EPC City Council Talking Points

Thank you for your willingness to advocate for Durango’s Energy Performance Contract (EPC)!

Details:

Location: City Hall, 949 East 2nd Avenue

Time: 5:30

Agenda; Agenda Packet 

Public Participation will begin after the meeting is called to order. Each speaker will have 3 minutes to advocate for the EPC, though do not feel pressured to take up this whole time! 

EPC Details:

If you’re unfamiliar, generally, an Energy Performance Contract (EPC) is a two-part contract where an outside group does a wide-scale energy audit, and then makes energy efficiency and solar updates on the buildings audited, which is paid for by the energy savings from those updates. Durango has an EPC with a group called McKinstry, who completed the audit part of the contract. Continuing the EPC is the best way Durango can meet its GHG emission goals, lower our climate impact, and have wide-scale energy savings. The City Council is voting (on Tuesday 11/1) on whether to stick with the contract going forward and have energy efficiency and solar upgrades performed. SJCA is urging the city council to stick with the full EPC!

Talking points to City Council: 

• Introduce yourself (for example: Hi, I’m Emelie Frojen, a Durango resident and Energy and Climate Program Associate at San Juan Citizens Alliance) 
• Why does this matter to you? 
  • Some examples could be:
    • Climate change threatens my (community/ work/ hobbies/ family’s future) and our city needs to be a part of the solution. 
    • Durango is a community leader and must take immediate sustainability and greenhouse gas reduction actions
    • Local sustainable solutions to the energy crisis matter to me and my community
    • The cost savings from energy efficiency matter to me as a Durango resident and taxpayer 
• State that you support the Energy Performance Contract and so should the city because
  • The city of Durango lacks the expertise and capacity to internalize the necessary aspects of the Energy Performance Contract, and it is unfeasible to attempt to internalize this work in a self-managed route. Making an investment in energy efficiency is a huge step towards bettering Durango’s climate impacts. 
  • The Energy Performance contract allows the city to make efficiency and solar upgrades with no upfront cost while paying back the loan with the energy savings. This expedites the process and produces savings sooner for the city while reducing our emissions, and does not drain the budget. It also still allows for energy savings down the line once the loan is paid back. If the city goes with the self-managed route, large upfront costs will be needed.
  • With the Energy Performance Contract, upgrades can be done all at once, rather than piecemeal projects from appropriated city funds.
  • The Energy Performance Contract is supported by the state of Colorado and is the preferred route for municipalities. This support allows the Colorado Energy Office to operate as a free third-party technical resource, which we would not have without the Energy Performance Contract. The Energy Performance Contract also allows Durango to utilize the Department of Local Affairs grant. 
  • The full Energy Performance Contract is the only way the city of Durango can take the required steps necessary for reducing its greenhouse gas emissions in a timely manner. Durango needs to be a leader in moving our community to meet the greenhouse gas reduction goals adopted by City Council.  
• Conclude by thanking the council for their time and urging them to support the EPC

Any other questions? Reach out to Emelie (emelie@sanjuancitizens.org; 949-735-0265)