Proposed FNSB Climate Action and Adaptation Plan

Summary

The FNSB Climate Action & Adaptation Plan (CAAP) is about preparing for and mitigating climate change to protect the health, safety, and well-being of borough residents. The plan will focus on borough operations, including FNSB facilities, policies, and practices.

Within the FNSB, there are 457 employees and approximately 110 temporary employees. The Borough owns over 90 major buildings totaling approximately 3.2 million square feet. Approximately 2.4 million square feet are operated by the Fairbanks North Star Borough School District and the remaining 780 thousand square feet are operated by the Fairbanks North Star Borough. Additionally, the Borough has over 150 other facilities such as parks, sporting fields, cabins, playgrounds, recreation areas, and the Tanana River Levee.

The CAAP will focus primarily on borough-managed infrastructure but will hopefully act as a catalyst to spur and support additional grassroots community-wide action on climate change.

The CAAP will include goals and strategies to:

1. Reduce the borough’s contributions to climate change by lowering greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and

2. Adapt borough operations to better prepare for climate change effects.

In other words, the CAAP is focused on making borough operations more sustainable and resilient in the face of a changing climate.

How to Participate in the Development of the CAAP

Attend a Climate Action Committee meeting, held at the Mona Lisa Drexler Assembly Chambers and on Zoom.
- The committee has sunsetted. There are no further meetings.
Attend an event.
- Past events
  - October 10, 2022 Climate Action Committee Worksession at 5:30 p.m.
  - Public Summit Event Saturday, August 13, 2022, 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
    - FNSB Assembly Chambers, 907 Terminal St
    - Breakout Sessions Agenda
    - Listen to Openning and Closing Remarks (mp3)
    - Summary of Breakout Sessions

Open House, Saturday, May 14, 2022, 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
- JP Jones Center, 2400 Rickert St
- Presentations at 4:30 p.m. and 6 p.m.
- Summary of Public Comments

Plan Documents

Proposed Final Documents

Resolution No. 2023-TBD. A Resolution Accepting And Approving The Fairbanks North Star Borough Climate Action and Adaptation Plan, reviewed at the May 8, 2023 meeting

Proposed Climate Action and Adaptation Plan, reviewed at the May 8, 2023 meeting

Plan Appendices, reviewed at the May 8, 2023 meeting

History of Plan Documents

Background Information Chapter, reviewed at the October 10, 2022 committee meeting

Public Participation Chapter, reviewed at the May 17, 2022 committee meeting, updated January 2023 for Committee review

PESTEL/Situational Assessment Chapter, reviewed at the November 15, 2022 committee meeting

Action Plan Chapter, reviewed at the January 6, 2023 committee meeting - canceled

Evaluation Framework Chapter, reviewed at the January 6, 2023 committee meeting - canceled

Existing Conditions Report (Appendix), reviewed at the October 10, 2022 committee meeting

Summary of Strategies and Ideas from Public Input (Appendix), reviewed at the January 6, 2023 committee meeting - canceled

Summary of Grants and Funding Opportunities (Appendix), reviewed at the January 6, 2023 committee meeting - canceled

History of Climate Planning in the FNSB

2007-2010: International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives Process

In 2007, the Fairbanks North Star Borough (FNSB) Assembly unanimously adopted Resolution 2007-40, committing to developing a local climate change impact and resilience plan by following the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI) process for local governments, of which the FNSB was a member. This effort was led by the Interior Issues Council Climate Change Task Force (IIC-CCTF), a volunteer group of public employees and citizens working to “build a sustainable, climate-resilient community through education, public outreach, and Borough-wide actions” (IIC Preliminary Vulnerability Assessment Report, 2010).

The IIC-CCTF was supported by University of Alaska’s Scenarios Network for Alaska Planning (SNAP) and the Alaska Center for Climate Assessment and Policy (ACCAP) in developing projected changes and potential adaptation responses to climate change for the Borough. The outcome of the ICLEI process was the completion of the first two steps in the ICLEI Five Milestone process:

• Milestone 1: Study and assess climate vulnerability in the FNSB

• Milestone 2: Set goals and prioritize

• Milestone 3: Develop an action plan

• Milestone 4: Implement action plan

• Milestone 5: Monitor efforts and re-evaluate action plan

2019-2021: FNSB Joint Climate Change Task Force

FNSB Resolution No. 2019-29, adopted July 25, 2019, established the FNSB Joint Climate Change Task Force (JCCTF). The purpose of the JCCTF was to develop a Climate Action and Adaptation Plan (CAAP) for the borough. The task force had 17 members comprised of public employees, military representatives, and community members. Securing grant funding for plan development was the responsibility of the JCCTF, however this posed a significant challenge.

2021-Present: FNSB Assembly Climate Action Committee

FNSB Ordinance No. 2020-20-1R, adopted April 8, 2021, rescinded the resolution establishing the JCCTF and instead established the Assembly Climate Action Committee (ACAC). The ACAC has the same responsibility as the JCCTF, to develop a climate action plan, but has been granted an established temporary multi-year budget of $79,700 to complete this task. The ACAC is comprised of six appointed volunteer members including one FNSB Assemblymember, five community members and the mayor. The ACAC is currently guiding the development of the CAAP with support from a consultant planning team, RESPEC.

2022-2023: Development of the Climate Action and Adaptation Plan

The current effort to develop a Climate Action and Adaptation Plan (CAAP) for the FNSB builds upon the 2007-2010 ICLEI process and the work of the JCCTF by updating the goals and targets set in Milestone 2 and developing an action plan (Milestone 3). The CAAP’s implementation and future re-evaluation is intended to align with the ICLEI Five Milestone process through steps four and five.