Battle Against Global Warming Highlighted In Madison's Climate Action Plan

MADISON, NJ — A new year may bring a renewed sense of urgency to the issue of combating climate change both globally and locally here in Madison.

The Madison Borough Council heard a presentation on the ongoing Climate Action Plan on Jan. 23, which could lead to more environmentally friendly policies within the borough.

Madison's Climate Plan, lauded by the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, is the culmination of the borough's effort to help mitigate the risks of climate change.

"We all have different reasons to care, but the bottom line is, to care about climate change you only need to be one thing, and that's a person living on planet earth who wants a better future,"

In discussing the borough's climate action goals for the year, Madison councilwoman Rachel Ehrlich stated that New Jersey currently has the opportunity to implement and build on the federal climate action of 2022.

"We all have different reasons to care, but the bottom line is, to care about climate change you only need to be one thing, and that's a person living on planet earth who wants a better future," Ehrlich said.

Madison first pledged to take action on climate change last year with the adoption of a resolution that aimed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, increase community resilience, support state goals and pilot a Climate Action Process.

The Madison climate committee has already proposed several ideas for the borough, including a shift away from internal combustion engine vehicles for light duty non-emergency use, a cap on solar panels atop government buildings and others.

"The world has never been doing more to reduce emissions, but it's still not enough to avoid unsafe levels of global heating. The 2020s are a critical decade for climate action and we are more than 25 percent through already, so we must consider what power we have to act and use that power to do more," Ehrlich said.

The borough's long-term goals, according to Ehrlich, are based on state goals in New Jersey.

One of the main goals for Madison is to reduce its total carbon footprint by 80 percent, or from 140,000 tons of CO2 in 2018 to 28,000 tons by 2050. The main focus areas that the borough is targeting to achieve that goal are transportation, building energy and other energy supply.

According to Ehrlich, the borough will make an effort to ensure that plug-in electric vehicles contribute 25 percent of total non-emergency municipal vehicle mileage by 2025, increasing to 100 percent by 2035.

Madison will also strive to increase rooftop solar generation among Madison residents, with the goal of having 1,000 residences with rooftop solar by 2050. That number currently sits at 85, Ehrlich said.

The full list of recommendations will be discussed at the next council meeting, scheduled for Feb. 13, where the Climate Coals and Climate Action Process will be put to a vote.

If the proposal is approved, a committee will be formed to collect climate data for 2023, implement recommended actions, and develop recommendations for 2024, as well as to assist other towns in implementing a climate process.

The action committee made the following potential recommendations: resolve to stop purchasing gas-powered non-emergency light-duty vehicles and replace existing fleet vehicles with PEVs. Implement an energy efficiency outreach campaign, replace heating, air conditioning, and hot water systems with high-efficiency heat pump equipment and enact a water conservation ordinance.

Several residents spoke in favor of Madison's Climate Action Plan on Monday evening, with no one speaking in opposition to the proposed action committee.

"We can set an example for other communities and I think we're really lucky here to have people who have vision and expertise and can guide us toward doing our part and maybe starting something in the surrounding communities to really be proactive about climate change," resident Lisa Mcallister said.

Among the speakers was Allen Swanson, the chair of the Loantaka Group of the New Jersey chapter of the Sierra Club.

The Sierra Club is the country's largest grassroots environmental movement, with chapters in every state. "I'm here to congratulate you. I frequently bring up Madison as an example of what communities should be doing to address the issue of the climate crisis. Citizens of Madison are extremely fortunate to have you as their leaders," Swanson said.