Climate Action Plan goes before La Crosse city council in January meetings

A new year may bring a new sense of urgency to the issue of fighting climate change in western Wisconsin.  During its January meetings, the La Crosse city council will consider a Climate Action Plan which could lead to more earth-friendly policies within the next decade. 

City environmental planner Lewis Kuhlman says there’s plenty of government funding at higher levels which La Crosse could use to help put the plans in motion.

“(There’s) a lot of incentives, tax rebates, grants, low-interest, no-interest loans,” says Kuhlman, mostly coming from Washington and Madison.

In recent months, focus groups and public meetings in La Crosse have been used to work out the climate plan.

La Crosse city leaders passed a sustainability plan in 2009, but they’re hoping to move more quickly with a Climate Action Plan coming before the city council.  Kuhlman says local utility companies are helping with the process.

“La Crosse is fortunate enough that our electric utility, Xcel Energy, is on board with our goal of being carbon-neutral by 2050,” says Kuhlman.

The action plan will be discussed by council committees this week, with a possible vote by the full council on January 12th.