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Item #5.2. <br />~lk~`~ <br />River <br />MEMORANDUM <br />i ®uncil <br />a eb~cca~ up nvlr~nr~~nl n7lnistra®r <br />arc h ~ 414 <br />° <br />J r~~c~ ®nserve ha~s~ II <br />The first phase of Project Conserve is nearing completion. The last set of meetings have <br />been scheduled for mid~May to finalize the results. Up to this point, the results have been <br />astounding. The participants have shown that it is easy to fnake small lifestyle changes that <br />really make a difference in the amount of electricity, water, natural gas, fuel, and garbage that <br />is consumed by the average homeowner, The average electricity and water reduction has <br />been around I I %. Some of the participants have planted more drought tolerant vegetation <br />because of this program which required mole water this year so their numbers were a bit <br />high and threw off the water reduction percentage, By following those participants through <br />another summer, I'm sure them water use will drop drastically. <br />This program has received a lot of acknowledgement through the League of Minnesota <br />Cities' City of Excellence Award for Sustainability and Energy Use, the Recycling <br />Association of Minnesota's Green Project of the Year Award, and various speaking <br />engagements to discuss the program. There are many communities watching the City of Ells <br />River's Project Conserve program to determine if it can be replicated in their community. <br />This program was set-up to be phased in through the next five years. Since Phase I is nearly <br />complete, Phase TI was launched at the 4r~' Annual Energy Expo. The goal of Phase II is to <br />worl~ with 500 families to educate them on how easy it is to make small lifestyle changes that <br />really make a difference in the amount of electricity, water, natural gas, fuel, and garbage that <br />are consumed by the average homeowner. City staff has been worl~ing with the Elk River <br />Municipal Utilities ~ERMU} to determine the best approach to make this happen. ERMU <br />would life to offer this program to all residents in Elk River city-limits as well as to their <br />customers outside of Ells River city limits in Gtsego and Big Labe Township. This would <br />allow approximately 11,000 families the opportunity to sign-up. Staff has also worl~ed with <br />Connexus Energy to allow theft• customers in Elk River to participate in this program, <br />The City has budgeted $5,000 and ERMU has budgeted $25,000. Staff applied for a X50,000 <br />OES grant and will be notified on March 12 if Project Conserve Phase II was selected fox <br />