Economic Vibrancy and Diversity

This is an opportunity offered on a quarterly basis to gain awareness of innovative ideas, conversations, and projects happening around Colorado's commitment to a more climate-adapted and resilient future.

The purpose of this series is to equip local governments with the tools, resources, and knowledge aimed at addressing climate change in Colorado. This is facilitated by including speakers who are subject matter experts that provide different perspectives and build awareness of the opportunities available and strategies to implement. 

This webinar aims to discuss how local governments can approach climate action strategies through economic diversity and showcases how this can generate vibrancy in local and rural communities. This webinar included topics such as “green” (climate-focused) business programs and expansion, examples of communities integrating climate adaptation goals, and the Mainstreet Open for Business Grant.

Risk Reduction and Technology in the Built Environment

This is an opportunity offered on a quarterly basis to gain awareness of innovative ideas, conversations, and projects happening around Colorado's commitment to a more climate-adapted and resilient future.

The purpose of this series is to equip local governments with the tools, resources, and knowledge aimed at addressing climate change in Colorado. This is facilitated by including speakers who are subject matter experts that provide different perspectives and build awareness of the opportunities available and strategies to implement. 

This webinar aims to discuss how local governments can navigate climat eaction strategies through risk reduction and ideas on innovative technology. This will include topics such as wildfire mitigation/adaptation, Marshall Fire Recovery, and Grid Resilience.

Social Equity & community Collaboration

This is an opportunity offered on a quarterly basis to gain awareness of innovative ideas, conversations, and projects happening around Colorado's commitment to a more climate-adapted and resilient future.

The purpose of this series is to equip local governments with the tools, resources, and knowledge aimed at addressing climate change in Colorado. This is facilitated by including speakers who are subject matter experts that provide different perspectives and build awareness of the opportunities available and strategies to implement. 

Speakers:

Environmental Justice: Community Engagement Best Practices - Rebecca Vigil, Environmental Justice Program, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE)

Environmental Equity Study: Zahra Al-Saloom, Colorado Energy Office

Climate Action & Social Equity in Colorado: Beatriz Soto, Conservation Colorado

Current Opportunities & Future Progress

This is an opportunity offered on a quarterly basis to gain awareness of innovative ideas, conversations, and projects happening around Colorado's commitment to a more climate-adapted and resilient future.

The purpose of this series is to equip local governments with the tools, resources, and knowledge aimed at addressing climate change in Colorado. This is facilitated by including speakers who are subject matter experts that provide different perspectives and build awareness of the opportunities available and strategies to implement. 

Speakers

Overview of State Climate Actions: Mark Silberg, Special Advisor to the Governor on Climate and Energy

Climate Resilience Challenge Fund: Marguerite Harden, Local Resiliency Manager, Colorado Resiliency Office

Alta Verde, Netzero Workforce Housing: Jessica Burley, Council Member, Town of Frisco, Sustainability and Parking Manager, Town of Breckenridge

IRA & IIJA Funding: Christine Berg, Senior Policy Advisor, Colorado Energy Office

State Government Support for Local Communities: Jemmy Barrera, Community Engagement and Community Specialist, Colorado Resiliency Office

Technology Funding

The goal of this webinar series is to break down state and local funding opportunities to better help local governments and community partners navigate and access potential solutions for challenges they are facing. This series is hosted by the CRO in partnership with OEDIT with collaboration from multiple other state agencies.

These webinars are delivered as part of the Local Government Coordination Calls, hosted on the 3rd Wednesday of each month. To watch these live, ensure you are registered.

• Posted In: Webinars, Pathways to Recovery & Resiliency Funding Series, Local Government

Energy Funding

The goal of this webinar series is to break down state and local funding opportunities to better help local governments and community partners navigate and access potential solutions for challenges they are facing. This series is hosted by the CRO in partnership with OEDIT with collaboration from multiple other state agencies.

These webinars are delivered as part of the Local Government Coordination Calls, hosted on the 3rd Wednesday of each month. To watch these live, ensure you are registered.

• Posted In: Webinars, Pathways to Recovery & Resiliency Funding Series, Local Government

Planning for Microgrids Webinar

The CRO was joined by consultants from the U.S. Department of Energy to provide more information on:

• A brief introduction to microgrids in Colorado;

• Background on the Microgrids for Community Resilience (MCR) Program, including the recent launch of the MCR Planning Grants available to Colorado utilities (and their community-based partners);

• Case studies and examples of microgrid projects that are community-based;

• Technical assistance from our U.S. Department of Energy partners, including a demo of a modeling tool that is available for pre-planning grant support.

