Montgomery Township Sustainability Audit
Completed 2009
The CSC conducted a Sustainability Audit of Montgomery Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania in the spring of 2009 that analyzed greenhouse gas emissions and the use of water, wastewater, and solid waste disposal services by the Township government and the community’s residents and businesses.
The audit—initiated by the Board of Supervisors upon the recommendation of the Township’s Environmental Advisory Committee (EAC)—set a baseline against which to measure future efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the environmental impacts of the township’s use of public services and it makes recommendations for specific steps the municipal government can take.
- First, Greenhouse Gas Emissions Audits were completed for government operations and community consumption using a toolkit distributed by ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability.
- Second, a Water Audit was conducted, analyzing municipal and community water use.
- Third, a Wastewater Audit examined the wastewater systems and processes of the Montgomery Township Municipal Sewer Authority. Finally, a Waste Management Audit studied waste and recycling systems in the Township.
Montgomery Township’s municipal government, residents, business owners, and public service managers have used some effective conservation practices that reduce the Township’s environmental impacts. But per capita greenhouse gas emissions and the use of water, wastewater, and solid waste disposal services are, at best, only slightly lower than in neighboring communities and in the region as a whole, indicating that there are opportunities for Township, community and business leaders to initiate and promote policies to encourage reductions in consumption and solid waste and wastewater disposal.
