FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 11, 2023
Contact: Peter Nierengarten
Environmental Director
Sustainability and Resilience
479-575-8272
pnierengarten@fayetteville-ar.gov
City of Fayetteville seeks input for new Climate Action Plan
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The City of Fayetteville is embarking on a new, comprehensive Climate Action Plan, and it will host several in-person events this spring to gather input and feedback from Fayetteville residents.
The Climate Action Plan aims to continue the commitment of reducing greenhouse gas emissions laid out in the City’s Energy Action Plan adopted in 2018, adding a new focus on nature-based solutions to help reduce the impacts of climate change.
The goal of the Climate Action Plan will be to inform future policies, programs and actions undertaken by the City, and to assist the City in its efforts to remain resilient to the anticipated changes in the climate to preserve the quality of life for those who live, work and play in Fayetteville.
Two Climate Action Plan engagement events will be held on the downtown square during the Fayetteville Farmer’s Market. The first will be Saturday, April 15, and the second will be Saturday, April 22.
Also, a public-engagement event will be held Thursday, April 20, at the Fayetteville Public Library from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. A fourth in-person public engagement event is tentatively planned for Bryce Davis Park; the date and time of this event is still to be determined.
Residents who are unable to attend these events may still contribute to the development of the Climate Action Plan through a questionnaire on Speak Up Fayetteville, the City’s online engagement portal. To view and take the questionnaire, go to: https://speakup.fayetteville-ar.gov.
Since adopting the Energy Action Plan, the City has made significant energy improvements, including constructing a 10-Megawatt solar power array, expanding sidewalk and trail infrastructure and a implementing a food waste composting program for Fayetteville residents.
In November 2021, Fayetteville City Council passed Resolution 288-21, requesting the addition of an Ecosystem Services Plan to the City’s existing Energy Action Plan. Combined, these two plans will form a Climate Action Plan for the City.
For more information about the Climate Action Plan, go to: https://www.fayetteville-ar.gov/climate