Salt Lake City mayoral candidate Ralph Becker on Monday laid out his environmental ideas for the city, and he predicted Salt Lake could one day be "the greenest city in America."

Becker, the current state House minority leader, is an environmental and urban planner who co-founded planning firm Bear West in 1985. In releasing his environmental agenda, he touted his years of experience with environmental issues, saying, "On my watch, Salt Lake City will be a national leader in the fight for better air quality, energy efficiency and open-space preservation."

His environmental blueprint promises a number of initiatives, including:

•Promoting alternative forms of transportation. Becker says he would oversee completion of the Jordan River Parkway Trail in the city and would build three east-west trails. He would push for a light-rail line to the airport and streetcar service to Sugar House. He would work with schools to promote walking and biking to school. And he says he would make charging stations for electric vehicles part of the city's infrastructure, while expanding the city fleet's use of compressed natural-gas vehicles.

•Creating a citywide tree preservation and planting program and working with residents and businesses toward a goal of doubling the city's tree canopy.

Story continues below
•Establishing incentives for residents to replace lawn mowers and power tools that run on two-stroke motors with manual or electric models.

•Increasing the energy efficiency of buildings in the city. Becker says he would establish a program to evaluate the energy efficiency of residential buildings, offering suggestions for quick, cheap retrofits. He would update building codes to encourage use in private buildings of the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design standards, which are required by ordinance for city-funded buildings. And he would look into a west-side solar power supply that could be used for TRAX, electric vehicle charging and other electricity-based transportation.

•Minimizing construction waste by requiring waste reclamation and recycling as much as possible.

•Mandating that city services are provided in an environmentally friendly way, including requiring all departments to develop plans to reduce their carbon footprints.

•Preserving and acquiring more open space.

•Conserving water by pushing for gray-water systems to irrigate parks and golf courses and otherwise reuse wastewater and storm water.

•Establishing neighborhood centers, through zoning and city service relocation, to create more walkability throughout the city.

The full text of Becker's blueprint can be found at ralphbecker.com.

Becker is one of nine candidates for mayor. One other candidate, Salt Lake County Councilwoman Jenny Wilson, has also issued a detailed plan for the environment. Her agenda includes expanded solar and wind power, a green-building incentive program and increased recycling programs and education.

---

E-mail: dsmeath@desnews.com