Adopting Supportive Policies
Because a municipality's comprehensive plan should be the policy basis for zoning and subdivision ordinances, municipalities that wish to encourage energy efficiency and a transition to clean and renewable energy should include related policies in their comprehensive plan. These policies, along with any specific goals (like a municipality-wide greenhouse gas reduction goal) will provide justification for regulations and incentives in the zoning and subdivision ordinances.
Municipal governments can adopt sustainability and climate change related goals to show leadership within their communities and can include sustainability purpose statements within their ordinances to substantiate codes that promote, or require, energy efficiency, electrification and the inclusion of renewable energy production. Further planning is needed to achieve those goals, and to do this municipalities throughout Pennsylvania have adopted municipal sustainability plans, climate action plans, and energy transition plans. The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection created the Local Climate Action Program which funds climate actions plans throughout the state, and the Sustainable Pennsylvania program helps municipalities plan and implement sustainable actions. These plans are critical to guide our governments' efforts to tackle climate change and energy issues.
Municipalities can also take energy conservation measures in their own buildings and operations to be a leader in the community. By promoting those measures to the public, municipal governments can inspire others to do the same.