Sustainability Commission — Agenda Packet

Our intention is to have in-person meetings going forward. For the time being, we will hold the City Committee Meetings, Plan Commission, Council and most others at the Community Room at 933 Michigan Avenue. This in-person location will meet the legal requirement for our open meetings. We will have a virtual option available, but the technology for the hybrid style meeting may not be reliable all of the time. AGENDA SUSTAINABILITY COMMISSION Members • Alderperson Lang • Alderperson Birr • Heather Phelps • Gregory Knight • Robert Michitsch • Erin Redmond (Alt. 1) Date and Time: August 6, 2026 5:30 PM Location: Community Room 933 Michigan Avenue, Stevens Point, WI OR Zoom Teleconferencing Meeting ID: 867 3790 9674 | Passcode: 110496 By Computer: Zoom Link By Phone: +1-312-626-6799 (US Chicago) Opening Section: 1. Roll Call. 2. Persons who wish to address the Sustainability Commission on specific agenda items must register their request at this time. 3. Persons who wish to address the Sustainability Commission on non-agenda items must register their request at this time. Discussion and Possible Action on: 1. To approve the Minutes of June 4, 2026, Sustainability Commission Meeting. 2. Presentation and discussion with Adam Kuhn, Associate Planner/Zoning Administrator. Preliminary results of the city Greenhouse Gas (GHG) inventory and potential uses for sustainability planning. 3. Heather Phelps and Alder Birr lead commission discussion on Sustainability Commission public engagement survey tool and survey questions, timeline and approval/implementation process. 4. Commission discussion on reporting and recommendations presentation to the Mayor and City Council meeting November 16, 2026. 5. Discussion of Sustainability Commission 2026 meeting calendar updates Closing Section: Page 1 of 26 1. The next meeting is scheduled for September 3, 2026, at 5:30 p.m. in the Community Room at 933 Michigan Avenue, Stevens Point, WI. Discussion on commission report presentation and recommendations to Mayor and City Council. Discussion on community survey tools and results if available. 2. Adjournment. PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that any person who has special needs while attending these meetings or needs agenda materials for these meetings should contact the City Clerk as soon as possible to ensure that a reasonable accommodation can be made. The City Clerk can be reached by telephone at (715) 346-1569 or by mail at 1515 Strongs Avenue, Stevens Point, WI 54481. Copies of ordinances, resolutions, reports and minutes of the committee meetings are on file at the office of the City Clerk for inspection during normal business hours from 7:30 a.m. to 4:00p.m. PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that a quorum of the Common Council may be in attendance at this meeting. Page 2 of 26 CITY OF STEVENS POINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMISSION MINUTES June 4, 2026 - 5:30 PM Community Room 933 Michigan Avenue, Stevens Point, WI Opening Section: 1. Roll Call. PRESENT Heather Phelps, Robert Michitsch, Greg Knight, Alderpersons Sam Lang - District 9 and Allison Birr - District 5. OTHERS PRESENT Speakers: Amanda Haffele, Director, Portage County Solid Waste and Kelly Adlington, Bucket Ruckus. Members of the Public: Bill Fisher, resident. 2. Persons who wish to address the Sustainability Commission on specific agenda items must register their request at this time. There were no people who wished to address the Commission on specific agenda items. 3. Persons who wish to address the Sustainability Commission on specific non-agenda items must register their request at this time. There were no people who wished to address the Commission on non-agenda items. Discussion and Possible Action on: 1. To approve the Minutes of May 7, 2026, Sustainability Commission meeting. Robert Michitsch moved, Sam Lang seconded, to approve the meeting Minutes of June 4, 2026. Call for the Vote: Ayes: All Nays: None; Motion Carried Page 3 of 26 2. Presentation and discussion with Amanda Haffele, Director, Portage County Solid Waste, promoting waste reduction into landfills and Kelly Adlington of Bucket Ruckus, promoting organic waste recycling. Overview of Portage County Solid Waste Operations – Amanda Haffele Topic: Waste reduction, landfill diversion, recycling operations, and potential organics strategies. • Oversees: o Closed landfill o Solid waste transfer facility o Recycling facility o Household hazardous waste program • Annual volume: ~44,000 tons of material handled. • Staff: 3 full-time, 4 contracted, seasonal litter aid, summer intern. • Funding: o User fees, material sales, grants o Not supported by tax levy o Municipalities may charge residents separately Garbage & Recycling Volumes • 110 tons/day processed at transfer facility (≈ weight of a blue whale). • 33,000+ tons sent to Wisconsin Rapids landfill in 2025. • 4,300 tons of recyclables sent to Appleton