The Nederland Sustainability Advisory Board (SAB) met on Thursday, April 27, 2023, at 6:45 p.m. to solidify their prioritized goals through 2025, to set a date to discuss the Rights of Nature
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The Nederland Sustainability Advisory Board (SAB) met on Thursday, April 27, 2023, at 6:45 p.m. to solidify their prioritized goals through 2025, to set a date to discuss the Rights of Nature resolution with the Board of Trustees (BOT), and to vote on whether to support applying for a Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) grant to reduce human conflict with bears.
Brenda Lee, founder of the Boulder Bear Coalition, presented the SAB with information on the CPW Human-Bear Conflict Reduction Community Grant. The grant, funded this year by CPW, is aimed to assist communities in implementing measures to reduce any human and bear interactions that can result in the animal being put down.
Lee, along with Boulder County Parks and Open Space, are partnering on a project that aims to provide bear-resistant trash cans to underserved communities and neighborhoods where bear-proofing actions are most needed. Lee is asking for the Board’s support in applying for $175,000 from the CPW grant to fund the purchase of high quality bear-resistant trash receptacles, which can cost $150 to $350, to be offered to residents at a suggested price of $25.
The Town of Nederland, as well as areas around the Hessie and 4th of July trails in Eldora, were chosen as areas of focus by Lee and Boulder County for their program after a discussion with CPW Wildlife Manager Sam Peterson. According to Peterson, CPW conflict numbers indicate that lack of residential bear-resistant trash cans is the top contributing factor in Nederland.
Lee and the SAB discussed lower-income neighborhoods, rental properties, and the Old Town neighborhood as areas of focus for distributing the trash cans, noting that the high cost of truly bear-resistant receptacles is a limiting factor. The SAB also indicated that even with the trash cans being offered at a reduced cost, getting Nederland residents on board with the change may be difficult without the proper outreach.
The SAB voted to unanimously support Lee and Boulder County Parks and Open Space applying for $175,000 from the CPW Human-Bear Conflict Reduction Community Grant.
Since February, 2023, Board members have been drafting and updating an official document which states and prioritizes the SAB’s goals through 2025. Previously the Board has listed zero waste efforts, narrowing the income gap that affects green energy subscription numbers, and sustainable development as their main areas of focus.
Board members continued drafting their goals on April 27, and discussed Nederland’s expected target numbers for greenhouse emissions reduction and zero waste initiatives based on the Boulder County Zero Waste Plan, which Nederland signed onto in 2012.
According to Boulder County, the goal for greenhouse emissions reduction is to be 45% below the 2005 levels by 2030. The Paris Climate Accords, which Nederland has also signed onto, states a goal of 50% greenhouse gas reduction by 2030 compared to the 1990 greenhouse gas numbers.
Boulder County set a goal to reach zero waste by 2025, with an expected diversion rate score of 75% better by 2018; however, according to a 2020 progress report, diversion rate scores were only 30% better by 2020. Despite the poor scores compared to Boulder County’s stated zero waste goals, the Town of Nederland scored fairly high on the progress report when compared to other municipalities.
After reviewing Boulder County’s target numbers and Nederland’s greenhouse emissions inventory from 2018, the SAB included these numbers within their goals document and indicated the Board’s continued dedication to decreasing greenhouse emissions and reaching zero waste by 2030. Board members stated that while Nederland’s wastewater treatment facility is the biggest contributor to emissions, the Town’s energy partner, Xcel Energy, should also be tasked with being greener.
The SAB also worked on defining “sustainability development” within their goals document. Sustainable development involves supporting infill development and requiring through Town code that future developments be energy efficient and provide green energy solutions. Those solutions include solar panels for residents and businesses, adding electrification to buildings for EV, proper weatherization of buildings, and incentivizing these energy efficiency initiatives with outreach material about tax rebates and other savings through federal programs.
Board members stated that prioritizing their goals has helped them to indicate actionable plans that can be made to further efforts on focused areas such as green and renewable energy, zero waste, and EV initiatives. It also helped the SAB to note future priorities, including watershed health, bringing composting to the transfer station, and net positive building construction.
The Board voted to approve the changes and additions made to their goals document, as well as giving final approval on the completed document.
The SAB were tasked with choosing a date for Board members to seek approval from the BOT for Resolution 2023-04, which gives the SAB power to appoint “environmental guardians” as part of the Rights of Nature resolutions 2021-11 and 2021-11a, adopted by Nederland on July 6, 2021.
The Rights of Nature resolution gives “fundamental and inalienable rights” to Nederland’s 448 square mile watershed and is designed to protect the ecosystem and keep residents informed on potential harms to the ecosystem. An environmental guardian speaks for the rights of nature at local government meetings and hearings concerning issues that affect the town’s ecosystem, as well as keeping in touch with entities who have jurisdiction over matters concerning the ecosystem.
Board member Rich Orman offered to speak with the BOT about the Rights of Nature and Resolution 2023-04 during their meeting on Tuesday, June 20.
The SAB discussed the upcoming Town Clean-Up Day, which involves volunteers picking up trash along trails and within parks throughout Nederland on Saturday, June 3. Volunteers can apply through the Nederland Town Hall, either in person or through the website.
The Nederland Sustainability Advisory Board meets on the fourth Thursday of every month. Their next meeting is scheduled for Thursday, May 25, 2023, at 6:45 p.m. and can be attended online or in person at the Nederland Community Center. For more information go to: https://townofnederland.colorado.gov/ sustainability-advisory-board.