envteam

Task Force: Regionalism, Land Use and Environment
Work Group: Environment and Conservation Committee

Short-term goals:

1.        River Enhancement Plan
2.        Aggressive Energy Efficiency Program
3.        Create an Environment and Public Health Protection Commission

Long-term goals:

1.        Multi-Modal City
2.        Improve Water Quality Through Stormwater Control
3.        Expand Recycling Services for Residents and Businesses in the City

Other Opportunities:

1.        Adopt Long-Term Energy Plan
2.        Ensure that Lansing Meets Clean Air Act Standards
3.        Provide Safe Drinking Water for Lansing Residents and Businesses
4.        Improve Environmental Education Programs
5.        Become a Lead Safe City
6.        Annual check-in with workgroups

Short-term goal #1

River Enhancement Plan – The primary purpose of this goal is to make the river a focal point of the city, by
making it the focus of redevelopment, event planning and education efforts.

Stakeholders: Planning agencies, neighborhood associations, businesses along the river, City event planners,
development community, law enforcement, visitor bureau

Diversity/Disparity Issues: Accessible riverfront usable by all citizens

Opportunities:
•        Comprehensive planning spurs conversation & awareness

•        Riverfront could be used by various organizations to demonstrate projects for how people did things to
improve water quality – LCC, Science Center, BWL

Obstacles:

•        No one is spearheading the effort – need to designate a person or board to do that.
•        Lack of access points for bikes onto the trail.
•        River trail has no natural staging area.
•        Need a viable farmer’s market someplace on the river - need to evaluate why City Market is struggling.

Strategies/ recommended actions:
•        Create River Master Plan--seeing river as a special and unique asset
•        Hold an annual event focused on the river
o        Organized picnics in each of the riverfront parks
o        Tie them together with foot and bike races
o        Engage neighborhood associations
o        Schedule a couple of weeks after river cleanup
o        Focus on a long-term vision of more recreational uses
o        Encourage kayak and canoe use
•        Draw public to river
o        Ice rink in Riverfront Park during winter months
o        Light up footbridges to make them safer and more attractive utilizing solar powered lights.
o        Establish watercraft liveries on riverfront
•        Expand river trail to connect with other trail systems
o        Conduct a review of publicly owned property along the river and evaluate utilization.
o        Look at potential for expanding (ex. Heartland trails, 150 acres owned by BWL at western point of walk.)
o        Look at what it would take to connect existing trail system to surrounding communities’ systems.
•        Create a heart for the trail system. Draw people to the loop from Michigan Ave down to the footbridge over to
LCC, and back to Michigan Ave. Key features include the Lansing Center, City Market, Lugnut Stadium and
redeveloped BWL plant (finish the loop back to the Radisson from LCC).
•        Post signage on the trail system to highlight businesses and sites along the way. Add marquee to Lansing
Center with daily activities to draw passersby in.
•        Consider redevelopment of the Grand Ave. parking deck (south of Michigan Ave.) to add restaurants, coffee
shops, etc on riverside.
•        Consider publishing a schedule of events in Lansing through the Greater Lansing Visitors Bureau. Add when
event can be accessed through the trail system.
•        Create additional access points to River Trail both downtown and in neighborhoods.
•        Create incentives to draw restaurants to river.

Department/Agency Responsible: P&ND, EDC

Performance Measures:
Fully vetted planning map & strategic plan with force of law
Property value
River trail use and users (Mid MEAC trail user survey)
Number of people at events
Number of new businesses located near river

Timelines: Six to eighteen months

Resources needed: Army Corp of Engineers, PSD, LC&VB, DPW

Short-term goal #2:

Aggressive Energy Efficiency Program - Make and market Lansing as an energy efficient city. Higher fuel
prices are having a significant impact on both Lansing area residents and businesses. The price spikes are
especially hard on low-income residents. Recent reports have recommended Michigan build additional power
plants. Lansing should take the lead in encouraging more efficient use of our energy resources to reduce
economic and environmental impacts.

