The City of Ames has found its first sustainability coordinator tasked with keeping staff on course for net-zero emissions.
Nolan Sagan will serve as a resource for all city departments to ensure the work aligns with Ames’ Climate Action Plan, which outlines initiatives for an 83% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and net-zero emissions by 2050.
Sagan began his new role in July and has already felt an outpouring of support.
“Lots of folks are interested in this work, and there’s a great team at the city who’s been at this for a while,” Sagan said. “It’s been a great transition, and I’m looking forward to diving in and getting to work.”
A unique full-time role
Ames shared a quarter-time sustainability coordinator with Iowa State University for more than a decade. Merry Rankin, who served in the shared position, will return to Iowa State full-time at the end of August.
Adding a full-time sustainability coordinator was one of the Ames City Council’s goals for valuing environmental sustainability, Pa Goldbeck said.
“It seemed to make sense to bring on someone full-time since the Climate Action Plan was adopted (in 2023),” Goldbeck said. “We know there’s a lot to do with that, and it makes sense to have a sustainability coordinator to help move us forward in that plan.”
More: Hurd’s Haven kennel and The Rustic Rose wedding venue celebrate milestone anniversaries
What is the sustainability coordinator’s role?
Sagan will help each department understand Ames’ sustainability goals and how they can achieve them. He will also help with the longterm project planning and evaluate how sustainability fits into their current work.
Sagan must also identify, prepare and administer grants that support Ames’ Climate Action Plan. He will be involved in sustainability outreach and education, will speak to groups and promote community greenhouse gas reduction.
“We have these fantastic, ambitious goals we’re moving towards,” Sagan said. “It’s making sure we’re headed in the right direction and are doing all we can to use the resources we have efficiently.”
More: Boone earns Main Street designation after years of effort
Prepared by past experience
Sagan earned a bachelor’s degree in environmental science from the University of Northern Iowa and a master’s degree in environmental geology from the University of Kansas.
Since 2019, Sagan has worked as a sustainability and asset specialist with Spire Energy, a natural gas provider to 1.7 million customers in Missouri, Alabama, and Mississippi. He started their sustainability program and put them on a path to net zero.
Sagan, who has always enjoyed the outdoors and science, described his career as the “alignment” of his personal and professional goals.
“Learning what’s happening to our climate was a call to action for me,” Sagan said. “I’m really grateful I get to work on these initiatives as my career, and I feel it’s really important that we do so. There’s a lot of people in Ames that would agree with that.”
More: Find out who earns the highest salaries at Iowa State
Celia Brocker is a government, crime, political and education reporter for the Ames Tribune. She can be reached at CBrocker@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Ames Tribune: Ames hires Nolan Sagan as city’s first sustainability coordinator
EMEA Tribune is not involved in this news article, it is taken from our partners and or from the News Agencies. Copyright and Credit go to the News Agencies, email news@emeatribune.com Follow our WhatsApp verified Channel
