5.3 PREVIOUS SUSTAINABILITY ACTIONS BY MIDCOAST COUNCIL

5.3 Previous sustainability actions by MidCoast Council18

Prior to joining the Cities Power Partnership, resolving to develop a draft Climate Change Strategy or declaring a climate emergency, MidCoast Council and its prior constituent councils and MidCoast Water were active in making their operations more energy efficient and installing renewable energy systems.

Examples of prior actions that have been taken across the MidCoast by Council include:

• Continued participation in the NSW Government’s Sustainability Advantage Program • Undertaking energy audits and developing energy management plans for Council’s major facilities • Installing over 200 kW of solar panels on public buildings including the former Forster and

Taree administration centres, Great Lakes and Manning Aquatic Centres, Kolodong works depot, Tea Gardens and Bulahdelah waste management centres, the Manning Entertainment

Centre, the Manning Regional Art Gallery and the Taree Airport • Successful application for a grant by the Men's Shed to install a 40kW solar array on its shed at the Tuncurry Waste Management Centre • Implementing various energy efficiency measures such as lighting retrofits, replacing electric hot water systems with heat pumps, air conditioning upgrades and power factor correction • Procurement of three hybrid passenger vehicles in Council’s fleet • Completion of carbon sequestration activities including wetland acquisition and restoration, and major revegetation projects at various sites owned by Council including Bootawa Dam • Undertaking an LED street lighting retrofit program with around 5,369 streetlights retrofitted to date • Participating in the Cities for Climate Protection, Sustainability Advantage and Sustainable

Procurement Programs • Preparing a Local Greenhouse Action Plan and setting emission reduction targets • Preparing Climate Change Risk Assessments and Adaptation Plans for Council’s operations and services • Monitoring Council’s energy and water consumption, carbon emissions and reductions through its subscription to Azility • Installing an Energy Management System at Council’s Taree Administration Centre and the

Manning Aquatic and Leisure Centre

A 160kW solar PV system has also recently been installed at Council’s new administration centre –Yalawanyi Ganya.

These and other initiatives evidence a track record of action to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions by MidCoast Council, which provides a sound base from which to set more ambitious goals for the future.

18 Sourced from Council’s website: https://www.midcoast.nsw.gov.au/Environment/Climate-Change-and-theMidCoast