Longmont inches closer to achieving sustainability goals

Longmont is on track to meet many of its short- and midterm sustainability goals.

Lisa Knoblauch, sustainability program manager, presented staff the 2021 annual update on the city’s Sustainability and Climate Action Report on Tuesday. Last year marked five years since initiating Longmont’s sustainability plan and one year of climate action implementations.

Longmont has set a goal of reducing emissions by 66% by 2030 and 69% by 2050, along with getting the city on 100% renewable energy by 2030. The city’s biggest cause of emissions is electricity.

Knoblauch said the majority of near-term recommendations related to electricity are underway, such as an increase in the amount of renewable energy making up the city’s energy mix. Fifty percent of energy delivered to Longmont was renewable according to the most recent data, she said.

Councilwoman Marcia Martin highlighted the need to push partners, like the city’s energy provider Platte River Power Authority, to help the city achieve its climate goals. She specifically cited the need for a mechanical process to react when carbon intensity is low or high.

“We are leading the pack in terms of the energy transition at this point,” Martin said. “We are putting in place all the mechanisms that we need to have in order to use carbon intensity signaling profiably … We’re definitely doing our part, but that one piece — the signaling — is not something we can do for ourselves.”

A big effort for the Sustainability Program this year is completing the city’s electrification plan, which will aim to get Longmont businesses and households to convert to electric appliances. That will be presented to the council once it is complete.

Martin did speak to some of that work, which includes seeking out money to provide subsidies for appliance replacement and getting local contractors ready to provide those replacement services.

Councilwoman Shiquita Yarbrough emphasized the importance of education, especially to people who might not feel ready to or interested in the transition to more climate friendly appliances.

“Most of the people we’re probably already talking to are the people who are already ready for this to happen,” Yarbrough said. “What about those people who are not?”

The city has also been working to bring more electric vehicle options to consumers, having passed a resolution supporting going EV and working with nearby communities to create a regional EV plan.

Knoblauch also highlighted Longmont’s grade from the Carbon Disclosure Project for 2021, which was a B overall. Almost 1,000 cities received a score from the organization, and only 95 made the A list, including Fort Collins and Boulder. Longmont got an A- in mitigation and a B for adaptation, and Knoblauch said the city was in a good position to reach an A overall for 2022.

On the education and outreach side of things, Knoblauch spotlighted the “Big Picture” climate change lecture series the city launched in partnership with the Longmont Museum. The museum is working with the Sustainability Program to continue the series quarterly beginning this fall.

The Sustainability Program is also adding a full time grant coordinator this year who will manage the climate action fund and explore different financing models to support climate action.

Knoblauch added that interested members of the public can track the city’s progress toward these sustainability goals at longmontindicators.com.