HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOUNCIL - AGENDA ITEM - 02/20/2007 - RESOLUTION 2007-015 CONVENING A TASK FORCE TO UPDA ITEM NUMBER: 25
AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY DATE: February 20, 2007
FORT COLLINS CITY COUNCIL STAFF: Lucinda Smith
Ken Mannon
SUBJECT
Resolution 2007-015 Convening a Task Force to Update the City of Fort Collins Climate Protection
Plan and to Promote Renewable Energy, Energy Efficiency, Waste Reduction and Transportation-
related Technologies, Services, and Practices.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends adoption of the Resolution.
On June 27,2006,the Air Quality Advisory Board voted unanimously to support a similar resolution
proposed by the Fort Collins Sustainability Group to convene a task force to update the climate plan.
On September 20, 2006, the Natural Resources Advisory Board voted unanimously to support a
similar resolution proposed by the Fort Collins Sustainability Group to convene a task force to
update the climate plan.
On November 17,2006, the Electric Advisory Board voted to support(with minor changes) a very
similar resolution proposed by the Fort Collins Sustainability Group to convene a task force to
update the climate plan.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
The financial impact to the City of Fort Collins of the formation of a task force is estimated to range
from $3,000 to $15,000.
The estimated expenses for conducting a task force for twelve meetings is$3,000. The expenses for
public outreach associated with the task force process is estimated not to exceed $2,000. In-kind
staff time associated with Plan development could range from 0.1 FTE(210 hours,or$7,500)to 0.2
FTE (420 hours, or $15,000). If a consultant were hired to assist with the data collection and
alternatives development for up to $10,000, staff time would be reduced.
There is no cost to the City for considering an updated plan that contains measures to promote
renewable energy, energy efficiency, transportation efficiency and waste reduction. City Council
would have the opportunity to assess costs and benefits of recommended actions,provide input,and
ultimately chose whether or not to adopt the revised Plan.
February 20, 2007 -2- Item No. 25
The 2007 Air Quality Improvement offer can provide up to$15,000 of existing budget to cover the
costs associated with these items. The actions identified in the Resolution lie within the purview of
the existing Air Quality Improvement Offer,which calls for providing staff support and funding for
the Energy Management Team tasked with carrying out the City's goal to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
In 1999, City Council adopted Resolution 1999-137, setting a goal to reduce citywide greenhouse
gas emissions 30%below worst case 2010 levels,by 2010,and adopting a Plan to meet the goal.The
most recent progress report(2004)indicates the City is not on track to meet the 2010 reduction goal.
This Resolution calls for the formation of a task force, including citizens and City staff,to develop
an updated plan to describe the steps the community will take to meet the existing greenhouse gas
goal. It directs that the revised Plan shall include measures to encourage renewable energy, energy
efficiency, transportation efficiency, and waste reduction. It also allows the task force to make
recommendations on how the City should develop a future direction for climate protection after
2010.
BACKGROUND
In 1997,the City of Fort Collins joined ICLEI's Cities for Climate Campaign and thereby committed
to develop a greenhouse gas inventory and forecast for 2010, set a greenhouse gas reduction target,
and develop a plan to meet the target. A Staff Technical Team and a Citizen Advisory Committee
met 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.
In 1999,City Council adopted Resolution 1999-137,setting the goal to reduce citywide greenhouse
gas emissions 30%below worst case 2010 levels,by 2010. The 1999 Fort Collins Local Action Plan
to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions (the Plan)outlines how to accomplish that goal. Resolution
1999-137 called for an interdepartmental Energy Management Team to prepare a biennial report to
track progress on the target and identify additional greenhouse gas reducing activities that merit
consideration, in recognition of changing scenarios and advances in technology.
Since adopting the greenhouse gas reduction goal in 1999, three biennial status reports have been
completed. The amount of greenhouse gas emissions avoided has grown steadily, but the total
citywide emissions have continued to grow as well. The most recent progress report(2004)indicates
that the City is not on track to meet the 2010 reduction goal. In 2004, nine percent of citywide
emissions were reduced. The 2004 citywide actual emissions are 2,467,000 tons CO Ze which
exceeds the desired 2010 emissions limit of 2,466,000 tons.
Benefits to the City from implementing the 1999 Local Action Plan have been wide-ranging and
include air pollution reduction,reduced waste in the landfill,increased support for local businesses
and the economy, and generally improved quality of life. Specific highlights include:
February 20, 2007 -3- Item No. 25
• Conversion of traffic signals to energy efficient light-emitting diodes, saving over
$110,000/year in electricity and maintenance costs,with an initial capital cost of$370,000,
for a— 3.4 year payback.
