The La Plata Climate and Energy Action Plan (CEAP) is ready for community review from now until February 11th of 2011.

The CEAP is a dynamic document that recommends specific policies and actions to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, improve the local economy and work towards a more self-reliant and sustainable community.

La Plata County, City of Durango and the Town of Ignacio and 4CORE invite the community to review the CEAP online or in hard copy  at local public libraries, local government information desks, and at the upcoming public forums .

Community members can also provide input on the CEAP through an online feedback form, by email, phone (970-259-1916 x 122) or by mailing your comments to 4CORE:

Attn: CEAP Feedback

10 Town Plaza, # 190,

Durango, CO 81301

CEAP Updates:

We have had good turn out at the public input forums so far and have heard great community feedback. We hope to get more feedback on the CEAP and retain more community expertise and insight on the various strategies and actions proposed.

Public comments and status are available online or contact 4CORE for a paper copy:

• Comments received via the online form
   
• Bayfield forums
   
• Durango forums
   
• Igancio forums
   
• Paper document markups, email, phone and in-person at the 4CORE office.

Find out how to cut winter heating bills

Homeowners in Southwest Colorado can still tap into more than $250,000 in rebates for home energy audits.

What is a Home Energy Audit?

A home energy audit is a professional evaluation of how much energy your home consumes and what you can do to make it more energy efficient. During an audit, a qualified professional visits your home to pinpoint where your house is losing energy. Professional energy assessments generally go into great detail. Energy audits determine the efficiency of your home's heating and cooling systems, and may also show you ways to conserve hot water and electricity.

4CORE recommends that prior to scheduling an audit, a homeowner should make a list of any existing problems, such as condensation and uncomfortable or drafty rooms, and have copies or a summary of the home's yearly energy bills. Auditors use this information to establish what to look for during the audit. The auditor first examines the outside of the home to determine the size of the house and its features (i.e., wall area, number and size of windows.) The energy auditor should do a room-by-room examination of the residence, as well as a thorough examination of past utility bills. The auditor uses a variety of techniques and equipment to determine the energy efficiency of a structure. Thorough assessments often use equipment such as blower doors, which measure the extent of leaks in the building envelope, and infrared cameras, which reveal the sources of the leaks.

A video showing the benefits of an energy audit

Learn more or reserve a rebate

Stop the Energy Leak in Your Wallet

Homeowners in Southwest Colorado can stop a slow leak in their wallets by sealing the leaks in their air ducts.

That's the message from 4CORE, which has announced that more than $335,000 remains available to Coloradans for rebates on duct sealing.

  According to the U.S. Department of Energy, a typical home loses 20 to 35 percent of the air that moves through the duct system due to leaks, holes, and poorly connected ducts. So, it's easy to see the savings and benefits of duct sealing in a climate like Colorado, where we experience hot summers and frigid winters.

Duct leaks typically occur around joints where ducts meet heating or cooling units, and areas where ducts split, leading to a loss of energy in heating and air conditioning systems. The result of unsealed leaking air ducts is higher utility bills and difficulty keeping the house comfortable, no matter how the thermostat is set. Properly sealed duct systems can make a home more comfortable while also reducing energy consumption. Reducing the amount of energy necessary to comfortably heat or cool a home can reduce the amount of air pollution generated and reduce costly utility bills, especially during cold Colorado winters.

Work must be performed by a licensed contractor. For a list of qualified contractors in your area, or to reserve a rebate, visit www.rechargecolorado.com.

Renewable Energy in Public Buildings Grant, Round Two - Opens Early-November

The GEO will award two grants of $100,000 to $125,000 each to two local government renewable energy projects.  The projects must be located in a community that did not receive an award of the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant from the U.S. Department of Energy (these are generally cities of less than 35,000 in population and the smaller counties in the state).  The funding may be used to install renewable energy technologies (solar, wind, biomass) on a facility owned by a city, town, or county.  State government, colleges and universities, schools, and special districts are not eligible for this grant. The request for applications will be released in November.

More information

Recycling Resources Economic Opportunity (RREO) Fund- Due December 10th at 5:00pm

 The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment working through its Pollution Prevention Advisory Board and the Assistance Committee to the board, is requesting applications for grants that will be awarded from the Recycling Resources Economic Opportunity (RREO) Fund, to purchase equipment that will process residential/commercial recyclable material to create a feedstock suitable for end-use manufacturing; or equipment employed directly in end-use manufacturing that uses residential/commercial recycled materials in Colorado.

In order to incentivize business and job growth in the recycling industry in Colorado, this grant is being offered to help offset the costs of equipment that is to be used for creating an end-use product made of recycled materials collected and manufactured in Colorado. The grant is designed to aid local entities, or those entities who want to locate their business in Colorado, that will utilize recycled products.  Equipment may be utilized in the direct manufacture of a recycled content product or for the purpose of final processing of the recycled materials needed in the manufacturing process.

More information