Natural Working Lands

Addressing climate change requires protecting and enhancing our carbon sinks. This webinar introduces specific goals and opportunities for reducing emissions and sequestering carbon on Colorado's natural and working lands. This webinar covers natural climate solutions in agriculture, forest management, riparian areas, and more while showcasing examples from across Colorado.

Presenters will include:

• Angela Boag - Assistant Director for Climate, Forest Health and Energy at the Colorado Department of Natural Resources.

• Tim Sullivan - Natural Climate Solutions Director at the Yampa Valley Sustainability Council

• Chris Menges - Sustainability Programs Administrator at the City of Aspen

• Erin Glen - GIS Specialist at the World Wildlife Fund

Efficiency and Sustainability in Water Treatment Plants

This webinar offers both innovative and increasingly more commonplace methods for water treatment plants to reduce energy use and costs while increasing water use efficiency. This webinar covers methane capture, alternative fuels, and more while showcasing examples from here in Colorado.

Embedding Climate Equity in Your Community

This webinar discusses how Colorado communities are disproportionately impacted by the effects of climate change and how local governments are responding equitably. An overview of CDPHE's Climate Equity Framework to assist local governments in applying climate equity principles in their community is provided.

Energy Resiliency Through Microgrids

Colorado communities faced with an increasing number of climate change-related natural hazards like fires, floods, and winter storms are turning towards microgrids to build their energy resiliency for power outages. This webinar provides a high-level overview of what a micro-grid is, then dives into Colorado examples that leveraging State and Federal resources to ensure uninterrupted power at emergency shelters and key public facilities across the state.

This webinar will provide the tools and resources to ensure that new buildings integrate energy efficiency best practices and can navigate all-important energy and resiliency-related building codes. You'll also hear from local governments that are leading the way in new building construction here in Colorado.

Planning and Support for Transportation Electrification

Colorado's Greenhouse Gas Roadmap lays out a pathway and requirement for electric vehicles (EV) and infrastructure. This webinar provides an overview of state EV policies and programs, local government planning, and available grant support. You’ll hear from the following leaders in Colorado about:

• Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) — the State Greenhouse Gas Roadmap as context, share related transportation initiatives and grant opportunities.

• CO Energy Office — the State EV plan, mention upcoming EV equity study, related educational initiatives, and ChargeAhead grant opportunities

• Pueblo County — their EV readiness plan and share success stories and challenges/lessons learned.

• Estes Park — their EV plan, how they’re leveraging electrification to increase tourism, and their opportunities and challenges.

This webinar will provide background, tools, and resources for local governments to be able to implement good land use planning and development patterns that are both reducing emissions and adapting to the impacts of climate change. We'll explain principles like smart growth, integrated planning, transportation demand management, and natural climate solutions such as green infrastructure. You’ll hear from:

• The Colorado Department of Transportation on transportation infrastructure for resiliency;

• The Town of Winter Park on their Lift Transit Program;

• Colorado Stormwater Center on green infrastructure solutions; and

• The Town of Ridgway on their approach to green infrastructure.

Actionable Climate Action Planning

Climate Action Plans (CAPs) are an important first step in mitigating and adapting to climate change -- and many Colorado communities are already leading the way. This webinar will provide background, tools, and resources on how a Climate Action Plan will set data-backed priorities and a pipeline of projects for reducing energy use and reducing climate risks and vulnerabilities in your region. Join us to hear from the following Colorado-based leaders:

• State resources & perspectives (Patrick Rondinelli, Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) & Megan Holcomb, Department of Natural Resources (DNR))

• Why and how to create a CAP (Angie Fyfe, International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI))

• CAP advice & lessons learned from Aspen (Chris Menges, City of Aspen)

Economic Recovery Through Energy Cost Savings

As Colorado communities make hard budget decisions on their path to economic recovery, the highest impact no-cost solution is through the Colorado Energy Office (CEO) Energy Performance Contract program.

This webinar discusses how local governments can invest in infrastructure improvements and enhance water efficiency by leveraging the projected savings from efficiency upgrades to finance the project on the front end. This webinar also provides information on how to use advanced metering & energy efficiency to create reliable & resilient water districts. The end goal for these projects is for local governments to enhance the effectiveness of their facility operations, mitigate water loss, and reduce their carbon footprint while maximizing the efficiency and life of existing assets.

San Miguel County Clean Energy Projects

This webinar describes how one small Colorado county is capitalizing on opportunities for local governments with the Colorado Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) and Colorado Energy Office (CEO) to generate renewable energy, reduce greenhouse gases, and also achieve organizational savings.

The webinar features stories of developing partnerships, project design, contracting, funding and energy generation and energy efficiency projects at San Miguel County facilities that generate solar electricity, use batteries to provide resiliency to mission-critical operations, incorporate beneficial electrification, and increase energy efficiency to maximize reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and produce a positive cash flow for the county organization.