Climate Solutions Summit, Jackson 2024
Jackson Hole Center for the Arts – Foyer
Check-in at registration and join us for breakfast at Jackson Hole Center for the Arts Foyer.
Center for the Arts Theater
Mayor Hailey Morton Levinson, Jackson, WY
Rollie Williams, Climate Town
Center for the Arts Theater
Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson
A conversation with Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson about the solutions we have now, and what the future could look like if we get it right. In addition to being inspired in person, every Summit attendee will also receive a copy of Ayana’s new book, “What If We Get It Right.”
Center for the Arts Theater
Bethany Patten, Senior Lecturer and Director of Policy and Engagement at the MIT Sloan Sustainability Initiative
The team from MIT will moderate a group conversation focused on helping community leaders make the most impactful decisions to reach zero carbon. En-ROADS is a global climate simulator that allows users to explore the impact that dozens of policies—such as electrifying transport, pricing carbon, and improving agricultural practices—have on hundreds of factors like energy prices, temperature, air quality, and sea level rise.
Center for the Arts Foyer
Center for the Arts – Theater
EPA Region 8 Administrator KC Becker
Region 8 Administrator KC Becker will provide an overview of recent regulatory updates, grant funding opportunities underneath the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act, and newly created technical assistance centers. This session will include a presentation followed by Q&A.
Center for the Arts – Aprés °C Tent
Paul Moinester, Founder, TOPO Finance
For many cities and companies, the emissions stemming from their banking and investing is one of their largest sources of emissions. However, this widely-overlooked emissions source may just be their greatest climate superpower that can help them achieve their most daunting climate objectives. So join us for a conversation about how you can transform your financial management from one of your largest climate drivers into your climate superpower.
Center for the Arts – Aprés °C Tent
Enjoy lunch catered by Teton Lunch Counter, Jackson Hole’s first waste-free food provider sourcing only the freshest local meats, seasonal vegetables & baked goods.
Various Locations Around Jackson
Choose a session to attend in each of these three hour-long blocks.
Now is the time to roll up your sleeves and put talk into action. Taking place in offsite locations around Jackson, you can choose which of these hour-long breakout sessions most interest you. You’ll end the day with new ideas and implementable strategies that will optimize your approach to climate change back home.
ReEnergize: A State & Local Government Partnership
Zuleika Pevec, Built Environment Team Lead, Clean Energy Economy for the Region; John Gitchell, Climate Action Manager, Eagle County, Colorado; Doug Jones, NWCCOG, Director of Energy Programs
ReEnergize is a successful and growing partnership effort between state and local governments, non-profit energy service organizations, and utilities on the Western Slope of Colorado. ReEnergize combines targeted outreach with one-stop service delivery to provide fully-funded, critical energy efficiency upgrades for local working households. This presentation describes the partnership and its results and benefits, and how it can be duplicated in other communities.
How to Solarize Your Community
Jessica Hoover, High Country Conservation Center; Narelle Kipple, High Country Conservation Center
Summit County, Colorado’s Climate Action Plan set a goal to achieve 100% renewable electricity by 2035. And while utility support is a key component of meeting this goal, Summit’s local governments wanted to take action locally. So non-profit partner High Country Conservation Center (HC3) created Solarize Summit, a county-wide bulk buy program for rooftop solar. In 5 years of program implementation, the community has added 2 megawatts of solar power to local rooftops. In this session, learn how you can create your own Solarize program to support your local residents and climate action goals.
Reducing the Environmental Impacts of Tourism Through Regional Partnerships
Crista Valentino, Jackson Hole Travel & Tourism Board; Cam Sholly, Superintendent, Yellowstone National Park; Chip Jenkins, Superintendent, Grand Teton National Park; Chad Hudson, Forest Supervisor, Bridger-Teton National Forest; Katrina Wiese, President/CEO, Destination Yellowstone, West Yellowstone, MT
Managing tourism to decrease its impacts on the environment, natural resources, and infrastructure is an all-hands job across multiple local and federal agencies. In lieu of an official Destination Management and Marketing Organization, our community has had to form alliances and collaborations to develop cohesive strategies that cross boundary lines. A panel featuring Grand Teton National Park, Bridger Teton National Forest, Town Council, County Commission, Jackson Hole Travel and Tourism Board, and Jackson Hole Mountain Resort will exemplify how these partnerships are crucial to each organization’s success, separately and collectively. Panel facilitated by Jackson Hole Travel and Tourism Board.
