FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT
Sheila Ortego, Santa Fe Community College
Mark Sardella, Local Energy
Kris Swedin, City of Santa Fe
Jack Kolkmeyer, County of Santa Fe
Marie Longserre, Santa Fe Business Incubator
Phone: (505) 428-1404
Phone: (505) 982-9800
Phone: (505) 955-6917
Phone: (505) 995-2711
Phone: (505) 424-1140
Five Groups Join to Foster Sustainable Future
Center for Sustainability Planned to Showcase Local Resource Management
Santa Fe, NM, Sept. 6, 2005 — Five organizations — City of Santa Fe, County of Santa Fe,
Local Energy, Santa Fe Business Incubator and Santa Fe Community College — are combining
their skills and resources to create a Center for Community Sustainability (CCS) that could help
shape the region’s economic and environmental future.
The Center for Community Sustainability will pave the way for innovative community-based
water and energy projects and related training that promote greater self-reliance for individuals,
business entities and Santa Fe city and county governments.
The impetus for creating the Center for Community Sustainability is to identify and support
businesses that develop sustainable energy and water conservation technologies and systems that
directly address Santa Fe’s needs, and help these businesses deploy their technologies in ways
that create the greatest benefit to the community.
“This agreement will allow our community to lead the way in the vital areas of energy and water
sustainability,” said Santa Fe Community College (SFCC) President Jim McLaughlin. “The
center will not only become an important factor in the region’s economic vitality, but we expect
it will serve as a model for the discovery of vibrant solutions to our community’s environmental
challenges.”
Pursuant to the agreement, Local Energy is providing technical and operational direction for the
center and is seeking grant opportunities for funding. City of Santa Fe elected leaders, seeking
to build Santa Fe into the sustainable energy and water conservation capital of the United States,
is providing guidance and assistance on this project. The Santa Fe Business Incubator is
assisting in the planning process. Santa Fe Community College is providing the CCS facility
space, training, a demonstration site and partnerships to ensure the availability technical
resources and expertise. SFCC also will assist in seeking additional funding sources. Santa Fe
County will offer a mixed-use zoning district as well as technical and planning assistance.
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Center for Community Sustainability (Page 2)
“This cooperative project will foster the development of a thriving local economy based on
sustainable energy and water practices, and make Santa Fe a national leader in the development
of businesses that deploy energy and water technologies in ways that address the economic and
environmental sustainability of our community,” said Mark Sardella, executive director of Local
Energy.
"The tremendous work of Mark Sardella at Local Energy and Lou Schreiber, SFCC’s director of
Work Force Training, along with SFCC’s executive vice president Sheila Ortego, whose longterm dream has been establishment of an advanced technology center on campus, provided the
foundation for the plan and agreement,” McLaughlin said. “We are also indebted to Craig Fiels
of the City of Santa Fe; Robert Griego and Jack Kolkmeyer of the county; Marie Longserre of
the Santa Fe Business Incubator; and Abad Sandoval, a community member and the group
facilitator, for their tireless efforts and for the momentous partnership that has resulted.”
These individuals, along with other partners, have devoted significant time and energy to plan
this project. They all agree that their motivators are local economic development, high-paying
jobs for Santa Feans, and the need to provide a means for environmental conservation and
sustainability.
The next step is seeking consultants to conduct a feasibility study for directing the future
development of the center. It will include a detailed business plan, development of funding
initiatives, and further definition of the training programs and other services to be offered
through the center.
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