MRF in 2025. Services Offered • Construction/demolition waste • Hazardous waste • Agricultural waste • Confidential paper • Sharps • Oil filters, antifreeze • Bulbs, batteries, electronics • Tires, compressed gas cylinders • Deer carcasses • And more New Programs (2026) • Cooking oil recycling • Eyeglass donation (Lions Club partnership) • Nicotine vape recycling (to reduce lithium-ion battery fires and hazardous exposure) City–County Collaboration • Bin contamination monitoring • Consistent messaging on recycling rules • Shared communication channels • Support for expanding services (including organics) Page 4 of 26 Discussion Highlights • Green business awards: None currently through Solid Waste; business council may have programs. • City waste share: Amanda can provide Stevens Point-specific tonnage for trash and curbside recycling. • Food waste: o County currently has no organics program. o Exploring feasibility of composting at old landfill. o Interest in developing program within 5–10 years. • Recommendations for reducing waste: o Promote home composting o Buy only what you need o Reuse and thrift o Avoid unnecessary online purchases • Battery recycling: o Permanent drop-off program (fee per pound) o Free options in Staples stores o Anticipated statewide battery recycling program (pending industry decisions) • Waste vs. recycling data: o County publishes annual report o City could receive annual Stevens Point-specific numbers o Could be included in the tax bill mailer or city annual report • Food pantry waste: o Significant amount of expired/unusable food enters waste stream o Potential opportunity for organics diversion • Waste-to-energy: o Landfill methane used at Cranberry Creek o No current local partnership for food-to-energy • Community compost drop-off sites: o Idea supported (e.g., food pantries, farmers market, community gardens). Commission members discussed opportunities to improve contamination monitoring, expand consistent public messaging, publish city-specific waste and recycling data, and explore ways to increase organic waste diversion. Amanda Haffele noted that the county can provide city- specific data for trash and curbside recycling, though other material streams are tracked in aggregate. The discussion also covered potential food-waste priorities, including home composting, food pantry waste, food-industry waste, community compost drop-off locations, and possible future county composting options. Members also discussed battery recycling, lithium-ion battery fire risks, and the importance of keeping vapes and batteries out of the waste stream. Overview of Bucket Ruckus – Kelly Adlington Topic: Community composting, food scrap collection, organics diversion, and local opportunities. About Bucket Ruckus • Local LLC providing paid food scrap collection for: o Households o Businesses o One school (current year) Page 5 of 26 • Accepts all food scraps, including: o Meat, dairy, bones o Processed foods • Containers: 5-gallon buckets or 32-gallon bins • Compost site located at White Feather Organics (Kuster, WI) Composting Process • Mix of nitrogen (food scraps) + carbon (wood chips) • Aerobic decomposition → finished compost • Benefits: o Reduces methane emissions o Reduces landfill airspace usage o Supports soil health o Encourages Environmental Literacy Contamination Challenges • Common contaminants: o Produce stickers o Twist ties, rubber bands o Plastic cutlery, bags o Milk cartons • Critical that customers remove contaminants to avoid litter in finished compost. Food Waste Problem • Kelly shared photos of large quantities of edible food discarded locally. • Referenced DNR study showing ~30% of landfill material is organic. Environmental & Economic Impacts • Food waste represents: o Lost labor o Lost land use o Lost transportation fuel o Lost economic value • Community composting keeps value local rather than sending funds to large national waste companies. Community Composting Network • Bucket Ruckus is part of Community Composters Coalition (400+ members). • Coalition supports: o Local jobs o Food scrap composting o Community education o Local economic retention Page 6 of 26 Policy & Market Challenges • Large waste companies are increasingly entering organics hauling. • Municipal RFPs sometimes require hauling trash + recycling + compost, which excludes small composters. • Example: New York City’s organics program criticized for: o Sending material to anaerobic digesters (not composting) o Reinforcing Monopoly Structures o Undercutting community composters Free Community Drop Site • Funded by Community Foundation grant. • Location: Union Street (Nordic Night Sauna lot) • Free with signup; 32-gallon bin serviced weekly. • Opportunity for expansion with city partnership. Discussion Highlights • Cost to operate drop site: $502/year for weekly service. • City-wide organics hauling would require significant scaling; Bucket Ruckus currently serves ~160 customers. • Cart-based systems (like