord can be a leader in innovation.  We established the Concord Energy and Environment Committee (CEEC) to foster community involvement and innovation in meeting energy and environmental goals. CEEC will lead The Ready for 100 campaign and expand the involvement of business and community leaders in this effort.

HeatReady Phoenix

Problem

In 2007, Phoenix experienced 30 days of temperatures of 110 degrees or higher, a record that was matched in 2011 and 2016. During the past 20 years, the average nighttime temperature has increased by nine degrees. According to our research partners at Arizona State University, temperatures will continue to rise. Heat is both a public health and an equity challenge, disproportionately impacting low-income residents, seniors and people of color. Each year, 1,700 Arizonans visit the emergency room or are hospitalized for heat-related illnesses. In 2018, there were 182 confirmed heat-related deaths in Metropolitan Phoenix, according to our partners at Maricopa County Department of Public Health.

Solution

The first of its kind in the nation, HeatReady Phoenix is a platform to help identify, mitigate, track, and respond to the dangers of rising urban heat. This platform focuses on infrastructure, public transportation, housing, and shade, among other areas. Examples of prototypes tested include: a volunteer-led tree planting and maintenance program; volunteer outreach to connect low-income transit users to support during extreme heat events; the piloting of a misted bus shelter; removing regulatory barriers for manufactured shade in the right of way, among others. In collaboration with researchers at Arizona State University, we are developing a heat exposure simulation model that uses data to inform heat mitigation investment.

Resilient Zoning Code for a Coastal Community

 

Problem

Norfolk, a community with 144 miles of coast line, home to the largest naval base in the world and one of the busiest seaports in the country, is experiencing sea level rise, sinking land and more intense precipitation events, a combination which requires us to actively address flooding. Because of climate change, we are now planning for 1.5’ of sea level rise by 2050, 3’ by 2080 and 4.5’ by 2100. Tidal flooding is now regularly inundating areas, even on sunny days, referred to now as “nuisance flooding.” Because of climate change and increased and more intense precipitation, “rain bombs” are now dumping inches of rain in a short period of time, creating chaos and flooding that damages our structures.

Solution

Recognizing that Norfolk needs to learn to “live with the water,” we updated our zoning code to encourage and require flood-resilient development:
• elevated building requirements (between 16” to 3’ above base flood elevation)
• a Coastal Resilience Overlay (limited parking and impervious pavement, additional landscaping and open space); Upland Resilience Overlay (reduction of resilience requirements allowed in exchange for placing conservation easements on higher-risk properties)
• a “Resilient Quotient,: a point-based system for new development to mitigate risk (e.g. impact resistant roof and windows, storm shutters), sustainable energy (e.g. wiring for solar panel or generator); and stormwater (holding water on site after precipitation).

Rebuilding and Reenergizing the Building and Energy Codes

Problem

As result of a weakened MUBEC, contractors and developers could not rely on consistency. In one municipality, the building and energy code would be one thing and something totally different in another. Code enforcement officers and the industry both sought consistency. In addition, under the previous administration, the MUBEC was moved from the Department of Public Safety (DPS) to the Department of Economic and Community Development. This change project the MUBEC as “red tape” rather than a matter of safety, first and foremost, and subsequently a way of improving our built environment, particularly on the energy usage front. In other words, the MUBEC was decimated and needed significant rehabilitation.

Solution

In my first two terms in the legislature, I fended off efforts to erode the MUBEC further. As soon as Democrats regained control of the executive branch and both legislative chambers, I convened a group of interested parties and legislators to rebuild the MUBEC. Rep. Rykerson of Kittery sponsored legislation to apply the building and energy code statewide and brought the code up to most recent standards. Rep. Caiazzo of Scarborough sponsored legislation to move the MUBEC to DPS and fund several positions which had been eliminated in 2010. Finally, Rep. Kessler of South Portland sponsored legislation to permit municipalities to adopt a “stretch code” which would go above the baseline.

New Bedford Wind Energy Center

Problem

The OSW industry needs all-purpose ports like New Bedford to make available their infrastructure, business networks, political influence in order to develop rapidly and offset the Northeast’s reliance on fossil fuels.

