Whitefish seeks input on climate action plan

Open house planned for June 14

Daily Inter Lake

A committee that is drafting a climate action plan for the city of Whitefish will stage an open house at Whitefish City Hall on June 14 to share information and get public feedback.

Community residents may attend anytime during the two-hour open house between 6:30 and 8:30 p.m. Committee chairman Richard Hildner will present a brief overview about the committee at 7 p.m.

The 10-member Climate Action Plan Committee was created by the City Council and appointed by the mayor to identify opportunities for the city, school district and broader community to conserve energy, reduce costs and prepare for the future.

“We’re beginning to develop specific strategies, so now is a good time to ask city residents for their input,” said Hildner, who is also a City Council member.

The committee is seeking to understand what the city’s overall goal should be for saving energy as a community. The open house will provide opportunities for the public to learn about the committee’s overall objectives and provide suggestions about energy conservation goals and strategies.

Climate action strategies will be developed in nine areas: buildings and energy use, transportation, water sources and water conservation, wastewater management, waste reduction and purchasing, future growth and hazard areas, forests and open land, local food sourcing, and education and behavior.

“Regardless of an individual’s view on issues such as global warming or the importance of clean energy, every individual in Whitefish stands to benefit from cost savings that flow from energy conservation and reductions in fossil fuel consumption,” Hildner said in a press release.