City staff present I‑90 Corridor climate resiliency plan funded by $1M EPA grant
November 27, 2025 | Rapid City, Pennington County, South Dakota
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Rapid City staff on Nov. 26 presented the I‑90 Corridor Climate Resiliency Plan, a deliverable under a $1 million U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Climate Pollution Reduction Grant the city received in 2023.
Lizanne Zeller, sustainability and stewardship program development manager in Public Works, said the grant funds planning work across a four‑year grant period and that two earlier deliverables — a greenhouse‑gas inventory and a five‑year priority climate action plan — were submitted in March. "This is a $1,000,000 planning grant to develop plans for reducing climate pollution or greenhouse gas emissions and other air pollution," Zeller said. She told the committee staff expanded the geographic scope for the comprehensive plan from Rapid City to the I‑90 Corridor, which includes Spearfish, Sturgis, Box Elder, Ellsworth Air Force Base, Rapid City and adjacent unincorporated areas.
Staff reported a 2021 baseline inventory of about 3.4 million metric tons CO2e for the corridor and estimated per‑capita emissions of 23.4 metric tons in 2021, higher than U.S. averages. The consultant modeled business‑as‑usual and three policy scenarios, including 10%, 31% and 58% reductions; staff said the 31% reduction scenario was the most realistic balance of ambition and feasibility for the area. The plan identifies emissions sources (energy generation, industrial processes, mobile combustion) and highlights co‑benefits such as improved local air quality, public health outcomes, and potential local jobs from efficiency upgrades.
Zeller said the comprehensive plan will be submitted to the EPA on Dec. 1 and that staff will present the plan across corridor communities and host a public presentation Dec. 11. The grant work continues through 2027 with a status report due at the grant's conclusion.
Committee action: members moved to "acknowledge" the presentation; the motion carried. Staff said they are available for follow‑up briefings and will engage partners across the corridor on implementation and public outreach.
Next steps: staff will submit the plan to the EPA Dec. 1, host a public presentation Dec. 11 and continue corridor engagement through 2027.
Lizanne Zeller, sustainability and stewardship program development manager in Public Works, said the grant funds planning work across a four‑year grant period and that two earlier deliverables — a greenhouse‑gas inventory and a five‑year priority climate action plan — were submitted in March. "This is a $1,000,000 planning grant to develop plans for reducing climate pollution or greenhouse gas emissions and other air pollution," Zeller said. She told the committee staff expanded the geographic scope for the comprehensive plan from Rapid City to the I‑90 Corridor, which includes Spearfish, Sturgis, Box Elder, Ellsworth Air Force Base, Rapid City and adjacent unincorporated areas.
Staff reported a 2021 baseline inventory of about 3.4 million metric tons CO2e for the corridor and estimated per‑capita emissions of 23.4 metric tons in 2021, higher than U.S. averages. The consultant modeled business‑as‑usual and three policy scenarios, including 10%, 31% and 58% reductions; staff said the 31% reduction scenario was the most realistic balance of ambition and feasibility for the area. The plan identifies emissions sources (energy generation, industrial processes, mobile combustion) and highlights co‑benefits such as improved local air quality, public health outcomes, and potential local jobs from efficiency upgrades.
Zeller said the comprehensive plan will be submitted to the EPA on Dec. 1 and that staff will present the plan across corridor communities and host a public presentation Dec. 11. The grant work continues through 2027 with a status report due at the grant's conclusion.
Committee action: members moved to "acknowledge" the presentation; the motion carried. Staff said they are available for follow‑up briefings and will engage partners across the corridor on implementation and public outreach.
Next steps: staff will submit the plan to the EPA Dec. 1, host a public presentation Dec. 11 and continue corridor engagement through 2027.
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