• Development and implementation of the Climate Wise voluntary business program, which
has now grown to over 50 partners,who are reducing more than 100,000 tons of CO2e, and
who report a cumulative cost savings of over$4 million since 2001.
• Receipt of over $80,000 in grant funding to assist with local greenhouse gas reduction
planning and actions.
Benefits of Updating the Local Action Plan
There are a number of reasons why it makes sense for the City to update its Local Action Plan to
Reduce Greenhouse Gases.
• Studies and reports about the seriousness of global warming and impacts from climate
change, including regional impacts, have proliferated significantly in the past five years,
adding more urgency to efforts to address climate changes. (See Attachment 3— Status of
Climate Science)
• Market opportunities and technologies have evolved significantly since the original plan was
developed in 1999. Technology-based advancement are occurring in the areas of biofuels,
including algae-based biofuels,electricity grid distribution improvements and biorefineries.
In Europe,carbon markets are thriving. Although the United States does not have a national
carbon registry and trading policy, voluntary markets are emerging here as well. The
Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative is a greenhouse gas cap-and-trade system being
developed by seven northeast states, planned for entry into force by 2009. The State of
California is also developing a cap-and-trade system to comply with its strict greenhouse gas
emission targets, and is interested in linking with RGGI or other carbon markets. The
Chicago Climate Exchange(CCX)also provides a voluntary mechanism for trading carbon.
Colorado participants in the CCX include New Belgium Brewing, the City of Boulder, and
the Town of Aspen.
• The Colorado Climate Project to develop a statewide plan to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions is now underway. Mayor Hutchinson is one of ten Project Directors for this
project that will bring Coloradoans together to study alternatives and develop
recommendations to reduce the state's contribution and vulnerability to climate change. The
results will be presented to the Governor in late 2007. The intensive investigation into
climate protection strategies appropriate for Colorado that will occur through the Colorado
Climate Project will provide much valuable information that a Fort Collins task force could
draw upon.
• An increasing number of studies show that taking action to reduce greenhouse gases is
profitable, and not taking actions can be costly. A few examples are given below.
February 20, 2007 -4- Item No. 25
o Climate Wise (illustrates local benefits The 2004/2005 Climate Wise Annual
Report indicates that the cumulative cost savings from projects completed bypartners
through 2004 were $1.5 million, the same year the partners collectively reduced
95,000+tons CO2e, or 40% of total citywide emission avoided in '04.
o Multnomah County and Portland. OR (illustrates regional benefits)—A recent
presentation about the relationship between economy and greenhouse gas emissions
reductions show that while net greenhouse gas emissions in Multnomah County are
about at 1990 levels and per capita COZ emissions have dropped over 12%, the
inflation-adjusted payroll has increased 29%and covered employment has increased
— 12%.
o Rockefeller Brothers Fund Data( illustrates corporate and national benefits)
Organizations taking action to reduce greenhouse gases end up saving money.
Examples include:
ENTITY GREENHOUSE GAS SAVED
REDUCTIONS
DuPont 72% since 1990 $2 billion
Alcoa 26% since 1990 $100 million by 2006
British Petroleum 10%below 1990 $650 million net
present value
IBM 38% $791 million
Germany 19% since 1990 450,000 new jobs in
renewable energy
Source:http://northamericmcongress.iclei.org/files/NAC_presentations/0713.
Thursday_Plenaries/Michael_Northrop.ppt
o Stern Report (illustrates global benefits) A report released in October 2006 by Sir
Nicholas Stern,Head of the Government Economic Service, and Adviser to the UK
Government on the Economics of Climate Change and Development and former
Chief Economist of the World Bank, states:
" There is still time to avoid the worst impacts of climate change, if
we take action now..... If we don't act, the overall costs and risks of
climate change will be equivalent to losing at least 5%ofglobal GDP
per year, now and forever. If a wider range of risks and impacts is
taken into account, the estimates of damage could rise to 20% of
GDP or more...... In contrast, the cost of action -- reducing
greenhouse gas emissions to avoid the worst impacts of climate
change—can be limited to around 1%of GDP per year. "
Stem Report Source:
http://www.hmtremury.gov.uk/independent_reviews/stem_review_monomics_
climate_change/stemreview_index.cfm
February 20, 2007 -5- Item No. 25
• Other Colorado cities are currently engaging in rigorous development oftheir greenhouse gas
emissions inventory and reduction plans,including Boulder,Denver,and Aspen,making this
an opportune time to capitalize on the research, strategy assessments,implementation plans
and increased community awareness occurring elsewhere in Colorado.
