Dane County Office of Energy & Climate Change

The Climate Challenge Is Also an Opportunity

County Executive Joe Parisi and Dan Brown, Executive Manager of Ho-Chunk Gaming Madison, fuel a Ho-Chunk vehicle at one of Dane County's Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) fueling stations.

Dane County's RNG facility is a great example of how we can leverage climate challenges into economic and environmental opportunities that benefit everyone in Dane County. By transforming landfill gas into RNG, Dane County provides a low-emission and low cost fuel for heavy-duty vehicles. 

Dane County is a special place. We are home to innovative biotech companies as well as 100s of miles of hiking and biking trails on 12,000 acres of public land. While our greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are significant, we know we can eliminate those emissions. After all, in addition to 500,000 people and 55,000 cows, we've got a world-class university, hundreds of thousands of people who are concerned about climate change, and Dane County’s leadership that is committed to meaningful action on climate change.

All that momentum enables us to see the opportunities in addressing climate change. When we reduce our emissions we create opportuities for a stronger, more prosperous Dane County. By ending waste and embracing clean energy we can:

• Increase the County’s commitment to equity and justice

• Deliver economic benefits to all parties

• Improve health and wellness of all residents

• Increase our ability to adapt and be resilient to a changing climate

• Bridge the rural and urban divide, creating solutions that work for everyone in the county

• Enhance our natural environments, delivering ecosystem benefits

Indeed, we’re already hard at work on this vision. With input from hundreds of entities across Dane County, we are creating a Climate Action Plan that maps our path to a better future.
 

We Are Already Leading on Innovation

In Dane County we don’t just talk about climate change, we get things done. Over the last few years Dane County has invested in numerous clean energy projects--solar electric systems on County buildings as well as our innovative landfill project--and we have also implemented conservation projects to reduce the risk of flooding and preserve natural areas. You can learn more about these projects via our interactive map.

In the coming months we will expand this map to showcase additional projects by businesses, local governments and other entities. If you have a project we should add to the map or showcase, tell us about it.

To learn even more about the landfill project where we're producing Renewable Natural Gas, check out this short video.

The County has long focused on reducing emissions in its own operations and now, with the Climate Action Plan, we’re addressing county-wide emissions.

Learn more about our climate initiatives.

Let’s Do This

Join Dane County's efforts to reduce emissions and inspire others to follow our lead.

• If you’ve a story, share it with us
• Sign up to stay informed about our efforts (link to sign up form)
• Check out all the entities that support our efforts.  (link to page of CAP supporters)

Follow Us on Social Media @DaneOECC