Since 2020, Yampa Valley Sustainability Council has been hosting students and recent graduates in its seasonal internship program, a 12-week professional experience where interns complete projects rooted in mentorship, skill building and advancing YVSC’s programs. 

Throughout the spring, summer and fall of this past year, we have had exceptional project work done by interns influencing emission reduction by electrifying current energy frameworks. Here, I’d like to highlight their efforts, successes and impact they’ve had on our community.

Liam Miller, an ambitious Steamboat Springs High School student, interned with YVSC this past spring term. His project focused on the Colorado Green Business Network and finding ways to better communicate the many financial benefits and resources available for interested businesses to become more environmentally conscious.

To streamline this vast set of state regulated information, he created 27 informative reports that provided resources for businesses to utilize in their transition to sustainable operations. These reports are used as a communication tool for YVSC when meeting with interested businesses on how to make sustainable upgrades to their business affordably. 

Chase Podurgiel, a dedicated Engineering student at University of Wisconsin, interned with YVSC this summer.

Using the assessor’s database and his computer science skills, Chase was able to identify local buildings with the greatest potential for beneficial electrification and energy efficiency improvements, and calculate their carbon emissions. He compared the Routt County Climate Action Plan carbon emission goals against these main energy users’ emissions to get an idea of what it would take to meet government targets to reduce emissions by 74% by 2050.

Chase presented his findings at a CAP Collaborative Board meeting, which led to the successful reward of an energy grant that will make a massive impact on electrifying commercial properties in Steamboat. 

Caitlin Farkas, an enthusiastic Environmental Science graduate from University of Vermont, is one of our current fall interns.

She is working closely with Steamboat Resort on a plan to electrify their fleet of vehicles and motorized equipment. Caitlin is creating an electric vehicle transition plan by analyzing the current fleet and potential areas for electric vehicle integration.

This includes evaluation of possible charging locations, vehicle types, policies for grants, tax credits and other outside funding opportunities. This will benefit resort climate goals, as well as the regional electric vehicle adoption efforts taking place in the Yampa Valley. Her final report will be provided to the resort to support future decision making regarding electric vehicles. 

These interns represent just some of the critical work being done across the internship program to make strides elevating local climate action through improved communications, data analysis and collaboration, all while perpetuating hope in the realm of lowering our town’s carbon emissions. Their projects highlight the importance of transitioning away from natural gas-sourced energy by providing imperative information that our community needs to take action. 

To learn more about YVSC interns’ projects, attend our upcoming Fall Intern Closeout Presentations from 2:30-4:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 6 at the Routt County Community Room, 135 6th St., or visit our website at yvsc.org/yvsc-internship-program.

Dakota Dolan is Yampa Valley Sustainability Council’s forest resilience projects manager and internship program manager.