City of El Paso explains differences between the Climate Action Plan vs Climate Charter
Published: Sun, 04/30/23
City of El Paso explains differences between the Climate Action Plan vs Climate Charter
Designated bike lanes in west El Paso.
[Credit: KFOX14/CBS4]
KFOX14
by Jennifer Cuevas
EL PASO, Texas [KFOX14] — While voters decide if they will approve Proposition K, the city of El Paso has an existing climate department that’s working towards similar goals in a different way.
The city’s climate department known as Proposition C was approved by voters as part of the 2022 community progress bond.
Nicole Alderete Ferrini, the climate and sustainability officer with the City of El Paso explained how it differs from Prop K.
One of the differences is that Proposition K does not offer an exact timeline of when the changes it requests would go into effect.
On the other hand, Alderete Ferrini said they have 18 months to prepare the climate action plan before implementation.
“We’re going to spend the next 18 months with a consultant understanding the science behind climate action, understanding the data behind our community and taking action from there.”
Some of the goals of the Climate Action Plan include adding more bike paths, pedestrian walkways, green spaces and provide financial incentives for homeowners who use solar energy among other things.
Alderete Ferrini added the plan was allotted $5,000,000 that would be used towards the following:
“$1,000,000 dollars of that is going to go directly into the plan, we’re going to be bringing the best of the best in the nation to look at what climate action is for El Paso and El Pasoans. The remainder of that money, the $4,000.000, is about pilot and demonstration projects that can help us understand what really is going to make the kind of change we’re looking for and then we can scale that up at the end of 18-months that the climate action plan will take.”
One of the sections in Proposition K includes creating a climate department with a climate director, which the city has estimated could cost $1,528,361.
Alderete Ferrini said the cost is another difference between the two.
“Proposition K calls for the appointment of a climate director who reports directly to the city council and the creation of a climate department that reports to that climate director, now Prop C has established the need for a climate action plan which allowed us to establish my position, the climate and sustainability officer.”
KFOX14 asked Alderete Ferrini if the city believes Prop C can accomplish what Prop K is looking to do.
“What I can tell you about the climate action plan is that the purpose is to identify goals that make sense for our community, so whether those goals end up the same or not, I can’t tell you, but what I can tell you is that our plan is to bring in that date and those experts and help us understand what’s right for our community,” Alderete Ferrini said.
Early voting in El Paso ends on May 2 and election day is May 6 to vote on the city’s charter election.
For voting locations, click here.