Procuring & Deploying Renewable Diesel
Alicia Cox, Yellowstone-Teton Clean Cities; Courtney LaBrie, NSAA
Renewable Diesel is a cleaner burning fuel that can significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Renewable diesel is NOT biodiesel but is chemically equivalent to diesel, proving to be a true drop-in fuel for any diesel vehicle. You’ll learn from the following: renewable diesel experts, fleets successfully deploying renewable diesel, unique opportunities for use, such as off-road vehicles and ski resorts, as well as fuel producers and providers. You will learn how to quickly procure and deploy this fuel for immediate greenhouse gas reductions in your diesel vehicles.
The Power of Local Voices: Effective Lobbying Techniques for Small Communities & Resorts
Bill Barron, Citizen’s Climate Lobby; Laurel Eastman, Citizen’s Climate Lobby
In this session, leaders from the national nonprofit Citizens’ Climate Lobby (CCL) share how small mountain communities and ski resorts can have a big impact on climate policy. Aiming high in policy advocacy is the most efficient way to achieve significant climate milestones.
CCL’s focus is on building lasting relationships with politicians from all parties. We talk about what we support, not what we oppose. This approach helps us get our ideas heard. It also feels amazing to collaborate, connect, and work together.
Here you’ll learn practical tips for positive engagement and effective advocacy. Learn how to make a real difference in climate action, no matter your experience level. Organizing your community for federal advocacy is effective, fun, and easy!
Various Locations Around Jackson
Putting the Action in Climate Action Planning: Fostering Collaboration Amongst Rural Mountain Communities
Emma Gerona, Executive Director, EcoAction Partners; Kim Wheels, Energy Specialist, EcoEcoAction Partners; Kendra Held, Climate Action Coordinator; Jason Corzine, President & CEO, Telluride Foundation; Terry Schuyler, San Miguel Power Association
With limited capacity and shared regional resources in remote and rural mountain communities, collaboration is key to successfully developing and implementing climate action plans. EcoAction Partners developed the Sneffels Energy Board in 2009 to address emissions reduction goals across the Northern San Juan mountain region. The board brings together ten government partners, local utilities, community foundations and other key stakeholders to build resilience and drive climate aciton. Learn how a collaborative board structure can support long-lasting partnerships, project innovation, leveraged grant funds, shared best practices and tools for collectively addressing regional challenges.
Roadmapping to “Net Zero” New Construction
Kimberly Schlaepfer, Lotus Engineering & Sustainability
Many mountain towns have set goals or strategies to achieve a “net zero” code by 2030 to support their climate goals. But what does net zero mean in this ever-evolving world of clean energy and new technology, and across politically different county lines? Learn how a 3-County collaborative of communities in Colorado is taking on the challenge of defining what a “net zero building” is, and learn about the roadmap they are building to align on regional code updates for the next 10 years to achieve their climate goals.
Renewable Wood Energy for Decarbonization and Forest Resilience
Mike Staudenmayer, General Manager, Northstar Community Services District; Dan Wilson, PE and Vice President, WES Energy and Environment; Julie Kies, Regional Program Lead for Wood Innovations, US Forest Service.
Renewable wood energy is a smart choice for mountain towns to displace fossil fuels and promote the sustainable management of local forests to be more resilient to wildfire and climate change. This session will introduce wood energy options at various scales, how it compares to other energy options, and the environmental and economic benefits that have hooked public and private facilities throughout the U.S. A community in Truckee, CA will share the story of their path to turn biomass from fire risk reduction efforts into sustainable energy for their resort village. Learn how wood energy can fit into decarbonizing your community and the grants and technical assistance available to bring projects to bear.
