Climate Showcase

  Communities  Program

  EPA's Climate Showcase Communities Program helps local and tribal
  governments pilot innovative, cost-effective, and replicable community-based
  greenhouse gas reduction projects. Your community can learn from these pilot
  projects and replicate their successes.

  There are 50 Climate Showcase Communities across the U.S. that represent a
  range of cities, towns, counties, regional governments, and tribal nations. These
  projects can help communities become more energy efficient and save consumers
  money through creative energy production, residential and commercial energy
  efficiency, waste management, transportation, and land use projects.

  Each community is testing an innovative climate mitigation strategy. EPA
  awarded $20 million in grant funding to these 50 pilot communities, and provides
  peer exchange, training, and technical support to all communities interested in
  replicating Climate Showcase Community projects.

  Community climate change projects don't just reduce greenhouse gas emissions:
  they can also lower air pollution, cut energy costs and create jobs, and improve
  people's health and quality of life.
           EPA's 50 Climate Showcase Communities
             1
                                               Interested in learning more and taking action?
                                             Contact us at epa.gov/climateshowcase

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The  Student

Conservation Corps

West Chester, PA
The West Chester Area School District
started an efficiency campaign (both
equipment and behavioral) in their
16 schools - and reduced electricity
consumption by 16% and utility costs
by 11%. To share their campaign model
with the local business community,
they formed the Student Conservation
Corps (SCC). This group of high school
students completed energy audits of
five area businesses, and presented their
recommendations to community leaders
and other school districts.
Results: These efforts have saved the
district nearly $300,000 while reducing
CO2 emissions by over 6 million pounds
each year (equivalent to annual emissions
from 550 cars or 245 homes). The
students received Congressional and local
awards, were invited to speak at several
conferences, and even received college
scholarships based on their involvement.
Sustainability & Replication: The school
district will invest $150,000 of the annual
energy savings into further conservation
efforts, and the Pennsylvania Department
of Environmental Protection is providing
funding to continue the SCC. Several
other high schools have started their own
efficiency campaigns after seeing West
Chester present on the idea.

Six members of West Chester's Student
Conservation Corps.
Clear the  Air  Challenge

Salt Lake City, UT
Salt Lake City faces an air quality
challenge: daily emissions from
commuter and freight traffic. To
reduce both air and greenhouse
gas pollution, Salt Lake City is using
community-based social marketing
to encourage commuters to try
alternatives to driving solo. They
researched the barriers to changing
commuter behavior, and tweaked their
programs to  address those barriers.
The resulting Clear the Air Challenge
emphasized public transportation,
walking, and  carpooling.
Results: The  Clear the Air Challenge
prevented 1,783 metric tons of CO2
emissions, and saved over $400,000 in
fuel costs in 2011.
Top: Community leaders kick off the 2010 Clear the Air
Challenge at the Salt Lake City Intermodal Hub.
Above: Mommy bloggers kick off the 2012 Clearthe Air
Challenge at Hogle Zoo.
Choctaw  Healthy Living Energy  Project
Durant, OK
The Choctaw Nation Indian Hospital is
the hub of health care services for 10
counties in southeastern Oklahoma.
It serves a large, rural population.
Like hospitals everywhere, it faces
the challenge of reducing energy
consumption and providing healthier
lighting for patients and employees.
The Choctaw Healthy Energy Living
Project (Project HELP) is tackling
this challenge with a comprehensive
lighting retrofit and education initiative.
New efficient lighting fixtures are being
installed in the hospital, as well as in
four facilities providing outpatient
services, substance abuse treatment
and diabetic care. These retrofits are
coupled with an intensive employee
and patient education program about
sustainable energy habits.
Results: These retrofits have saved
nearly 400,000 kWh of electricity
and reduced 292 metric tons of
CC>2 emissions to date, while
promoting healthy living and
sustainable energy habits.
                                                                                   Replacing inefficient lights as part of the
                                                                                   Choctaw Nation's lighting retrofit project taking
                                                                                   place throughout its hospital system.

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Projected Benefits
Cumulative Savings vs. Investment
         2010      2011        2012       2013       2014
                               Year
                 ^» Federal Investment   ^« Cumulative Savings
                                                      2015
      Financial savings from the Climate Showcase Community projects accrue overtime, with projected
      cumulative savings of $61.5 million by 2015—more than three times the initial federal investment.
Cumulative Building Retrofits
             2011
                                                   2015
      By 2015, the Climate Showcase Communities plan to weatherize or retrofit 2,000 homes and
      commercial buildings.

