EVANSVILLE − Lauren Norvell and Nicole Chandler have the task of reinventing and reestablishing the Evansville Environmental Protection Agency.
Known now as the Evansville Climate Collaborative, the EEPA faces an uphill battle. It became vacant in 2017 and its resources were gutted. It remained vacant until late 2023. City councilor Angela Koehler Lindsey asked during the last city council meeting why the position went vacant and remained so. No one had an answer.
Norvell was hired under the previous city administration, led by former mayor Lloyd Winnecke, in late 2023. Norvell remains in her position as climate action director in Mayor Stephanie Terry's administration, joined by Chandler, a climate and compliance specialist.
The two constitute the entire department. Their salaries, benefits and $4,900 to be spent elsewhere make up the entirety of the $206,000 budget for 2024, according to Norvell.
The Evansville Climate Collaborative exists to improve air quality and prep the community for dealing with climate change.
In 2023, Norvell was tasked with catching up on "five years of neglected items" and implementing the city's climate action plan which was made public in 2021.
She said it was quite a feat.
In a presentation to Evansville City Council, Norvell laid out the department's hopes for the future. They want to expand their focus to more than just enforcement of climate code, but to take a more proactive approach, Norvell said.
Evansville Climate Action Plan
One of the goals for 2024 is to revise and update the city's climate action plan.
The plan's overarching goal is to lower greenhouse gas emissions with the aim to be 50% less by 2050. This goal was set into place when the plan was created in 2020 and released in 2021.
The 200-acre old-growth forest of Wesselman Woods Nature Preserve offers visitors a look at pristine natural scenes and is increasing its footprint in Wesselman Park.
"In the last three years, the climate realm has been on steroids," Norvell said. "It is really launched into high gear because of the severity of climate impacts we're seeing across the country and even here in Indiana and in Evansville."
Norvell said many municipalities have climate plans, and most include the goal of having their city's operations carbon neutral by 2050.
That's the goal that was internationally agreed to in the Paris Climate Accords, a treaty on climate change.
"Evansville is already behind in our goal," Norvell said.
Norvell said this year the office will also prioritize strategies for the climate action plan, as well as add metrics so success can be measured.
There will also be a new greenhouse gas inventory, as well as building energy audits and vehicle fleet audits for the municipality.
Supporting the department with grants
Norvell said she is applying for one grant after another, and the work on the strategic plan set for spring is already covered. The city will receive $172,000 for through the U.S. Department of Energy's Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant.
Another project funded through grant money is the newly established Evansville Forest Alliance. This group is made up of Wesselman Woods Nature Preserve, the City of Evansville Arborist Shawn Dickerson, Norvell, Community One, and Indiana Department of Natural Resources.
The $249,000 grant comes through the Indiana Department of Natural Resources' Community & Urban Forestry Department and the dollars are provided by the United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service through the Inflation Reduction Act.
The Evansville Forest Alliance will be focused on planting trees in underserved and low-income areas of the city. This helps with environmental concerns as trees capture carbon dioxide from the air and release oxygen.
Where will the Evansville Forest Alliance begin?
Wesselman Woods director Zach Garcia said the Evansville Forest Alliance has been in the works for at least two years.
"Planting native trees, educating residents on maintenance and care for trees, and providing outreach events on the importance of a healthy tree canopy are all wins for our city, its residents, and our urban ecosystems," he said in a news release. "The Evansville Forest Alliance, I hope, will be a continuing effort for decades to come, energizing citizens to plant as many trees as possible.”
The work will begin in Tepe Park and be led by Community One.
Executive director of Community One Jessica Welcher said residents of Tepe Park have been talking about the need for increased green space in the community for years.
"In the past, neighbors have started grassroots efforts to support this vision," she said. "Now, through elevated investment, residents can participate in focused impact as they improve the urban forestry in their own neighborhood for decades to come.”