I support net zero by 2035. Jill McDermott. Omaha, NE

OPPD,
Please achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2035!

Thank you,
Marla Cohen

I am in support of net zero by 2035

Thank you for the incredible work you've done, researching responsible ways to decarbonize Omaha's energy sources. Given the research, I certainly support setting a net zero target by 2035 as compared to 2050. The additional 1% increase in rates would certainly be worth the reductions in GHG emissions in the middle of the century.

Removed by moderator.

Thank you for accepting public comment on your initial results for the Decarbonization Pathways.
Significant Takeaway:
There appears to be a minimal cost incurred to achieve net zero by 2035 as opposed to 2050. Comparing the increase of climate change costs and the distress that Nebraskans are likely to experience over the next 14 years, this increase appears to be a small amount to pay. (Look at costs from the 2019 floods, from this summer’s torrential rains and winds, impaired air from wildfires etc. All of these threats and resulting costs are expected to continue to rise.)

OPPD should achieve a goal of Net Zero by 2035. The E3 study noted that OPPD can reach net zero by 2035 with existing technologies with just over 1% per year increase for rates. Recent OPPD Board elections have demonstrated that OPPD’s customer/owners want to see OPPD move rapidly to a clean energy mix.

To protect those customer/owners that are disproportionately impacted, OPPD could address this through adjusted rate structures. Another policy that would serve as a catalyst to achieve this goal and protect these same customer/owners from rate increases would be to support a carbon cashback payment with a national carbon tax.

YES - net zero by 2035!! This is a critical step to securing and safe and sustainable future. The minimal cost is nothing compared to the cost of not taking this vital and critical step forward. I will happily pay an additional 1% - and frankly, much more if necessary.

As an Omaha resident and OPPD customer, I am fully supportive of OPPD efforts to achieve Net Zero by 2035. Any related costs will be minimal and a better value than the growing costs of our climate crisis. I appreciate the current low costs and high reliability of our area's energy, but am willing to pay more and deal with any glitches in reliability that may occur during the transition to renewables and/or to provide for just energy distribution. If organizations and communities defer Net Zero goals to 2050, we will no doubt be in the throes of devastating, irreversible climate impact, leaving generations to suffer for the choices we are making now. I appreciate OPPD's leadership and work to provide clean energy and reach Net Zero and I strongly support a 2035 Net Zero goal.

Thank you for accepting public comment on your initial results for the Decarbonization Pathways.
Significant Takeaway:
There appears to be a minimal cost incurred to achieve net zero by 2035 as opposed to 2050. Comparing the increase of climate change costs and the distress that Nebraskans are likely to experience over the next 14 years, this increase appears to be a small amount to pay. (Look at costs from the 2019 floods, from this summer’s torrential rains and winds, impaired air from wildfires etc. All of these threats and resulting costs are expected to continue to rise.)

OPPD should achieve a goal of Net Zero by 2035. The E3 study noted that OPPD can reach net zero by 2035 with existing technologies with just over 1% per year increase for rates. Recent OPPD Board elections have demonstrated that OPPD’s customer/owners want to see OPPD move rapidly to a clean energy mix.

To protect those customer/owners that are disproportionately impacted, OPPD could address this through adjusted rate structures. Another policy that would serve as a catalyst to achieve this goal and protect these same customer/owners from rate increases would be to support a carbon cashback payment with a national carbon tax.

This last summer I was one of the 180,000 people who lost power due to a large storm coming through Omaha. I was without power for 3 days, we had to throw out all of our food in our freezer and fridge, vulnerable neighbors had to leave their home to stay in hotels or with family. With climate change these kinds of disruptions will become more common. Incurring massive costs for consumers. Personally, paying an extra 1% per year increase in rates in order to lower the frequency of these events is a no brainer. If doing so means even a single devastating outage or flood or any other disaster is averted then the money was well spent.

Please for our community and for the future of our area please support going net zero by 2035. The cost of doing so is minimal, the cost of not doing so, is enormous.

