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Los Alamos Climate Action Plan

Los Alamos County is developing our first Climate Action Plan, and we need your feedback!

Los Alamos County began developing the Climate Action Plan (CAP) in summer 2023. This CAP will be a planning document that builds upon the County’s existing environmental and climate work and provides a roadmap of strategies and actions for reducing our community’s greenhouse gas emissions while adapting to the impacts of climate change.

We are looking for community feedback on the draft plan. We will incorporate this feedback into the CAP this summer and bring the final plan to Council in the fall. The County will lead implementation of the actions in this plan, but success will depend on collaboration and support across the Los Alamos community.

Please provide your feedback by August 9, 2024, 11:59pm

To learn more, visit lacnm.com/sustainability. Please contact Angelica Gurule (angelica.gurule@lacnm.us) with any questions.

Your review will help ensure that the Climate Action Plan reflects our community’s priorities.

Share your feedback by reading through the draft Climate Action Plan or navigating to areas of interest using the icons to the left.
Click anywhere in the document to leave a comment. Select a yellow bubble to view and respond to other comments.
Take the short “Guided Tour” to visit each of the key sections of the CAP.

Want to provide your input by email instead? Send comments back to Angelica Gurule at angelica.gurule@lacnm.us.

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Barbara Aug 9 2024 at 7:49PM on page 1

In general, I am very pleased with the draft Climate Action Plan. I hope there will be an emphasis on promoting local renewable energy, including community solar and battery storage. I would also like to see increased requirements for energy efficiency in new buildings as well as a ban on natural gas hook-ups in new buildings. Replacing gas in existing structures is more difficult and expensive. I appreciate the farmers’ market, but I do not see why it is included in this plan.

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Anonymous Aug 9 2024 at 11:55AM on page 72

I did not see any discussion on carbon or GHG offsets to purchase?

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Roy Michelotti Aug 9 2024 at 12:20AM on page 69

Consider funding a part-time position at PEEC to research and implement recycling programs for hard-to-recycle items. For example, dental hygiene waste; approach local dentists and encourage them to host a recycle box (link). Maybe the County would pay for the process, or perhaps the dentist-community would consider the program a community service? Terracycle offers options for other hard-to-recycle items, like eye-drop bottles. PEEC, if funded to do so, could reach out to the community to promote programs like these. I do not speak for PEEC; I am suggesting that PEEC could contribute to the education and outreach effort because they are very good at what they do -- and very local.

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Roy Michelotti Aug 9 2024 at 12:00AM on page 58

Responding to the "no-mandates" comment regarding natural gas. "No mandates" is absolutely fine; so long as the cost to maintain the infrastructure is born only natural-gas users. No subsidies for fossil fuels!

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Roy Michelotti Aug 8 2024 at 11:47PM on page 41

Pinon-Juniper (PJ) habitat historically undergoes a "stand-replacing fire" approximately every 50 years. White Rock is PJ, and there has not been a wildfire for more than 50 years. The White Rock PJ has an unhealthy tree density, making it prone to a devastating wildfire. The county needs to thin the PJ forest on County land, like Pajarito Canyon and all along White Rock Canyon, and help homeowners to manage the PJ Habitat that is on private land. There is precedent for assisting homeowners; during the bark-beetle infestation in early 2000's, removal assistance for infested trees on private property was provided. Replicating that effort, with an emphasis on creating a healthy PJ habitat will mitigate the inevitable wildfire or the future beetle infestation.

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Roy Michelotti Aug 8 2024 at 11:33PM on page 37

Make it more convenient to drop off items for recycling and community-share. I dropped off bottles for recycling at the White Rock transfer station, and wanted to drop off a small quantity of metal for recycling, and one small item for community reuse on the same trip. (save gas and minimize my GHG footprint) I was told I had to use one of my limited number of free visits to drop off those items; so I brought them back home and will store them until I accumulate enough items to make it worth using one of my limited-number of free visits. It would be much simpler to just throw them in the trash -- which is exactly the wrong incentive. I drop off bottles approximately once per month, and almost always have something for community share, or recyclable metal; so I have set aside a space to accumulate items because otherwise I could easily use up all of my free visits; and occasionally some of those items end up in the trash. Citizens should get unlimited visits for recycling, community share, and HHW disposal; otherwise citizens are incentivised to toss items in the trash. Rewarding citizens for avoiding trash disposal (especially HHW!) rather than penalizing them, should be the policy.

