OUR GOAL
We are in a climate crisis and, like many other cities across the world, Petaluma is taking action. We are proud to be working with our community in acting decisively, joining and inspiring others, and initiating a movement to rehabilitate ecological balance, restore economic stability, and achieve our goal of carbon neutrality in our city.
BLUEPRINT FOR CLIMATE ACTION
The City Council unanimously approved the final draft of the City of Petaluma’s Blueprint for Climate Action on Monday, November 4, 2024. Approval of this document will help ensure that Petaluma maintains a leadership role in climate action and provides a clear roadmap towards meeting the climate goals. The final document will include the 22 modifications recommended by the Climate Action Commission and Planning Commision. See item 12 of the City Council agenda to review the presentation and approved modifications.
The plan has been renamed the “Blueprint for Climate Action” (Blueprint) to reflect the importance of the actions we all must take to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Conservatively, following this Blueprint will lead to a 61% reduction in Petaluma’s Greenhouse Gas emissions by 2030. To be effective, the plan will require aggressive action and budgeting on the part of the City, partnerships with agencies and community organizations, and widespread changes in the activities and behaviors of the community.
Click here to read the Blueprint.
WHAT DOES CARBON NEUTRAL MEAN?
Carbon neutrality refers to balancing greenhouse gas emissions and climate pollution. This can be achieved by reducing and balancing carbon emissions through carbon offsets – programs that work to sequester/remove carbon from the atmosphere to make up for emissions elsewhere.
To learn more about what you can do and what the city is doing, scroll down this page.
Thank you for being a part of this important initiative to enhance our community. Together, we can make a difference!
Read Petaluma's Blueprint for Climate Action
WHAT YOU CAN DO
Reduce Carbon at Home and Work
Learn how to easily switch to 100% renewable energy, as well as view information on the extensive rebates and financing programs available to help decarbonize your home or workplace.
Start by viewing these resources: BayRen | Sonoma Clean Power | Sonoma County Energy Independence Program | The Switch Is On | Sonoma County Climate Action and Resiliency Division (CARD) | Go Green Financing
Create a Cleaner Commute
When possible, adjust your commute to be less reliant on a car and instead incorporate bicycling, Petaluma's FREE transit, on-demand FREE shuttle Lumago or drive an electric vehicle.
Conserve Water
Our Water Conservation team has various resources to help you reduce water use at home and at work through free programs, rebates and educational material. Click here to learn more.
Get Involved
Attend Climate Action Commission Meetings, the 2nd Thursday of each month at 6:30pm in Council Chambers (11 English Street)
Cool Petaluma is a nonprofit that inspires local climate action through community building. Learn how to get involved by clicking here.
Stay informed
There are numerous ways to stay up to date. We encourage you to sign up for our City Newsletter updates, which will regularly feature Climate Actions, as well as for information about Climate Action Commission meetings.
And while there isn't currently a Climate Action newsletter, we do hope to have one starting in 2025. Please sign up below to receive those emails.
Community Resources
WHAT THE CITY IS DOING
Council Actions
Climate Action is a top goal for the City Council. Since passing a Climate Emergency Resolution in May 2019, the Council has established a Climate Action Commission, adopted the Climate Emergency Framework at its January 11, 2021 special meeting, directing staff to incorporate the Framework’s goals into future planning, policy, and action to help Petaluma be carbon neutral by 2030 and on November 4, 2024 approved the Blueprint for Climate Action.
FREE Public Transportation
As of July 1, 2024, Petaluma Transit has eliminated fare collection on all Petaluma Transit fixed-route bus service and paratransit services. This one-year pilot program aims to increase ridership, promote Petaluma Transit’s network of services, alleviate the financial burden of low-income riders, improve access, and meet the rigorous climate goals set forth by the City.
Ride Share Pilot Program
LumaGo is Petaluma’s FREE on-demand shuttle. Take trips that start anywhere and end anywhere within the service area for FREE. This is a one-year pilot program starting September 30, 2024, and operates as a shared ride.
