RDCK looks to include carbon neutral aspects into budget
By Nelson Daily Editor
By Timothy Schafer, The Nelson Daily
Action will be taken this year on the regional district’s 10-point plan to reduce corporate greenhouse gas emissions by 12 per cent in the Central Kootenay area.
According to one Select Committee member working on the Carbon Neutral Kootenay’s project, which of the 10 points they will institute first will be determined in the coming weeks as Regional District of Central Kootenay staff and the committee grapple with the budget.
“It’s a done deal, it’s just a question of when and what,” said Gary Wright, a select committee member and the director for New Denver. “What we do first is subject to the passage of the financial plan.”
On Feb. 10 in their regular board of directors meeting in Nelson, the board passed the final recommendations from the Select Committee on Greenhouse Gas quantification.
“This is a stronger statement than saying, ‘We endorse these 10 things in principle,’” Wright added. “We’ve gone beyond that already. We are saying, ‘Put them into the (financial) plan, and try to help us make this work.’”
Along with Wright, the Select Committee included Area E director Ramona Faust and Area D director Andy Shadrack, as well as three RDCK staff members (Jim Gustafson, Grant Roeland and Nicole Ward).
The strategies include:
• Carbon Neutral Kootenays phase two project costs ($60-65,000 per annum) for 2011 and 2012 be put in the general administration budget.
• Thirty per cent of the Community Works Fund for 2011 be directed to greenhouse gas reduction projects and 35 per cent for 2012.
• Installation of hydraulic compactors in the haul trailers for medium and long hauls. Transportation routes are to be reviewed to ensure the routes are the most efficient.
• Installation of enhanced electronic conference hardware at convenient locations throughout the RDCK.
• Conversion of RDCK street lighting to a minimum of high pressure sodium with a potential for LED technology in Brilliant, South Slocan, Voykin Subdivision, Ymir, Robson and Mount Sentinel.
• That the IT department convert approximately 50 per cent of head office PC’s to thin client technology.
• Funding a portion of the differential price (up to 50 per cent) to purchase an electric Zamboni in lieu of a conventional fossil fuel powered Zamboni in one public arena in the RDCK.
• Application to the Gas Tax Innovation Fund for a landfill gas collection and flaring project at Ootischenia landfill.
• A pilot project to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from private vehicle usage. An incentive program to encourage RDCK Nelson office staff and RDCK directors to reduce usage of personal vehicles for travel to and from work.
• An incentive program for building permits be considered in the 2011 financial plan for construction of new homes that have an EnerGuide rating of 80 or above.
