Summary

Additional Initiatives

Areas of Interest

The following is a summary of the City of Grand Forks’ strongest environmental programs. The City of Grand Forks can build on these strengths to achieve the greenhouse gas reduction goals:
  • The City provides curbside recycling, multi-family recycling and recycling drop sites. The City of Grand Forks recycles/reuses 27% of its waste consisting of residential, multi-family, and drop site collections, as well as yard waste, brush, and tires.
o Other recycling programs include yard waste, recycled oil, and brush collection sites, as well as fall curbside vacuum leaf
collection.
  • The City has an extensive Bicycle Program with new bike racks and bike paths installed and built each year. The City also has a bike & bus program. There are currently over 56 miles of marked bike routes and paths between cities of Grand Forks, ND and East Grand Forks, MN with two pedestrian only bridges across the Red River.
  • Community Trail events are hosted throughout the year– Tour the Trails, Bike to Work Week, Tour de Forks,
  • The City encourages the use of the metro transit system- The Cities of Grand Forks and East Grand Forks have 242,530 riders per year
  • Since 1997 the City has been replacing Street Lights with LED bulbs- The City of Grand Forks is currently 95% complete in converting incandescent to LED. The City is 100% complete on the red, and green and 90% complete on the yellow. Pedestrian indications are approximately 30% complete. We are anticipating the conversion to be complete by 2008.
  • The Park District plants 1,200 new trees in the City each year.
  • The City purchases Energy Star appliances & equipment throughout city facilities
  • The City of Grand Forks Wastewater Treatment Plant has pumps with VFD’s (variable frequency drives)

Additional initiatives the City of Grand Forks is currently pursuing include:
  • The City is in the process of conducting a feasibility study on utilizing methane gas by the Wastewater Treatment Plant
  • The City is currently considering use of alternative fuel for 2008
  • The City is conducting a Building Analysis for Energy Efficient Buildings
  • The City is working with a local contractor to conduct energy audits at the City’s Pump Stations
  • The City continues to explores new initiatives such as Rain Gardens, Rain Barrels, and Drought Management Plans
  • The City is partnering with the EERC’s on their Wind Turbine Learning area
  • Becoming a member of the ICLEI Cities for Climate Protection Campaign

Mayor Brown’s areas of interest:
  • Achieve 25% efficiency
  • Providing alternative options such as energy from wind energy
  • Increase Recycling Citywide
  • Reducing sprawl to reduce the amount of driving residents do
  • Promoting the planting of trees
Information compiled for Mayor’s Cool City Initiative. Updated December 4, 2007




City of Grand Forks
255 N 4th Street * Grand Forks, ND 58203 * Phone (701) 746-INFO