Rural Resilience: Joint Sustainability Efforts of Local Governments and Ski Resorts
Rachelle Leishman, Brundage Mountain Resort; Meredith Todd, City of McCall, ID
Our community in the West Central Mountains of Idaho deals with the same challenges of many Mountain Towns, ranging from Housing scarcity, to demand for service workers, to Natural Resource and rich amenities that are at risk of Wildfire, Water quality and snowpack degradation over time, among other threats. At the same time, all this struggle and risk is framed by the Political and Regulatory Framework of Rural Idaho. As a result of broad limitations on many tried and true methods of working on solving community and regional challenges (Regulation, Incentivization/Taxing Options, State Funding Pathways etc.), we have to function differently as both Local Governments, Mountains Resort Areas, Stakeholders, and Environmental Stewards.
Geothermal Heating as a Clean Energy Solution for Reducing Mountain Town Emissions
Cameron Millard, Town of Vail; Matt Garlick, The Grey Edge
The Town of Vail is working to develop a geothermal energy system incorporating waste heat from the ice arena and wastewater treatment plant into a highly energy-efficient and decarbonized heating district for buildings and snowmelt systems. With the assistance of the Colorado Geothermal Grant Program, the Town will develop plans for a Vail Civic Area heating district
Various Locations Around Jackson
Energy Conservation Works: Local Government in Partnership With Our Local Utility
Melissa Turley, Energy Conservation Works
Since 2007, the Town of Jackson, Teton County Wyoming and Lower Valley Energy have been working together to achieve energy conservation goals, starting by reducing the Town and County’s energy use 10% from 2006 levels by 2010. When that goal was reached, the partnership continued to pursue more ambitious goals, like launching Wyoming’s first community solar project. Today, Energy Conservation Works is a tripartite board created through a Town & County Joint Powers Agreement that includes representation from Lower Valley Energy. Current and founding Energy Conservation Works Board members as well as representatives from the Jackson Town Council, Teton County Commission and Lower Valley Energy will inspire attendees to break down silos to save energy, money, and reduce emissions.
Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) and Transferable Tax Credits: How to Get the Most Out of These Two Tools to Accelerate the Transition to Renewable Energy
Jason Parkin, Compose[d]; MIchael Leggett, Ever.green
Hear from Compose[d], a small digital creative agency, on their journey to supporting a 54 MW wind farm and Ever.green, the marketplace that enabled them to join other brands big and small.
We’ll explore the world of renewable energy project finance and paths for towns and companies of all sizes to accelerate the clean energy transition. Specifically, we’ll look at:
(1) Tax credits are a tool to enable more new projects and touch nearly everyone. Under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), towns and non-profits can access credits on their projects via direct pay. Projects that can’t use direct pay can sell them at a discount to corporations who then save money on their own taxes. Learn about the changes to this world brought by the IRA and how to leverage tax credits for your business and/or projects. But tax credits alone are often not enough to make projects viable…
(2) RECs can be highly impactful in standing up new projects. They can also have almost no impact at all and simply be a method of taking credit for something that was going to happen anyway. How can you tell the difference? Join us to explore how to evaluate the impact of Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs), from financial impact (additionality) to the many impacts a project can have on climate, the environment, and communities.
This session offers actionable insights for leaders on creating effective renewable energy investments and advancing corporate and municipal climate goals, as well as how to effectively communicate these efforts in a genuine way to customers, visitors, and communities.
Electric Vehicle Advancement Within a Municipal Fleet
Alicia Cox, Yellowstone-Teton Clean Cities
Join Yellowstone-Teton Clean Cities to learn the steps toward electrifying your fleet. Analyze your current fleet, learn about current funding opportunities to support the purchase of electric vehicles and understand the infrastructure necessary to transition your fleet to electric vehicles. Reduce emissions and save money.
Creating Synergies: Ranching, Ski Resorts, and Sustainable Land Management
Gregg Simonds, Open Range Consulting
Imagine the potential of uniting the charismatic nature of mountain resorts with the rich history and tradition of Western cowboys into a special kind of outreach. Together, we can foster a deeper appreciation for land stewardship and create lasting positive impacts on our natural landscapes.by aligning the credit hunger needs of ski resorts and their residents with sustainable land management practices, Over the past 23 years, we’ve implemented significant changes in land management on our ranch, resulting in tremendous benefits for water security, carbon sequestration, and biodiversity (u-tube- Humboldt Ranch: Changing a Landscape to a Livescape). Our efforts have led to the sequestration of over 3000 tons of carbon annually, equivalent to offsetting the carbon emissions of more than 23 million miles of driving by the average motor vehicle.
