CITY of BETHLEHEM, PA CLIMATE ACTION PLAN 2021 CLIMATE ACTION PLAN 2 in This Report Letter from City Council
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CITY OF BETHLEHEM, PA CLIMATE ACTION PLAN 2021 CLIMATE ACTION PLAN 2 In this report Letter from City Council ...................................................4 Transportation and Mobility .................................109 Letter from Mayor ............................................................5 Land Use and Green Space .................................. 125 Acknowledgements ..........................................................6 Local Food and Waste .......................................... 147 Public Engagement ................................................ 168 Background Large Organizations and Insitutions ..................... 179 1. Executive Summary ..................................................9 13. Adaptation and Resilience Strategies ................ 185 2. What is a Climate Action Plan? ............................. 15 3. Vision and Principles .............................................. 17 Implementation 4. Why Bethlehem Needs a Climate Action Plan ...... 19 14. Implementation Strategy ......................................203 5. Plan Development Process and Timeline ............... 31 15. Partnerships and Commitments ............................ 211 6. Relationship to Other Climate Actions...................39 16. Reporting Process and Accountability ................217 7. Greenhouse Gas Inventory ....................................43 17. Next Steps ...............................................................219 Goals and Strategies Appendix 8. Goals and Targets .................................................. 51 18. Appendix ............................................................... 221 9. What You Can Do ...................................................53 1A. Climate Vulnerability Impacts ........................222 10. How to Read This Plan ........................................... 57 1B. Community Hazard Mapping ........................246 11. Environmental Justice and Equity ...........................61 2. Performance Metrics .........................................250 12. Mitigation Strategies .............................................. 69 3. Abbreviation Glossary ......................................264 Municipal Operations ............................................. 73 4. Climate Data Processing and Results ...............266 Buildings .................................................................... 83 5. Community Survey Results ................................ 272 Electricity Sourcing ................................................... 97 6. Community-wide GHG Inventory Summary ... 279 CLIMATE ACTION PLAN 3 Letter from City Council When I first proposed a Climate Action Plan (CAP) for the City of Bethlehem, I could not have imagined the interest that the idea would generate within our community. Support for designing a plan came from all corners of our city including environmental advocacy groups, educational institutions, businesses, and residents. This inspiring coalition of voices all expressed a desire to take local action on one of the defining issues of our generation. As the CAP began to come together, it was clear the passion and excitement that our community was bringing to the critical task before us. If not for that enthusiasm, the thorough blueprint for action that follows would not be the impressive document that it is. Bethlehem residents owe the hard-working volunteers involved in the planning process a debt of gratitude for their knowledge and dedication to our city. The strategies and goals that follow reflect a responsibility to our future. Citywide energy reduction goals, land use policies, and renewable energy commitments are but a few of the important priorities set forth in these pages. The plan is impressive in its comprehensive and detailed approach to sustainability and climate action. Let me be clear. The work that lays ahead will not be easy. It will take time, effort, and an obligation to re-evaluate and change the framework by which we make decisions on a daily basis. City government and our environmental coalition of community voices must design, create, and implement a vision in which every resident is able to be part of the journey to a more sustainable and equitable Bethlehem. The first chapter is complete in our work. Our future success will be determined by our ability to educate, involve, and challenge our community to create a more sustainable city. Let’s get to work. Councilman J. William Reynolds 4 Letter from the Mayor Along with my responsibility to the residents of Bethlehem comes a commitment to the environment. During my tenure, enhancing our pledge to a sustainable future has become a priority. We have made innovative and practical decisions to address the challenges of climate change as well as energy. The City of Bethlehem is devoted to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and adapting to the impacts of climate change. I continue to be committed to the U.S. Conference of Mayors’ Climate Protection Plan and the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy. As we look to the future, a rapidly changing climate requires establishing a new vision for Bethlehem as an equitable, prosperous, resilient, healthy, and inclusive city that takes actions to mitigate climate change while increasing our preparedness for climate change impacts. I would like to commend Councilman Reynolds for his leadership on this issue. The product of more than a year of planning, including input from hundreds of Bethlehem residents, businesses and institutions, the plan lays out ambitious commitments to environmental justice and climate change mitigation aligned with science. We will aim to reduce community-wide greenhouse gas emissions 33% by 2025, 60% by 2030 and reach net-zero emissions by 2040. The city government will lead by example by purchasing 100% renewable electricity for municipal operations and continuing to invest in cost- saving energy reduction initiatives, which have already reduced municipal emissions 38% relative to 2005. I would like to thank you in advance for taking the time to read the Bethlehem Climate Action Plan. Robert J. Donchez Mayor CLIMATE ACTION PLAN 5 Acknowledgements Mayor Climate Action Plan Working Group Robert J. Donchez Katherine Volpe, Alliance for Sustainable Communities—Lehigh Valley City Council Peter Crownfield, Alliance for Sustainable J. William Reynolds Communities—Lehigh Valley Municipal Staff Ron Unger, ArtsQuest Michael Alkhal, Director of Public Works/ Mark Stein, Bethlehem Area School District City Engineer Angela DelGrosso, Bethlehem Chamber of Matthew Dorner, Deputy Director of Public Commerce Works/Chief of Engineering William Reynolds, Bethlehem City Council Mike Simonson, Chief Building Inspector Ben Guthrie, BethlehemEnvironmental Advisory Robert Vidoni, City Clerk Committee Tiffany Wells, Traffic Superintendent Ben Felzer, Bethlehem Environmental Advisory Chief Robert Novatnack, Director of Council Emergency Management Beth Behrend, Bethlehem Environmental Mike Halbfoerster, Director of Recycling Advisory Council Sherri Penchishen, Director, Chronic Disease Elisabeth Cichonski, Bethlehem Environmental Programs Advisory Council Jodi Evans, Recreation Director Lynn Rothman, Bethlehem Environmental David Shaffer, City Forester Advisory Council Darlene Heller, AICP, Director of Planning & Kathy Fox, Bethlehem Food Coop Zoning Steven Fernstrom, Bethlehem Parking Authority Doug Roysdon, Bethlehem Pedestrian Bridge Project Team Coalition WSP Allison Czapp, Buy Fresh Buy Local of the Jeff Irvine Dan Sobrinski Greater Lehigh Valley Jon Dickinson Katrina Prutzman Scott Slingerland, CAT-Coalition for Matt Aberant Chris Dorney Appropriate Transportation Rawlings Miller, PhD Allie Reilly Kim Schaeffer, Citizens’ Climate Lobby (Lehigh Kim Grubert Marc Steuben Valley chapter) Chuck Weiss, Community Action Lehigh Valley Nurture Nature Center Connor Burbridge, Community Action Lehigh Kate Semmens Rachel Hogan Carr Valley Keri Maxfield Lauren Fosbenner CLIMATE ACTION PLAN 6 Danielle Joseph, Greater Lehigh Valley Rachel Rosenfeld, Sierra Club Zach Pavlovich, Sunrise Movement: Lehigh Chamber of Commerce—liaison for the Hispanic Tom Schuster, Sierra Club Valley Chamber of Commerce Jadyn Sharber, Sunrise Movement: Lehigh Allison Czapp, Buy Fresh Buy Local (Lehigh Olivia Barz, LANTA Valley Valley) Steven Schrayer, LANTA Zach Pavlovich, Sunrise Movement: Lehigh Brian Hillard, Sustainable Energy Fund Breena Holland, Lehigh University Valley Jacqui Pratt, Northampton Community College Karen Beck Pooley, Lehigh University Brian Hillard, Sustainable Energy Fund Katharine Targett Gross, Lehigh University Becky Eshbach, UGI Additional Contributions Christa Kraftician, Green Building United Rhiannon Hazzard,UGI Marly Rodriguez, Hispanic Center Lehigh Katie Bartolotta, Green Building United Keri Maxfield, Watershed Coalition of the Valley Kerry Wrobel, Lehigh Valley Industrial Park Lehigh Valley Delia Marrero, Hispanic Center Lehigh Valley Geoff Reese, Lehigh Valley Planning Sam Trunzo, Wind Creek Bethlehem Blake Schuck Commission Emma Coppock Greg Zahm, Liberty HS Environmental Club Environmental Justice and Equity Steering Mark Kleinginna Liam Caceres, Liberty HS Environmental Club Committee Marc Rittle, New Bethany Ministries Design Don Hougendobler, LVHN Meg Bailey, WSP Katherine Velekei, LVHN Justin Dula, PA Department of Environmental Diane White Husic, Moravian College Protection, Office of Environmental Justice Photos Marc Rittle, New Bethany Ministries Rachel Rosenfeld, Sierra Club Kelley Andrade