• Engaging citizens and stakeholders in the revision of the Fort Collins Local Action Plan,as
was done when the original Plan was developed,will better ensure that revised plan brought
to City Council for review has considered a broad range of issues, impacts, and benefits.
• Revision of the Plan will provide a process where the City can proactively take into account
a number of measures already underway that will help the City meet its goal, including:
o the Electric Energy Supply Policy,which was adopted in 2003. The Electric Energy
Supply Policy supports both energy efficiency and renewable energy with specific
targets of reducing per capita electric energy consumption by 10% (by 2012) and
increasing the fraction of renewable energy to 15% (by 2017);
o new residential building codes that will require more energy efficient homes starting
in 2005,
o the Energy Service Company performance contract to increase energy efficiency in
City facilities,
o use of biodiesel in City diesel vehicles and in the community,
0 continued successful growth of Climate Wise,
0 2006 advent of single stream recycling that allows paper/fiberboard, paper and
commingled materials to be placed curbside,
o completion of the 3.5 mile bike/pedestrian segment of the Mason Transportation
Corridor
ATTACHMENTS
1. Air Quality Board June 2006 discussion on climate resolution.
2. Natural Resources Advisory Board September 2006 discussion on climate resolution.
3. Electric Board November 2006 discussion on original climate resolution.
4. Status of Climate Change Science.
ATTACHMENT
Air Ouality Board June 2006 Discussion on Climate Resolution
MINUTES
CITY OF FORT COLLINS
AIR QUALITY ADVISORY BOARD
REGULAR MEETING
200 WEST MOUNTAIN AVE.
June 27, 2006
For Reference: Eric Levine, Chair 493-6341
David Roy, Council Liaison 407-7393
Lucinda Smith, Staff Liaison 224-6085
Board Members Present
Jeff Engell, Nancy York, Dale Adamy, Bruce Macdonald, Dave Dietrich, Eric Levine,
Carrico Carrico, Greg McMaster
Board Members Absent
Cherie Trine
Staff Present
Natural Resources Department: Lucinda Smith, Tara McGibben
--- EXCERPT -- FORT COLLINS SUSTAINABILITY GROUP AGENDA ITEM
• Levine: We've had two motions so far, but that doesn't mean we have to stop
there. Does anyone have anything else? Are we done with this agenda item
because the clock has run out. We have one possible agenda item to recommend
to Council which I think is on a relatively short time frame. It's the City's Climate
Program Resolution. If we're going to do that I would ask for another 10 minute
extension. This climate program has been modified, it's actually a little milder.
Please look at it in your packets. It's basically the resolution itself. Section one
second line: scratch out entire third line, and then scratch out the first four words
in the next line. And it will read: to proceed on behalf of the city to develop an
updated plan that will describe the status of community...That is what we're
looking for a recommendation of support to council on. It's not re-evaluating
anything, it's just taking our present climate program and describing the steps that
we will take to meet the goals that we said in 1999.
• Adamy: Who's the author and who scratched?
• Levine: It was a committee that did it. I didn't have anything to do with it. I am
part of the group and I voted via email that sounded fine to me. It went to Council
members and community groups and basically what came back was maybe the
council would be a little bit more comfortable if they thought it was to re-evaluate
the current program. There was some slight degree of discomfort, but everyone
seemed to be fine with it. So Council would be comfortable within the original
I
ATTACHMENT
1999 plan. We updated it so we have a chance of meeting the goals. How about a
motion on this then we can have discussion because our time is a little short.
Dale Adamy moved to adopt the resolution changes that Eric Levine presented. Jeff
Engel] seconded the motion.
• Macdonald: Is there a time frame for that, is that this year or next year?
• Levine: It was left open. If it passes, it's up to the City and Council, it's left to
their discretion.
• McMaster: A task force could say this is when and push details through.
• Dietrich: Are we able to amend this in anyway?
• Levine: They're just looking for support. If we were to amend it, I would just
think we would just go and recommend our own to City Council.
• York: What would your amendment be?
• Dietrich: Just what Bruce just said; to convene by a certain date.
• Levine: If we pass this motion we can recommend that and pass another motion. I
wasn't thinking about certain dates and I think the people that amended this
weren't thinking about what the public discussion or time frame would be. Any
other comments, questions, discussion?
