Madison is a leader in green efficiency
"Green efficiency" means doing what’s right for our environment in a way that does what’s right by our taxpayers. Our administration has developed the Green Capitol City Plan to make our City functions more energy efficient; takes part in the Mpowering Madison Campaign  to get the entire community to pitch in to reduce global climate change; and uses The Natural Step to incorporate an environmental ethic into all City services including green purchasing guidelines.
We are also rewriting our zoning code to encourage sustainable development; making use of a Smart Growth Plan to encourage infill development and new urbanism to reduce sprawl; and the undertaking the MadiSun program to maximize our use of solar power.
Emerald Ash Borer has decimated ash tree populations in other Midwestern states, and experts tell us it will reach Madison sooner or later. 30% of the City’s trees are ash, and could cost over $6 million to replace. We are creating a response plan that will have the least impact and cost to our citizens. As part of the response plan we have implemented a street tree inventory.
We also need to protect the quality of Madison’s air. This year, an unprecedented study is getting underway to chart the future of Madison’s coal-fired power plants. The study is a partnership between the City, the state and the UW, and its findings will have a major impact on our air quality and our energy generating capacity for years to come.
To protect our lakes, we launched Yahara CLEAN, a new collaboration with Dane County and state government to make real improvements in the quality of our lakes, our most important natural resource. We are also investing in immediate improvements such as additional funding for shoreline cleanup. Lake levels must be part of that discussion, because lower lake levels mean more flood control capacity, healthier wetlands and cleaner water.
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