Please adopt a pathway to decarbonization by 2035! I have been a student of climate change since the 1990's. All that was suggested as impacts at that time are becoming true today. We have to do our part.

Thank you for accepting public comment on your initial results for the Decarbonization Pathways.
Significant Takeaway:
There appears to be a minimal cost incurred to achieve net zero by 2035 as opposed to 2050. Comparing the increase of climate change costs and the distress that Nebraskans are likely to experience over the next 14 years, this increase appears to be a small amount to pay. (Look at costs from the 2019 floods, from this summer’s torrential rains and winds, impaired air from wildfires etc. All of these threats and resulting costs are expected to continue to rise.)

OPPD should achieve a goal of Net Zero by 2035. The E3 study noted that OPPD can reach net zero by 2035 with existing technologies with just over 1% per year increase for rates. Recent OPPD Board elections have demonstrated that OPPD’s customer/owners want to see OPPD move rapidly to a clean energy mix.

To protect those customer/owners that are disproportionately impacted, OPPD could address this through adjusted rate structures. Another policy that would serve as a catalyst to achieve this goal and protect these same customer/owners from rate increases would be to support a carbon cashback payment with a national carbon tax.

Carbon net zero by 2035. Simple reason reveals the danger most life on the planet is facing if we avoid total commitment. OPPD, a people's utility, needs not only to reach this goal, but lead.

Thank you for committing the resources into this important work. It's presented well and thoroughly thought-out. I believe going net-zero by 2035 is the absolute best solution. It is a proactive plan that is critical for the climate and life on this planet.

Please, we need to be carbon neutral as soon as possible. Solar and wind are the best bets here in the Midwest, do it!

Sooner is better and necessary. Please go net zero by 2035.

This is very exciting and important work, well thought-out and well-presented. Going net-zero by 2035 is the best solution, both for the climate and from the perspective of making proactive business choices. I would like to see OPPD work toward this goal and other entities (local governments, businesses, etc.) partner in this effort.

Thank you for doing the Pathways to Decarbonization Study and for accepting feedback. The goal should be net zero by 2035. This could be achieved more quickly by enacting a carbon price. OPPD should support a price on carbon with a carbon cashback.

I want to see OPPD be net zero by 2035
Thank you!

The reasons for decarbonization should always be at the forefront of every presentation and all communications, that is to address the climate crisis, to protect the public's health and to address equity issues. Therefore, the sooner decarbonization can happen the bigger the impact on climate, health and equity.
I believe that OPPD should be exploring methods of on-bill financing to help customer/owners to make homes and businesses more energy efficient, to electrify (heating, EVs, etc) and to add solar energy. In addition, OPPD should be seeking policy solutions for owning their own renewable energy (versus PPAs). For example, could it be possible to reduce OPPD's amount of money that they pay in lieu of taxes if they would own their own solar farms or if they would help the communities that they pay in lieu of taxes dollars to, to add solar arrays on public property or public buildings?
I am also adding information that I emailed to OPPD's communications team that are worth considering. Here’s a link to follow-up on the question about railroads and transmission. The main group advocating for this is Solutionary Rail: https://www.solutionaryrail.org/ [solutionaryrail.org] It is also worth investigation the possibility of placing solar arrays at Interstate exchanges: https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/solar/gigawatts-of-solar-could-be-built-in-the-open-land-around-u-s-interstate-highways?utm_campaign=canary&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=175584489&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9DsaNigfMlfDPlkWEphFyvcLI_bXUvihNd6g49YNbp6P3pat6t8PLsglX2llQ7Lq1jb-JoRLDQrk53FptJzhP-2nZF4w&utm_source=newsletter [canarymedia.com]. In addition, large solar arrays should look to incorporation pollinator gardens and/or agrivoltaics (https://apnews.com/article/climate-science-business-lifestyle-environment-and-nature-8f388056808946fbc1aa9a4d6bbc812e?utm_source=Energy+News+Network+daily+email+digests&utm_campaign=fa41ca9aa1-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2020_05_11_11_36_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_724b1f01f5-fa41ca9aa1-89246315).