The SASCO Climate & Energy Initiative leads the local fight against climate change.
Our perspective is grounded in science—the type performed by peer-reviewed scientists, not special interest groups.
Our approach is inclusive—of as many diverse stakeholders as are willing to fully participate.
Our action is guided by the severity of the challenges we face—challenges that demand an immediate rallying of the troops and bold, decisive, effective action.
As a rural Southwest Colorado community, we are at high risk from climate impacts such as severe drought and increased fire activity. Out of necessity, we are committed to being a leading rural community in the fight against climate change. Our struggle is not one of political ideology; it is a struggle for the future of a way of life we cherish.
For more information or to participate in our activities, please contact us.
This summer, severe drought struck the U.S. Midwest, wreaking havoc on soybean and corn crops. Nearly half of the corn (49 percent) and soybean (46 percent) growing areas are experiencing extreme to exceptional drought, which has led to both reduced yields and earlier harvests. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, a little over 63 percent of the continental U.S. is experiencing moderate to exceptional drought. This is the largest area that has fallen under this classification of drought in over 50 years, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
On March 14, 2012, Pegeen Hanrahan, the former mayor of Gainesville, Florida, visited Durango to discuss "how La Plata County can become the renewable energy leader of the Southwest, develop good jobs, and grow our local economy."
Slides from the presentation are available for download below.
As mayor, Hanrahan made Gainesville a national leader in solar energy. Florida ranks above California, the U.S., Japan, and China in per capita installed solar PV. Gainesville went from 0 to 7.3 MW of installed PV in less than three years!
A registered professional engineer, Pegeen Hanrahan was term-limited in 2010 after 12 years of elective service and two terms as Mayor of Gainesville, Florida. In that role, she sparked a solar CLEAN program (also known as a feed-in-tariff), making Gainesville the first city in the U.S. to implement this solar funding process. Her presentation shared the lessons from the Gainesville Regional Utilities, the electric utility whose feed-in tariff solar policy has brought over 7 megawatts of solar to the city's 125,000 residents. The raw number puts Gainesville among the world leaders in solar installed per capita, beating out Japan, France, and China (and besting California, which has 32 kilowatts per 1000 residents).
The first I-CITE study tour, held August 21-26, 2011, took 15 Americans (primarily from Colorado and South Dakota) and five Europeans (from Germany, Latvia, and Sweden) around Bavaria, Germany, and Upper Austria to explore how policies, vision, and political leadership are spurring businesses and entrepreneurs to bring about a transition to an energy system dominated by renewable energy.
Local participants included Bruce Baizel, Heather Erb, and Jenny Burbey from Durango, and Michael Whiting and Kathy Keyes from Pagosa Springs.
On March 14, 2012, Pegeen Hanrahan, 
