Environmental Sustainability Task Force

Environmental Sustainability Task Force

The Role of the Environmental Sustainability Task Force (ESTF) was to develop recommendations for the Town Board of Trustees regarding the Town’s role in initiatives, strategies and tactics to advance environmental sustainability. Its recommendations were presented in a final report to the Town Board Feb. 7, 2022. The ESTF has now sunset.  

• Environmental Sustainability Task Force Final Report
  • Appendix 1
  • Appendix 2
  • Appendix 3
  • Appendix 4
  • Appendix 5

Background: The Town Board created the ad-hoc Environmental Sustainability Task Force (ESTF) through Resolution 55-21 on June 22, 2021. The charge of the ESTF was to develop recommendations for the Board regarding the Town's role in initiatives, strategies, and tactics to advance environmental sustainability. A report with the Task Force's recommendations was presented to the Town Board on February 8, 2022. The Town Board held a study session at their subsequent meeting on February 22, 2022 to discuss the recommendations and next steps. At the conclusion of their discussion the Board directed staff to review the recommendations - considering feasibility, human and financial resources required for implementation, and responsible agencies (several recommendations would be more appropriately addressed by organizations other than the Town) - and bring back recommended/priority items for the Town Board's consideration during its strategic planning process for 2023. 

Next Steps

Following up on the Town Board's direction, the Executive Leadership Team and other staff reviewed the ESTF's recommendations and developed a list of recommended next steps and action items. Because many of the recommendations and sub-recommendations overlap, and because some sub-recommendations were deemed feasible while others associated with the same recommendation were not, the list focuses on action items and intent rather than the exact ESTF language in the numbered recommendations. 

• The ESTF focused its recommendations on the following broad categories:
  • Buildings (existing and new) and energy efficiency.
  • Distributed clean energy generation and storage.
  • Solid waste disposal.
  • Transportation electrification.
  • Institutional factors in the success/failure of sustainability initiatives.

2023 Town Staff Action Items

For more information, please contact Assistant Town Administrator Jason Damweber at jdamweber@estes.org.