California) could work for curbside organics. • Yard waste is already banned from landfills; municipalities must provide diversion. • City yard waste currently goes to processors like Busy Bee. • State exploring feasibility of organics diversion; household waste identified as major contributor. • Enforcement of existing bans (if any) is limited. • Contamination is a major risk—Madison’s pilot program failed due to excessive trash in organics stream. Kelly Adlington emphasized that the best use of food is to eat it, with composting serving as the preferred option when food cannot be consumed. She also stressed the importance of public education, noting that contamination can undermine composting programs and force collected material back into landfill disposal. The Commission discussed local composting opportunities, including food pantry partnerships, grant-funded service for nonprofit or community sites, free drop-off locations, potential city collaboration, and the importance of structuring any future procurement process so that small local composting businesses are not excluded. Bucket Ruckus currently operates a grant- funded free drop-off site near Nordic Night Sauna on Union Street, with weekly service for one 32-gallon bin. 3. Heather Phelps, Sustainability Commission public engagement survey tool and survey questions discussion, timeline and approval. Heather Phelps introduced draft materials for a potential public engagement survey on sustainability priorities. The draft drew from a sustainability survey used by the City of Appleton and included additional brainstorming questions tailored to Stevens Point. Page 7 of 26 Commission members discussed the need for a brief introductory statement explaining why the survey is being conducted, how sustainability is currently defined, and how the City has already been working on sustainability-related goals. Members generally supported using the survey to identify community priorities, assess public support for possible actions, and invite residents to participate in future Commission work. • The Commission discussed whether to include a definition of sustainability from the City’s existing planning documents. • Members supported keeping the survey concise to improve response rates. • There was interest in using mostly multiple-choice questions for easier data analysis while preserving at least one open-ended comment opportunity. • The survey may include a question inviting residents to express interest in serving on the Sustainability Commission. • The Commission discussed possible outreach channels, including the City website, city news alerts, paper copies, the senior center, social media, and other public- facing venues. The Commission agreed to continue refining the survey at the August meeting. Members also discussed the need to determine which survey platform the city prefers and how the survey would be hosted or distributed. Greg Knight agreed to research City processes for publishing or distributing a public survey. The Commission also discussed whether members may submit individual survey suggestions outside a meeting without violating open meetings requirements; the City Attorney may be consulted for guidance. 4. Meeting with the Mayor. District 5 Alder, Allison Birr and Sustainability Commission chair, Greg Knight report on discussions with Mayor Wiza on the sustainability commissions work to date, member vacancies, commission administrative support, future direction and priorities, Commission report/presentation to City Council November 16 meeting. Greg Knight and Allison Birr reported on a meeting with Mayor Wiza regarding the Commission’s work to date, member vacancies, organizational needs, staff support, and future direction. • The commission has met with multiple city departments to understand current operations, existing sustainability practices, and opportunities for reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions through energy efficiencies, solar, electric versus gas power, hybrid and EV, tree planting & natural landscaping, water and waste management, etc. • The commission has gathered substantial background information through presentations, meeting minutes, and related materials. • Discussed the value of existing local and regional resources, including UW-Stevens Point, Focus on Energy, Recycling Connections, and examples from other communities such as Middleton. • Doug Stingle resigned from the Commission after being elected to the Portage County Board of Supervisors, creating a vacancy that has been posted by the city. • Several Commission terms will expire at the end of December 2026. Members whose terms are expiring are expected to be asked whether they wish to continue serving. Page 8 of 26 • Commission’s role discussed, including whether it should focus on planning and policy, serve as a resource for City departments, or take on specific sustainability topics and projects. • The Commission has identified November 16, 