Stakeholders: Small businesses, residents, city facility managers, landlords, home builders, Greater Lansing
Clean Cities Coalition, Michigan Interfaith Power and Light

Diversity/Disparity Issues: Low-income residents spend a disproportionately higher percentage of their disposal
income on energy costs.

Opportunities:
•        Reduce city's energy expenditures
•        Make area businesses more competitive

Obstacles:
•        Cost of audits and the initial capital costs of investments
•        BWL controlled by separate board

Strategies/ recommended actions:

Direct responsibility of City

•        Appoint an energy coordinator for the city (existing employee or new position—Ann Arbor’s coordinator pays for
himself several times over in the number of grants brought in and money saved)
•        Create comprehensive energy plan for city (like Ann Arbor and Chicago)
•        Audit public buildings and determine potential projects for energy savings
•        Audit the city fleet of vehicles – invest in cleaner vehicles and institute energy saving practices in use of those
vehicles – evaluate the use of bio-diesel
•        City should be an Energy Star partner
•        Endorse the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement
•        Restore a focus on tree planting and nurturing.
•        Membership in the International Council of Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI). ICLEI is an association of
cities, town, and counties committed to sustainable development.

In conjunction with BWL

•        Co-sponsor forums and other education efforts on energy use reduction measures for homes and
businesses
•        Evaluate rental housing and determine ways to encourage landlords to invest in weatherization projects –
require full disclosure of energy costs to potential renters
•        Establish city-wide energy efficiency standards for all buildings (longer term)
•        Identify city as an energy leader by adopting Kyoto Protocol like other major US cities
•        Promote Green Power
o        Lower the cost and size of "blocks" that folks must purchase to participate.
o        Spread a portion of the cost over the customer base.
o        Put a check box on the bill so people can round up -- or purchase green power when they can afford it.
o        Provide incentives to participate -- free C.F. light bulb(s), energy audit, etc.
o        Survey/inventory renewable energy resource available locally (wind, hydro, efficiency, cogeneration, solar,
wood, methane, etc.)
o        Create a net metering program and purchase excess capacity from area generators.
•        If access to capital is a limiting factor, create an Energy Bank for low-interest revolving loans.
•        Work with non-profits, MSU and LCC to enhance efforts such as audits and educational outreach
•        Work with faith-based community and churches within the City
•        Utilize current excess in steam—encourage new developments such as where old GM plant property or
property across from stadium to build using technology that can use steam

Department/Agency Responsible: DPW, P&ND

Performance Measures:
•        Number of audits performed
•        Energy use by city government
•        Energy use by city as a whole (potential of tracking using a Energy-O-Meter to promote public awareness and
how much energy/money has been saved by city)
•        Energy use on a per capita basis
•        Energy Savings by city government

Timelines: Two to twenty fours months.

Resources needed: Limited resources necessary to start. Returns will happen quickly and cover initial costs
within 1-2 years. Energy Star, EPA partnership, RETAP (DEQ)

Short-term goal #3

Environment and Public Health Protection Commission – The Mayor should propose and the City Council should
create a new commission that would evaluate and propose potential city actions for their impacts on the
environment and public health in the community, including the impacts on natural resources and wildlife
habitat.

Stakeholders: Environmental and conservation groups, developers, public health advocates, education
community, neighborhood associations, Chamber of Commerce

Diversity/Disparity Issues: Low-income residents and communities of color can be exposed to greater levels of
unhealthy air, water and living conditions than the population as a whole. This exposure can lead to learning
impairments and a variety of health problems.

Opportunities:
•        Such a Commission would ensure that environmental and public health impacts of decisions were at least
being considered.
•        Establish a reputation as a clean, progressive city
•        Establishing a reputation as a healthy City could be used to attract businesses.

Obstacles:
•        Could slow the process as comments were formulated and considered by decision makers. Need to review
matters concurrently w/existing commissions
•        Belief that economic development and environmental protection are at odds.