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Eduardo Santiago Aug 8 2024 at 9:58PM on page 31

Please stress this! Energy storage is a key factor that needs much more attention. Rooftop solar is cheap, but our infrastructure cannot handle it. One response is to discourage it (taxes, permit limits); another is to embrace this change and invest in measures to mitigate its impact.

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Eduardo Santiago Aug 8 2024 at 9:36PM on page 9

Where here do you have improving public transport? ACT is wonderful but its hourly schedule makes it almost unusable for working professionals. A half-hour schedule would make it possible to go into town (from the mesas) for lunch, errands, Farmer's Market. It would, granted, be much more expensive in terms of present-day dollars but I hope our consideration is future survival.

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Eduardo Santiago Aug 8 2024 at 9:33PM on page 9

Where is developing public transportation? We have an almost-excellent bus system today, but its hourly schedule makes it almost impossible for working people to use. Even a half-hour schedule would make it much more attractive for going into town for lunch, errands, Farmer's Market. (It would of course be much more expensive -- in terms of present-day dollars, not future survival)

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in reply to Mike Alexander's comment

HTT Aug 8 2024 at 9:12PM on page 9

Private oil/gas companies have demonstrated for years that they would rather fight against electric vehicles than get into the game. They know they have us over a barrel(!) as long we use their energy source. Electricity can be, and is, produced in myriad ways - so they resist it left and right. The County could incentivize private companies to put in lots more chargers, or it could install them and charge a fair price to use them (like a toll road).

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HTT Aug 8 2024 at 9:00PM on page 8

This is important, and many residents don't live in homes with ready access to an electric outlet. I recommend that the County require every owner of 25 or more apartments in one complex to install 1 self-pay charger for every X number of units onsite. This could be phased in over say 2 years. This would quickly lead to dozens of more EVs or PIHVs replacing gas cars here. (Over 10% of U.S. new cars sold now are electric.)

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Jody 'Benson Aug 8 2024 at 3:27PM on page 9

Please work with LANL to allow nonLANL cyclists to use Pajarito Rd with simple ID.

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Eduardo Santiago Aug 7 2024 at 9:55PM on page 7

A naïve glance at these three columns suggests that their relative sizes are representative of their proportions. That would be a misleading takeaway. Can your graphic designer add visual cues to correct this?

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James Bergauer Aug 7 2024 at 8:46PM on page 13

Overall, this plan is not going to make one iota of a difference to the climate of the earth. It is a pipe dream of a few individuals who have to much money and not enough to do and feel bad about it. Will it matter if we do not get this arbitrary goal? Not one bit. At the rate India, China and other countries are building fossil fuel power plants the chest thumping and strutting about in this county will go unnoticed in the grand scheme of things. If people want to do something they can, it should not be forc3d on them by unelected bureaucrats and a few elected councilors. Spend this money doing the basis that the count should be doing, utility infrastructure, road repair and maintenance, safety. These are being addressed but to little to late.

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Sara Mason Aug 7 2024 at 8:45PM on page 1

I support taking actions to reduce LAC's carbon emissions. I believe that the actions proposed in this plan should be prioritized according to their potential carbon emissions impact.

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James Bergauer Aug 7 2024 at 8:36PM on page 16

We have every right to be worried about the cost. The only way the county can pay for this is to wring it out of the citizens in the form of increased taxes or pushing the costs off on a dwindling number of businesses who will pass it on to customers.

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James Bergauer Aug 7 2024 at 8:33PM on page 16

I doubt that the mix of carbon free energy will be enough to support an all electric town given the winters and cloudy days we have.

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James Bergauer Aug 7 2024 at 8:31PM on page 16

T1.3 Change the dang overbearing laws to allow golf carts to use the roadways. I use one in AZ during the winter to shop and run errands.

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James Bergauer Aug 7 2024 at 8:26PM on page 26

Encouraging people to ride the bus is admirable, trouble is, I have seen notices of routes being unavailable because of driver shortage. What is the county going to do to encourage employees to come to work or have substitute drivers ready to go? At some point in time, the busses will have to start charging fares thereby forcing more costs on the citizen.