2026 as a possible date to present its work and recommendations to the City Council. Also discussed with the mayor was the need for City staff support or a formal staff liaison like other city commissions have. Members noted that the Commission currently relies heavily on the chair for agenda development/publication, documentation, communication, and logistics. Several members expressed concern that the Commission needs a more formal connection to City departments in order to operate effectively and preserve continuity of records and work products. Commission members discussed the possibility of amending the Commission ordinance to include a nonvoting City staff liaison, similar to the structure used by the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee. The city Community Development department was identified as a likely organizational home, though members noted that sustainability spans multiple City departments. The Commission agreed to continue this discussion at the August meeting. 5. Discussion of Sustainability Commission 2026 meeting Calendar updates. • Commission discussion on remaining calendar meeting date for 2026 and planning for potential meeting topics. Closing Section: 1. The next meeting is scheduled for August 6, 2026, at 5:30 p.m. in the Community Room at 933 Michigan Avenue, Stevens Point, WI. Presentation and discussion with Adam Kuhn, Associate Planner/Zoning Administrator on the preliminary results of the city Greenhouse Gas (GHG) inventory and potential uses for sustainability planning. Heather Phelps and Alder Birr will lead discussions on the development of a community survey tool for sustainability planning. 2. Adjournment. Heather Phelps moved, Alder Birr Seconded, to adjourn the Sustainability Commission Meeting at 7:20 p.m. Call for the Vote: Ayes: All Nays: None; Motion Carried Page 9 of 26 City of Stevens Point 1515 Strongs Avenue Stevens Point, WI 54481-3594 Department of Community Development Adam Kuhn Associate Planner Zoning Administrator Ph: (715) 346-1567 Fax: (715) 346-1498 www.stevenspoint.com Open Records Rider: The City of Stevens Point is subject to Wisconsin Statutes relating to public records. Communication, such as this document, sent or received by City employees are subject to these laws. Unless otherwise exempted from the public records law, senders and receivers of City communication should presume that the communications are subject to rel ease upon request, and to state record retention requirements. Page 1 of 2 MEMORANDUM To: Sustainability Commission From: Adam Kuhn, AICP Associate Planner / Zoning Administrator Date: August 6, 2026 RE: Preview of the City’s Greenhouse Gas Inventory Report ------------------- Background: As Commissioners are aware, the City was awarded funds in 2023 from the Wisconsin Public Service Commission’s Energy Innovation Grant Program. Awarded funds were intended for the City and partnering Wisconsin Local Government Climate Coalition communities to conduct a community-wide greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory. Since being awarded funds, a considerable amount of time was spent collecting data from various agencies to compute the amount of GHG emissions in the city. Included in the agenda packet is a high-level overview of the City’s GHG inventory. Emissions data that was collected were placed into one of the following sectors: • Stationary energy • Transportation • Waste • Industrial process and product use • Agriculture, forestry and other land use When reviewing the attached report, it is important to highlight a few points: • Only data from 2023 was used in the production of this report. At the time when the City first began our GHG inventory work, some of the data points had data only from 2023, while others had both 2023 & 2024. At the advice of our project consultant, ICLEI USA, it was advised to only use 2023 data to eliminate any bias in the data. • The intention going forward is that the attached GHG inventory report would be updated once subsequent years’ worth of data is collected. It is imperative that the City identify the means to conduct additional GHG emissions collection in Page 10 of 26 stevenspoint.com the future as it helps establish trends and identifies the effectiveness of policy decisions that may be pursued post-adoption of a Citywide Climate Action Plan. • While it is not included in the agenda packet, I do have a spreadsheet with all of the ‘hard data.’ I would be more than happy to provide you with some of the hard data once the Commission deliberates specific policy recommendations to include in your Climate Action Plan. