Responses: 10. Sustainability

10. What are your top three legislative priorities to make DC a more sustainable, energy-efficient city?

Biddle:

• Reduction in the number of vehicles in the government fleet and expansion of utilization of the Capital Bikeshare Program and Zipcar for government employee use. 
• Recover our natural canopy by adding green roofs to government buildings and also increasing the amount of trees that are planted in the city.
• Require the District government to enter into a carbon credits exchange program to help reduce the city's carbon footprint.

Douglas: As the First Lady goes, so shall I. My top three “green” priorities would be to push community gardens and tree-planting, increase recycling, and enhance incentives for individuals and companies that adopt at least 3 new sustainability efforts. It is more our job to introduce, encourage, and facilitate energy efficiency than to impose it. As a model, the Council would request/require that testimonies be submitted electronically instead of numerous paper copies being submitted. This would allow for easier cataloging of testimonies and decrease the amount of paper used. Council members should have laptops at every hearing in order to follow along and/or for reference. I believe that changing the mindset of our residents is key to a successful sustainability program.

Lopez: Continue with smart growth initiatives. Fully support and expand the Renewable Energy Incentive Plan and green roof subsidy program.

Mara:

1. I will push for incentives for DC produced green energy. There are many programs here in DC that need to be funded and supported by the council. Right now, DC imports almost all of its energy, making us totally dependent on others. DC needs to have a successful green energy production program to better diversify our energy consumption.
2. I'm a firm believer in distributed generation. I've worked at NREL and have a professional background in clean energy and environmental issues. Residential solar incentives must be protected.
3. As noted before, I do not own a car. I will look at ways we can better incorporate cleaner and alternative fuels, technologies in our public transportation.

Page: First, I want to fully fund the SRECs (Solar Renewal Energy Credits) so that homeowners who elect to install solar panels on their homes can do so and receive the tax credit previously promised by legislation passed by the Council that has since been underfunded. Second, I want to fund the installation of smart meters in every District office so that we can track energy usage by agency and tie annual budget "bonuses" to agencies that are the most energy efficient. This ties into my third and final legislative priority in energy efficiency: I want to create a system analogous to IMPACT for all District employees that grants incentive pay to workers who eliminate the most waste in their position, from spending the least amount of time idling in District owned vehicles to conserving the most energy in one's office, according to the smart meters mentioned previously).

Weaver:

1. Reinstate the incentives for solar-panel installation on homes in the District.
2. Create a mechanism to enforce and fine commercial haulers who are not recycling.
3. Incentivize clean currents/clean energy cooperatives for homeowners and businesses.