Active Transportation
There are various Capitol Improvement Projects in motion to make Petaluma even more walkable and bikeable. Click here for current and upcoming projects.
Greening the Fleet
The City is the process of electrifying their fleet. The City is also moving forward to a transition to renewable diesel while we're in the process of full electrification.
Ellis Creek floating solar project
The Ellis Creek floating solar project is designed to supply over 95% of the electricity used by the Ellis Creek Water Recycling Facility over the course of the year, saving the City approximately $450,000 in the first year, and nearly $12 million over the 20-year agreement. The floating solar project is expected to be powered up and saving the City in money by fall of 2025.
Petaluma is upgrading our water meter technology to help us, and you, save water. Water meters upgrades are currently underway throughout town and will continue through the coming months.
General Plan Amendment on New Gas Stations
Approved on March 1, 2021
Biomass to Biogas (B2B)
Ellis Water Recycling Facility produces 150,000 gasoline gallon equivalents (GGE) of renewable natural gas (RNG) made from food and beverage waste. The RNG replaces fuel in up to 19 diesel waste hauling trucks, displacing the consumption of approximately 21,200 gallons of diesel annually associated with hauling wastes.
Switching to 100% renewable energy
Approved by the City Council on February 22, 2021.City electric accounts were moved to Sonoma Clean Power's (SCP) Evergreen Power which provides electricity from 100% renewable, locally generated energy.
Residents can sign up, too! Upgrade today!
Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy Retrofits
New Construction All-Electric Reach Code
Approved by the City Council on May 17, 2021
Although Petaluma adopted an all-electric reach code for residential and nonresidential new construction and substantial remodels, the City had to reevaluate its approach to new construction decarbonization as a result of the “Berkeley Ruling” which nullified their all-electric reach code. The "Berkeley Ruling" refers to the Ninth Circuit decision in California Restaurant Association v. City of Berkeley which holds that Berkeley’s gas ban violates the U.S. Energy Policy & Conservation Act. Petaluma will encourage all-electric for new construction until a new pathway can be identified
Nature Based Solutions
- Our Parks and Recreation Department installed owl nesting boxes in parks and sports field to help with the mitigation of rodents.
- In August of 2023, the City launched it's first citywide grazing program in our Petaluma parks.
PETALUMA'S CLIMATE emergency framework
CLIMATE EMERGENCY FRAMEWORK
The Climate Emergency Framework is the result of collaboration of the Petaluma Climate Action Commission with input from city staff and volunteers in the community. Its purpose is to outline principles to guide the City’s ongoing response to and discussion about the climate crisis and to guide and inform subsequent policies and implementation strategies. These principles establish Petaluma’s shared vision of a healthy, sustainable, and equitable community. By setting the shared intention of this framework and working from the framework in subsequent planning efforts to create policy and implementation, the City will actively work to avoid catastrophic climate change and adapt to its expected impacts. The Framework consists of the following four sections:
Equity and Climate Justice discusses the ethical imperative to solve the climate crisis simultaneously with the crisis of inequity. This involves divesting from systems that harm public health, the economy, and the environment and invest in community-based solutions that create community stability, greater public health, and economic well-being for all community members.
Mitigation and Sequestration involves identifying the major sources of greenhouse gas emissions in Petaluma and taking action to reduce them, as well as how Petaluma can remove carbon from the atmosphere.
Adaptation and Social Resilience is about preparing our community for climate change impacts and develop the means to withstand the impacts that cannot be avoided.
Community Engagement discusses the necessity of a robust community conversation to address the climate crisis in order to work together to set and meet climate action targets and to strengthen the community in the process.
The City Council adopted the Climate Emergency Framework at its January 11, 2021 special meeting, directing staff to incorporate the Framework’s goals into future planning, policy, and action to help Petaluma be carbon neutral by 2030. We strongly encourage you to read the Framework, learn about what the City has done and is doing to combat climate change, and what you can do personally to stop climate pollution and help our City be healthier and more equitable.