| 7. What specific things would you do as an elected official to move us forward now in achieving the goals in Colorado’s Greenhouse Gas Pollution Reduction Roadmap? | |
| MAYORAL CANDIDATES | |
| Matt Brady | There are improved electric appliances now and coming to market so encourage Denver residents to use them instead of gas-powered appliances, and perhaps provide more incentives to achieve this. Establish upgraded rules for new and remodel construction of homes and buildings for better insulation and using electric heating. My transportation response here also addresses having less greenhouse gas pollution. |
| Jim Walsh | Improving the multimodal transportation infrastructure, making public transportation free, and providing greater subsidies for EVs. |
| Trinidad Rodriguez | My vision for our environment is to build a city that serves the natural world. Equity must be a core grounding throughout in developing and implementing all of our plan for a growing city that must assume its responsibility to climates. Many sustainability efforts can make near term, perceptible improvements in local climate conditions. Among the most important is air quality, in which the Front Range region collectively has grappled with for decades and threatens to undo progress in shifting to more active mobility modes. Mitigating and reversing this trend in challenging conditions of geography and rapid growth in emissions producing activity, including development, will take long range planning, implementation and collaboration with our region of the state and US. At the same time, private sector industry is pushing forward with exciting innovations in sustainable products and services. Some areas that I will prioritize in addition to and in concert with the Climate Action Plan include the following. The emerging development of self-driving technology when combined with electric or hybrid mass transit vehicles has the potential to reduce emissions per vehicle mile traveled and improve the transit service frequency and coverage. As mayor, I will position Denver to specifically attract this innovation industry as a long term play in our future development. Channeling markets through setting public/private investment targets, coordinating with cities that have similar climate approaches as a purchaser, investor and partner. My administration will initiate our climate strategy to substantial economic development, operational, planning and direct expenditure efforts in high impact areas. DEN, DOTI, DEDO and our regional intergovernmental relations present unique opportunities. Though efforts to enhance comprehensive mobility investments that were widely supported by public and private sector leaders and planners throughout the Front Range did not pass at the ballot box, now is the time for his administration to step forward as a leader in planning solutions that support our regional goals for mobility. Unlocking the potential for Denver to grow much more of its own healthy produce is critically important. Having researched urban agriculture for nine months, including growing in a community supported agriculture farm, I’ve seen that it can be an opportunity for so many more in our community to begin to offset the negative impacts food industries have on our climate and health while achieving greater equity. |
| Mike Johnston | To meet Denver’s goals in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, we have to transform the city into a national leader in clean energy and climate sustainability by committing to have 100 percent of Denver’s electricity sourced from renewable sources by 2040. This requires electrifying our fleet and electrifying our buildings while reducing vehicle emissions by providing incentives to increase the use of public transit, increase ridership, and increase route frequency and ride quality. |
| Chris Hansen | Transforming Denver into the leading city in the United States for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving air quality is a top priority for my Mayoral administration. I first ran for public office in 2015 because of my deep commitment to addressing climate change. This commitment continues to motivate my work in the public sector as demonstrated by the successful passage of more than 60 energy and climate bills in the state legislature that have made Colorado a national leader in climate policy. I plan to do the same at the local level as Denver’s next Mayor. -Adding More EV Infrastructure: Although electric-vehicle (EV) sales in the United States have climbed by more than 40 percent each year on average since 2016, nearly half of US consumers say that battery or charging issues are their top concerns about buying EVs. The equitable build-out of electric vehicle charging infrastructure would make it possible for residents to drive all-electric vehicles. Knowing that there are chargers available at grocery stores, in city-owned parking lots, and at schools and workplaces encourages folks to make the switch to EVs. Public charging stations need to be economical, equitably distributed, appealing to use, and wired to