Community-Wide Organic Waste Diversion Programs and Policies
Ainsley Brosnan-Smith, City of Aspen; Jimena Baldino, City of Aspen; Andy Hecht, Park City Community Foundation; Erik Kimball, Teton County
Zero waste programs are being implemented across mountain communities as part of a broader climate action plan. Join the City of Aspen, Teton County, and the Park City County Foundation to hear more about their successful programs and policies; sharing their insights and different approaches to stakeholder engagement, logistics, business outreach, overcoming common concerns, and more. You’ll walk away with a clear sense of what approach might work best and a replicable template to launch a waste diversion initiative in your community or resort.
The Aprés °C Tent @ Center for the Arts
Sponsored by:
Center for the Arts – Foyer
Center for the Arts – Theater
Mary Kate Buckley, Jackson Hole Mountain Resort
Rollie Williams, Climate Town
Center for the Arts – Theater
James Rattling Leaf, Global Indigenous consultant and principal of the Wolakota Lab, LLC
In this keynote, James Rattling Leaf, a respected advocate and expert in Indigenous Knowledge and environmental stewardship, will explore the intersection of reconciliation and climate adaptation.
He will discuss how Traditional Ecological Knowledge and indigenous practices offer valuable insights and solutions for addressing the pressing challenges of climate change.
Through the lens of reconciliation, James will highlight the importance of respecting indigenous sovereignty, honoring sacred relationships with the land, and incorporating indigenous wisdom into modern climate strategies.
This presentation will emphasize the need for collaboration and dialogue, fostering a deeper understanding of how indigenous communities are adapting to climate impacts and leading innovative, sustainable solutions. Attendees will leave with a renewed commitment to allyship and actionable steps to support indigenous-led climate initiatives, paving the way for a more resilient and just future for all.
Center for the Arts – Theater
David Roberts, Host of Volts podcast; Luke Cartin, Park City Municipal; Kristen Bertuglia, Town of Vail
This conversation, led by Volts’ David Roberts, will look at two mountain communities trying to green their electrical grids and discuss the different ways that those communities interact with the larger grids, and grid authorities, around them. How much autonomy do small towns really have in decarbonizing electricity?
Center for the Arts – Foyer
Center for the Arts – Theater
Mat Woods, Chief Executive, Destination Queenstown, New Zealand
Queenstown, New Zealand has been known for its pioneering spirit and world’s firsts from bungie jumping and commercial jet boating to tandem sky diving and paragliding. Now Queenstown is leading the way in regenerative tourism, with the goal of ensuring tourism is regenerative and resilient, delivering benefits environmentally, socially, culturally and economically, enriching the lives of the people who live here and the people who visit. Queenstown developed its destination management plan “Travel to a Thriving Future” over the pandemic years, through extensive engagement with its community and creating the audacious goal of a carbon zero visitor economy by 2030, for everyone to rally around.
Center for the Arts – Aprés °C Tent
Benji Backer, Founder and Executive Chairman, The American Conservation Coalition
Leading conservative environmental activist Benji Backer will uncover the essential role of conservative communities in unlocking climate solutions, and detail how we build a nonpartisan environmental movement that ensures climate action in America for decades to come.
TBD
Moderated by Andy Beerman, former Mayor of Park City, UT
Without policy change, progress on climate is virtually impossible. Policy changes will not happen without bold leaders willing to embrace long term thinking. Elected leaders must have the confidence to set ambitious goals, and the tools to build consensus around achieving the outcome. Join this small-forum conversation with elected colleagues about climate leadership – to discuss the benefits, the challenges, the failures – and to share how others have successfully rallied their communities around real climate action. We are smarter and bolder together, but only if we are willing to learn from each other. This session is for elected leaders only! Co-hosted with the Colorado Association of Ski Towns (CAST).
Center for the Arts – Aprés °C Tent
Enjoy lunch catered by Teton Lunch Counter, Jackson Hole’s first waste-free food provider sourcing only the freshest local meats, seasonal vegetables & baked goods.
