We should plan for a sustainable future.

Traverse City has been here for over 150 years.  We need to plan on another 150 years.  That means taking care of our natural resources, and working toward renewable energy and efficiency in every possible way.

Energy Efficiency
Recent studies by Michigan’s two largest utilities concluded that energy efficiency investments pay for themselves at a rate of $3.50 in savings for every $1.00 invested.  We need to be making those investments everywhere we can in Traverse City, starting immediately.  Our capital plan process, which budgets for infrastructure projects over a 6-year time frame, needs to be revised, as well.  We need to invest in energy efficient building designs, engineering, and materials whenever that is cost effective over the life of a project.

Traverse City Light & Power
Nothing is more volatile or less certain than the future of energy – where we will get it, and how much it will cost.  TCLP is our electric company, and hanging onto it is the only way to protect ourselves from the uncertainties of the future.  We need to support their efforts to diversify their renewable energy portfolio, and we need to encourage them to take further progressive steps in efficiency and load management to protect us from the cost of having to acquire future power sources we may not need if we plan well.

Solar Feed-In Tariff
A solar feed-in tariff is a premium, fixed price that an electric utility pays for energy from solar panels on the roof of a home or business.  The solar panels provide the utility with renewable energy during peak demand, which occurs during daytime hours in the summer months.  Local banks will give the home or business a loan to have the solar panels installed, because the loan is secured by the equity in the building and the feed-in tariff provides the owner with a guaranteed revenue stream.  Local contractors can put people to work installing the solar panels.  People driving into town from the south will see solar panels on the roofs of homes and businesses and know that this community is this state’s leader in planning for a sustainable energy future.

Water Quality
We must protect our water quality by investing in advanced storm water treatment as part of our infrastructure upgrades program.  We need to continue partnering with the Health Department and the Watershed Center to implement programs to reduce the risk of e coli.  This past summer was much more successful than the previous one, and we need to stay focused and build on that success.

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