GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Green Bay has set goals in being more energy efficient and its asking for help in its efforts.
Residents and business owners are being asked to fill out a survey, which the city says takes about 10 minutes. City officials say it will guide them as they come up with an energy plan for the next five to ten years.
Green Bay has goals to be carbon neutral and rely solely on clean energy by the year 2050. The city council agreed to the goals as part of a resolution that passed unanimously in May of 2021.
“There’s going to be a heck of a lot of action that will be necessary to get to that point,” said Green Bay Mayor Eric Genrich. “I think a lot of people understand in order to take appropriate action, we really need to start doing it now.”
The city received an $87,000 grant from the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin last year for energy planning. That money is paying for an energy audit of city buildings.
The city is also relying on the survey for information, which is open to residents 13 and older and business owners.
The survey has room for flexible feedback. It also asks for support levels on a variety of topics, like increasing renewable energy resources, public transportation options, and financial support for residents who reduce energy use.
“I want to make sure this isn’t tailored to certain groups so once you get the feedback, they can say look everybody supports this. Well did you reach out to everybody?” said Green Bay Alderperson Chris Wery, who a district on the city’s west side.
Wery says he’s had calls from residents about the survey only being available electronically.
He voted for the resolution passed almost two years ago, but doubts some of the goals are attainable.
“I don’t think the technology is there yet or it might be too expensive, but it’s good to reach for that and try to be more self-sufficient.”
FOX 11 asked Genrich how the city balances its desires to achieve its energy goals while trying to appease taxpayers who want to pay the lowest amount possible.
“It’s got to make fiscal sense, both for the organization and for taxpayers within the community. One thing that’s changed fairly recently with the adoption of the Inflation Reduction Act at the federal level, there are some pretty significant incentives being made available, not just to businesses but also to nonprofits and to local governments.”
Genrich says the main motivation at this point is to increase efficiency at a city level and eventually offer new incentives to residents where appropriate.
Eligible residents and business owners have until the end of February to fill out the city’s survey.
Find out more here: Green Bay’s energy planning surveys for residents and business owners.
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