Modeling Sustainability at Bandelier

Partnering with the Friends of Bandelier, Bandelier National Monument will become a model for sustainability within the NPS. Funding will enable Bandelier to develop and implement a Sustainability Plan for improving operational efficiency and environmental sustainability. This project proposes to make Bandelier a showcase of energy efficiency and clean-energy use. Bandelier will also be a pilot for NPS vehicle fleet efficiency and alternative, renewable fuels.

This funding will enable Bandelier to define its carbon footprint, improve the efficiency of electrical and water systems, convert one park vehicle to a hybrid, install several campground solar panels, and develop an action plan for funding and correcting other issues before 2016. The park will utilize the resources established by the Green Energy Parks Program to integrate existing NPS success stories and ideas. The park will host a Sustainability Forum in the Fall of 2007 to encourage park partners, staff, and community members to participate in the completion of this Sustainability Plan. Funding will also enable the park to develop educational materials and media to showcase its efforts and to encourage public participation.

This project will be completed in FY08 and additional sustainability projects will be submitted in the future once the action plan is completed. Future funding sources will be sought through partnerships with organizations like DOE (which has a large facility on the park boundary) and through grants identified by the Green Energy Parks Program. This project is sustainable, provides operating efficiencies, and requires NO funding of permanent positions or OFS increases for parks.