SUSTAINABLE

Raleigh

Prepared by:

ICF International

2222 East NC-54

Suite 480

Durham, NC 27713July 12, 2010

CITY

RALEIGH

Greenhouse Gas Inventory: Municipal Operations

ExecutiveSummary

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Executive Summary

The Raleigh City Council established the Environmental Advisory Board in 2006 to helpaddress the Council’s commitment to environmental stewardship. The City Council alsoendorsed the U.S. Mayor’s Climate Protection Agreement in 2007, and ocially estab-lished the City’s Oce of Sustainability in 2010 to develop programs and lead the imple-mentation to achieve the City’s goals of economic strength, environmental stewardship,and social equity. Raleigh’s commitment to environmental stewardship is highlighted inthe City Council mission statement (see box). The City of Raleigh is enacting its mission inpractice by addressing the City’s contribution to global climate change.There is consensus within the global scienticcommunity that the earth’s climate is changingdue in large part to atmospheric changes attrib-utable to human activity. Consistent with theU.S. Mayors Agreement and in order to provideleadership within the community on this criticalissue, Raleigh conducted a greenhouse gas (GHG)inventory in 2010. The purpose of the Inventory isto quantify emissions from municipal operationsand form a better understanding of the City’semission sources. This inventory will be the foun-dation for a coordinated action plan to reduceGHG emissions, energy consumption and costs,taxpayer dollars, and improve air quality.This inventory was conducted in accordancewith The Climate Registry’s

LocalGovernmentOperationsProtocol

for the baseline year of FiscalYear 2007 (FY2007). GHG emissions, measuredin

metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent(MTCO

, were calculated for the followingsources:•Electricity used in City buildings; street, traf-c, and area lighting installations; miscel-laneous uses such as irrigation, and waterand wastewater pumping and treatmentfacilities;•Fuels used in City buildings, vehicles, andequipment;•Solid waste treatment at the City’s yardwaste processing facility and the now-closed Wilders Grove landll;•Wastewater treatment at the City’s treat-ment plants;

City Council Mission Statement

We are a 21st Century City of Innovation focusingon environmental, cultural and economic sustain-ability.We conserve and protect our environmentalresources through best practices and cutting edgeconservation and stewardship, land use, infra-structure and building technologies.We welcome growth and diversity through poli-cies and programs that will protect, preserve andenhance Raleigh’s existing neighborhoods, natu-ral amenities, rich history, and cultural and humanresources for future generations.We lead to develop an improved neighborhoodquality of life and standard of living for all ourcitizens.We work with our universities, colleges, citizensand regional partners to promote emergingtechnologies, create new job opportunities andcultivate local businesses and entrepreneurs.We recruit and train a 21st Century sta with theknowledge and skill sets to carry out this mission,through transparent civic engagement and provid-ing the very best customer service to our currentcitizens in the most ecient and cost-eectivemanner.