Ann Arbor's efforts to reduce carbon emissions through the climate action plan received a boost in next year's budget. Council amended the $98 million general fund budget to include $125,000 for advocacy and education programs around reducing energy use.
Council member Christopher Taylor says the programs will be geared towards the community at large, not municipal or university facilities. He says this is important because city operations account for less than 2 percent of CO2 emissions, but the residential, commercial, and industrial sectors are responsible for about 47 percent of the city's total emissions.
2 years ago, the city set targets to reduce CO2 emissions by 90 percent by 2050, 25 percent by 2025, and eight percent by 2015 compared to the year 2000.
Council used $75,000 from fund balance, and delayed a $50,000 study of the Ellsworth Corridor to pay for the climate action plan programs.
Like 89.1 WEMU on Facebook and follow us on Twitter
— Andrew Cluley is the Ann Arbor beat reporter, and anchor for 89.1 WEMU News. Contact him at 734.487.3363 or email him acluley@emich.edu.