Cumulative GHG Reductions
       2015
                    40    60    80    100    120    140   160  180
                      Metric Tons of GHG Emissions
                    Twenty Thousand Cars  H    Ten Thousand Metric Tons

      By 2015, the Climate Showcase Community projects expect to reduce 850,000 metric tons of
      greenhouse gas emissions, equivalent to the emissions from 167,000 cars.
Projected 2015 Annual
Benefits Resulting from
Grantee Projects
          Greenhouse Gas
          Emissions Reduced
          (MtC02)
Projected	350,000
June 2012	75,973
          Energy Use Saved
          (MWh)
Projected	116,381
June 2012	39,918
          Gasoline Saved
          (gallons)
Projected	434,726
June 2012	92,087
          Waste Avoided
 	   (tons)
Projected	146,655
June 2012	354
          Money Saved
          (USD $)

Projected	19,000,000
June 2012	10,187,897

Because the Climate Showcase Communities projects differ
widely not all grantees are reporting on all categories.
Figures may vary due to project extensions, project
modifications, local market conditions or other factors.

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&EPA
     United States
     Environmental Protection
     Agency
United States
Environmental Protection Agency
EPA 430-F-12-034
April 2013
Resources
• Climate Showcase Communities Website. Explore project profiles, get involved,
 and access replication resources at http://epa.gov/climateshowcase.
• State and Local Climate and Energy Program Website. EPA's State and Local
 Climate and Energy Program provides technical assistance, analytical tools, and
 outreach support to state, local, and tribal governments. Learn more at
 http://epa.gov/statelocalclimate/.
• Local Government Climate and Energy Strategy Series. These guides give a
 straightforward overview of greenhouse gas emissions reduction strategies that local
 governments can use to achieve economic, environmental, social, and human health
 benefits. The series covers energy efficiency, transportation, community planning and
 design, solid waste and materials management, and renewable energy. Download the
 Guides here: http://epa.gov/statelocalclimate/resources/strategy-guides.html.
• State and Local Climate and Energy Newsletter. The State and Local Climate and
 Energy Newsletter shares important state and local developments in climate change
 and clean energy policies, programs, and opportunities. Expect to receive one email
 message per week with new policy developments; information on new studies,
 reports, and upcoming events; and funding announcements. Subscribe at
 http://www.epa.gov/statelocalclimate/newsletters/index.html.
• Local Climate and Energy Webcasts. EPA hosts regular webcasts to help local
 governments as they explore and plan climate change and clean energy efforts. The
 webcasts highlight relevant EPA resources and share examples of successful local
 climate and energy programs and policies: http://www.epa.gov/statelocalclimate/web-
 podcasts/local-webcasts.html.
Climate Showcase Communities
 1 City of Aiken, SC
 1 Alameda County Waste Management
  Authority, CA
 1 City of Albuquerque, NM
 1 City of Baltimore, MD
 1 City of Bellingham, WA
 1 City of Bremerton, WA
 1 Town of Gary, NC
 1 Township of Cherry Hill, NJ
 1 Central New York Regional Planning &
  Development Board, NY
 1 City of Chicago, IL
 1 Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma
 1 City of Cincinnati, OH
 1 City of Columbia, MO
 1 City of Corvallis, OR
 1 Delaware Valley Regional Planning
  Commission, PA
     • City and County of Denver, CO
     • City of Dubuque, IA
     •City of Duluth, MN
     • Durham City-County, NC
     •City of ElCerrito, CA
     • City of Eugene, OR
     • Frederick County, MD
     • Gila River Indian Community, AZ
     • Town of Greenfield, MA
     •City of Hailey, ID
     • City and County of Honolulu, HI
     • City of Houston, TX
     • Humboldt Waste Management Authority, CA
     • James City County, VA
     • City of Keene, NH
     • Land of Sky Regional Planning Council, NC
     • La Plata County, CO
     • Lewis and Clark County, MT
• City of Little Rock, AR
•City of Madison, Wl
• Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission, OH
• Monroe County, NY
• North Central Texas Council of
 Governments, TX
• Northern Cheyenne Tribe, MT
• Sacramento County, CA
• Salt Lake City, UT
• Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians, CA
•City of Seattle, WA
• Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians, OR
• City of Springfield, MA
• Tanana Chiefs Conference, AK
• Tompkins County, NY
• West Chester Area School District, PA
• City of Warwick, Rl
• City of West Union, IA

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