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In 2023, the Office of Sustainability was awarded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s Climate Pollution Reduction Grant to create a regional Priority Climate Action Plan (PCAP) for the Louisville KY-IN MSA including 11 counties in Kentucky and Indiana (link webpage). Thank you to everyone, including the core project team, the 80-member Net Zero Advisory Group, the 40+ public meeting attendees, the 1000+ survey respondents, and several more who participated in a variety of ways and helped shape this plan!
The Draft PCAP has been submitted to the EPA and can be accessed at Louisville KY-IN Priority Climate Action Plan (draft - PDF).
We value your input in shaping the future of the Louisville KY-IN MSA. To contribute to the refinement of this draft PCAP and inform the development of the Comprehensive Climate Action Plan (CCAP), we invite you to participate in our feedback survey. To meet EPA’s reporting deadline, the survey will close Friday, March 8.
Your continued feedback is crucial to ensuring that our climate action plans are reflective of the diverse needs and aspirations of our community. Thank you for your understanding and collaboration as we work towards a more sustainable and resilient future for the region!
 At the beginning of February, Mayor Craig Greenberg provided his State of the City address at the Summit Wellness Center in Louisville. From public safety to the economy, parks, housing, downtown revitalization and more, the mayor shared an ambitious and bold agenda to make Louisville safer, stronger, and healthier for everyone in this city we all love. The Mayor also highlighted Louisville’s sustainability goal of expanding clean energy and become a destination of choice for green innovation!
Learn more by reading the full State of the City address or watching a video recording of the mayor's address.
The Medical Center Commission of Jefferson County, which operates, manages, and performs all other functions necessary to carry out the operations of the Medical Center Steam and Chilled Water Plant and the Medical Center Laundry, has 3 vacant community-at-large positions open to the public. This would be a great fit for any resident who has a background and interest in energy efficiency, clean energy, and advancing green facilities in Louisville.
Learn more and apply at Boards and Commissions - List | LouisvilleKY.gov.
Louisville Metro Government's Air Pollution Control District has released its annual report, highlighting the work of Louisville’s local air quality professionals in 2023 and providing an update on local air quality.
“Beyond diligently implementing some of the most protective local air pollution regulations in the country, our staff continue to find innovative ways to advance our work,” said Rachael Hamilton, APCD Director. “I am proud to share this report and recognize the work of the scientists, engineers, technicians, compliance officers, environmental coordinators, and administrative professionals who spend each day protecting Louisville’s air.”
Highlights from 2023 include:
- Announcing a $1 million award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for Ambient Air Toxics and Health Action for the Rubbertown Area, a project to further examine and address air pollution impacts in west Louisville.
- Staff further expanding and refining the city’s air monitoring network, which collected over 55 million data points on Louisville’s air in 2023, including 50 million one-minute data points and 385,000 rigorously analyzed, legally defensible hourly data points, much of which is shared through real-time resources like Louisville Air Watch.
- Supporting low-cost air sensor research and use, including operating a new air sensor collocation shelter, continued research projects with US EPA, performing a sensor study at the site of a proposed Waterfront Park playground, and acquiring funding for an air sensor lending library that will lend equipment to community researchers.
- Signing up 29 businesses and organizations as Air Quality Action Partners, who made commitments to improve local air quality and provided air quality alerts to over 2,700 local employees.
- Celebrating the 20th full year of the Lawn Care for Cleaner Air program, which awarded its equipment grant to YouthBuild Louisville and issued over 450 rebates on electric lawn equipment in 2023, resulting in almost 18,000 pounds of avoided emissions.
Visit the link to read the official 2023 APCD Annual Report.
Louisville Metro Government's Department of Urban Forestry has been busy working to maintain the Seneca tree nursery. This five-acre plot hosts a wide range of tree species, including oaks, tulip poplars, sycamores, pecans, serviceberries, redbuds, and many other species. Tree nurseries require a lot of maintenance, harvesting and replanting trees can take 2-3 weeks.
