Hillsboro Says It's On Track To Reach Emissions Reduction Goals

Hillsboro OR

08 December, 2021

1:34 PM

Description

HILLSBORO, OR —The city of Hillsboro announced Tuesday that it is on track to achieve the city's emissions reduction goals, which call for an 80-percent reduction in the use of electricity, natural gas and fleet fuels by 2030. According to a release, the city's operations inventory measures emissions in areas like: electricity, natural gas, fleet fuels, employee commutes and travel, solid waste disposal and purchasing. In 2010, the Hillsboro City Council adopted its first sustainability goals. These goals sought to reduce the environmental footprint of city operations in areas of material use and disposal, energy and air quality and water use by 2030. One of the goals was a 20-percent reduction in energy use by 2020, which the city achieved. The city said it's also on the way to reducing energy use by an additional 25 percent by 2025. Though the goals were laid out in 2010, steps already were being taken to reduce emissions at that point. The city said that since 2007, emissions from natural gas and electricity have gone down 67 percent, which it said is the result of budgeting and implementation of energy efficiency throughout city facilities during the last decade. Additionally, the Oregon Clean Fuels program, which has lowered carbon content of fuels sold in the state, has helped Hillsboro offset 100 percent of its electricity use with renewable energy credits, according to the the city. More information about Hillsboro's sustainability goals and programs is available on the city website.