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Nederland sustainability board backs keeping ambitious renewable goal while debating survey and gas‑reduction language
Summary
The Nederland Sustainability Advisory Board urged the Town of Nederland to preserve a 100% renewable energy target in its Partners in Energy plan while debating whether a small natural‑gas reduction goal should be framed as incentives rather than mandates; PI work is paused pending BOT feedback expected July 7.
Members of the Nederland Sustainability Advisory Board on Monday urged town leaders not to drop an ambitious renewable‑energy target as staff and consultants with Partners in Energy (PI) await feedback from the Town Board of Trustees.
The advisory board discussed whether to leave the town goal at 100% renewable — a target the board initially recommended for 2030 — or to accept the BOT's more conservative alternatives, while keeping a modest natural‑gas reduction element so the town can access rebate programs and implementation resources.
"No, we can do it by 2025," Mayor Chris said during earlier discussions cited by the board, noting a push from town leadership to accelerate the timeline. Board members described that history to make a case for keeping the original ambitious target in PI's draft so PI can continue implementation planning.
Board members and staff told the advisory board that PI cannot complete its planning work until the trustees provide clear direction; PI had paused major drafting pending BOT feedback scheduled for July 7. Staff reported that the town's community survey had returned roughly 40 responses so far, a higher-than‑usual turnout for Nederland but likely not statistically representative. Members debated whether to use the responses as a working data set now or to rewrite and reissue the survey for broader participation.
Several members urged pragmatic use of the results already gathered. One member argued that retaining a natural‑gas reduction goal as an incentive — not a mandate — would allow PI to connect residents to rebates and programs (for example, heat‑pump incentives) without compelling appliance replacements. Staff explained that PI's value is partly in connecting residents to utility rebate programs and in documenting progress for utilities and the Public Utilities Commission.
Board members also flagged equity and participation gaps in online surveys, especially among older residents and households without easy internet access, and suggested complementary outreach methods such as in‑person meetings or a summarized feedback packet to the trustees. Members proposed presenting the existing survey results to the Board of Trustees with caveats about sample size and representativeness while proposing a professional revision of the survey for future outreach.
Next steps: the advisory board expects PI to resume work once the trustees state their preferred goals on July 7. The board recommended that, if the trustees choose a more modest target, staff should emphasize language that preserves implementation access — for example, by keeping electrification pathways that unlock rebate funding and outreach.