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. Page 11 of 26 1 Stevens Point GHG Emissions Inventory Introduction The City of Stevens Point has committed to achieving 100% clean energy and carbon neutrality in all city operations by 2050. This commitment was unanimously adopted by the Common Council in June 2024 and is supported by a formal Sustainability Commission.1 Progress towards these commitments can be measured through the completion of a greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory. A GHG inventory is defined as a systematic measurement of the greenhouse gases released within a set community boundary over a given time period. They can empower communities to track and reach their climate goals through: ❖ Establishing a baseline ❖ Identifying priority climate actions based on emissions ❖ Measuring progress ❖ Setting emissions targets ❖ Embedding accountability in climate goals ❖ Evaluation of climate action successes 1 https://www.wpr.org/news/stevens-point-passes-resolution-pledging-to-be-carbon-neutral-by-2050 Page 12 of 26 2 Climate Action in Stevens Point Stevens Point has been an eco-municipality since 2007, taking a systems-based approach to sustainability across land use, energy, and water.2 In 2017, the City formalized its commitment through the establishment of a sustainability committee and coordinator, documented in A Path to Sustainable Stevens Point.3 In 2024, the Common Council passed a resolution committing to 100% clean energy and carbon neutrality by 2050 and established a Sustainability Commission to oversee implementation.4 It is important to note that while these commitments focus on city operations, the inventory discussed in this report measures community-wide emissions across all residents, businesses, and institutions in Stevens Point. Understanding where emissions originate at the community scale is essential for identifying the highest- impact opportunities and for the city to work with its community partners toward shared climate goals. Stevens Point’s 2023 community-wide GHG emissions inventory serves as the formal baseline for understanding the city’s overall emissions footprint. This inventory informs the planning process and helps to identify the highest-priority opportunities for community-scale impact. This report is meant to be used as a starting point and can be updated overtime as: 1) Additional data is incorporated into Stevens Point's baseline inventory (such as agriculture emissions) 2) Future inventories are completed to track progress 2 https://stevenspoint.com/512/Eco-Municipality 3 https://stevenspoint.com/512/Eco-Municipality 4 https://www.wpr.org/news/stevens-point-passes-resolution-pledging-to-be-carbon-neutral-by-2050 Page 13 of 26 3 Emissions Inventory Breakdown Baseline inventory data was collected in collaboration with ICLEI and their ClearPath 2.0 modeling platform. ClearPath 2.0 is an industry-standard tool used by hundreds of local governments across North America to calculate and track community-scale greenhouse gas emissions.5 Data included in the inventory was collected by ICLEI, WLGCC staff, and City of Stevens Point staff. Data collected for the inventory represents community-wide emissions, not just local government operations. Stevens Point’s inventory is complete for BASIC reporting, using methods in line with the Global Protocol for Community-Scale Greenhouse Gas Emission Inventories (GPC). All community emissions data is placed into one of the following sectors: Stationary Energy Transportation Waste Industrial Process and Product Use Agriculture, Forestry, and Other Land Use Local leaders can use this data to understand the highest emitting sectors for their community, incentivizing impactful action.6 Below is the specific community-wide data that was collected for Stevens Point’s inventory7. ❖ Utilities ➢ Electricity ➢ Natural Gas ❖ On Road Transportation ❖ Solid Waste Generation ❖ Water & Wastewater ❖ Non-utility Fuels (Propane, Fuel Oil) ❖ Rail, Waterborne, Off-Road Transportation ❖ Fluorinated Gases 5 https://icleiusa.org/ghg-protocols/ 6 https://icleiusa.org/what-is-a-greenhouse-gas-inventory-and-why-is-it-important/ 7 https://ghgprotocol.org/sites/default/files/standards/GPC_Full_MASTER_RW_v7.pdf Page 14 of 26 4 Note: Water and Wastewater process emissions were estimated using the Clear Path 2.0 Data Playbook tool, Water & Waste Water Energy Use emissions were assumed to be captured by stationary energy data or calculated using WW.14 and WW.15 of Appendix F of the U.S. Community Protocol. Emissions are expressed in units of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO₂e), which allows different greenhouse gases, including CO₂, methane (CH₄), and nitrous oxide (N₂O) to be compared on a common scale using each gas's Global Warming Potential (GWP). CO₂e is the standard unit used in GHG inventories to express the warming impact of different greenhouse gases relative to carbon dioxide8. For example, methane (CH₄) is approximately 28 times more potent than CO₂ over 100 years, so releasing 1 ton of methane is therefore counted as 28 tons CO₂e. In this report, emissions are expressed in Thousand Metric Tons (TMT) CO₂e. One ton is approximately 2,205 pounds9. Stevens Point's total 2023 inventory of 809 TMT CO₂e is roughly equivalent to the annual emissions from more than 175,000 gasoline- powered passenger vehicles.10 Future inventories can be compared to this baseline data. Figure 1. This chart displays the breakdown and percentages of each sector making up Stevens Point’s total community GHG emissions. 