Paramount develops climate action plan

Wave Staff Report

PARAMOUNT — Information on climate change and how to counter its effects will soon be available to residents online, a city official said.

A link to the Paramount Climate Action Plan will be placed on the city website, Public Works Director Adriana Figueroa said.

“We have a variety of options. The plan will be our roadmap,” Figueroa said of the measure approved by the City Council July 6.

“The plan outlines the city’s strategic plan for meeting the state’s Green House Gas emissions 2030 goals, which were established by Senate Bill 32, Figueroa said in a staff report presented to the City Council.

The plan was developed following two community outreach meetings, one conducted in English and the other in Spanish.

Environmental Science Associates, a consultant firm hired by the city to create the plan, explained the five energy sectors that are the backbone of the plan. The five sectors are energy consumption and generation, transportation, land use, solid waste disposal and water use.

In preparation for the next phase of the planning process, the city has created the environmental sustainability new business section of the City Council agenda, which will give a platform to environmental issues and projects, Figueroa said.

The city also has expanded the capital improvement projects portion of the city budget to prioritize sustainability projects, according to Figueroa.

The goals of the city’s climate action plan are to improve energy efficiency in existing buildings, promote conservation-oriented building, improve efficiency of municipal operations and public infrastructure, increase local renewable energy generation, promote community choice energy and utility renewable energy.

The city also hopes to promote conversion from natural gas to clean energy, support the transition to electric and zero-missions vehicles, improve pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure and expand public transit options Figueroa said.

Figueroa said the city would promote green business and industry by engaging with local industries and businesses to reduce emissions.

The city is already supporting some of the goals, such as urban tree-planting, park access and local food production, the latter by allowing residents to grow vegetables on their font lawns.