GPCOG Sustainability

Sustainability Initiative

Over the past two years, the Executive Board of the Greater Portland Council of Governments has kept the concept of sustainability at the forefront of discussions and planning. This board-driven initiative has brought the interplay of the three legs of sustainability (environment, economy and community) into the services and planning efforts of GPCOG.

Sustainability Principles

Forum Series

Regional Comprehensive Plan

Energy Use and Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Sustainability Principles

 

Background     

In September 2008, the GPCOG Sustainability Task Force held a retreat at the Gulf of Maine Research Institute to develop a set of principles on which to base GPCOG’s sustainability planning efforts.  Breakout groups developed individual sets of principles that were later synthesized and adopted by the Executive Committee in October 2008.

A sustainable Greater Portland Region is one that…

1. Uses non-renewable resources sparingly, renewable resources at a sustainable rate, and in a continuous cycle
2. Remains flexible and adapts to changing opportunities and challenges
3. Maintains and protects Southern Maine's traditional resource-based industries of agriculture, forestry, and fisheries, while recognizing opportunities for sustainable global commerce
4. Recognizes, plans for, and values a diversity of housing, transportation, educational and employment opportunities for a varied and competitive workforce
5. Analyzes development opportunities based on long term effects on the regional economy, environment and community
6. Recognizes and protects natural, cultural and diverse human qualities that make the region unique and enhance the quality of life/quality of place for current and future generations
7. Thinks globally, acts regionally, and respects the local interests of its citizens

Sustainability Principles PDF

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Forum Series     

Education and outreach play an important role in GPCOG’s commitment to sustainability. GPCOG has put together a public forum series that focuses on the three legs of sustainability (environment, economy and community).  In March 2008, GPCOG held the first of its annual forums focusing on the environment, featuring energy expert Charlie Stephens from Oak Grove, OregonThe second forum was held in March 2009 and featured nationally known economist Michael Shuman, author of “Going Local: Creating Self-Reliant Communities in a Global Age” and “The Small-Mart Revolution:  How Local Businesses are Beating the Global Competition.”  The third forum will be held early in 2010 and will focus on the importance of community in sustainability.  Please click on the link to each presentation for downloads and more details.

“Preparing Our Region for a Sustainable Energy Future”

Keynote: Charlie Stephens

Date:  March 21, 2008

Click here for more information on the presentation

Click here to order DVD

 

GPCOG Sustainable Forum Series:  “Toward a Sustainable Energy Future.”

Almost 200 people attended GPCOG’s first forum on sustainability, which featured a riveting presentation by Charlie Stephens, a former senior policy analyst with the Oregon Department of Energy.  Mr. Stephens created Oregon’s Sustainable Building Tax Credit Program and is a leading expert on sustainable community development, energy efficiency strategies and new technologies.  The presentation reflected on the current world energy situation and on steps we can take to consume energy at a more sustainable rate. 

In addition to the talk by Stephens, there was an interactive panel representing diverse perspectives on sustainability. The panel included Nancy Artz, chair of USM’s Presidential Council on Campus Climate Neutrality; Rick Michaud, administrator for the City of Saco, one of Maine’s greenest communities; and Christa Koehler of Clean Air Cool Planet, who helps guide communities in becoming energy independent and creating sustainable local economies.

Click here for a Summary of Charlie Stephens' Suggestions

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“Toward a Sustainable Regional Economy”

Keynote: Michael Shuman

Date:  March 27, 2009

More information is available here

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“The Importance of Community in a Sustainable Region”

(site under construction)

Keynote:  TBD

Date:  TBD

If you have suggestions for a keynote speaker, please contact Rebecca Lambert. 

 

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Regional Comprehensive Plan   

GPCOG and the State Planning Office (SPO) have entered into a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) to establish a working framework for the development of a regional comprehensive plan.  While the long term goal is to develop a regional plan for the entire GPCOG service area, the initial effort will focus on the Lakes Region communities. To that end, GPCOG staff recently met with a number of Town Managers in the region and were encouraged to draft of a “White Paper” proposal to present to each town.

The initial concept underlying the proposal is development of a regional plan that is consistent with the State’s Growth Management Act.  This provides the possibility of developing local plans that are consistent with the regional plan. As currently envisioned, the regional plan will seek to incorporate GPCOG’s Seven Sustainability Principles as adopted by the GPCOG Executive Committee, integrating land use and transportation planning with economic development. As further envisioned, the plan will evolve over a three phased process that will allow any participating community to withdraw its participation at the onset of each new phase. In addition to the SPO’s formal support and participation, the Maine Department of Transportation (MDOT) has indicated strong support for the planning initiative and intends to participate in the process as it evolves.

