For Immediate Release | December 19, 2016  
Contact:  Preston Neill, Executive Assistant to the Town Manager
970-748-4404 | pneill@avon.org

Avon, CO – The Avon Town Council has unanimously voted to adopt the Climate Action Plan for the Eagle County Community. The plan is the culmination of a year-long effort that included more than 30 Eagle County stakeholders who were tasked with reducing GHG emissions for the entire County.

The Climate Action Plan for the Eagle County Community calls for greenhouse gas emission reduction targets of 25% by 2025 and a minimum of 80% by 2050. Energy use, transportation use, commercial buildings, waste and energy sources are all addressed within the plan, which is focused on climate mitigation. In order to meet the established targets, the plan also contains project recommendations for the community, including county government, towns, businesses, nonprofits, and other partners to begin immediate climate action.

Since the beginning of 2016, Walking Mountains Science Center has partnered with Eagle County to convene and facilitate a group of stakeholders to create a community Climate Action Plan. Mayor Pro Tem Sarah Smith-Hymes has been a member of the stakeholder group and presented the plan and recommendation for adoption.

“The intent is to work across jurisdictional boundaries to meet the goals of the plan,” she said in her summary at the December 12^th Council meeting. Smith-Hymes then borrowed a phrase from the UN Secretary General in saying “We are the last generation that can fight climate change. We are the last generation that can do anything about it.”
 
The actions recommended in the plan are broken into six sectors, and detailed actions and projects have been identified by the stakeholders to support GHG emission reductions in each of the sectors. The recommended climate action goals and strategies by sector include key recommendations for community leaders and decision makers to take proactive steps to reduce climate pollution and help create positive solutions for future generations.
 
For more information, please contact Preston Neill, Executive Assistant to the Town Manager, at 970-748-4404 or pneill@avon.org.