The mayor of Lincoln, Nebraska, Chris Beutler, presented a draft of the Lincoln Environmental Action Plan (LEAP) to the public. Residents are able to review the plan and give feedback at lincoln.ne.gov (keyword: LEAP), and at an open house forum this month, before the final draft is submitted to the City Council in August of this year.
The LEAP outlines strategies to reach goals in the following areas:
- Energy – converting streetlights to LED technology, improving energy efficiency in city buildings, reducing non-renewable fuel usage in city vehicles, and, improving the energy efficiency of new homes and buildings.
- Land Use – replacing trees that have been affected by insect damage and increasing urban agriculture opportunities.
- Transportation – developing an electric vehicle infrastructure, implementing the Green Light Lincoln program for more environmentally friendly traffic flow, and, reducing vehicle traffic by increasing access to alternate transportation.
- Waste – increasing the recycling rate to 50% by the year 2030, increasing waste and recycling diversion in city buildings and, developing a construction and demolition recycling strategy for municipal projects.
- Water Resources – conserving Lincoln’s water and planning for future needs, and, developing a consistent watershed funding source to prevent flooding and improve the quality of storm water runoff.
“Living in a city does not change our responsibility to be good stewards of the land. We have to practice conservation in urban areas to pass on a healthy and productive community to our children and grandchildren. It’s the right thing to do,” said Beutler. “If we can increase recycling, keep our water and air clean, preserve our natural resources and reduce the emissions that harm our local environment, we will have left a legacy for our community for the next century.”