 

The Regional Comprehensive Plan may include a Regional Energy Plan (see Next Steps below).

 

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Energy Use and Greenhouse Gas Emissions

GPCOG has partnered with Clean Air-Cool Planet (CA-CP) to undertake a multi-year project to achieve significant reductions in energy use and greenhouse gas emissions through an assertive community mobilization effort in the GPCOG region. 

 

GPCOG and CA-CP have begun providing the support, tools, and coordination needed in order to begin an effective new model of regional, multi-town energy and climate action planning and implementation in the Greater Portland, Maine region.  Over a period of about three years, this project will result in more educated and engaged communities, the formation of new partnerships, increased local investments in emissions-reducing projects and, ultimately, a measurable decrease in region-wide greenhouse gas emissions. This initiative will implement the Sustainability Principles adopted by the COG Executive Committee.  

 

The regional approach has two advantages: first, many potential greenhouse gas producers, such as transportation, cannot be addressed by individual towns alone; and second, towns can work collaboratively and achieve economies of scale on community-level solutions.  By working regionally, we will foster increased dialogue on climate change and energy issues among stakeholders in different communities who can collectively reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Steering Committee and Working Group

• The Steering Committee, comprised of GPCOG’s Executive Committee, will guide the process
• GPCOG and CA-CP have formed a Local Energy Committee Working Group (EWG), consisting of representatives from the public, private and non-profit sectors, with an interest/and or expertise in reducing energy and greenhouse gas emissions. The mission of the EWG is to reduce regional energy use and greenhouse gas emissions through strategic energy planning, public outreach and the provision of resources and technical support to municipalities and local energy committees.  With funding from Cumberland County's Department of Energy block grant, and utilizing the regional inventory as a foundation, the Working Group will develop the Regional Energy and Climate Action Plan discussed below. If you are interested in serving on the Working Group, please contact Rebecca Lambert. 

Regional and Municipal Energy and Greenhouse Gas Inventories

• In order to effectively reduce energy and greenhouse gas emissions, it helps to identify inefficiencies through an energy and greenhouse gas inventory. Inventories also help energy users track changes in energy use and emissions over time.
• Using ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability support and software, a CA-CP intern, hosted by GPCOG, recently completed a Regional Energy and Emissions Inventory. Click here to read an executive summary (the final report will be available soon). Click here to view a Power Point presentation of results.
• Funding permitted, individual municipal Inventories will be conducted for all COG member municipalities. GPCOG has completed two pilot municipal inventories (Cape Elizabeth and Yarmouth), which it conducted using ICLEI software and protocols. GPCOG is currently finalizing plans to work with additional towns in the region. 

Regional Energy and Climate Action Plan

• With funding from Cumberland County's Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant, the Energy Working Group will use the Regional Energy and Emissions Inventory as a basis for development of a Regional Energy and Climate Plan, which will inform the ways in which municipalities, their communities and the private sector conserve, generate, use and diversify energy in the region. 
• The Working Group has agreed on regional greenhouse gas and energy reduction goals of 17% below 2007 levels by 2017, or 17% x '17.  This is roughly equivalent to 10% below 1990 levels by 2017.  For more information, click here.
• The Working Group has agreed that the Regional Energy and Climate Action Plan will be a living document, with a scope initially focusing on energy consumed within the region.  To see minutes from the discussion of the scope, please click here. 
• The Regional Energy and Climate Action Plan will ideally integrate with the Regional Comprehensive Plan above, as well as other regional plans.

Workshops - GPCOG is hosting several workshops related to climate and energy

• Forming and Sustaining Municipal Energy Committees: To see the Power Point from this Clean Air - Cool Planet workshop, please click here.
• Future workshops may include Eco Driving, the New England Carbon Challenge and first steps to municipal energy reduction.

Climate Fellows - GPCOG is privileged to host two Clean Air - Cool Planet Climate Fellows during the summer of 2010:

• Steve Erario will adapt CA-CP’s New Hampshire Handbook on Energy Efficiency and Climate Change to Maine. This handbook will provide municipalities with a guide for reducing energy and greenhouse gas emissions. Click here to see Steve's CA-CP blog post from June, and click here to see his post from July.
• Ben Lake will help to expand GPCOG's cooperative purchasing program to include energy efficiency technology.  He will also conduct energy and greenhouse gas inventories of several towns. Click here to see Ben's CA-CP blog post from June, and click here to his post from August. 

ICLEI USA

Clean Air-Cool Planet