Fort Collins, CO Resolution to Reduce Local Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Fort Collins,
CO,
US
Type: Resolution
Status: Adopted on 11/16/99
Source File: http://www.ci.fort-collins.co.us/climateprotection/resolution99-137.php
Text:
RESOLUTION 97-137 OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS ESTABLISHING A POLICY TO TAKE COST-EFFECTIVE ACTIONS THAT BENEFIT THE COMMUNITY TO REDUCE LOCAL GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS
WHEREAS, the Fort Collins Air Quality Policy Plan, approved by the Council in 1993, first established the goal of "continually improving air quality as the City grows"; and
WHEREAS, the 1996 Air Quality Action Plan defines strategies for meeting the goals and objectives articulated in the Policy Plan, and specifically called for participation by the City in the Cities for Climate Protection Campaign, as an important intergovernmental partnership that will strengthen Fort Collins' ability to meet the goal of continually improving air quality; and
WHEREAS, over three-fourths of Fort Collins citizens believe it is City government's responsibility to maintain local air quality, according to the results of the General Air Quality Surveys of 1997 and 1999; and
WHEREAS, on February 18, 1997, the Council, by Resolution 97-25, adopted the Community Visions and Goals 2015, City Structure Plan, and City Plan Principles and Policies as elements of the Comprehensive Plan of the City, also known as "City Plan", and established the following policies related to the global climate and energy use:
- ENV-1.23 Global Climate. The City will employ strategies to increase energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy sources (except residential woodburning), in order to reduce the impact of the Fort Collins community on global warming.
- ENV-4. Energy efficiency and use of renewable energy resources will be encouraged, facilitated, and regulated in both the public and private sector through information and educational services, financial incentive programs, requirements and incentives in the planning process, and enforcement of regulations such as the Energy Code.
WHEREAS, on April 1, 1997, the Council adopted Resolution 97-51, reaffirming the need for energy efficiency in the operation of City facilities and City vehicles, and promoting energy conservation of its customers, in order to reduce consumption of fossil fuels, and
WHEREAS, there is increasing scientific evidence that carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere will have a profound effect on the Earth's climate, increasing the risk to municipal governments from increased extreme weather events, changing rainfall and crop productivity patterns, and migration of infectious diseases; and
WHEREAS, local government actions taken to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through increased energy efficiency, and reduced vehicle miles traveled and waste generation can provide multiple local benefits by decreasing air pollution, creating jobs, extending landfill life, and saving money for the City government, its businesses and its citizens; and
WHEREAS, the Council intends for the City to take a leadership role in increasing energy efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions from municipal operations; and
WHEREAS, on July 1, 1997, the Fort Collins City Council adopted Resolution 97-97, thereby joining the Cities for Climate Protection campaign, and committing the City to develop a greenhouse gas inventory, set a greenhouse gas reduction target, and develop a plan for meeting the target, and
WHEREAS, a Staff Technical Team and a Citizen Advisory Committee have worked for over a year to identify and recommend a prioritized list of cost-effective actions to reduce local greenhouse gas emissions that, if fully implemented, would reduce Fort Collins' predicted greenhouse gas emissions in the year 2010 by thirty percent; and
WHEREAS, as a product of such efforts, the "Fort Collins' Local Action Plan to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions: September 1999", (the Plan), which is on file in the City Clerk's office and on the Natural Resources Department Web site and available for public review, has been developed to guide City actions to reduce local greenhouse gas emissions; and
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS as follows:
Section 1. Council hereby declares its intent that the City shall proactively identify and implement actions that will reduce Fort Collins' contribution to total global greenhouse gas emissions, in direct support of City Plan Policy ENV-1.23 on the global climate.
Section 2. The City Manager is hereby directed to form an "Energy Management Team", the role of which will be to establish an implementation schedule for the reduction measures contained in the Plan, so as to implement such measures in a manner consistent with the timeframe of the Plan.
Section 3. The City Manager shall biennially, at least six months in advance of City budget preparation, submit to City Council a report that evaluates the progress of City staff on greenhouse gas reduction efforts, recommends actions for consideration in the upcoming budget cycle, and identifies additional greenhouse gas reducing activities that merit consideration two or more years into the future. The City Manager shall incorporate into this report the energy efficiency evaluation previously required in Resolution 97-51, and this requirement shall supercede and replace the requirement of annual report set forth therein.
Section 4. The City Manager is hereby directed to implement municipal greenhouse gas reducing activities in the Plan, so as to reduce local greenhouse gas emissions by at least 30% below predicted 2010 levels while achieving cost effectiveness in each program.