Various Locations Around Jackson
Eagle, CO: It Takes a Small Mountain Town
Kira Koppel, Town of Eagle; Scott Turnipseed, Town of Eagle; Larry Pardee, Town of Eagle; Laura Hartman, Executive Director; Adam Palmer, Sustainability Fund
Reducing GHG Emissions From Mountain Town Airports and Air Travel
Margie Lynch, Jackson Hole Climate Action Collective; Jim Elwood, Jackson Hole Airport; Robb Etnyre, Truckee Tahoe Airport District
Many of our mountain towns host airports, and many of them are situated in fragile natural environments. Commercial and private jet travel can be significant and high intensity contributors to greenhouse gas emissions, so tackling community scale emissions requires attention to addressing this issue. This session will feature information on efforts that mountain town airports are taking to reduce emissions from their operations as well as opportunities to reduce emissions from air travel itself, including from use of sustainable aviation fuel.
Financing the Future: Aspen’s Approach to Climate Policy Cost Analysis
Grace (Moderator), AECOM; Ainsley Brosnan-Smith, City of Aspen; Clare McLaughlin, City of Aspen; Tim Karfs, City of Aspen
The City of Aspen has set science-based targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 63% by 2030 and 100% by 2050 and needs to make big moves to get there. In order to create a realistic roadmap to achieve these goals, Aspen needs to holistically quantify what the real costs of these big moves like electrification, sustainable transportation, and waste diversion will be. This is important in a place like Aspen where cost of doing business is especially high, and the consideration for who will bear these costs will direct the future of our climate policies and goals. In a big step forward, the City of Aspen is working the consultant team at AECOM to develop a Climate Policy Cost Analysis and Financial Plan that will consider the most impactful policies to reach our climate goals, a comprehensive analysis of anticipated costs and impacts of those policies, and innovative ways to fund this work. The City of Aspen’s climate team will present an overview of this journey and lead a discussion with AECOM consultants on initial results, lessons learned, and how other communities might benefit from these shared insights.
Collaboration for Accelerated Climate Solutions
Jeff Grasser, Copper Mountain Ski Resort
An overview of how collaboration has brought new climate solutions to life in land conservation, waste reduction, and renewable energy development. Join this session to learn more about collaboration between Mountain Towns, ski resorts, regulatory agencies, consulting experts, and others working together to build new climate solutions and share these concepts with a broad audience. Hear how the ski industry shares innovative land conservation practices through the annual Ski Conservation Summit. Learn more about how the private sector works together to make recycling more efficient, cost-effective, and helps support community waste diversion objectives. See examples of how collaborations are opening new socially responsible renewable energy development opportunities for all and hear a plea for more voices to join this movement.
Is Regenerative Travel Possible?
Crista Valentino, Jackson Hole Travel & Tourism Board
If it is, our industry needs to make a mindshift from tourism being transactional where visitors exchange money for an experience, to one that is transformational, where tourism can leave a place better than before. After over a decade traveling the world as a tourist, environmentalist, and recreationalist, I can answer that yes, tourism can enable regeneration…under the right conditions. What will Jackson Hole need to become regenerative and are we willing to make that shift? What is our responsibility as residents, tourists, tour operators, and workers in enacting that change? In 10-15 minutes, we’ll travel the world to take a look at key moments that might give us a glimmer of hope that a future where the power of travel can improve the health and well being of a community and the environment is possible.
Various Locations Around Jackson
With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility: Turning HOA’s Into Climate Action Superheroes
Jerry Tinianow, WestUrb (moderator); Gabrielle Fuerst, CAP Management; Lizzie Peyton, Big Sky Sustainability Network Organization; Emma Lawler, Big Sky Owners Association
HOAs: Every mountain town has them. They have immense power within their domains. They can be forces for great (climate) good. But they have not traditionally been our allies in climate action – although they could be. How do we make that happen? In this session we will explore the growing role of HOAs in North America generally and in mountain towns specifically. We will consider the institutional barriers that have prevented them from helping us with our climate action strategies, and how we can work with them to pull those barriers down. We will present a case study from Big Sky, Montana, where a convening of all of the major HOAs last April produced a promising start on much greater involvement by HOAs in helping to implement the community’s climate plan. This model is replicable. You will also hear about the exciting efforts of the Big Sky Owners Association to develop both an owner’s sustainability committee and a guidebook for how to reduce consumption of carbon-based energy, save water and cut waste going to the landfill.
