New Sustainability Committee Moves toward Adopting Green Tier Resolution

One of the first orders of business for the newly created Door County Sustainability Committee has been to recommend a resolution for consideration for the county to become a Green Tier community. 

Green Tier is a voluntary program of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) that recognizes and rewards environmental performance that exceeds the legal requirements related to health, safety and the environment.

Green Tier consists of two participation levels – one more rigorous than the other – and an option for developing a charter. Currently there are 53 participants in Tier 1, five Tier 2 contracts and six charters.

Although the DNR regulates the program, it allows municipalities, businesses and nonprofits to set their own benchmarks, agenda and timeline. Entities with an interest in Green Tier pass a resolution, create their own goals and grade themselves annually on their progress.

In August 2017, the Village of Egg Harbor became Door County’s first Green Tier Legacy Community. Ephraim followed suit in 2019. The Door County Sustainability Committee is looking to make such efforts stretch countywide.

“We think that becoming a Green Tier community will be a great first step in making our community more sustainable,” said committee Chair Vinni Chomeau.

In the drafted resolution, Door County and the sustainability committee seek to guide and monitor their progress in using more sustainable practices regarding facilities and grounds, transportation, workplace policies and community and economic health.

“Sustainability is such a broad word,” Chomeau said. “Our job is to define what sustainability means for our community.”

The committee held its first meeting in mid-June, and drafting a Green Tier resolution has been its first order of business. That resolution will now go before the full Door County Board of Supervisors for consideration.