8 https://icleiusa.org/ghg-protocols/ 9 https://ghgprotocol.org/sites/default/files/standards_supporting/GPC_Executive_Summary_1.pdf 10 https://www.epa.gov/greenvehicles/greenhouse-gas-emissions-typical-passenger-vehicle Page 15 of 26 5 General comparisons to the State of Wisconsin and national inventories can be made; however, it is important to note that inventories at these scales were made using different sector classifications and were not completed following GPC guidelines, making direct comparison difficult.11 12 At the national and state level, the highest emitting categories are emissions that would be classified under the Stationary Energy sector, followed by Transportation emissions, a pattern reflected in Stevens Point’s inventory. 11 https://widnr.widen.net/s/pxnzsdrzsm/wisconsin-greenhouse-gas-emissions-inventory-report-1990-2021 12 https://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/sources-greenhouse-gas-emissions Page 16 of 26 6 Breakdown of Each Inventory Sector Stationary Energy: Stationary Energy is Stevens Point's largest emitting sector, accounting for approximately 77% of the City's total GHG emissions. This sector encompasses fixed- location emission sources, including commercial and institutional buildings such as offices, hotels, and hospitals, which represent the largest source of stationary energy emissions due to fossil fuel combustion for heating, cooling, and lighting.13 Industrial energy, which accounts for the burning of fossil fuels in manufacturing and construction, is the second largest source, followed by residential buildings. Fugitive emissions make up Stevens Point's smallest stationary energy source, capturing incidental GHG releases, most commonly methane, that occur during the extraction, transport, or distribution of natural gas. 14 Breakdown of Stationary Energy Emissions 2023 Emissions (TMT CO₂e) % of Total Stationary Emissions Commercial/Institutional ~409 ~69% Residential ~78 ~13% Manufacturing Industries and Construction ~103 ~17% Fugitive Emissions From Oil and Natural Gas Systems ~5 ~1% Total ~595 ~100% 13 https://ghgprotocol.org/sites/default/files/standards_supporting/GPC_Executive_Summary_1.pdf 14 https://ghgprotocol.org/sites/default/files/standards_supporting/GPC_Executive_Summary_1.pdf Page 17 of 26 7 Transportation: Transportation emissions are the second-highest emitting sector in Stevens Point, making up ~20% of the City’s total emissions, and are a growing sector nationally. Transportation emissions come from the combustion of petroleum-based fuels in vehicles traveling within the community boundaries.15 In Stevens Point, the majority of emissions in this sector come from on-road vehicles including, passenger vehicles operated by residents, trucks, and transit vehicles.16 The second highest emissions in this sector comes from off-road vehicles which includes emissions from equipment such as lawn mowers, tractors, bulldozers, etc. Emissions from railways and waterborne transport make up the lowest two emitting categories in Stevens Point. Breakdown of Transportation Emissions 2023 Emissions (TMT CO₂e) % of Total Transportation Emissions On-Road ~133 ~84% Railways ~9 ~6% Waterborne Transport ~1 ~1% Off-Road ~16 ~10% Total ~159 ~100% 15 https://ghgprotocol.org/sites/default/files/standards_supporting/GPC_Executive_Summary_1.pdf 16 https://ghgprotocol.org/sites/default/files/standards_supporting/GPC_Executive_Summary_1.pdf Page 18 of 26 8 Waste: The waste sector is composed of GHG emissions associated with the disposal and treatment of solid waste and wastewater within the community. While the waste sector is representative of a relatively small share of Stevens Point’s total inventory (~1%), methane released from landfill processes is a highly potent GHG, making even small emissions reductions impactful. Breakdown of Waste Emissions 2023 Emissions (TMT CO₂e) % of Total Waste Emissions Disposal of Solid Waste ~9 ~82% Wastewater Management ~2 ~18% Total ~11 ~100% Industrial Process and Product Use: This sector is made up of GHG emissions that occur from non-energy-related industrial activities. GHG emissions occur during industrial processes that are chemically or physically transforming materials, for example steel production and ammonia manufacturing. Additional GHG emissions come from the use and disposal of products such as refrigerants, foams, and aerosols17. In Stevens Point, product use is the only emissions type reflected from this category, making up ~2% of total community emissions. While this is a small piece of Stevens Point’s total emissions, targeted interventions can lead to meaningful and cost-saving reductions. Breakdown of Industrial Process and Product Use Emissions 2023 Emissions (TMT