• York: It'd be nice to have as soon as possible.
Macdonald: It's just a clarification and we can pass it with a comment.
The AQAB voted in favor of passing the resolution, 7-0.
• Levine: This board could weigh in and if this does pass we can lobby for
representatives and go in with proposals for time frames.
• York: Can we add a line that we as a board consider this is an urgent and
undertaken expeditiously?
• Smith: What if you included something like that in your recommendation to
council which is different than modifying this resolution but it conveys the point.
• Macdonald: Yes, I don't think we should tie up the original resolution.
• York: We could add a note stating we feel that is an important situation.
The AQAB voted to adjourn the meeting. All in favor.
2
ATTACHMENT
Attachment 2-Excerpt from Natural Resources Board Meeting Minutes of
September 20,2006
Natural Resources Advisory Board
September 20,2006
Page 6 of 8
Knowlton stated that Philip Friedman would like a recommendation to council on this
proposal.
Ryan Staychock made the following motion:
Move that the NRAB recommend to council the adoption of the Resolution to Convene a
Task Force to Update the City of Fort Collins Climate Protection Policy and to Promote
Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Technologies,Services,and Practioes
Patterson seconded the motion
Friedman gave a brief status report. The motion was brought to council in Aug. It was
accepted for further consideration scheduled for.the work session on November 28a'. In
the intervening time since last here and council accepted the resolution for further
consideration, they have spoken with the Coloradoan. The Coloradoan endorsed the idea
to reevaluate and reconsider policies the City is currently engaged in. There have been
subsequent editorials in the Deaver Post States take on Global MmAm There is a
program called the Colorado Climate Project which is a statewide coordinated program
from the Rocky Mountain Climate Organization. Mayor Hutchison is one of the
directors of that organization.
Current supporters are the Air Quality Advisory Board, the Fort Collins Audubon
Society, the Rocky Mountain Sustainable Living Association and the Northern Colorado
Renewable Energy Society.
Friedman gave a recap on what they're trying to do with that resolution. The City
position for the past decade has been that climate change is real...long time ongoing set
of policies and programs to address that starting in 1999. They are proposing
reinvigorating the existing program to make sure it is meeting the original goal.
Ultimately want recommendations to council for them to make final decision. And last,
put on a series of forums for community education and outreach to address the issues of
global warning,climate change,etc.
Skutchan asked what the projected costs would be.
Although Friedman didn't have the requested information, Gordon was able to find the
draft agenda item summary prepared by Lucinda Smith which read as follows: "...the
financial impact to the City of Fort Collins for the two items contained in the resolution is
estimated at $2,000. If a consultant was hired to assist the task force the cost would
increase to$15,000. The approved 2006-2007 Air Quality budget can cover the$15,000
in estimated expenses."
Skutrhan asked once approved by council who would establish the task force.
Natural Resources Advisory Board
September 20,2006
Page 7 of S
Friedman stated that the City Manager would have the final say over who could be on the
task force. He restated that a climate neutral City would essentially be a City that
functions where it's net production of greenhouse gases are offset by factors that cancel
those out(i.e.trees).
Colton made note that there was a principal in City plan that says by 2010 the City will
reduce greenhouse gas emissions 30%below predicted worst case in order to reduce the
impact by Fort Collins on global warming. There shall be a local action plan the City
will adopt to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. He sees that as pretty much supporting
this principal.
Staychock remarked that technology is not that far away. The City should be embracing
this before other cities and states do.
Petterson's feeling is that the City would be well advised to get that process underway
and to rely on the judgment of the elected officials and City staff to weigh the pros and
cons.
The motion passed unanimously.
New Business:
Skutchan asked if there will be an update on the priorities and spending within the
Natural Resources department. He mentioned that Stsychoek had brought this up on
several occasions and he thought it was more on a long term basis.
Skutchan further commented that he felt the Board went out of their way to have a special
meeting to set priorities for the board and nothing came of it.
Knowlton suggested that the Board spend one half hour discussing those priorities at the
next meeting.
Knowlton stated that they need to do something on the North College Subarea Plan it
looks like Council will vote on that for Dee 19te it would be good to hear something
about that for October.
Skutchan said he would contact the group for a guest presentation.
Stayehock noted that the board needs to review the guest presentations draft. He will
send another copy of those out. They were not formally adopted and he would like to ace
10 minutes on the October agenda to adopt it. .
Colton asked about the Downtown River District project.
