LARES News:
The Los Alamos Resiliency, Energy & Sustainability Task Force (LARES) has completed its report of recommendations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the County.
The task force members hope the public will attend the Los Alamos County Council meeting 6 p.m. Feb. 22 to hear the recommendations. Contact lares.taskforce@lacnm.us with questions or comments.
Here are some highlights of the recommendations:
A general recommendation is to establish a goal of net zero greenhouse gas emissions as soon as possible. To achieve this goal, the exact amount of carbon dioxide emitted each year in Los Alamos needs to be known.
A more detailed emissions study is needed to establish reduction targets that a climate change action plan needs to be developed, as well as a way to track how the County is doing. This should be presented in an annual report given to the County Council.
In terms of natural gas reduction, the Board of Public Utilities already has a plan to phase out natural gas by 2070; this is a tall order because every building in Los Alamos is hooked up to natural gas. The task force would like to reduce natural gas usage by at least 2 percent every year.
This can start with new construction and a date should be set to stop natural gas hookups. For existing buildings, things such as insulation, heat pumps, solar heaters and induction stoves can all help lower natural gas usage. Plus, energy audits could be made available through the Department of Public Utilities.
Regarding electricity, the demand for electricity is expected to increase with the introduction of electric cars and increasingly electrified heat. To satisfy the demand, more carbon-free power sources such as solar and wind should be considered. Additionally, LARES recommends that the County only purchase market power that is generated by carbon-free sources. Since wind and solar energy is intermittent, the County will need a strategy to address that with storage.
As far as transportation, taking public transportation needs to be encouraged as well as carpooling. The County is encouraged to acquire more electric cars for its fleet. A no idling policy also should be created to reduce unnecessary emissions.
Regarding water, increased management of the County’s water is necessary as well as managing stormwater runoff. Natural areas should continue to be carefully managed, too.
Other suggestions include investigating whether the DPU can offer loans for homeowners to perform energy efficient retrofits. These loans would be repaid through the homeowners’ utility bills. Additionally, Planning and Zoning could consider approving commercial developments outside of the downtown areas to cut down on emissions caused by driving around town.
