The city's 25-year environmental roadmap does not include hard reduction targets but does outline plans for education and awareness.--NEWS FILE PHOTO
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An environmental road map for the City of Medicine Hat does not set hard targets for energy reduction or water conservation over the next 25 years, but says community-wide changes are the goal through education and operational measures.
The largest of which – potentially adding low-emission energy production to its utility company – is only touched on briefly in a 133-page draft of the plan presented to the city’s energy committee Thursday.
Instead, like many other of the six priority areas, goals would be developed separate of the road map, specifically in a “Clean Energy Strategy” put together by the utility department.
“The exploration and investment in appropriate renewable energy sources can also decrease dependence on fossil fuels and mitigate rising energy costs,” reads the executive summary prepared by consultant WSP.
Overall, the road map lays out potential operational changes within the city’s corporate operations, considering climate change projections in infrastructure planning and offering potential support for residents.
“These principles emphasize the importance of setting goals and targets, and also taking a pragmatic approach to achieve them, involving the community and being accountable for results,” it concludes.
The plan will be finalized over the next six months after feedback is collected and city council takes up the matter, likely in a committee of the whole process next year, before a final draft is presented for approval in April. It will be available soon on the “shape your city” section of the city website.
“It allows the document to breathe a little bit in the community,” said energy committee chair Coun. Darren Hirsch, who called the plan timely. “I’m sure there will be questions and concerns that come up which will be addressed at a later date.”
The plan would replace goals laid out in a 2008 environment action plan, including set targets like having one-quarter of the city’s power produced by wind or solar by 2025. That figure sat at about 7 per cent in 2016, at which point council largely dismissed the report as being unattainable.
Administrators said this week the new plan will focus on internal operations at the city and meet benchmarks that are attainable and measurable.
“This plan concentrates on what is in the city’s control,” said energy division top administrator Rochelle Pancoast. “(The 2008 road map) quickly became way too aspirational and lost credibility.”
The new, 25-year plan focuses on six areas: water, recycling and waste management, energy and air-quality, community and land planning, the ecosystem and agriculture.
It states the city’s own operations should:
– Reduce water use to address inconsistent rainfall and water supply in the future, and promote tree planting and drought-resistant vegetation to residents, as well as develop a municipal storm drainage plan;
– Solid waste reductions at city buildings, promote and expand recycling service (such as a coming food waste composting pilot);
– Promote and offer grants for energy efficiency and home solar systems;
– Focus on transportation systems and greenspace in land planning;
– Consider dedicating vacant land and portions of parks for community gardens and local food production.
Several specific items overlap, such as a goal to reduce methane escaping from the landfill.
“It’s unique in that it’s so cross-departmental, and ambitious in a short timeline,” said land and environmental manager Kevin Redden. “Obviously there’s a lot of work to get it to the fine details.”
Coun. Allison Van Dyke said the plan raises big questions and potentially competing priorities, touching on financial and operational interests of the city, as well as the greater community.
“What does that mean for the city as a whole?” she said, outlining key questions.
The city hopes to reduce greenhouse gas emissions but is a major supplier of natural gas, she said, and finding balance will be required.
“I’m glad there is a focus on the being adaptive.”
Administrators said work in many areas within city hall is already underway, such as best practice for construction on city projects and internal waste or energy use reduction projects.
“A lot is in line with the good work that our departments are already doing,” said Adria Coombs, manager of environmental strategy and compliance. “This framework will help drive those actions.”
