Sustainability board backs 90% interim renewable target, refocuses natural‑gas goal on efficiency

The Nederland Sustainability Advisory Board discussed and provisionally recommended a 90% renewable electricity target for the town's draft Energy Action Plan, while asking staff to document the reasons for that number in a letter accompanying the plan.

Cass Grady, the town sustainability coordinator, told members the mayor preferred 90% and that staff would deliver SAB's recommendation to Partners in Energy and to the Board of Trustees. "The mayor's choice was 90%," Cass said, and staff will "compile" SAB edits and include a rationale to help persuade the board. Several SAB members said they still favored 100% as an aspirational target but accepted 90% as an interim, pragmatic position for presentation.

The board also replaced an emissions‑focused natural‑gas objective with an "Energy Efficiency Goal" that emphasizes appliance upgrades, weatherization and HVAC conversions. Cass said the numerical target under discussion is 40 homes by 2030 (roughly 10 per year starting in 2027). "So right now our goal is 40 homes by the end of 2030," Cass said, describing the change from an emissions metric to a participation/installation metric tied to program rebates.

Members emphasized the need to clarify what counts as success. Erica urged the board to define whether success means any heat‑pump installed under an Xcel rebate or an all‑electric cold‑climate conversion. "If we're gonna do 90%, I want it documented why we're doing 90% so that it's actually explicitly stated," Erica said, adding that the community deserves clear justification.

Next steps: staff will share SAB's interim recommendation with Partners in Energy, include a rationale letter in the plan, and attempt to open a dialogue with individual Board of Trustees members so the final plan reflects both technical rationale and the BOT’s direction.