ATTACHMENT
Excerpt from Electric Board Meeting Minutes of November 17, 2006
Draft—Minutes will be approved Wednesday, February 21, 2007
The Fort Collins Sustainability Group asked the Fort Collins Electric Board to support
the Climate Protection Policy Resolution. After a long discussion, the Board stated that
with a few word changes in Section 1 and Section 3 (the words printed in Italics), they
could support the three things being asked.
I. The City Manager shall convene a task force consisting of citizens and
members of the City staff, which will be authorized and directed to proceed on
behalf of the City to develop an updated plan that will describe the steps our
community would (could) take to meet the greenhouse gas emissions target
established by Resolution 99-137.
2. The plan described under Section 1 shall include measures to encourage local
businesses, governments, utilities, schools, universities, non-profit
organizations, homeowners, and other individuals to develop, provide, and
apply (as appropriate) renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies,
services, and practices within the City of Fort Collins.
3. The City shall sponsor a public forum series, (beginning no later than three
months after taskforce is convened), to discuss and address the question of
how Fort Collins might move forward after 2010 to become a"climate neutral
city,"i.e. a city that produces no net greenhouse gas emissions.
ATTACHMENT
Status of Climate Chance Science
The vast majority of scientists agree that global warming is real, it's already happening and that
it is the result of our activities and not a natural occurrence.
On February 2, 2007, Working Group I of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
(IPCC) released new report that provides a summary for policy makers on the science of climate
change. The report was produced by some 600 authors from 40 countries. Over 620 expert
reviewers and a large number of government reviewers also participated. Representatives from
113 governments reviewed and revised the Summary before adopting it. The IPCC Summary
report concludes that:
• "warming of the climate system is unequivocal",
• "most of the warning that our climate system has experienced in the last 50 years is
"very likely" (meaning over 90% likely) due to human caused greenhouse gas emissions,
and
• it is "very likely" (meaning over 90% likely) that heat extremes, heat waves, and heavy
precipitation will become more frequent.
This is the first of three main volumes the IPCC will release this year along with a final
"synthesis report." The February report is available at ham://www.ipcc.ch/
The evidence of climate change is overwhelming and undeniable. We're already seeing changes.
Glaciers are melting,plants and animals are being forced from their habitat, and the number of
severe storms and droughts is increasing.
o The number of Category 4 and 5 hurricanes has almost doubled in the last 30 years.
o Malaria has spread to higher altitudes in places like the Colombian Andes, 7,000 feet
above sea level.
o The flow of ice from glaciers in Greenland has more than doubled over the past decade.
o At least 279 species of plants and animals are already responding to global warming,
moving closer to the poles.
The information below is excerpted from a The Pew Center's March 2006 summary of recent
scientific research. (hU://www.pewclimate.org/global-warming.-basics/basic science/)
In the past two decades the science attributing global warming to human enhancement of the
greenhouse effect has progressed dramatically. Many changes that have been predicted by
models are now occurring, and the observed pattern of change points to the enhanced greenhouse
effect.
Attributing Global Warming to the Enhanced Greenhouse Effect
Many studies have been done to see whether natural or human-caused forces can better explain
climate changes observed over the past century. The two studies mentioned below illustrate that
human-caused forces account for observed trends. These studies represent only a small fraction
of studies that have provided comparable results.
In 2004, a study by NCAR scientists examined a variety of natural (volcanoes, solar) and human-
caused (greenhouse gases, ozone, sulfate aerosols) factors in global surface temperature. The
study found that human-caused factors were relatively unimportant during the first few decades
ATTACHMENT
of the 20''century but that greenhouse gases were by far the largest contributor to surface
temperature change in the last half of the century.
Another study found that the six major oceans that circle the globe have been warming
simultaneously for at least the past 40 years, which can only be attributed to external forcing, not
natural temperature variations.
LinkingObserved Ecosystem Impacts with Global Warming
Y P g
In recent years, several important impacts have been observed that are readily explained by
human-induced global warming, and cannot be attributed solely to natural variations.
Global Ice Cover-New satellite data from February 2006 shows that the Greenland ice sheet is
losing ice at a rate twice as fast as previously expected. The Antarctic Ice Sheet has lost 450km3
of water (the volume of Lake Erie) in the past three years. The Attic Ice Sheet reached a record
low during the summer 2005, and that it will be ice free by the end of this century, a condition
that has not existed for at least 1 million years. Mountain glaciers around the world have
documented losses for the past several decades and are dwindling at an accelerating rate. Billions
of people around the world depend solely on glaciers for their water supply. The worldwide loss
of mountain glaciers continues
Hurricanes - Two independent studies found that hurricanes are becoming more intense
worldwide. The existence of a trend of intensification in all six tropical cycle-producing oceans
cannot be attributed to natural variability, which are know to not occur in sync across all ocean
basins.
