BUTTE — Setting up a community garden in Butte’s urban environment, or maybe putting solar panels in old mine yards. A group in Butte is looking for people interested in finding solutions to deal with our changing environment.
“Last summer it was so hot with the wildfire smoke and that’s going to keep happening, as well as flooding here, obviously if you see Yellowstone and everything like that, just thinking of different environmental issues,” said Resilient Butte Coordinator Rylie Yaeger.
Volunteers are being sought to be a part of a steering committee focused on green energy and climate adaptation. The city is working with the National Center for Appropriate Technology and Montana Tech to develop a Sustainability, Health and Resilience Plan, or SHARP.
The committee will come up with ways to adapt to volatile weather events as the region’s climate changes.
“And tie some of the other things happening here in Butte-Silver Bow that just makes it a little bit more sustainable in thinking about things through an environmental lens,” said Yaeger.
One green energy solution being kicked around is to put solar panels in old, unused mine yards, like the Anselmo Mine.
“With all the old mine lands, is hopefully putting solar on it or potential projects like that where it would be a solution for Butte that’s so unique to Butte. There have been proposed projects like this before, it’s just not been in the right area and we’d want to talk to the community and figure out where they think it would be best,” she said.
Anyone interested in serving on the committee should contact Butte Chief of Staff Jim Kambich via email at jkambich@bsb.mt.gov or letter at 155 W. Granite St., Butte MT 59701.
