Sorry, you need to enable JavaScript to visit this website.
Article Image Alt Text

Climate action, transit funding on tap for city Tuesday

Sunday, August 5, 2018

At its workshop meeting Tuesday afternoon, the San Marcos City Council will hear reports about the city’s Climate Action Plan Initiative and potential federal funding for transit in the city.

The Climate Action Plan has its roots in a 2017 council discussion regarding the U.S. Conference of Mayors’ Climate Action Agreement. The mayors’ conference issued a statement pledging to uphold the goals of the Paris Agreement on climate change after U.S. President Trump announced the United States’ withdrawal from the accord.

As part of the council’s discussion, city staff was directed to measure greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions created by the city. The report council will receive Tuesday afternoon includes a breakdown of GHG emissions by city department and, for each department, by facilities and vehicles. The water/wastewater department generates the most GHG emissions, with the police department and parks and recreation a distant second and third.

The report will also examine new opportunities for reducing GHG emissions, such as continuing to purchase hybrid and electric vehicles when appropriate, retrofitting existing buildings for energy efficiency and constructing new city buildings to be more efficient.

The council will then hear a report from KA Associates on the city’s transit systems and on the city becoming a direct recipient of Federal Transit Administration funds. The report recommends that San Marcos achieve direct recipient status, because it would allow for more direct involvement in transit system operations and more local autonomy, and the funding would help position the bus system for long-term viability. The report also examines the possibility of forming a seamless transit system between the city and Texas State University.

The council’s workshop meeting will be held at 3 p.m. Tuesday in the City Hall Conference Room.

San Marcos Record

(512) 392-2458
P.O. Box 1109, San Marcos, TX 78666