Turning Snow into Action: Ski Areas Leading the Charge in Climate Advocacy
Courtney LaBrie, NSAA; Mike Nathan, Arapahoe Basin Ski Area
This panel discussion will explore the critical role ski areas play in climate advocacy, focusing on successful strategies for engaging with representatives at both federal and local levels and in both red and blue states. As the impacts of climate change become increasingly evident, ski resorts are uniquely positioned to influence environmental policy and contribute to sustainable solutions. Our panel of ski area experts will share insights on building productive relationships with policymakers, crafting compelling messages, and leveraging the collective voice of the ski industry to drive meaningful change. Attendees will gain actionable strategies for advocating for bipartisan climate-friendly policies, learn from examples of successful initiatives, and discuss how to navigate the challenges of political engagement. Join us to explore how ski areas can be powerful advocates for a sustainable future.
Measuring Emissions While Managing For Impact In An Inherently Chaotic World
Imogen Ainsworth, Lead Sustainability Analyst, Brendle Group; Dannah Leeman, Sustainability Coordinator, Town of Crested Butte; Alexi Lamm, Sustainability Director, City of Moab; Marty Pool, Sustainability Manager, City of Durango
What gets measured gets managed. And what gets managed must be measured. Except maybe for mountain towns attempting to find the balance between implementing climate action informed by a rigorous, protocol-compliant GHG inventory while creating meaningful impact both inside their jurisdictional boundary and outside of it. Comprehensive calculation of scopes one, two, and three emissions in mountain towns welcoming guests from all over the world is challenging at best, and rare. Our panel of mountain town sustainability leaders from Crested Butte and Durango, CO, and Moab, UT, will discuss how they determined the scope of their GHG emissions inventory and how they identify the levers that they can influence through community climate action. The challenges and opportunities they face reflect a reconciliation between bounded, data-driven rigor, and inherent interconnectedness that will be familiar to many mountain towns.
Together Alone: Collaborating With Diverse Community Stakeholders to Write A Sustainability Plan
Tanya Anderson, Town of Jackson
The Town of Jackson chose to forego consultants and write their sustainability plan themselves. Despite only having one dedicated staff member to do the job, the plan was created by the community. Jackson incorporated diverse perspectives into the plan through partnerships with nonprofits, Spanish language outreach sessions, immigrant focus groups, and by taking the first steps to repair relationships with tribes. The broad input ultimately led the Town to pass a Rights of Nature Resolution, one of the first in the country, to serve as a preamble to the plan. Learn the ups and downs of going it alone, what it takes to work with different communities, lessons learned, and why rights of nature should be recognized.
A Mosaic-Approach to Climate Action in the West: Advancing Collaborative Climate Solutions For Built and Natural Environments
Sonja Macys, Routt County Commissioner; Gail Garey, City of Steamboat Springs City Council President Michelle O. Stewart, Ph.D., Yampa Valley Sustainability Council; Tim Sullivan, Yampa Valley Sustainability Council
Climate change is transforming our mountain communities more rapidly than expected and there is an urgent need to reduce emissions as much and as quickly as possible. In western geographies where there is more public/private undeveloped land than urban, climate action should advance decarbonization through both built and natural environments. Recent research shows that up to 1/5 of our US carbon emissions can be reduced if we invest in natural climate solutions, not as an offset, but as additional to rapid decarbonization. And, we will be increasingly dependent on natural solutions to build resilience to the inevitable impacts of increasing heat and aridity. The Routt County Climate Action Plan (CAP) Collaborative was created through an intergovernmental agreement in 2021 and has since engaged over 60 regional technical experts as Board and Working Group members to drive decarbonization across energy, transportation, waste and land use sectors. Join this panel to hear how the Routt County CAP Collaborative structure and focus on climate solutions across built and natural environments can inform action elsewhere.
