City Activities and Initiatives that Support the Valdez
Principles
October, 2003
(Items in Italics are new to the list this year)
1. PROTECTION OF THE BIOSPHERE
a) Environmental and Physical Constraints Ordinance
b) Flood Plain Ordinance
c) Herbicide Policy
d) Ashland Watershed Partnership Participation and Policy
e) Roca Creek Project
f) Ashland WTP Wetlands Demonstration Project
g) Hillside Development Ordinance
h) Ashland Creek Restoration Project
i) Air Quality Programs
j) Storm Water Master Plan
k) Fire Department Vehicle Washing Policy
l) Riparian Ordinance Revisions
m) Ashland WWTP Upgrade
n) Street Standard Revisions
o) Storm Drainage Cleaning and Maintenance
p) Erosion control planning and bank stabilization measures in Public Works
projects
q) Installation of storm ceptor in new Winburn Way bridge
r) Construction Training for creek protection by Public Works
s) Granite Street Quarry Restoration Project
t) Pistol range restoration project
u) Tree Preservation Ordinance
v) Installation of storm ceptor in Gresham Street as part of the Library
Project
w) Bioswale on the Elk's parking lot
x) Oil and grease separator at the new Fire Station--
The new fire station was constructed with a grease and oil separation system
to prevent contaminants from entering the storm sewer system and reaching
Bear Creek. The old station didn't have this enhancement.
y) Reparian & Wetland Area Inventory
The City hired Fishman Environmental Services to identify and evaluate wetland
and streams within the City's Urban Growth Boundary.
z) Tree Replacement Rebate Program
The City has started a rebate program for the replacement of street trees
with powerline friendly trees in areas of the City that have overhead
powerlines.
2. SUSTAINABLE USE OF NATURAL RESOURCES
a) Renewable Resource Generation Policy (net metering)
b) City's Solar Water Heating Program
c) Performance Standards Development Ordinance
d) Transportation Plan
e) Bicycle Commission activities
f) City Open Space Acquisition Plan
g) Comprehensive Water Supply Study
h) Ashland Solar Pioneer Program
i) New bike path along Railroad ROW
j) Certified Wood Program
k) 20% water conservation goal of Comprehensive Study
l) Chamber of Commerce Wise Resource Usage Booklet provided to every household
in Ashland (was distributed in the fall of 2001)
m) Water efficient landscaping tour
n) Green Power purchase by the City
o) Natural gas vehicle
p) Transportation, Transit and Parking Initiative
q) "B" Street subsurface drip irrigation system and signage
r) Irrigation signage at Copeland lot and Wilderness Charter School
s) Solar Electric Rebate Program
t) Rate Mitigation Agreement with BPA
u) Use of certified wood in Hillah Temple Project
v) Solar electric system installation at Ashland Middle School
w) Affiliated Marketing agreement with the Bonneville Environmental Foundation
(BEF) for the sale of Green Tags
This agreement with BEF helps direct Ashland's citizens to BEF for the purchase
of Green Tags directly from BEF. They in turn will reimburse the City $1.00
for each green tag purchased by Ashland Electric Utility customers.
x) New Solar Electric System at Wilderness Charter School
The Green tag affiliated marketing agreement with the Bonneville Environmental
Foundation provided $2,500 and the City's solar electric rebate of $990.00,
helped to fund a 660W system on the Wilderness Charter School.
y) Increased Solar Electric and Water Heater Rebate
The City increased the incentives paid for solar water heating and solar
electric systems to be equivalent to programs offered by the Energy Trust
of Oregon which administers the public purpose funding paid by customers
of the State Investor owned Utilities.
z) Efficient Refrigerator Incentive
The City instituted a new rebate program for energy efficient residential
refrigerator.
aa) Earth Advantage Program
The city has implemented a new resource efficient new home program to replace
the City's Super Good Cents program.
3. REDUCTION AND DISPOSAL OF WASTE
a) City's recycling programs
b) Styrofoam Ban
c) Composting Programs
d) Conservation Commission activities
1) Tree free paper utility bill insert
2) Green Schools Program
3) Conservation Commission video productions
4) Jefferson Monthly articles
5) Green Business Program
6) Adopt-A-Street Program
7) Water efficient landscaping tour
8) Water wise newspaper articles
9) Energy conservation newspaper article series
10) TID education project
11) Newspaper article series on recycling
12) Earth Day event at North Mountain Park, 2nd annual event held in 2003
13) Rain Water Catchment Class
Over 30 participants attended a class, which taught and demonstrated various
uses of rainwater catchment systems in August, 2003
14) Solar Home Tour
The city co-sponsored with Power Magazine a tour of Solar Energy Systems
in Ashland in October, 2003.
e) Minimize the use of chemicals in City Public Works operations
f) Asphalt reuse by Public Works
g) Revision to City's Styrofoam Ordinance
h) Water based street paint
i) Switch from diesel fuel to propane for fire extinguisher training conducted
by Fire Department
j) Ashland Sanitary's new Yard Debris Pick-Up Program
k) Recycled Paper
The City is transitioning from 30% post consumer recycled paper to 100% post
consumer recycled paper. Because 100% paper is now part of the State Bid,
we are able to make this transaction for no additional cost.
l) Increase Recycling Opportunities
Ashland Sanitary has increased recycling opportunities for Ashland citizens
by now accepting mixed waste paper at the recycling depot and also by now
accepting all plastic bottles as a part of their curbside program.
4. WISE USE ENERGY
a) Performance Standards Development Ordinance
b) Transportation Plan
c) Conservation Commission activities
d) Resource Conservation Manager Program (City, SOU, School District and
Ashland Chamber of Commerce)
e) Energy and Water Conservation Programs
f) Certified Wood Program
g) City's natural gas vehicle
h) Conservation Augmentation Agreement with BPA
i) Council allocation of money to provide free bus services in Ashland in
FY 2002-03
j) New Commercial Resource Conservation Audit cost-share program conducted
in conjunction with Oregon Manufacturing Extension Partnership (OMEP)
5. RISK REDUCTION
a) Herbicide Polic
b) EMF Policy
c) Revisions to City Emergency Management Plan
d) Ongoing training and simulations of emergency situations
e) Ongoing safety training of City field personnel
f) Y2K preparedness
g) Community Emergency Response Team Program
h) Fire and Police Department videos
i) School safety programs
j) New fuel tanks at the City yards and airport
k) Riparian video
l) Riparian workshops
m) Wildfire forums
6. SAFE PRODUCTS AND SERVICES
a) Herbicide Policy
b) Environmental training for Public Works field personnel
c) Consultation by Public Works with AWP members or other local experts on
appropriate environmental techniques
d) Construction notices to affected properties in advance of Public Works
projects
e) Certified Wood Program
7. DAMAGE COMPENSATION
a) Ashland Creek Restoration Project
8. DISCLOSURE
a) Herbicide Policy
b) EMF Policy
c) Environmental training for City field personnel
d) Construction notices for City projects
e) 1998 Water Quality Report (published July 1999)
f) 1999 Water Quality Report (published June 2000)
g) 2000 Water Quality Report
h) 2001 Water Quality Report
i) City Source Energy Conservation video
j) City Source Water Conservation video
k) Wildfire Hot Line
The city now has a dedicated phone line for citizens to get information about
fires and fire hazards.
9. ENVIRONMENTAL DIRECTORS AND MANAGERS
Dick Wanderscheid has Environmental Affairs as a designated responsibility.
10. ANNUAL ASSESSMENT
This is the seventh annual report submitted to the City Council as required
by the 10th of the Valdez Principles.
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