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James Bergauer Aug 7 2024 at 8:19PM on page 13

With regard to requiring, ie: forcing, citizens to replace gas appliances with county mandated electric units when the old one is used up. Is the county going to pay for the rewiring that will be required when replacing a gas range? I doubt it, we will be told to basically eat those costs and like it.

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Greg Aug 7 2024 at 5:09PM on page 54

These are old ideas that have been shown to not work in low density areas like Los Alamos. Bus routes are already free and, other than downtown, are still often empty.

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Greg Aug 7 2024 at 5:07PM on page 43

Supporting farmers markets is not a climate plan. The legacy food distribution system is very efficient. Farmers markets can offers the freshest fruits and vegetables but the cost is higher and requires more vehicle driving up the hill.

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Greg Aug 7 2024 at 5:02PM on page 43

This is another unnecessary project to keep the consultants busy.

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in reply to Miriam's comment

Greg Aug 7 2024 at 4:56PM on page 38

Another curbside pickup? That will put out more carbon than it saves.

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Greg Aug 7 2024 at 4:54PM on page 37

I don't see a direct connection between zero waste and climate change. Some of the biggest waste I see comes from our local take-out restaurants. None of that styrofoam, paper cups, and other packaging is recyclable.

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Greg Aug 7 2024 at 4:47PM on page 35

Why not reduce the need for trips to Santa Fe by having a wide range of retailers in LAC? You can't hardly buy a pair of shoes without going down the hill.

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Greg Aug 7 2024 at 4:43PM on page 33

This will increase the cost of housing, which is already high.

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Greg Aug 7 2024 at 4:35PM on page 30

No mandates, and keep supplying natural gas. The US has reduced C02 emissions more than any developed country by transitioning to natural gas.

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Greg Aug 7 2024 at 4:28PM on page 27

No mandates.

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Greg Aug 7 2024 at 4:27PM on page 26

No mandates. None.

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Greg Aug 7 2024 at 4:23PM on page 20

If a warming in LA County will strain the electric grid, then why would we eliminate the use of natural gas? But DPU says the cost of solar electricity is falling rapidly, and heat waves usually correspond with availability of solar energy, so locally-generated solar electricity may play a useful role.

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Greg Aug 7 2024 at 4:16PM on page 19

The public benefits are not cash benefits and should not be presented as such. They are also highly speculative, and would be presumably spread across the globe. So LA county only gets an infinitesimal portion.

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Greg Aug 7 2024 at 4:09PM on page 19

Rebates and incentive are not savings at all. They are transfers of cost from one person to tax payers overall.

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Greg Aug 7 2024 at 4:06PM on page 18

This is their authoritative source? This is a joke!

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Greg Aug 7 2024 at 4:06PM on page 18

People with low income will be impacted the most by the costs of this CAP. The cost of living is already high in LAC and this plan will increase housing and living costs.

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Kerry Aug 7 2024 at 9:10AM on page 6

Aggressive plan with no measurable benefits, but will raise already-high taxes on seniors and low to moderate income families.

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Jody Benson Aug 6 2024 at 10:49PM on page 12

I forgot my most important comment: This is an excellent plan, developed over years with input from the community. I support it fully. Thank you County Staff and Government, all the Boards and volunteers, for developing our Climate Action Plan.

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Jody Benson Aug 6 2024 at 10:26PM on page 9

Yes! A Green Business Certificate with criteria developed by businesses and supported by the community. As for climate education outreach, we already have climate champions in our school environment clubs (my faves are Susan Hettinga at Chamisa and Ms. Tum at LAHS), Global WE, the Scouts, and churches. We could have a climate summit inviting educators and students. During the school/work day. With snacks.

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Jody Benson Aug 6 2024 at 10:23PM on page 9

Thank you. We must work with LANL and businesses on this. For preparing the community, we need neighborhood evaluations for fire preparedness. Dead trees, tree litter, dead lawns--the community needs to understand that they must be responsible for defending their homes against wildfire, then tell them how. It's not government overreach, it's protecting your home and your neighbors. (Note: when I was a wildlands fire fighter in the woods in CA, if the home owner hadn't cleared/defended his property out to 60 feet from the structure, we didn't defend it.). We want more trees, and homeowners need to know how to make their trees resilient against crowning. Landscaping is critical--not just for the advantages of vegetation, but ensuring that vegetation is well cared for, the trees trimmed, and the yards cleaned of litter.

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Jody Benson Aug 6 2024 at 10:16PM on page 9

This was discussed pre-covid: Limit single-use plastic shopping bags. We don't necessarily need to ban them or put a tax collected by the County (the issue brought before Council pre-Covid was government overreach) , but instead work with businesses, primarily Smiths--or even ONLY Smiths--to charge 10¢ or even 25¢ per bag. People can then have all the bags they want; they will simply pay for them as they pay for any other commodity in our capitalist society. Some of the comments we heard from the community while we were doing surveys on climate values: people want the County to lead by example. Limit the County's use of plastics. Another item brought up is to offer restaurants and schools their own food composting. Reunity in Santa Fe charges to collect food from businesses and the schools. Kids want to save the planet. They will educate one another about food waste. The County with the C of C can develop a "Green Business" award. Youth cares. Families care. The businesses, County, and Schools can be rewarded for their climate concerns.

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Jody Benson Aug 6 2024 at 10:06PM on page 9

As we add the proposed (up to 6,310) new housing units over the next five years,, we must remember what, (aside from the buildout of LANL's new bomb factory and the high salaries it brings) is most valued by most of our long-term residents--access to public open space in a safe and walkable community. Infill. Levy a tax on all the abandoned buildings (as was proposed pre-Covid.) We know there's lots of space downtown sitting vacant. if we charge those landholders a tax or levy a fine, some of them will relinquish that land. (And no, I don't think the County should pay to buy it. Just let them default.). Then keep public land/wild lands/open space public to be used for recreation as well as for mitigating climate change through allowing large swaths of asphalt-free, cooling and oxygen-producing vegetation. When I talk to students, the younger ones say: Plant More Trees! Trees Make Shade! They're right. Infill the trashy areas to leave nature to cool us is inexpensive and aesthetically pleasing. As for transportation: work with LANL to not only provide public transport from surrounding areas, but to charge for parking. This would encourage local commuters to ride the bus or bikes--regular or electric--to work. Of course we know: All of these concerns are because of LANL's expansion. LANL needs to work with us to solve the problems rather than just giving us money.

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Jody Benson Aug 6 2024 at 9:51PM on page 9

With the new construction, we must have a comprehensive development code that includes, as the CAP recommends, all electric, higher density, access to transportation. AND in that development we should look at new roofing materials that reflect rather than absorb heat, or better yet, roof-top gardens on the new proposed high-density construction such as the (hoped for) Columbia Capital MariMac development. At minimum, however, heat reflective roofs. link

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Daniel Leonard Aug 6 2024 at 3:25PM on page 1

Thank you for taking the time and effort to produce this climate action plan. I am very supportive of the goals laid out. One major impediment that to some of the goals detailed here is the "anti-donation clause." This statute, intended to eliminate misuse of public funds, largely prevents LAC from being able to subsidize, or incentivize many of the upgrades, retrofits, and equipment replacements needed to achieve the goals described here. Finding a way through this impediment will hopefully accelerate the changes that are needed. Thank you again for all your effort.

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in reply to Katie Leonard's comment

Daniel Leonard Aug 6 2024 at 2:25PM on page 12

I believe that the goals addressed in the IRP are only related to scope managed by board of public utilities while the CAP gals are community wide.

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Katie Leonard Aug 6 2024 at 1:38PM on page 74

Thank you so much to the MANY people who have put in countless hours working to craft this for our community. Special thanks to AG! I look forward to seeing this move forward. KL

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Katie Leonard Aug 6 2024 at 1:37PM on page 72

Has this photo already been used?

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in reply to Katie Leonard's comment

Katie Leonard Aug 6 2024 at 1:36PM on page 71

ok I see that the bullets come after "Potential Partners:"

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Katie Leonard Aug 6 2024 at 1:36PM on page 71

Should this also have a bullet? However, most other things in this last category aren't bulleted.

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Katie Leonard Aug 6 2024 at 1:35PM on page 71

LAPS in general

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Katie Leonard Aug 6 2024 at 1:33PM on page 56

local businesses/Chamber of Commerce, hospital, banks, national parks, BLM/national forest, pueblo communities, local service organizations.

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