In progress in some form for years, the city now has an Environmental Sustainability Plan, developed by the city’s Sustainable BC Committee, and approved by the City Commission on Feb. 5.
The plan consists of themes and, within those themes, goals to be met by following short-term (by 2020), medium-term (by 2025), and long-term (beyond 2030) objectives.
The plan recognizes the city’s responsibility to protect the quality of air, water, land, and all natural resources, and to also become more sustainable in its daily operations.
The themes are energy, water, transportation, waste, government management practices, land use, and public outreach/education. Each theme has city staff assigned to help reach the listed goals.
“This is exciting stuff,” said Andy Helmboldt, chair of the Sustainable BC Committee. “Never before has the City of Battle Creek crafted such a comprehensive, cross-departmental approach to providing service to the public in ways that are sustainable and protect our environment for future generations. Energy, water, transportation, waste, land use, and our own management practices are all areas that come together within this plan.
“Importantly, there is also a component of public outreach and education, where the City of Battle Creek strives to become a community-wide leader in sustainability. Thanks to all the committee members for their hard work and determination, and special thanks to Tiffany Welsh, whose passion, commitment, and expertise have sustained us all.”
Welsh, the city’s former environmental and storm service manager, last fall lost her battle with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.
Check out the plan on the city’s website, battlecreekmi.gov/environment. Scroll to the cover image of the plan, and click to see the entire document. The direct link to the plan is http://battlecreekmi.gov/DocumentCenter/View/5685/City-of-Battle-Creek-Environmental-Sustainability-Plan---February-2019.