Transforming Leadership: Real Stories of Mental Well-Being Creating Policy Success
Skippy Mesirow, Elected Leaders Collective
Ten leaders spent six months in the Elected Leaders Collective/MT2030 Mental Well-being Climate Cohort. Three of these brave leaders share how doing the inner work and healing shifted their experience and approach to leadership, enabling them to achieve more, faster. Engage in opportunities to connect, share, and ask questions. Practical guides and resources included.
TBD
High Performance Buildings in Cold Climates: Actionable Strategies
Katy Hollbacher, Beyond Efficiency, Megan Jennings, Energy Conservation Works, Max Moran, Lower Valley Energy Board Member
This session will outline high performance best practices for buildings in cold mountain towns (with better envelopes and heat pumps for space and water heating) • Demonstrate the potential for these strategies to reverse energy demand growth in Teton County over the next 10 years. • Present cold climate/mountain town case studies (for new construction as well as retrofit situations) • Provide specific solutions including products, service providers and partners • Highlight currently available incentives and other programs (e.g. low-interest loans, utility incentives, tax credits and IRA incentives). We propose to offer model solutions that could be applicable to any mountain town but will be considering the solutions through the lens of Teton County. The workshop will be created and delivered in partnership with Lower Valley Energy (LVE), the local rural utility co-op, and Energy Conservation Works (ECW), a joint powers board that includes the Town of Jackson, Teton County and LVE.
The Fire on the Mountain Project
Charlotte Cadow, The Nature Conservancy
In 2019, a lightning strike ignited a fire above the National Museum of Wildlife Art in Jackson. Fueled by cheatgrass, an invasive annual grass, the fire spread rapidly and led to evacuations in nearby neighborhoods. A rapid response by 31 firefighters contained the flames. With climate change causing warmer, drier summers, fires in the Wildland-Urban Interface are increasing and are often fueled by cheatgrass. In 2020, The Nature Conservancy (TNC), Teton County Weed and Pest, the Jackson Hole Land Trust, and the National Museum of Wildlife Art started a monitoring project in the burn scar. The Fire on the Mountain project tests herbicide spraying, native species seeding, and community education to build wildfire resilience. Charlotte Cadow, Community Science Specialist with TNC Wyoming, will lead this discussion on this ongoing research and outreach process.
Accessing Low-Cost Financing for Your Clean Energy Projects
Anna Moon, Collective Clean Energy Fund
CCEF is a mission-first, nonprofit community lender that fills financing gaps to accelerate clean energy initiatives. This session will provide an overview of CCEF’s current loan products and outline expanded financing opportunities created by the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund across more regions.
Pursuing Successful Climate Action in Red States
Margie Lynch, Jackson Hole Climate Action Collective
This session will focus on states where the climate (pun intended) at the state level is not receptive/if not hostile to traditional carbon reduction policies. We will highlight successes at the local level, and how advocacy and priorities of local elected officials can make progress even if the state is not overly receptive.
A Community Partnership that Supports Sustainable Business Practices
Shannon Shuptrine, Riverwind Foundation; Rebecca “Becky” Kiefer, Teton Count Solid Waste and Recycling; Nick Delmolino, Grand Teton Association
Learn about how the Teton County Integrated Solid Waste and Recycling and the nonprofit, Riverwind Foundation, have joined in partnership to promote sustainable practices and create a network of sustainable business leaders. We will discuss the structure of the Sustainable Business Leaders program, how it connects to county-wide climate goals, and hear from leaders of organizations and businesses who used the program as a stepping stone to write Sustainability Management Plans and Become Certified in sustainability.
Center for the Arts – Aprés °C Tent
Celebrate another productive Summit with your colleagues before the final event.
Sponsored by:
Center for the Arts – Aprés °C Tent
Ari Matusiak, CEO of Rewiring America
David Roberts, Journalist, Host of the Volts podcast
Join us for the 2024 MT2030 Climate Solutions Summit Closing Evening Event, a very special evening that will begins with the MT2030 Climate Action Awards, followed by a conversation between Ari Matusiak and David Roberts talking about electrification, decarbonization and the straightest path to zero. You’re not going to want to miss this dynamic and insightful conversation between these two climate champions, followed by an audience Q&A.
Sponsored by: