Sector: Mobility and Transportation 

Goal 1: A clean and green municipal fleet  
T.1 - Accelerate and/or begin adopting EV’s into the municipal fleet, including public school buses. 
T.2 - Begin adopting alternate fuel sources such as hydrogen for medium to heavy-duty vehicles where EV transition is not possible. 
T.3 - Reduce idling in the municipal fleet; work with civil engineers to adjust traffic signals and patterns to reduce idle time. 

Goal 2: Create a transit first approach and reduce spatial misalignment 
T.4 - Offer discounted transit fare for LIDACs. 
T.5 - Create a transit first approach: 

  • Ensure that opportunity zones are completely accessible via public transit. 

  •  Advocate for transit plans that incentivize new development in areas that will allow for transit, walking, and bike use.

  • Pilot pedestrianization, limited traffic (bus only lanes/streets) and active transportation in dense developments. 

T.6 - Partner with micro-transit companies to enable cross-town trips for smaller towns nearby. 
T.7 - Reduce spatial misalignment through changes in land use: 

  • Conduct feasibility studies for creating economic zones in areas with high commute times. 

  • Encourage denser housing areas near existing economic zones.  

 T.8 - Create more park-and-ride options, and increase transit access and frequency in ares with high car ownership in high commute times to work to enable multi-modal trips. 

Goal 3: Reduce emissions from private vehicles 
T.9 - Increase the overall Electric Vehicle adoption and create infrastructure to support this: 

  • Communicate the benefits of CHEAPR to low and middle-income communities, and have limited time offers of higher Rebate+ to encourage the buying of EVs in the short term.

  • Encourage car owners in rural communities to set up at home EV charging by taking advantage of Federal Tax credits.

  • In high-density development areas, implement requirements for new development to include EV charging stations.

T.10 - Incentivize EVs for shared-mobility companies (Uber/Lyft); this can even include free public parking for such vehicles.  
T.11 - Incentivize trip reduction programs in public offices and partner with private offices for the same: this requres an increase in work-from-home opportunities to reduce VMT during the work commute. 
T.12 - Improve broadband access (with at least 1GBPS) state-wide 
T.13 - Pursue alternative fuel sources, such as hydrogen, where appropriate if electrification is not possible. 

Sector: Electricity Consumption and Production 

Goal 1: Reduce electricity consumption from fossil fuel sources in municipal buildings and services 
E.1 - Utilize on site renewables (ie. rooftop solar) to power municipal operations. 
E.2 - Leverage powers of municipal utilities to procure renewable power, expand electricity production capabilities, and/or invest in storage capabilities within the municipality. 
E.3 - Increase procurement of renewable energy for municipal services. 
E.4 - Pursue microgrid projects that integrate onsite renewables and electricity from the grid to power municipal services. 
E.5 - Increase efficiency of wastewater treatment facilities, utilize onsite solar, or biogas to lower emissions at these facilities. 

Goal 2: Increase renewable energy production and consumption at the local scale 
E.6 - Set up outreach programs that communicate State and federal level financing programs that support on site renewable generation to consumers. 
E.7 - Evaluate the potential of citing renewable energy projects on vacant, underutilized land/combine with open space planning. 
E.8 - Consider adopting clean energy zoning ordinances that would require new and/or existing buildings to meet certain clean energy milestones through the use of onsite renewables or clean energy purchasing. 
E.9 - Coordinate with housing authorities to build out community and rooftop solar, battery storage, and microgrids for affordable housing and overcome barriers to solar uptake. 

Goal 3: Prepare local economies for renewable energy transition 
E.10 - Prepare economic development plans around offshore wind energy. 
E.11 - Partner with local workforce development centers and union chapters to prepare workforce in key renewable energy sectors, such as offshore wind energy and solar installations. 
E.12 - Develop and take actions to mitigate the future propagation and release of additional methane and greenhouse gases from the two reservoirs connected to the federal hydroelectric project.  

Sector: Energy efficiency and buildings 

Goal 1: Building energy benchmarking and disclosure for existing and new buildings 
B.1 - Require building owners to annually benchmark and disclose their energy usage and efficiency ratings. 
B.2 - Provide educational resources and support to building owners on improving energy performance in their buildings. 
B.3 - Ensure all municipal operations rely on 100% renewable energy sources. 
B.4 - Advocate for strict building codes and achieve net zero energy usage. 
B.5 - Offer incentives and expedited permitting for projects that achieve green building certifications. 

Goal 2: Renewable energy access for low-income homes 
B.6 - Support climate-friendly land use. 
B.7 - Install solar heating systems on low income housing units to provide renewable water heating for these properties. 
B.8 - Integrate solar heating systems into community initiatives and reduce overall energy costs and reduce barriers to solar uptake. 
B.9 - Install energy monitoring and management systems in low-income housing to track and control energy consumption. 

Goal 3: Energy efficient building materials and retrofits 
B.10 - Support the adoption of sustainable building materials in low-income housing construction and renovation. 
B.111 - Establish a city-wide retrofit program especially for low income and municipal buildings, providing grants and low-interest loans to property owners for energy-efficient upgrades and heat pump installations.
B.12 - Monitor and report the energy and cost savings resulting from retrofitting and sustainable materials to demonstrate their impact and encourage further investment.  
B.13 - Set up outreach programs at the regional or local level that target LMI households for heat pump installations and energy efficiency upgrades.

Sector: Waste Management 

Goal 1: Divert waste via local and regional programs  
W.1 - Establish a county-wide unit-based pricing program with food-scrap collection and public education.  
W.2 - Establish a regional waste management authority in New Haven County; implement waste diversion infrastructure and programs.   
W.3 - Expand and continue community-based food waste reduction programs, such as Center for Eco-Technology's technical assistance for food waste reduction in businesses, schools, and institutions.  

Goal 2: Enact and expand statewide waste-reduction laws 
W.4 - Advocate for the expansion of Connecticut’s Commercial Organics Law to include a wider array of organizations and more geographic locations.   
W.5 - Advocate for an extended producer responsibility (EPR) program for packaging to reduce waste by 190,000 tons per year, saving municipalities $50 million per year. 

Sector: Industrial 

Goal 1: Improve Emissions Monitoring, Accounting and Reporting 
I.1 - Require utility companies, gas suppliers, and health care facilities to report emissions data.  

Goal 2: Reduce emissions through low-carbon procurement 
I.2 - Embed a purchasing criterion in public projects that states a preference for suppliers or service providers who have a transparent and standardized GHG inventory. 

Goal 3: Reduce emissions from the health care sector 
I.4 - Collaborate with the healthcare sector to offer financial grants or subsidies to healthcare facilities that are committed to adopting low-emission practices in specific medical areas. Partner with major healthcare providers to establish a preferential purchasing system, prioritizing suppliers or service providers who disclose their carbon footprint and have clear decarbonization objectives.

Sector: Working Lands and Forestry 

Goal 1: Preserve and support existing and potential forested lands
L.1 - Pursue afforestation and reforestation throughout New Haven County. 
L.2 - Support current efforts and management strategies to maintain existing forests on both private and public property. 

Goal 2: Increase urban tree canopy (UTC) 
L.3 - Increase urban tree canopy in low-income and disadvantaged communities. 
L.4 - Support farming initiatives across urban, rural and suburban typologies.