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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2002-027-03/19/2002-ESTABLISHING A POLICY TO IMPLEMENT HYDROGEN-RELATED PROJECTS WITHIN THE CITY RESOLUTION 2002-027 OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS ESTABLISHING A POLICY TO IMPLEMENT HYDROGEN-RELATED PROJECTS WITHIN THE CITY WHEREAS, on February 18, 1997, the City 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", which supports improving air quality, reducing motor vehicle emissions, encouraging and facilitating increased energy efficiency and use of renewable resources, and to solicit cooperation and participation of independent community organizations; and WHEREAS, on April 1, 1997, the Council adopted Resolution 97-51 providing that as a user of energy, the City shall regularly evaluate the latest technologies utilizing alternative fuels for transportation and, to the greatest extent practicable, apply such technologies to the operation of City vehicles in order to provide energy efficient transportation; and WHEREAS, Resolution 97-51 also provides that as community leader, the City should also regularly evaluate means by which City-wide demand and usage of fossil fuels can be reduced and should attempt to develop means by which it can further such goals, through the City's role as educator, promoter and regulator; and WHEREAS, on November 16, 1999, the Council adopted Resolution 99-137 establishing a policy to take cost-effective actions that benefit the community to reduce local greenhouse gas emissions; and WHEREAS, the increased use of hydrogen can provide benefits to the citizens of Fort Collins such as improved air quality, reduced greenhouse gas emissions, reduced dependence on imported oil, and keeping energy dollars in the local and state economy; and WHEREAS, many organizations and companies in the United States and around the world are actively engaged in research, development, and demonstration of hydrogen technologies; and WHEREAS, the federal government is putting increased resources towards research on hydrogen-fuel-cell vehicles and infrastructure; and WHEREAS, in December, 2000, the City Manager appointed a Hydrogen Task Force to evaluate hydrogen technologies and to make recommendations on what the City could do with regards to hydrogen; and WHEREAS, on August 27, 2001, the Hydrogen Task Force submitted a report to the City Manager recommending the City take certain actions with regards to hydrogen; and WHEREAS, the City is in a unique position to attract hydrogen-related projects and funding, due to the potential for region partnerships, development of the Mason Street Corridor, a favorable testing environment for technologies with high altitude and extreme weather variation, and access to local sources of hydrogen; and WHEREAS, at its February 12, 2002, Study Session, the Council directed the Hydrogen Task Force to draft a resolution outlining the next steps to be taken to develop opportunities for the City related to hydrogen technologies. NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS as follows: Section 1. That the City Manager is hereby directed to seek external grant funding for the purpose of hiring a grant writer and for implementing demonstration projects for hydrogen- related technologies. Section 2. That the City Manager is hereby directed to explore partnerships that would facilitate the creation of hydrogen projects. Section 3. That the City Manager is hereby directed to develop a public education plan intended to provide hydrogen education to the community, and to proceed to implement that plan. Section 4. That no later than the end of 2003, the City Manager is hereby directed to report to the Council his recommendations for hydrogen-related projects for Council review based upon the feasibility of such projects considering the available grant funds and other non- City resources and general project costs. Passed and adopted at a regular meeting of the Council of the City of Fort Collins held this 19th day of March, A.D. 2002. Mayor , ATTEST: City Clerk