10202017 - 3 STAR Community Rating (Oct. 2017) IOV FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DENTON Brian Daskam • (940) 349-7567 • Brian.Daskam@cityofdenton.com
Denton Awarded the 3-STAR Community Rating
City Identified as a Leader in Sustainability
DENTON, TX, Oct. 20, 2017—The City of Denton has been awarded the 3-STAR Community
Rating for national leadership in sustainability. The city received this recognition from STAR
Communities for its participation in the STAR Community Rating System(STAR), the nation's
leading framework and certification program for local sustainability and livability among U.S.
communities.
"Denton should be very proud of this achievement," said Katherine Barnett, Sustainability and
Special Project Administrator for the City of Denton. "The 3-STAR rating is a reflection of
everyone in the community working together, taking steps to make Denton a better and more
sustainable place to live, work, and play."
Highlights that led to Denton's 3-STAR rating include:
• Reducing community-wide greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent since 2006.
• Increasing the supply of renewable energy for Denton Municipal Electric customers.
Right now, DME customers receives more than 45 percent of its energy from renewable
sources and has a goal of 70 percent by 2019 and 100 percent by 2030.
• Developing a comprehensive bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure linkage plan.
• Providing free in-home energy and water audits to residents and small businesses to help
identify opportunities to conserve and save money on their utility bills.
• Creating programs aimed at increasing tree canopy through the Denton Tree Initiative—a
campaign from the City of Denton and Keep Denton Beautiful to plant 12,000 new trees
on public and private land in the city.
• Providing quality recycling programs and waste minimization education to residents.
• Partnering with groups to inventory and monitor natural water bodies for biological,
chemical, and hydrological integrity.
• Increasing the amount of locally sourced fresh food sold at the Denton Community
Market.
• Increasing the employment rate, while decreasing the unemployment rate of residents
over time.
Denton participated in a year-long leadership program with STAR Communities prior to
submitting for certification. Other STAR certified communities are Texas include Austin,
Houston, Plano, and San Antonio.
OUR CORE VALUES
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ADA/EOE/ADEA www.cityofdenton.com TDD(800)735-2989
STAR is the nation's leading framework and certification program for evaluating local
sustainability, encompassing social, economic and environmental performance measures. STAR
helps communities evaluate their strengths and weaknesses across seven areas: the built
environment; climate and energy; economy and jobs; education, arts and community; health and
safety; and natural systems. For instance, communities get credit for reductions in energy use or
increased transportation access. STAR Communities provides support as localities benchmark
progress, and a robust third-party verification process ensures accountability.
"The STAR rating process gives cities a roadmap for how they can refine and improve their
operations to drive continuous improvement," said Hilari Varnadore, executive director of STAR
Communities. "Denton should be applauded for its commitment to sustainability, and for the
clarity and transparency provided while achieving its goals."
To view Denton's full report, go to:
hqps://roorting.starcommunities.org/communities/78-texas-denton
To view the full list of communities involved, go to
http://www.STARcommunities.org/communities
Contact: Katherine Barnett, (940) 349-8202, katherine.barnett@cityofdenton.com
Visit www.cityofdenton.com for more news and to stay updated.
About STAR Communities
STAR Communities advances a national framework for sustainable communities through the
delivery of standards and tools built by and for local governments and the communities they
serve. The organization administers the STAR Community Rating System, the nation's first
framework and certification program for local sustainability. For more information, visit
http://www.STARcommunities.org. Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter
@STARCommunities.
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