Solution

The mission of the NB-WEC, a sub-agency of the New Bedford Economic Development Council, is to coordinate the resources of various local and state agencies, along with businesses in the maritime fields, toward this end. New Bedford is the perfect place for these efforts as it is the closest port to the largest wind energy areas in the U.S. and is the country’s largest commercial fishing port, with dozens of businesses that potentially could serve the wind industry. The NB-WEC partners with the New Bedford Port Authority, the City, institutions of higher education, and others (1) to ensure New Bedford’s maritime infrastructure is relevant and useful for the wind industry, (2) to protect the fishing industry’s interests are honored, (3) to promote local, state and federal policies that are favorable to the wind industry, (4) to provide for appropriate workforce training, (5) to facilitate land acquisition for industry operations, and (6) to deepen the relationships with wind developers and other industry leaders.

Natural Resources Square Up and Tackle Climate Change

Problem

The communities hit hardest by a changing economy are looking to new opportunities —opportunities that have the potential to help us turn the corner and rebuild a more robust forest products industry. Among these opportunities, bio-based products made from Maine wood stands out as good for our economy, for rural communities, for the environment and for public health. By incentivizing manufacturers to use bio-based products, Maine can lead the way in capping the use of petroleum-based products and instead promote sustainable forestry practices.

Solution

LD 1698, which received support in the House and Senate and now awaits Governor Mills’ signature, incentivizes investment in bio-based manufacturing by replenishing an existing tax credit for bio-fuel production and creating a new tax credit for manufacturing renewable chemicals from renewable biomass. Similar state-level legislation has been passed by Iowa and Minnesota and is under consideration in Nebraska. The new tax credit, as proposed in this bill, equals seven cents per pound of renewable chemicals produced in the state. That would increase to nine or as much as 12 cents per pound if the producer meets certain criteria, including employing American workers and master loggers.

The Sustainable Investing Act

Problem

Sustainable investing reverses the trend of focusing narrowly on financial results and instead takes a holistic view of investment. This is appropriate given the wide range of risks from climate change and other social factors that have and will continue to impact corporate performance. More than four-fifths of companies anticipate being impacted by climate change. Impacts will be felt across industries in a variety of ways, from logistics interruptions to increased operating costs to more limited resource availability and stranded assets. With a sustainable investment policy, public fund managers will not be caught between their responsibility to maximize investment returns and their responsibility to be good stewards of their communities.

Solution

Investment policy can align financial interests to address climate risks. By integrating relevant factors into decision-making, public fund managers minimize risk, maximize returns and meaningfully impact corporate, social and environmental outcomes. This Act codifies sustainable investing as a best practice. It enhances fund managers’ ability to fulfill their fiduciary duties by improving portfolio performance while benefiting our communities and the world by investing with regard for climate risks and social impacts. From our framework, public fund managers can develop tailored sustainable investment policies along with the specified factors for consideration, including climate and environmental risks, social impacts and firm governance.

Sustainable Communities

 

Problem

People in working-class communities make the biggest investments of their lives when buying homes or starting small businesses. But most people’s credit is limited, so expensive sustainable building practices are not an option, and their community misses out on a clean energy infrastructure. At the same time, federal and state officials have left it it up to counties, cities, and towns to address climate change in the aggregate. This community-based initiative removes barriers to sustainable building practices in emerging communities by leveraging federal regulations for bank loan portfolios, thereby leading to increased property values for residents, increased local tax revenues for municipalities, and a sustainable future for all.

Solution

Sustainable Communities brings together local government, a community bank or credit union, and a home or small-business owner to implement a sustainable infrastructure project (such as solar panels or geothermal heat). The individual benefits from government-backed credit at low interest rates, the bank meets federal regulations to maintain secure government-backed loans in its portfolio, and the community sees returns from the increased value of the sustainable project in property tax revenue. With the sustainable project in place, the property owner receives a return on their investment and decreased overhead from lower energy costs, and the entire community and region lower their use of fossil fuels.

Sustainable Schools to Address Climate Change

Having fought to make sustainability and other climate initiatives a priority in her school district, Santa Barbara, CA School Board Member Laura Capps recently celebrated the launch of a “massive plan to install solar energy, battery storage, and electrical vehicle charging stations at school sites districtwide.” Capps was a finalist in the 2019 NewDEAL Ideas Challenge for her sustainability agenda, recognizing that districts across the country can see major cost savings by shifting to renewable energy sources, conducting audits on energy and water use, and employing innovative strategies. Learn more about this week’s announcement of investments in new infrastructure, which, in part, addresses the need to prepare schools to serve as community safe havens during natural disasters and other emergencies. The schools would have the power to provide evacuees with warmth and light for days. The overall effort is also designed to foster a more comprehensive educational environment for students growing up in a climate crisis, directly showing them the tangible actions that can be taken

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