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8A Page 4 To submit comments electronically or request a public hearing, go to www.requlatlons.Qov and search for (IRS REG-158747-06). The State Announces Riverside as an 'Emerald City' On Tuesday, Feb. 3, at the city council evening session in Riverside, the state designated the city of Riverside as an "Emerald City." This recognition is for sustainable green initiatives and a commitment to help the state achieve multiple state environmental priorities. The California Department of Conservation (DOC) recently announced that Riverside will be the first city in the state to be designated an "Emerald City" in its Emerald Cities Pilot Project. Bridgett luther. director of the Department of Conservation presents Ron Loveridge, mayor of Riverside with a proclamation, designating the city of Riverside as an "Emerald Cit ." Photo b , Michael J. EJderman "We chose Riverside because of extraordinary efforts in sustainable activities in many environmental areas, including renewable energy," said Bridgett Luther, director of the California Department of Conservation. "At the end of the pilot, DOC will create an implementation 'road map' to help cities move toward a more sustainable future. It will help California cities achieve what Riverside is already close to achieving." According to state officials, Riverside will be one of two cities in the pilot project that will gauge their sustainable land uses and development principles; energy conservation and efficiency; water conservation and quality; environmental health of citizens; air quality; and waste reduction and recycling rates. The city of Tracy in Central California is the other city. IThis didn't happen by accident," said Riverside Mayor Ronald Loveridge. "Our Green Action Plan was not created to sit on a shelf for show; it's a real-world guideline for our environmental future. It brings government, businesses and the community together to achieve a cleaner, greener Riverside." Every city department has had a hand in the Emerald City claim, said Riverside's Sustainability Officer Mike Bacich. .'Riverside Public Utilities, Public Works, Parks, General Services - to name a few - have worked together to get Riverside to this point," he said. "We are all working on this together." Luther formally invited the city to participate in the programs at a council meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 3. She said that recycling programs often serve as "the gateway to green" for many cities and encouraged Riverside to take its citywide recycling program to the next level. "California is where movements like this start at the citizen level," Luther said in the packed council chambers, which included dozens of local students and environmental activists. "It is all coming together because green is our futUre. Cities that embrace sustainability will be the places where people want to come to and live." Part of the Emerald City program will include building a "best practices book," making more information available to cities and counties via the Web and creating a "green toolbox/l for government agencies that want to do more with sustainability, Luther said. She also expects Riverside officials to help her agency identify barriers to going green, including cost burdens, regulatory roadblocks and a lack of comm,unication between state agencies. "I think this is going to be the state's finest hour," Luther said. "We are going to go great places together." 4