Strategies/ recommended actions:
•        Explore how other cities have incorporated environmental factors into decision making, such as Grand Rapids
and Ann Arbor.
•        Define scope and responsibilities
•        The mayor should propose and assist in lobbying the City Council to approve a new commission that would
evaluate and propose potential city actions for their impacts on the environmental and public health in the
community.
•        Connect commission to other area commissions on the environment

Department/Agency Responsible: City Council, DPW, EDC

Performance Measures:
•        Commission established and members appointed
•        Commission or Mayor to produce annual report or scorecard on how the city is addressing environmental
issues

Timelines: One year

Resources needed: ICDC, ICHD, MDEQ, NGO's

Long- term goal # 1

Statement of Goal: Make Lansing a multi-modal city. Thriving communities have multiple ways to get around
and promote healthy lifestyles.

Stakeholders: MSU and LCC students, biking and trails associations, roads department, Parks department,
League of Michigan Bicyclists, Mid-MEAC, Michigan Trails and Greenways Association, health department, Heart of
Michigan Trail Summit

Diversity/Disparity Issues: Low-income residents without access to automobiles live in areas without basic
services. The City’s failure to provide a viable transportation system for low-income residents and communities of
color is a major unaddressed environmental justice issue.

Opportunities:
•        Lansing’s proximity to Michigan State University and a large student population without cars should be
maximized on by making Lansing easy to get to and around.
•        Trolley’s, trails and bike lanes that go through downtown will help to make it a destination
•        Multi-modal transportation leads to significant improvements in public health.

Obstacles:
•        Upfront cost of a trolley line
•        Will take time as bike lanes will take time to add to existing streets
•        Infrastructure costs (bike racks)

Strategies/ recommended actions:
•        Evaluate trolley line to connect Lansing and East Lansing to achieve the maximum benefits of synergy
between the two communities that tend to operate in separate spheres.
•        Add and improve bike lanes on area transportation routes
•        Secure bike parking lot downtown
•        Place bike parking racks throughout city
•        Better patrolling of bike paths in general
•        Attention to plowing roadside bike paths
•        Street calming opportunities—review decision by city council to approve and then revoke street calming on Mt.
Hope which was eligible for state funding
•        Explore what federal and state dollars exist for improving public transit and utilize them if appropriate
•        Institute the Complete the Street program on major road improvement projects
•        Most bikes are made overseas. Encourage the establishment of a bike plant in Lansing—Cadillac has a bike
line.
•        Create an alternative/non-motorized transportation stakeholders group which would include citizens and
transportation officials

Department/Agency Responsible: Roads Department

Performance Measures:
•        Additional bike lanes
•        Percentage increase in the number of streets in Lansing with bike paths
•        Completion of feasibility study for trolley line between East Lansing and Lansing
•        Masterplan that includes the addition of bike lanes whenever roads are altered

Timelines:
On-going efforts

Resources needed: Seek various state grants

Long-term goal # 2

Statement of Goal: Improve water quality through stormwater control.

Stakeholders: Residences, businesses, roads department, drain commissioner, Board of Water and Light,
environmental groups, builders/developers

Diversity/Disparity Issues: Lack of recreational opportunities on our area waterbodies impact low-income
communities. Some people are eating fish from the river, which can have serious health implications.

Opportunities:
•        Federal mandate to address issue. Lansing and the surrounding communities are required to insure that
stormwater entering the river from roads, parking lots and off the tops of buildings meet Clean Water Act standards
for swimming and fishing. Efforts should be taken to reduce the amount of stormwater runoff entering the Grand by
requiring on-site stormwater management whenever possible.
•        A significant source of the pollution plaguing the Grand River results from annual discharges of millions of
gallons of polluted stormwater runoff and combined sewage overflows. Reducing this pollution load will help
make the river an asset that can be used to attract residents and visitors to the downtown areas and riverside
parks.
•        Utilize golf courses and other open spaces for stormwater control such as at the Tollgate wetland and
Groesbeck golf course. Not only cleans up river, but creates beautiful natural areas for the public to enjoy in the city.