a robust power grid. Adding EV charging infrastructure is especially important for residents that live in multi-family units because property owners must act in order for chargers to be added to rental properties. I will work with property owners to add EV charging for residents of multifamily buildings, including supporting the requirement that new-builds must have adequate charging stations for residents. -Electrifying Heating & Cooling Systems: I will lead a rapid acceleration of the electrification of heating, cooling and transportation in Denver, which he has been pioneering at the state level. Chris will work closely with Denver Public Schools (DPS) to move forward quickly in this area. The combined footprint of the City and DPS will allow both to take advantage of significant economies of scale, creating new, high-quality jobs even as it generates huge future savings for both entities. While the goals are ambitious, I want to help DPS students get closer to reaching the climate goals they have been pushing the district to pursue: 100% clean electricity by 2030 and a 90% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. – Electrifying City Fleets: I plan to dramatically increase the number of buses, cars, and trucks in the city’s fleet that are EVs. I would set much more ambitious goals than Denver’s current “EV-First Fleet Policy” includes. Currently, the City is committed to purchasing EVs when replacing its city fleet vehicles where feasible. Under the commitment, by 2029, a maximum of 850 vehicles, only25% of the city fleet, could be electric by 2020. I know we can do better and pledge to prioritize funding and facilitating a transition to 50% of city fleet vehicles being electric by 2030. My plan to build a greener Denver is available on my website here: https://www.chrisfordenvermayor.com/_files/ugd/6f7f53_50c693df97924bb58353bda225a32382.pdf |
| Lisa Calderón | Denver can achieve its climate goals but needs to accelerate and scale action. In addition to protecting the conservation easement on Park Hill Golf Course as Mayor, I will: – Center marginalized and working families in our transition to a green economy – Expand green spaces that are critical to our local environment and livability – Work with experts and labor leaders to transition away from fossil fuels and towards renewable energy sources – Create good-paying green jobs – Develop a comprehensive program to protect us from dangerous air pollutants that disproportionately affect marginalized communities – Encourage equitable land use and housing policies that meet both climate and affordable housing goals – Measurably improve air quality by reducing concentrations of key pollutants – like fine particulates – in all neighborhoods of Denver, prioritizing disproportionally impacted communities. – Prioritize reducing Denver’s contributions to regional ozone pollution and lead the way on achieving attainment of EPA ozone standards. – Address contribution from Denver’s operations and facilities to air quality issues (e.g., City vehicles, facilities, Denver International Airport, and others). – Create and implement climate resilience strategies that prioritize investments in adaptation to increased heat. – Create and implement strategies in the near-term to ensure all neighborhoods in Denver are on path to equitable and climate-resilient tree canopies by 2050. – Develop and implement a strategy to achieve Denver’s goal of 100% renewable electricity community-wide by 2030 including the use of distributed and community solar, batteries, and energy reduction methods. – Work with landlords, homeowners, and commercial building owners to accelerate electrification of heating and cooling systems to improve energy performance and human health. – As Denver’s contract (franchise agreement) with Xcel expires in 2026, engage in the process to update the agreement and use it as an opportunity to accelerate the transition to renewable energy; ensure equitable compensation for non-utility energy generation; and protect Denver residents from environmental injustices. – Prioritize transit-oriented development that provides more accessible and affordable housing and connection to schools, employment, nature, and vital services while preventing gentrification and displacement. – Honor, implement, and fund the equity-focused and climate-smart Denveright plans that have already been formally adopted including Comprehensive Plan 2040, Blueprint Land Use and Transportation, Game Plan for a Healthy City, Denver Moves Transit, Denver Moves Pedestrians and Trails, and Denver Moves Bikes. – Commit to the platform put forward by the Denver Streets Partnership including prioritizing more sustainable, multimodal transportation for all and recommitting Denver to the Vision Zero goal of eliminating traffic fatalities and serious injuries by the year 2030. |
