FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability Awards Grants to Northwest Communities in Support of Climate Work

 
Contact: Amy Shatzkin, ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability, 206.615.1696

Seattle, Washington – ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability has awarded grants to three local governments in the Northwest to foster new and ongoing initiatives to address climate change. Bend, Oregon; Hailey, Idaho; and Homer, Alaska, are the recipients of the grants, funded through the Environmental Protection Agency’s Regional Geographic Initiative. Through this program, ICLEI will help the participating cities develop a blueprint for employee sustainability, promote the community purchase of green power and develop greenhouse gas inventories and action plans.  .

“We’re thrilled to partner with EPA to bring this level of support to Bend, Hailey and Homer and to help advance their local climate protection initiatives,” said Amy Shatzkin with ICLEI’s Northwest Regional Capacity Center. “These projects will further establish institutional knowledge of how to reduce energy use and associated emissions and provide useful lessons that other governments throughout the Northwest can apply to their own climate work.”In contrast to the advanced climate protection programs and achievements of cities like Seattle and Portland, smaller cities in the Northwest and Alaska often lack the staff and financial resources to institute comprehensive climate programs. These small and mid-size suburban and rural communities need support to identify and implement emissions reduction opportunities and develop their internal capacity to undertake climate protection actions.

ICLEI’s Northwest Cities for Climate Protection Initiative will build local capacity to create successful climate solutions in Homer, Bend and Hailey by:

• Engaging them in the proven, results-oriented CCP Campaign; and
• Providing targeted grants of $5,000 each for assistance to overcome the initial hurdles associated with implementing new climate protection initiatives;
• Providing ongoing technical assistance and network coordination; and
• Fostering strategic partnerships with regional agencies, utilities, non-profits, and state and federal agencies. 

Information on the specific initiatives planned in these communities:

• Homer, AK - The city of Homer is developing an Employee Sustainability Handbook that will provide detailed policies and guidelines about how city employees across the city can reduce their waste and energy use in performing their duties.
• Bend, OR - The city of Bend will develop a Community Challenge to get 10 percent of the community – or another 3,800 Bend-area customers – to buy renewable power through Pacific Power’s Blue Sky program. For every percentage point above 10 percent, the City will match its participation, capped at 15 percent. The Challenge will kick off in October and last approximately 6-8 months, with regular updates provided through-out that time period.
• Hailey, ID - The  grant will  help fund an 11-month AmeriCorps position that will work with the Climate Protection Committee in the cities of Hailey, Sun  Valley, Bellevue and Ketchum Idaho to assist these local governments in undertaking a greenhouse gas inventory and crafting an action plan for their carbon emissions, as well as working with the Environmental Resources Center of Ketchum to assist with the Co2mmit to Take Action program that helps individuals reduce their carbon footprint as well as working on local recycling outreach efforts.
  

###