Internal Climate Action, Resilience, and Education Plan (ICARE)

The County's internal ICARE Plan was adopted in 2022.  It provides goals to address the priority focus areas in the tabs below and the actions strive to reach the desired outcomes within four areas. 

See links to the plan and it's updates below:

 

GOAL STATUS 
Goal statuses are categorized by on track, emerging, and needs attention. The aim is to understand if efforts are proceeding as planned, are emerging with progress showing or need attention or resources to complete. 
On Track
Emerging
Needs Attention

 

Needs Attention

Implement all Climate, Environmental Stewardship, and Sustainability Policy areas by 2030.

  • Increase awareness of this Policy and update other County policies to align as needed.


     

On Track

Fund greater than 90% of all high priority projects ranked by ICARE annually.

  • Develop and evaluate potential projects, via the sustainability matrix, annually.

     
On Track

By 2035 see a 10% reduction in the average ozone level measured at Larimer County monitoring stations.

  • The County is working to add two regulatory ozone monitors to the regional network.
  • Increase participation in the County's commercial landscaping equipment program by 10% each year.

Built Environment, Circular Economy, Businesses & Jobs

Emerging

Reduce County facility Greenhouse Gas emissions by 62% by 2030.

  • We are continuously working toward building energy efficiency improvements and installation of renewable energy sources.
  • Integrate SolarAPP into comprehensive Community Development permitting software update.
Emerging

Methane released from the landfill will be reduced 18% by 2026.

  • Increase the capture of current landfill gas emissions.
  • Explore options for waste material diversion facilities, programs and potential emerging technologies to convert, process or reuse discarded waste materials through the Climate Smart Future Ready Plan.
  • Study Biochar technology and explore the possibility of completing a waste audit.
On Track

Departments and offices will expand dollars spent on sustainable operating and office supplies to 30% by 2030 and increase the number of Request for Proposals (RFPs) utilizing sustainable criteria annually.

  • Working closely with Amazon and Office Depot representatives to encourage employees to buy sustainable products.
  • Developing and offering sustainable evaluation criteria to be included on County issued RFPs.

Mobility of People, Goods & Services

On Track

Increase the miles of regional paved trails in unincorporated Larimer County 30% by 2043 and widened shoulders by 20% by 2030 in Larimer County.

  • Implement bike lanes or widen shoulders as part of roadway improvement projects
  • Achieve key, priority regional trail connections as outlined in various county plans
On Track

Install four DC fast chargers and four Level 2 chargers for electric vehicles on County property by 2025.

  • Apply for funding to install both types of chargers on County property and continue to access priority locations for charging.
Emerging

Increase avg miles/gallon of County light-duty fleet by 20%.

  • Create awareness campaigns regarding emission reduction benefits from increased fuel economy and alternative fuels.
  • Transition light-duty fleet vehicles to alternative fuel use 1.5% each year.
Needs Attention

Reduce VMT by employees 20%

  • The County is in the process of calculating a baseline of our voluntary employee remote workers and it's impact to our greenhouse gasses.
  • Launched a guaranteed ride home program in the summer of 2023 allowing employees who take alternative transportation to work the opportunity to have a free ride home in case of an emergency or other applicable reason. We continue to look into incentives for alternative transportation and remote work options.

Natural Environment, Water & Agriculture

On Track

Reduce average annual irrigation water 20% by 2027

  • Implement the County Landscape Water Reduction Plan by reducing turf, retrofitting sprinklers, planting native vegetation, and other restoration work.
On Track

Ensure by 2024, and ongoing over time, that no more than a total of 5% of county open space lands are converted to hard infrastructure

  • Assess conversion maximum plan and goals for County property to protect habitats and preserve the biodiversity of our native plants and animals
On Track

Conserve 74,108 acres of open space within Larimer County to protect habitats and preserve biodiversity by 2043

  • Update Open Space Master Plan to include climate and resilient ecosystem service considerations (by 2026)
On Track

Streamline incentives and encourage and lead proactive hazard mitigation and disaster avoidance by implementing 3 mitigation or resilience projects with at least 3 community partners annually

  • Continue awarding grants to the community through the Office of Emergency Management Community Mitigation Grant
  • Implement the 2024-2026 Equity and Inclusion Plan
  • Remove all County Structures from the 500-year floodplain
  • Establish Larimer Connects Hub locations in all rural communities across the County and identify key citizens

A Few Key Accomplishments

2022
  • Paper reduction countywide such as eliminating all paper bid & proposal submissions
  • Completed an Internal Greenhouse Gas Inventory
2023
  • EV Charging Station Roadmap developed
  • Landscape Water Reduction Plan completed and projects ongoing
  • Updated County Facility Design Criteria to include alternative energy source evaluation for all new facilities
  • Expanded access to nutritious food and offered extension nutrition classes for county residents
  • Offered free produce to income-qualified seniors through Market Days for Older Adults and increased number of produce bags delivered to seniors
  • Provided public health data around poor health quality and health outcomes
  • Anti-Idling campaign launched
  • Developed a guaranteed ride home program for employees who use alternative transportation for commuting
  • Started green purchasing programs with Amazon and Office Depot

 

2024
  • Received silver Solsmart designation
  • Recognized at the silver level by the Colorado Green Business Network for two buildings
  • 72 miles of widened shoulders have been added to County roads to improve bicycle access, to date
  • Removed one County building from the 500-year floodplain
  • Two regulatory ozone monitors added to the regional network
  • Larimer County Department of Natural Resources (LCDNR) converted 19 pieces of equipment to electric using a Colorado Regional Air Quality Council grant
  • Fleet acquired 3 electric vehicles
  • Commercial Landscaping Electrification Grant program piloted with 14 businesses awarded
2025
  • Installed 1 DCFC and 4 L2 stations making 6 stations total available to the public
  • Natural Resource invasive annual grass management project implemented on 1,000 acres allowing the soils to capture more carbon from the atmosphere

 

 

County Greenhouse Gas Emissions pie chart

As a part of the ICARE Plan, Larimer County recently embarked on an update to its local government operations greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions inventory. More detailed information about the results including landfill emissions can be found in this memo.

A GHG inventory, also known as a carbon footprint assessment, is a quantified list of an organization’s greenhouse gas emissions and emission sources. Greenhouse gas inventories can serve as baselines to track increases and decreases in future emissions and can help identify reduction targets and effective strategies for reducing emissions within our operations. 

A briefing the Larimer County Commissioners received is available as slides or a recording. 

 

 

Larimer County has been hard at work being good stewards of our resources, economy, and community in a sustainable manner since 1975.  We hope you enjoy this trip down memory lane!