HomeMy WebLinkAbout10/27/2008 - Climate Plan Concerns - Air Quality Advisory BoardOct. 27, 2008
TO:Mayor and City Council
FROM:Air Quality Advisory Board
RE:Concerns - Climate Program
Dear Mayor and members of City Council:
The Air Quality Board reviewed the latest proposed Climate Program changes at our recent meeting.
Our City's climate efforts began in 1997, and by 2000, a wide-ranging ten-year program was implimented. Though the
program produced some real successes such as Climate Wise, its implimentation shortcomings, never addressed,
resulted in a large predicted shortfall by 2010. With the passage of resolution 2008-051, the City adopted a new
climate task force's program, recommitting us to meeting our original 2010 goal before 2013, as well as meeting new
State goals.
The Air Quality Board notes that staff has now recommended removing or greatly delaying no less than four of the
sixteen programs recommended by the Climate Task Force. City staff has already estimated that the Task Force's
program, even fully implimented, may provide 10-22% lower benfits than originally estimated. The Board believes this
may result in a another large shortfall, causing us to again fail to meet our original 2010 goal, even by 2013. We also
note there is a gap of 107,000 tons by 2020, and we recommend that Council evaluate and adopt incremental and/or
additional programs to close it.
Finally, the Air Quality Advisory Board recommends Council set strict timelines for every measure in the package. It
is doubtful that we will meet our goals without carefull implimentation and sustained budget resources.
Thank you for consideration of our Board's recommendations. I would be happy to answer any questions or share any
comments you may have with the Board.
Eric Levine - for the AQAB
970.493.6341 - eric.levine@juno.com