Fiscal Note
In the adopted 2017 capital budget Engineering-Facilities Management has budgeted $750,000 for renewable energy and energy efficient installations via the Sustainablity Improvements program funded by GO Borrowing. This resolution authorizes the updating of the Energy and Carbon Goals in the Sustainable Madison Plan by assigning up to $250,000 of that budgeted funding to develop a plan for city operations to achieve goals of 100% renewable energy and net-zero carbon emissions. Funding would be used for third-party expertise required to develop a plan.
Title
Updating the Energy and Carbon Goals in the Sustainable Madison Plan in response to changing science and technology around climate change, renewable energy and energy efficiency.
Body
WHEREAS, the City of Madison (City) desires to formulate and implement energy and carbon policy consistent with the environmental, economic and social objectives articulated in the Madison Sustainability Plan, the City’s Energy Work Plan, and existing State of Wisconsin energy policy applicable to local governmental units under Wis. Stat. sec. 1.12; and,
WHEREAS, the scientific consensus demands we limit global temperature increases below 1.5 to 2 degrees Celsius to avoid the most destructive and dangerous effects of climate change;
WHEREAS, existing City energy and carbon goals were created before the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference, or COP 21, where 174 countries developed even more aggressive global targets that have since been ratified by the United States; and,
WHEREAS, the Common Council has directed the Sustainable Madison Committee to “Create a working group of the Sustainable Madison Committee that includes other community stakeholders to review the City’s climate change goals and update if needed”; and,
WHEREAS, the “Energy and Carbon Working Group” has received public testimony, consulted with a variety of experts and identified ambitious and common sense goals during five working group sessions from July through November 2016; and,
WHEREAS, the 2017 Capital Budget includes $750,000 directed toward “Sustainability Improvements” including renewable energy installations and energy efficiency improvements; and,
WHEREAS, the City of Madison aims to lead by example in the community, the state, and across the nation,
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the Common Council of the City of Madison that: The Sustainable Madison Plan must reflect scientific consensus and community aspirations and establish community-wide Energy and Carbon goals of 100% renewable energy and net-zero carbon emissions, within a time-frame that aligns with sound and established science, as official energy and carbon goals of the City of Madison; and,
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, by the Common Council of the City of Madison that: up to $250,000 in re-allocated funding from funds already dedicated to “Sustainability Improvements” in the adopted 2017 Capital Budget shall be available for third-party expertise required to develop a plan for city operations to achieve goals of 100% renewable energy and net-zero greenhouse gas emissions; and,
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, by the Common Council of the City of Madison that: by January 2018, City staff will develop a plan for City of Madison operations to achieve 100% renewable energy and net-zero carbon emissions that includes target dates for reaching these goals, interim milestones, budget estimates, and estimated financial impacts; and,
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the attainment of this goal is a budgetary and managerial priority and that as such target dates should be established that are ambitious, optimistic and realized as soon as is feasible; and,
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Sustainable Madison Committee (SMC) shall be engaged in the development of the RFP for this plan, which would include options for benchmark dates, costs and adoption of renewable energy and that the consultant and management team meet regularly with the SMC on its progress; and,
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, by the Common Council of the City of Madison that: City staff will report on progress of City of Madison operations toward achieving goals to the Common Council in January 2019 and annually thereafter,
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, by the Common Council of the City of Madison that: The Sustainable Madison Committee will review and, if necessary, update community-wide goals in January 2019 and biannually thereafter.