Obstacles:
•        Cleaning up the river will take regional collaboration (although all communities of 10,000 or more are under
same federal mandate)
•        Traditional approaches to addressing stormwater through concrete pipes will need to be changed to utilize
“green infrastructure” such as raingardens, bio swales, green roofs, wetlands, etc. The city chose to go this route
when it created its original plan. The switch to green infrastructure would be a shift in priorities.

Strategies/ recommended actions:
•        Pass ordinance requiring new development and renovated sites manage stormwater on-site
•        Stay on pace with or expedite replacement of failing sewer lines timeline
•        Promote and utilize “green roofs” in city owned facilities including offices, schools, etc.—consider partnering
with MSU’s green roof program. (Green roofs effectively insulate buildings and, as a result, reduce energy
consumption; they reduce storm-water runoff; they improve air quality; they can last twice as long as traditional
roofs; if enough were utilized in a given city, the so-called ‘urban heat effect' could be substantially reduced.)
•        Promote raingardens throughout city, including insuring that the Michigan Ave project happens.
•        Finish watershed management plan, speed the rest of the process (work through City Council and the City of
Lansing)—consider using new firm if deadline can’t be met.
•        Work through existing regional collaboration efforts
•        Utilize area golf courses as natural buffer areas including Waverly golf course and the Red Cedar golf course
near Frandor.
•        Reduce costs through regional efforts
•        Education on how residents impact the river and can reduce polluted stormwater runoff (decrease fertilizer
and pesticide use, change direction of gutter downspouts from pavement to vegetated area, etc)
•        Create vegetated buffer zones along river to reduce polluted runoff (will also make river trail more attractive)
•        Eliminate city use of phosphorous fertilizers on any of its properties (parks, city buildings)
•        Clean Water Business—businesses can earn a “clean water business” rating by committing to a list of things
such as, no use of phosphorous for fertilizers or detergent, zero stormwater runoff from property, etc.) Receive a
decal for their door.
•        Re-institute the Water Front Development Board to make Lansing eligible for federal funding
•        Involve schools in building rain gardens as educational tool for students on water quality
•        Zero tolerance for violations of pet waste cleanup.
•        Additional street sweeping to prevent litter from being deposited in river.

Department/Agency Responsible: Board of Water and Light, roads department, city facilities manager, parks
department

Performance Measures:
•        Number of green infrastructure sites being utilized
•        Volume of sewage overflow being discharged annually (2004—420 million gallons discharged. BWL already
required by law to track)
•        Overall water quality improvements

Timelines:
Immediate and on-going

Resources needed:
Capital (state funding exists through grants and low-interest loans (Clean Water State Revolving Loan Fund)
City plan to institute whenever feasible green infrastructure

Long-term goal # 3

Statement of Goal: Waste reduction including expansion of recycling services for residents and businesses in
the city.

Stakeholders: Department of Public Works, Waste Management, Granger, Michigan State University, City of East
Lansing, Lansing residents and businesses

Diversity/Disparity Issues: Low-income residents are more likely to live in multi-family units that do not have
recycling services available.

Opportunities:
•        Lansing has a great opportunity to expand recycling services and increase recycling volumes while reducing
the cost of our recycling program.
•        Multi-family units are not being serviced by the city of Lansing’s recycling program. By expanding the recycling
program to include multi-family units Lansing’s rate of recycling will increase and more materials will be collected.
Expanded recycling opportunities will lead to the economic and environmental benefits of increased resource
conservation, energy savings.
•        Furthermore, the expansion of Lansing’s recycling program to include additional items such as green glass,
corrugated cardboard, and boxboard will bring our recycling program up to date. Additionally, expanding the types
of materials collected will allow Lansing residents to increase the amount of waste they recycle resulting in
economic and environmental benefits.

