Annapolis’ water and sewage treatment plants pumped 3,552 tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere in 2006, the second highest polluter among municipal facilities behind the city’s vehicle fleet.
The city’s greenhouse gas inventory revealed the main emission sources, the first step in the city’s plans for reducing pollution.
“Simply using better conservation, less pumping and less treatment – you can see how much that contributes,” Michael Mallinoff, director of the city’s Department of Neighborhood and Environmental Programs, said of water and sewer emissions.
The city recently released a look at the overall energy consumption and emission of municipal facilities, as well as a citywide snapshot of energy use where buildings and vehicles dominate carbon emissions.
The city has set an emissions reduction goal of 25 percent of 2006 levels by 2012.
Several jurisdictions in the area and nationwide have embarked on inventories to determine their carbon footprint.
In Howard, officials are finalizing a countywide greenhouse gas inventory, which will detail energy use by residents, businesses, transportation and agriculture, among other areas, said Evelyn Tomlin, chief of the county’s environmental services.
The inventory, which is expected to be completed by the end of December, is “comprehensive” and will include a plan for reducing emissions, she said.
Annapolis’ municipal operations used nearly 30 million kilowatt hours of energy in 2006, most for the vehicle fleet of 273 city-owned vehicles, according to the report.
Citywide, buildings were by far the worst polluters, accounting for 67 percent of the overall 492,000 tons of carbon dioxide emitted in 2006.
This surpasses the national average of 40 percent, but the city is densely populated and has many historic buildings, Mallinoff said.
“It confirms the information we suspected and gives us more impetus to do what we are planning to do,” he said.
For example, a law taking effect in January makes it mandatory for certain new commercial and public buildings and renovations to meet minimum energy efficiency standards. Residential buildings will have to meet those standards in July.
“The biggest concern is getting the higher percentage of people to participate to do things to reduce their energy consumption,” said Annapolis Mayor Ellen Moyer.
Carbon dioxide emission in 2006
Annapolis government facilities and operations
- Total: 11,979 tons
- Vehicle fleet: 31.8 percent
- Water/sewage: 29.6 percent
- Buildings: 27.5 percent
- Streetlights: 10.3 percent
- Waste: 0.7 percent
Annapolis citywide
- Total: 492,109 tons
- Transportation: 27 percent
- Buildings: 67 percent
- Waste: 6 percent
Source: City of Annapolis