CO₂e) % of Total Industrial Process and Product Use Emissions Product Use ~13 ~100% Industrial Process ~0 ~0% Total ~13 ~100% 17 https://ghgprotocol.org/sites/default/files/standards_supporting/GPC_Executive_Summary_1.pdf Page 19 of 26 9 Agriculture, Forestry, and Other Land Use: Stevens Point’s inventory does not currently include emissions data for this sector. While the inventory meets GPC guidelines for BASIC reporting, there is an opportunity to pursue a more comprehensive inventory in the future. Page 20 of 26 10 Recommended Transitions The most effective approach to reducing community emissions is to prioritize the sectors contributing the highest GHG emissions in the overall inventory. For Stevens Point, this means focusing on reductions in the stationary energy and transportation sectors of the inventory. Stationary Energy: building efficiency and electrification, heat pump adoption in single-family buildings, and retrofitting single-family buildings Transportation: EV adoption and transition to electric vehicles, land-use planning, and transit investments Waste: waste diversion, composting, and landfill gas management (with potential co-benefits and cost reductions) Industrial Process and Product Use: targeted refrigerant management For a more detailed list of transition strategies, reference WLGCC’s Database of Strategies. Not all emission reduction measures require equal investment. Prioritizing low-cost and low-effort actions early on can help build momentum towards achieving more complex goals. Examples of low-cost and low-effort actions include: LED lighting retrofits, air sealing and weatherization of buildings, energy benchmarking, waste diversion (composting and recycling), and renewable energy purchases. Reviewing Focus on Energy programs is a great place to start. Page 21 of 26 11 Guidance on Goal Setting GHG inventories are most valuable when they are paired with clearly defined, measurable goals. The key to translating broad aspirational commitments to specific, actionable targets that drive day-to-day decision making is to work backwards from the long-term goal, and establish milestone goals that are achievable and measurable. Goals should be set following the SMAART (specific, measurable, actionable, ambitious, relevant, time-bound) framework. SMAART and other goal setting frameworks are outlined more in depth in the Climate Action Planning Fact Sheet. Stevens Point must clearly identify who is responsible for each climate action to make progress. Below are potential roles and responsibilities for community entities. Who (Fill in with specific names/job titles) Responsibilities Duration Example Actions Elected Officials (Common Council, Mayor) Policy & direction Adopt enabling ordinances and policies, allocate budget, set overall strategic direction, advocate at the state level Ongoing and aligned with budget and legislative cycles Large building energy benchmarking requirement and EV- ready building code City Staff Coordination Manage inventory updates, track and report metrics, coordinate implementation across departments, apply for grants, publish progress publicly Annual reporting cycles, grant deadlines, every 3–5 years for full inventory updates CPRG and EIGP grant applications and WLGCC coordination Department Heads Operations Implement sector- specific actions within their operational control, integrate climate goals into departmental planning and capital budgets Tied to capital improvement cycles and fleet replacement schedules Municipal fleet electrification, LED lighting retrofits in city facilities, public transit enhancements Utility Partners Supply side Deliver clean energy supply-side changes, Aligned with integrated resource Renewable energy delivery, customer Page 22 of 26 12 design and implement customer incentive programs, support grid modernization and renewable energy expansion plans and rate cases. Ongoing program administration rebate programs, and community solar options Community Partners Community action Implement emission-reduction actions within their own operations and engage customers, employees, and members in climate goals Voluntary, can be accelerated by city incentives or requirements Commercial building efficiency upgrades, employer EV charging, and research partnerships with universities Page 23 of 26 13 Implementation Tips Climate action is a long-term process that requires ongoing engagement to ensure progress. Key characteristics that will aid in the long-term success of goals include: ❖ Regular inventory updates to track progress against the baseline ❖ Integration of climate considerations into all major community planning decisions ❖ Ongoing community engagement that keeps residents and businesses informed and invested in community goals ❖ Celebration of milestones to maintain community enthusiasm ❖ Connecting with state and national networks to stay up to date on funding opportunities, policy changes, and best practices Below are key resources and tools