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For immediate release
November 22, 2011

Contact:
Jason Wilkinson
(719) 471-7080 x139

Public comment sought on Regional Sustainability Plan

Colorado Springs, CO—Today, PPACG Board Chair Sallie Clark and Fort Carson Garrison Commander COL Robert McLaughlin announced the release of the draft Pikes Peak Regional Sustainability Plan for public comment. The plan is an in-depth study of ten issue areas from a regional perspective. It contains several goals and strategies to achieve those goals over the next twenty years. The plan, which is available at www.ppacg.org, defines sustainability as “improving our region’s quality of life for future generations.”

Highlights from the plan:

  • Sustainable regions recognize that the people, planet, and profit “triple bottom line” makes good business sense. In essence, sustainability and economic development are consistent and compatible with one another in trying to minimize inefficiencies and waste while trying to improve overall prosperity.
  • Providing water to accommodate the growing community located in a semi-arid climate now and into the future will continue to be a complex issue. For instance, how do we balance energy production (through oil and gas drilling) with other uses of water?
  • Our regional transportation infrastructure—the roads, bridges, and related storm drain structures—face a maintenance backlog of nearly $1 billion. How do we best connect citizens with their destinations over the next 20 years if we cannot maintain our current infrastructure?

The plan was prepared with financial support from the Department of Defense’s Office of Economic Adjustment, and the National Transportation Research Board; generous donations from Fort Carson, the City of Colorado Springs, the J. Henry Edmondson Foundation, BETTR Recycling, and the Sierra Club; and thousands of person-hours from local volunteers, professionals, and community leaders.

PPACG is a voluntary association of 16 municipal and county governments serving a regional community. Since 1967, PPACG has worked to ensure that local governments have a forum to discuss issues that cross their political boundaries, identify shared opportunities and challenges, and develop collaborative strategies for action. For more information, visit www.ppacg.org.

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