The City of Salem is developing and implementing an environmental action plan that will help the City minimize its environmental footprint and impact.
An initial review of practices looked into six areas of energy conservation measures:
- Measuring waste, pollutants, emissions, and energy use.
- Adopting a ten-year strategy using Budget 2006-2007 as a baseline year, with established targets to reduce waste, emissions, and energy usage.
- Adopting procurement specifications that include energy-saving features, use of alternative or flex-fuel engines, use of four-cycle engines where/when available, and low emission standards.
- Applying for applicable energy tax credit, grant, and audit programs offered by federal, state, and nonprofit entities to identify funding and cost reduction opportunities.
- Providing incentives for achieving reduction targets in waste, emissions, and energy.
- Including within the annual budget a report actual results against targets of reducing waste, energy, and emissions.
Highlights
The Fire Department is taking great strides towards energy reduction with their new fleet and energy-efficiency upgrades to existing fire stations. All apparatus will be capable of shutting down at the scene while battery backup powers the necessary emergency lights.
The Public Works Department replaced the incandescent red and green streetlight bulbs with LEDs produced as much as a 60 percent energy reduction at some intersections.
The Information Technology Department is proposing to save 10 percent on their energy costs by increasing the server room’s set point by two degrees.
During the fall and winter of 2007, Public Works will be auditing its facilities for waste reduction and pollution prevention practices.
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