Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Sustainability Programs topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Los Alamos board backs voluntary 'Green Los Alamos' business certification, forwards to council 3-1
Summary
The Board of Public Utilities voted 3-1 to support and forward a voluntary Green Los Alamos business self-certification program that recognizes commercial, nonprofit and institutional sustainability efforts with bronze, silver and gold tiers. Staff said the program will be free, largely self‑certifying and launch late January.
The Board of Public Utilities voted to support and forward to county council a voluntary sustainability recognition program for local businesses called Green Los Alamos.
Abby, the program presenter from the county sustainability team, told the board Green Los Alamos is a free, self‑certification program that lets businesses, nonprofits and other organizations complete an online checklist across five areas — energy, water, waste, operations and transportation — and earn bronze, silver or gold recognition. "Green Los Alamos recognizes our commercial community's commitment to stewardship and supports their ongoing improvement efforts," Abby said, adding that gold certification would be verified with a site visit.
Staff said the program relies on existing personnel from the Department of Public Utilities, the Sustainability Office, community development and the Los Alamos Chamber/LA CDC for outreach and review. Abby said the program intentionally uses a shorter, self-paced form to reduce burden on busy business owners and that the county is not requesting funding to run the initial launch. The team is aiming for a late‑January launch following a soft‑launch period and partner outreach.
Board members sought clarifications on eligibility (tenants versus building owners, remote or out‑of‑county businesses), form wording, and how signs or placards might be used. Abby said a bronze tier is intended to be achievable for tenants and that placard display would be optional; she also said staff would test the form with local business groups and adjust language where needed. One member urged caution about door placards disadvantaging tenants without control over building systems.
A board member moved that the board support the Green Los Alamos Certification Program and forward it to county council; after discussion the board approved the motion by a 3-1 roll call vote. The board did not adopt any incentives or budget changes at this meeting and directed staff to incorporate board edits and finalize launch materials before the public rollout.
The next formal step is a council review; staff said they will continue outreach with LA CDC, chambers and business groups before the council meeting.