Obstacles:

•        Even though Lansing’s recycling ordinance includes the extension of recycling services to multi-family units by
way of requiring the complex to provide services, residents in Multi-family units do not currently pay the recycling
fee. Residents in multifamily units receive some recycling services such as access to special collections (books,
textiles, electronics), access to the cardboard and telephone book drop-off, and access to the educational
programming (Lansing schools, courses). While it is technologically feasible to successfully collect recyclables
from multi-family units, opposition is expected from landlords and some residents. Landlords may oppose
expansion of recycling services to multi-family units because they will be responsible for dedicating space and
maintenance and collecting the fee from their tenants. Residents may oppose the additional fee.
•        Expanding the recycling program to include additional materials will face a technological obstacle. Lansing’s
curb sort system is not easily modified to expand to add other materials. Without a long term plan to modify
Lansing’s recycling collection system we will be limited to a small number of materials.
•        Lansing currently allows competition with its trash and recycling services. This leads to lower efficiencies and
a low participation rate. Freedom to choose from a number of waste haulers, including the City of Lansing, comes
at a high cost for all residents. If Lansing is serviced by only one waste hauler, whether it is the City of Lansing,
Granger, Waste Management, etc. opposition is expected from those waste haulers not receiving the waste hauling
contract.

Strategies/ recommended actions:
•        Greater focus on waste reduction.
•        Ensure all Lansing residents, including residents in multi-family units, have access to recycling opportunities
by enforcing Lansing's recycling ordinance and expanding drop-off recycling services.
•        Consider partnering with East Lansing and Michigan State University to create a regional materials recycling
facility (MRF).
•        Consider offering only the City of Lansing as a waste hauler to reduce costs, number of vehicles on road, and
number of days with trash bags and bins on curbs.
•        As vehicles are replaced, consider purchasing single use vehicles (recycling, yard clippings, and waste) to
increase efficiency and reduce number of vehicles on the road.
•        Make used oil collection easier within the City.
•        Perform city facility audits to determine how waste can be reduced (ex. Mandatory two-sided coping, recycled
content paper, etc)

Department/Agency Responsible: Department of Public Service

Performance Measures:
•        Increased participation rate
•        Increased in amount of materials recycled
•        Increase in population with access to recycling services

Timelines:
•        Expanding recycling to multi-family units: one year
•        Increasing types of materials recycled: two plus years

Resources needed:
All programs can be funded through the current recycling fee.

Other opportunities:

1) Adopt a long-term Energy Plan
Lansing currently has below market rates due to the current coal-based production infrastructure. It also co-
produces steam for downtown businesses. However, the steam program has been losing customers – including
its largest, the GM Verlinden facility.

Actions:
•        Market low-cost steam for new businesses.
•        Explore offering steam to residential areas (rebuilding of Verlinden property)
•        Upgrade the existing coal plants with state-of-the-art pollution control to reduce particulate matter and mercury
emissions
•        Diversify energy production to include renewable energy -- blend renewable energy into the overall rate for
electricity users
•        Evaluate the co-burning of biomass to reduce emission rates
•        Public Service RFP will be out soon for energy efficiency—consider pursuing

2) Ensure that Lansing meets Clean Air Act standards

Actions:
•        Initiate anti-idling programs with businesses and area schools
•        Upgrade BWL facilities
•        Assist local businesses through partnership with state pollution prevention programs – RETAP

3) Provide safe drinking water for Lansing residents and businesses

Actions:
•        Evaluate accelerating lead-pipe replacement program
•        Require all brass fittings purchased for use within the Lansing water system shall utilize no lead brass.

4) Improve environmental education programs

5) Become a lead safe city by require lead assessment in any home that is being converted to rental or in
which a child has been found to have elevated lead levels.

6) Annual check-in with workgroups to assess status of recommendations and suggest new and emerging
opportunities.