State Road 46 communities announce climate alliance

The leaders of Columbus, Nashville and Bloomington are outlining plans for a new partnership to address climate change in what they are calling Project 46.

Columbus Mayor Jim Lienhoop, John Hamilton, mayor of Bloomington, and Nashville Town Manager Sandie Jones held a ceremony Friday to kick off the initiative. The goal is to work together to find ways that the three communities can mitigate the local effects of climate change. Committees made up of a cross-section of the communities’ government, corporate, non-profit and educational institutions will eventually be organized and tasked with coming together to propose joint mitigation strategies.

The immediate goal is to convince the city, town and county governing bodies to pass enabling resolutions supporting the goals and providing funding. The initial funding goal is to raise 50 cents per capita, or just over $25,000 for Columbus and almost $40,000 for Bloomington, towards the efforts.

Photo: Columbus Mayor Jim Lienhoop speaks at a climate change alliance event held Friday at the Nashville Town Hall. White River Broadcasting photo