The formation of the Climate-Smart Collaborate was announced Thursday. This is a local interagency approach to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, fortify public infrastructure, transition to sustainable solutions, utilize renewable resources, and spur economic development and create good paying jobs in green manufacturing.
The Collaborative partners are the City of Lincoln, Lincoln Public Schools, the University of Nebraska – Lincoln, Lincoln Electric System, and Lancaster County.
Members also launched an Electric Vehicle Readiness Plan to develop a strategy for a charging infrastructure. It will evaluate suitable areas for charging stations that power the government fleet and serve businesses, residents, and visitors to Lincoln. The Collaborative will coordinate planning, design, and construction. They will also work together to seek federal funds designated for building the charging network.
“Increasing energy security, reducing fuel costs, limiting greenhouse gas emissions, preserving our air quality, and protecting our quality of life – these are things we have power to advance locally when we access more renewable sources of energy to fuel government cars, trucks, and buses.” said Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird. “Together, we have the power to strengthen our communities, protect our way of life, and create a stronger, more resilient, more electric future for our children and grandchildren.”
“It will take all of us working together to protect our environment for future generations,” said LPS Superintendent Dr. Steve Joel. “What better way to teach and encourage our youth than to be role models in sustainability and energy efficiency. Lincoln Public Schools is proud to partner with our community on such an important initiative.”
UNL Chancellor Ronnie Green said he welcomed the opportunity to open conversations and create collaborations about sustainability among these four major entities in the city. “Working together, we can share information and find answers about how to move our four complex fleets involving hundreds of vehicles over to vehicles using alternative fuels, whether electric vehicles, hybrids, E85, soy diesel, or others,” Green said.
“LES has a long history of collaborating with the City of Lincoln, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln Public Schools, and other institutions and businesses for emerging energy-efficient technologies,” said LES CEO Kevin Wailes. “Our engagement with the Climate-Smart Collaborative is a continuation of our work with community partners in areas that will further the community’s commitment to net-zero carbon goals.”
“The time is now for meaningful change to replace fossil fuel dependence with clean, local alternative fuel and energy choices,” said Lancaster County Commissioner Sean Flowerday. “That requires an emphasis on local, renewable energy development which Lancaster County and the City of Lincoln have been working hard to support.”