Wisconsin is on the leading edge with its Smart Growth Law. The law�s nine required local plan elements and fourteen planning goals are designed to encourage community growth that will provide a continuing quality of life for future generations.

However, what is missing from much of the smart growth discussion in general, and this law in particular, is recognition that efficient and clean energy use is truly key to achieving this goal. The planning profession, while proactive on other aspects of smart growth, has yet to fully recognize the energy connection. Now, the newly adopted Energy Policy Guide from the American Planning Association (APA) can assist planners in strengthening the energy components of their comprehensive plans to promote smart growth.

The new APA Energy Policy Guide was developed by a subcommittee of the APA Environment, Natural Resources and Energy (ENRE) Division, and adopted by the national organization at their annual conference in Washington DC in April 2004. Subcommittee members agreed there are at least four primary reasons an energy policy guide for planners is both timely and necessary.

The first reason was seeing how seriously the use of fossil fuel affects the environment, particularly through its contribution to global climate change. Next was the realization of how often energy issues intersect with planning priorities, particularly with sustainability and smart growth goals, environmental quality, and community empowerment.

Furthermore, as planners become more and more involved in community-based planning processes, they are being recognized as local leaders on both sustainability and smart growth issues. They are, therefore, well placed to inform communities about energy issues and to broker collaborations among public and private stakeholders in addressing these issues. Finally, there is the long standing lack of a federal energy policy that could move us beyond fossil fuels into a clean energy future. It�s important for the APA, as a national organization, to urge its chapters and members toward supporting a policy move in this direction.

The primary position taken by the APA Energy Policy Guide is that planning professionals can indeed make a direct contribution to a clean energy future, both through design and planning decisions that influence energy use and through their support of new clean energy technologies. If we identify where energy issues intersect with smart growth goals we will begin to connect some important pieces in the sustainability puzzle. We can start by examining how the four Policy Statements and twenty-one specific Policy Initiatives included in the APA Energy Policy Guide might fit into the nine required local plan elements of Wisconsin�s Smart Growth Law:

There are seven policy initiatives that support Policy Statement 1 which encourages "planners and decision makers . . . to reduce energy impacts by making more efficient use of all energy resources." Of the nine Wisconsin Smart Growth local plan elements, there are several obvious connections:

There are many ways that fossil fuels can be replaced by clean energy sources. While it�s true that much effort in this direction is still under development, some technologies are ready now, and can become part of a municipality�s commitment to sustainability. As we come to recognize the environmental and economic necessities of reducing fossil fuel use, planning for incorporation of new, clean energy strategies will become necessary as part of the comprehensive planning process. Policy Initiative 8 simply states "Develop and encourage appropriate applications of renewable energy." This initiative cuts across many of the plan elements:

Great progress has been already been made toward reducing air and water pollution caused by fossil fuel use for transportation and electricity, but more needs to be done. Other environmental issues affect our quality of life as well, and need to be addressed:

Energy resources are used by everyone, and therefore, everyone should share in both the benefits and responsibilities. The Policy Guide includes five initiatives under its statement supporting energy equity. Policy Initiative 17 recognizes that "while energy is a commodity for sale and consumption, it is also a national resource that must be equitably managed." Policy Initiative 18 recommends that planners "integrate community energy goals into the �Smart Growth� planning process." The following connections also exist with the local plan elements:

The two local plan elements from the Wisconsin Smart Growth Law that have not been mentioned so far are the Issues and Opportunities element and Implementation element. They are perhaps the most important of all. The Issues and Opportunities element sets the tone for the whole plan by establishing a community vision and identifying community resources. If a community wishes to make "sustainability" or "environmental quality" part of its future vision, reducing fossil fuel use through reduced energy consumption, improved energy efficiency and renewable energy use, will be essential. The Implementation element is also critical. Becoming more energy self-sufficient on a local level requires that a specific plan of action be carefully crafted and carried out.

� Within the Issues and Opportunities element, the comprehensive plan should include an inventory and assessment of energy needs and resources including renewable and non-renewable energy sources, utility-owned land, transmission lines, and local utility facilities. Commitment to sustainability and environmentally responsible growth can be envisioned through a number of the initiatives from the Policy Guide, including:

• Energy efficient design and planning to reduce energy consumption (Initiative 1).

• Reduction of energy consumption on the individual level (Initiative 6).

• Development of renewable energy and distributed generation (Initiatives 8 and 9).

• Continued reduction of the negative impacts of fossil fuel use (Initiative 14).

• Recognition that energy is both a commodity and a shared resource (Initiative 17).

• Integration of energy efficiency goals into smart growth planning (Initiative 18).

� Implementation strategies are essential for turning a community vision into action. The APA policy initiatives suggest possible implementation tools, including:

• Energy efficient building codes (Initiative 2).

• Renewable energy-friendly subdivision ordinances (Initiatives 8 and 9).

• Community energy efficiency goals (Initiative 18).

• Community lighting design guidelines (Initiative 13).

• Agreements with utilities for future planning and collaboration (Initiative 17).

• Ordinance for siting generation and transmission facilities that conform with comprehensive planning goals (Initiative 11).

• Renewable energy-friendly zoning and building codes including a solar access code (Initiatives 8 and 9).

The APA Energy Policy Guide is designed to serve as both an organizational policy tool, as well as a reference for planners in their daily professional practice. The full policy guide document can be downloaded from the APA web site at: www.planning.org/policyguides/energy.htm.