 Trees also require watering/irrigation repair, structural pruning over the winter, mulching and weed control to mitigate competition, and pest management. In this year alone, 368 trees have been planted in Seneca nursery. On average, 250-300 trees from the nursery are planted in parks and public right of ways each year. Thank you to the arborists and other Urban Forestry staff for maintaining Louisville's tree population!
The UofL Liberal Studies Program is hosting a panel conversation on climate change on March 20 from 12:00pm-1:30pm in the Belknap Academic Building on campus. The panelists will discuss the role and initiatives of local government in addressing climate issues, the consequences of extreme weather patterns, the character and environmental benefits of green spaces, and UofL's impact on local climate. The panel seeks to contribute to our understanding of the nuanced interconnections between weather, climate, and the workings of our communities.
Panelists include:
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Sumedha Rao, Executive Director, Mayor’s Office of Sustainability
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Dr. Jason Naylor, Department of Geographic and Environmental Sciences, University of Louisville
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Dr. W. Scott Gunter, Department of Geographic and Environmental Sciences, University of Louisville
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Robin Frederick, AASHE, STARS & Carbon Accounting Intern, Student
- Sustainability Coalition Co-President,
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Department of Urban and Public Affairs, University of Louisville
For more information or inquiries about accessibility contact Janna Tajibaeva at janna@louisville.edu.
 Join Bluegrass Greensource for a Sustainability Summit on Wednesday, April 10 at the University of Kentucky's Gatton Student Center. The summit will explore the work of regional leaders in sustainability and will be an opportunity to connect with grassroots changemakers through a series of panelists (including the Office of Sustainability Director, Sumedha Rao), speed networking sessions, and exhibitors.
Register to attend or register your business as an exhibitor at Bluegrass Greensource Sustainability Summit - Neon Events.
For questions or more information, please contact Rachel Skinner at rachel.skinner@bggreensource.org.
 Join Change Today, Change Tomorrow for the State of Black Food Summit on Saturday, April 13 from 8:00am-5:00pm. The Summit will address food security and justice for Black families, bringing together Black individuals, community leaders, and organizations that are passionate about creating equitable access to healthy and culturally relevant food.
Key Highlights:
- Engaging sessions and exercises focused on food security and justice
- Networking opportunities with passionate individuals and organizations
- Collaboration to develop actionable strategies and goals
- Insights from expert speakers and community leaders
- Opportunity to be part of a transformative movement
Register here: The State of Black Food Summit: Food Security for Black People Tickets | Eventbrite
- Sustainability: Government, Corporate, and Public Cooperation (featuring the Office of Sustainability via KET: Kentucky Health)
- Louisville Focus interview with Sumedha Rao (featuring the Office of Sustainability via MetroTV)
- Bill promoting nuclear energy in Kentucky advanced by Senate committee (via Kentucky Lantern)
- Indiana among the states challenging EPA pollution rule at Supreme Court (via
Louisville Public Media)
- State leaders break ground on new EV charging station (via WAVE3)
- Could Wi-Fi in Louisville’s public parks help bridge the city’s digital divide? (via Louisville Public Media)
- Heavy truck traffic is shaking Old Louisville's historic homes. Can a new ordinance help? (via Courier Journal)
- Sustainability Now! feat. Andrea Gaughan | UofL Geographic & Environmental Sciences (via Forward Radio)
- Keep those flowers in the Dirt. Popular Valentine’s Day gifts hurt our environment (via Courier Journal)
- Louisville life expectancy falls, gap between east and west grows, new health data shows (via Courier Journal)
- Gov. Beshear Announces Grant Funding to Increase Access to Urban Forests and Greenspaces (via Connected: A blog of the Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet)
- Sustainability Now! Regional Climate Action Planning (via Forward Radio)
- Bill to limit Louisville pollution enforcement pushed by lawmaker from Rubbertown plant (via Courier Journal)
- Across America, clean energy plants are being banned faster than they're being built (via USA Today)
- This is what happens when a wind farm comes to a coal town (via NPR: Energy)
- A Roadmap for Industrial Decarbonization in Pennsylvania (via Ohio River Valley Institute)
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