Greenhouse Gas Inventory Shows Progress on Sustainability Goals

Greenhouse gas emissions per capita by the City of Corvallis have decreased by about 7.8% since 2013, according to the results of an organizational greenhouse gas inventory released in August.

The survey is a biennial snapshot of greenhouse gases generated by City of Corvallis’s municipal operations, which includes fleet emissions and electricity use, as well as emissions related to the operation of buildings and facilities such as the Library or Osborn Aquatic Center. The information in the inventory report is intended to help City leaders understand trends and manage specific emissions sources and activities related to operational activities.

The new report looks at data from 2018. Compared to the previous greenhouse gas inventory in 2016, overall emissions increased 3.9%, much of which can be attributed to servicing a population that has grown by 4,000 since 2013. One recent challenge has been the availability of renewable diesel, which had been used in most City vehicles in 2016. Renewable diesel contributed to a big drop in vehicle emissions in 2016, but the fuel was removed from the market in Oregon in 2017 due to action at the state level. It is now available, but existing purchasing contracts and higher costs have prevented the City from switching back to renewable diesel. As a result, the 2018 greenhouse gas inventory noted a 46% increase in emissions from fuel use compared to 2016 metrics.

Electricity use is down more than 3% compared to 2013, due in large part to LED lighting upgrades at the Majestic Theatre and Osborn Aquatic Center, as well as efficiency improvements at two large City-run utility facilities: the Taylor Water Treatment Plant and the Wastewater Reclamation Plant.

“This inventory shows some good news and some areas for improvement,” said Scott Dybvad, the City’s Sustainability Coordinator. “The value in having this information collected regularly is that we’re able to track trends and make informed decisions about future investments.”

The two largest categories of emissions, Electricity Use and Supply Chain, comprise 44% and 25% percent of the total reduction respectively. Supply chain emissions quantify the life-cycle emissions associated with all the goods and services the City purchases.

The Corvallis Climate Action Plan calls for the City to inventory its organizational emissions every two years. The next inventory will examine emissions data from 2020.

For more information on sustainability in Corvallis, go to www.corvallisoregon.gov/sustainability.