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Environmental Action
The City of Boulder has set an ambitious goal to become a Net Zero city by 2035, which can be achieved through the implementation of thoughtful transportation, housing and building policies. In addition to these long-term initiatives, the city needs to take action to address more imminent threats to our community caused by climate change and human impacts.
As a city council member, I will prioritize the following efforts:
Focus on Wildfire Resiliency
As we saw firsthand with the Marshall Fire, we can no longer avoid the threat of large scale wildfires, but we can take action to minimize the impacts. Our building codes should be updated to incentivize the use of fire resistant materials and forest thinning should be prioritized. We need to also provide more robust public education about fire prevention and awareness. Ensuring that we have well thought out and executable evacuation plans will also provide assurance that we can respond in a manner that will minimize risk to human life in the event of a catastrophic event.
Execution on Flood Mitigation Strategies
Since the 2013 Flood, the city has developed a comprehensive flood mitigation plan that includes sites at CU South, Alpine-Balsam and other key drainage ways. With plans mostly set, we need to accelerate the implementation of these initiatives in anticipation of future flood events.
Enhanced Monitoring of Boulder Creek Water Quality
Boulder Creek is designated an “impaired waterway” due to E.coli levels that exceed federal standards for a “fishable/swimmable” body of water. In 2019, the City of Boulder published water quality reports that showed continuing elevated E.coli levels and the next regular monitoring report is expected in 2023. Since Boulder Creek is used by many of our local families and visitors as a summer recreation spot, it is imperative that we ensure the safety and condition of this vital waterway through transparent and frequent monitoring and more in-depth analyses to determine the sources of contamination and appropriate remediation measures.