Federally Funded Position to Help Providence Save on Energy, Lead City's Green Efforts

Mayor Taveras also enters Providence into two national environmental initiatives and announces free compost day as part of Earth Day celebration.

Mayor Angel Taveras today announced his administration will use federal funds to fill the city's vacant Sustainability Director position in order to save the city money by lowering energy costs, reducing the city's carbon footprint and identifying environmentally conscious, cost-saving opportunities. The Sustainability Director also will support and accelerate other ongoing environmental initiatives across the city.

"We are excited to use federal funds to hire an individual who will advance our efforts to lower the city's energy costs, reduce our carbon footprint and more vigorously support environmental initiatives across Providence," said Mayor Taveras.

The Sustainability Director will operate within the Mayor's Policy Office, and will be funded by a $91,000 federal Energy Efficiency Conservation Block Grant (EEGBC). The city expects to fill the position by July 1. EEGBC funds were a part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

The Sustainability Director's responsibilities will include overseeing the reduction of the city's energy expenditures, managing Providence's "Greenprint" initiative to align the city's workforce with the green economy, developing a comprehensive sustainability action plan, implementing a citywide composting program and increasing recycling in the city.

Cranston has saved more than $3 million since hiring an energy manager for the city's public schools in 2006.

Filling the Sustainability Director position was the top recommendation of Mayor Taveras' Environmental Transition Committee as well as a top priority of the city's Environmental Sustainability Task Force. The position was championed by City Council Majority Leader Seth Yurdin and established by the City Council in 2008, but has never been filled.

"I am pleased to see the Sustainability position finally being filled," said Councilman Yurdin. "This position will save the city money by implementing common sense cost-saving measures that other cities have done. In addition, this position will move the city's economy forward by creating green jobs and identifying renewable energy initiatives."

The plan to hire a Sustainability Director is part of a package of activities coordinated in celebration of Earth Day. On Wednesday, the Mayor also signed a pair of national agreements aimed at making Providence a more environmentally responsible city.

The Taveras administration formally entered into the Green and Healthy Housing Initiative Compact (GHHI) - making Providence the 15th city to enter the national initiative. Through the GHHI initiative, the city will work with a number of partner organizations, including the National Coalition to End Childhood Lead Poisoning, the State Office of Energy Resources, the Rhode Island Department of Health, the Rhode Island Foundation, and others to make the city's housing stock more energy efficient, safer, and healthier for low and moderate income Providence families.

Over the next two years, the city and its partners will work to provide comprehensive energy efficiency, health, and safety upgrades in 250 homes.

The Rhode Island Foundation worked closely with the city to bring GHHI to Providence, and Rhode Island Foundation President Neil Steinberg praised Mayor Taveras for signing the compact, saying, "GHHI is a great opportunity for philanthropy to collaborate with the city to leverage our collective resources to improve both our environment and the health of Providence residents."

"We are grateful for Mayor Taveras' leadership and support as we join together to advance this important Initiative," Mr. Steinberg said.

Taveras also signed a Climate Protection Agreement first endorsed by U.S. Mayors in 2005, which urges federal and state governments to enact policies that will meet or beat the target of reducing global warming pollution levels to 7 percent below 1990 levels by 2012, including efforts to curb American dependence on fossil fuels and to accelerate the development of clean, economical energy resources and fuel-efficient technologies.

The agreement also strives to meet or exceed Kyoto Protocol targets for reducing pollution as a result of global warming.

The city is also partnering with Brown University and Rhode Island Resource Recovery to provide residents with free compost tomorrow. On Friday, April 22 at 10AM, the Parks Department will deliver "Grade A" compost to the Brown University Football Stadium on Elmgrove Avenue. Providence residents should bring buckets, bags or a small trash bin to pick up their share of the free compost the city is offering.