| Kelly Brough | I fully endorse and embrace Denver’s greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals. While I view them as ambitious, I believe that with leadership and cross-sector collaboration, they are achievable. My specific priorities on climate action will include: • Promoting housing density, particularly along major transportation corridors and at transit sites, and supporting the conversion of under-utilized land and vacant office space to housing. • Aggressively building electrification infrastructure on city-owned properties. This could include installing solar arrays and / or electric vehicle charging stations at city-owned locations across Denver including libraries, recreation centers, fire and police stations. • Supporting the education, training, and re-skilling necessary to ensure Denver residents, particularly people of color, are prepared and well positioned to capitalize on good-paying clean energy and green economy sector jobs. For example, I could envision building a partnership between the City, Xcel, Denver Public Schools and our local higher education institutions to educate and train the electricians and electrical engineers we need to meet future demand. • Ensuring we are using our dedicated funding stream for Parks and Recreation to equitably expand access to parks and open spaces and investing in the tree canopy to ensure all parts of Denver are shaded. • Fostering partnerships, particularly with RTD, DPS and DRCOG, to increase efficiency and reduce emissions from our publicly owned fleets and promote regional action on air and water quality. |
| Renate Behrens | see above. solar panels – on govt. buildings, too – when possible. House construction that way, that no air condition is needed. enciourage decrease number of non-el. cars |
| Deborah “Debbie” Ortega | On council, I supported and helped move forward the voter-imposed creation of Denver’s Climate Action Office and funding to support it, along with staffing to move us towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions. I’d continue to build off of this work in partnership with advocacy organizations and Denver’s Office of Climate Action, Sustainability and Resiliency. I intend to build out our EV city fleets and charging stations, along with Hydrogen fueled vehicles and filling stations. I will continue the city’s efforts to prioritize housing development near public transportation hubs, commercial space, and transit corridors. Doing so will reduce commutes and decrease our city’s carbon footprint. |
| PAUL NOEL FIORINO (write-in) | Environmentalhope.us is the clean up site to be embellished to take Denver back to leadership. Write In Fiorino for Mayor and avoid a run off. |
| Thomas Wolf | Prod, lash, beg the EPA to raise their fees on habitual violators, until it is uneconomic to violate pollution laws, yes Suncor I know your business model and your calculus regarding infractions. |
| Dr. Abass Yaya Bamba | My administration will provide tax credits to organizations pursuing friendly clean environments business activities. |
| Terrance Roberts | Greenhouse gases are emitted from burned fuel for energy mainly. Denver needs to mandate tankless water heaters, energy efficient doors and windows for all new residential and commercial builds and large property upgrades. Commercial properties need green roofs and a recycling mandate. The city of Denver needs to support RTD as best we can to make sure we have energy efficient buses and more frequent bus and train routes to hep get cars off of the street. Modes of transportation need to be democratized in this city for bikers, walkers, rollers. |
| AUDITOR | |
| Timothy M. O’Brien | As the Auditor, I am not able to create policy or endorse legislation. I strictly follow the rigorous standards of independence described in the Generally Accepted Government Auditing Standards, as required by the Denver Charter and the voters. However, my audit work can examine city goals and voter intent to see if agencies and departments are effectively and efficiently meeting or exceeding expectations. For example, I recently completed an audit of the residential trash, recycling, and compost services. Among my findings and recommendations, we included an assessment of whether the city is achieving its environmental goals and improving recycling rates. Because of existing challenges and unresolved future issues, I found the new program may not be effective at achieving the city’s goal to increase Denver’s waste diversion rate. The program could put increased demand on the city’s aging fleet and limited staff. And more trucks on the road will cause more pollution, which the city may not offset. Creating effective climate policy and legislation is the first step, but my work can make a real difference by ensuring the city follows through on its promises. This starts with strong strategic planning, clear metrics to measure success, and documented goals. |
| Erik Clarke | I’ll conduct Denver’s very first comprehensive climate change audit that will look at the City of Denver, enterprise-wide, to analyse the City’s impact on climate, clean air and water, and more. The audit will be comprehensive in that every aspect of city governance would be examined, including fleet management, facilities, development, planning, human services, transportation, parks, and more. |