available to Wisconsin communities: - ICLEI Clear Path 2.0: GHG inventory and emissions scenario modeling tool (used for the collection of baseline GHG inventory data). Stevens Point will have edit access to the Clear Path 2.0 platform until March 2027, after which the account will become view-only with the continued ability to download previously uploaded data. - Wisconsin Local Government Climate Coalition (WLGCC): Stevens Point is a member of WLGCC, which is a peer network of Wisconsin municipalities engaged in climate action planning. Provides technical assistance, shared resources, and inventory support. - Focus on Energy: Wisconsin's utility-funded efficiency and renewable energy program. A key place to find both state and federal (IRA) incentives for community residents and businesses. - Wisconsin Office of Sustainability and Clean Energy (OSCE): Offers state-level technical assistance, the Wisconsin Emissions Reduction Roadmap, and coordination of federal grant programs. - Climate Action Planning Fact Sheet: Created in collaboration with WLGCC, Clean Wisconsin, Slipstream, New Buildings Institute, and MEEA, offering step-by-step guidance to goal-setting. This is a great resource to reference for effective climate action planning. Page 24 of 26 Meeting Calendar Sustainability Commission 2025_2026 Meeting Calendar and Presentations August 6, 2026 Sustainability Commission Date Presentation Description January 21, 2025 Organization & Elections Mayor Wiza Sustainability Commission organizational meeting. March 6, 2025 Public Works Scott Beduhn, Director: Streets, Fleet, Facilities, Resident garbage, compost, recycling. April 3 Community Development -Planning & Zoning Adam Kuhn, Associate Planner/Zoning: Wis Local Gov Climate Coalition, GHG Inventory. May 1 Public Utilities and Central Transportation Joel Lemke, Director. June 5 Parks, Recreation & Forestry Dan Kremer, Director July 10 Field trip Public Works. Scott Beduhn Chris Johnson Garbage & recycling, Garage facilities planning & Sustainability. 5:30pm at 100 6th Avenue. August 19 Field trip Public Utilities. Joel Lemke Waste Water Treatment plant; Bio-gas, heat pumps, solar, E-gauge operations. September 4 Community Development Adam Kuhn, Associate Planner/Zoning Zoning code revision update. Green House Gas inventory status update. October 2 Fire and Police Moody and Kussow Fire, EMS, Police departments sustainable projects and plans. November 6 UWSP office of Sustainability Dave Barbier & Michelle Gullickson, Climate action planning and opportunities for collaboration. December 4 Focus on Energy program Sylvia Lopez, N Cent/N East Energy Advisor 2026 January 8 No meeting February 5 City of Middleton Middleton Sustainability Committee Zoom meeting, planning process and projects March 5 Recycling Connections Susan Schuller Executive Director and Rylee Mullikin. Downtown recycling program. April 2 Meeting Cancelled Ice storm May 7 Commission work session Report outline, timeline for report, internal & public review, Work assignments. Sustainability road map & plan development Katie Livernash, UW-Extension Caity Carmody, DOA office of sustainability June 4 Portage County Landfill Organic waste recycling Kelly Haffele, Director Portage County Solid Waste. Kelly Adlington, Bucket Ruckus Page 25 of 26 Meeting Calendar Sustainability Commission July 2 No meeting August 6 GHG inventory preliminary results, use in planning. Public Survey tool. Adam Kuhn, Associate Planner/Zoning Administrator. Clear path tool GHG. Heather Phelps, public engagement. September 3 Commission report recommendations, public engagement, survey tool. Heather Phelps, Alder Birr October 1 November 5 Nov 16 Finalize Report to Common Council & Mayor. Common Council meeting Sustainability Commission report and future commission recommendations presentation to Mayor and Council. December 3 2027 Potential Presentation and/or Topics for future Meetings 1. Modeling scenarios and sustainable planning priorities for Green House Gas (GHG) emissions using the ClearPath tool (Adam Kuhn – August 6) 2. Commission public survey tool development. 3. City facilities/buildings master planning for LEED. 4. Midwest Renewable Energy Association (MREA) site visit. ❖ Portage County Bicycle & Pedestrian Plan (safe streets, etc.) • Planning meeting(s) to develop Sustainability Commission report, recommendations, road map, timelines, etc. o Caity Carmody, DOA Office of Sustainability & Clean Energy, sustainability, resilience, climate action planning. o Katie Livernash, Community Development UW-Extension Portage County, Community engagement tools. o Austin Holland, UWSP Center for Land Use Education, community sustainability and regional cooperation for sustainability, resilience, climate action planning. o Dave Barbier & Michelle Gullickson UWSP office of sustainability. o Hadi Veisi, Assistant Professor, TNR-UWSP, Sustainability & Resilience, Climate Adaptation. 715-346-2487, hadi.veisi@uwsp.edu Page 26 of 26