Species Change - A National Academy of Science report found that 130 plant and animal species
have responded to earlier spring temperatures between 1970 and 2000. The relationship between
the timing of the spring biological events (such as flowering or migration) was well correlated
with greenhouse gas-driven climate change and not with natural variability alone. A 2006 study
published in Nature linked widespread amphibian extinction in the tropics with large-scale
warming trends. The extinctions did not correlate well with local variability associated with El
Nino events.
RESOLUTION 2007-015
OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS
CONVENING A TASK FORCE TO UPDATE THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS
CLIMATE PROTECTION PLAN AND TO PROMOTE RENEWABLE ENERGY,
ENERGY EFFICIENCY, WASTE REDUCTION AND TRANSPORTATION-RELATED
TECHNOLOGIES, SERVICES, AND PRACTICES
WHEREAS, reducing dependence on fossil fuels is widely recognized as beneficial to
the national, state, and local economies; and
WHEREAS, local businesses currently provide goods and services that reduce the
reliance of national, state, and local economies on fossil fuels; and
WHEREAS, local businesses currently have energy efficiency and renewable energy
practices that reduce the reliance of local economies on fossil fuels; and
WHEREAS, promoting additional green businesses and business activity in climate
protection activities would benefit the local economy by providing jobs, property tax revenue,
and sales tax revenue; and
WHEREAS, the City Council has recognized the importance of promoting the
development and application of clean and renewable energy sources by passing Resolution
2006-037,which directs the City Manager to join with other local institutions to develop a Clean
Energy Cluster for Northern Colorado; and
WHEREAS,the development and application of clean and renewable energy sources and
energy efficiency technologies would reduce the emission of greenhouse gases, which are
widely recognized as contributing to global climate change; and
WHEREAS,the magnitude of climate change now forecast by the scientific community
is predicted to cause severe and costly disruption of human and natural systems throughout the
world generally and in Colorado in particular; and
WHEREAS, the scientific community believes that significant reductions in the
emissions of greenhouse gases can slow and minimize the negative impacts associated with
climate change; and
WHEREAS, the City has previously recognized the importance of evaluating and
mitigating the cumulative impacts on the environment caused by greenhouse gas emission
through its participation in the Cities for Climate Protection Campaign; and
WHEREAS, by the adoption of Resolution 99-137, the City Council has previously
stated its commitment to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions to the equivalent of 2,466,100
tons of carbon dioxide or less by 2010; and
WHEREAS, if present trends continue, the City will be responsible for the emission of
30%more greenhouse gases than the target established by Resolution 1999-137;
WHEREAS,the City's long-term goal is for the City organization to be climate-neutral
in its operation and in the provision of services to the citizens of Fort Collins and the City
Council wishes to undertake additional, affirmative steps toward achieving that goal; and
WHEREAS, in 2006, Mayor Hutchinson was appointed as one of ten project directors
of the statewide Colorado Climate Project sponsored by the Rocky Mountain Climate
Organization,the goal of which project is to bring Coloradoans together to study alternatives and
develop recommendations to reduce the state's contribution and vulnerability to climate change.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT
COLLINS as follows:
Section 1. That the City Manager shall appoint and convene a task force consisting
of members selected from citizens,members of City boards and commissions, and City staff to
solicit input from the public and from City boards and commissions charged with advising the
City Council in connection with matters related to energy conservation and environmental
quality,and to develop an updated plan that will describe steps that the Fort Collins community
could take to meet the greenhouse gas emissions target established by Resolution 99-137.
Section 2. That said updated plan shall include measures to encourage local
businesses,governments,utilities,schools,universities,non-profit organizations,homeowners,
and other individuals to develop,provide,and apply(as appropriate)technologies,services,and
practices to promote renewable energy, energy efficiency, transportation efficiency and waste
reduction within the City of Fort Collins.
Section 3. That in addition to preparing recommendations for an updated 2010 plan,
the task force shall also make recommendations on how the City should develop a future
direction for climate protection after 2010, and shall report its findings on the matter to the City
Manager.
Passed and adopted at a regular meeting of the Council of the City of Fort Collins this
20th day of February, A.D. 2007.
Mayor
ATTEST:
City Clerk