WHEREAS, communities nationwide have adopted an integrated waste management approach that includes renewable energy sources such as geothermal, wind, solar, hydroelectric, waste-to-energy, gasification, biosolids and landfill gas recovery projects that are compatible with recycling programs and generate energy from waste; and

WHEREAS, local communities must ensure the delivery of essential services such as electricity, residential and commercial waste collection and disposal, source-separated recycling programs and environmental education; and

WHEREAS, renewable energy sources can provide a number of benefits to the community, including a reliable clean source of power while reducing dependence on imported fossil fuels, conserving valuable landfill space and preserving our natural resources; and

WHEREAS, many communities have invested in these clean renewable projects to help manage their municipal solid waste with the assurance that long-term contracts for the sale of electric power under the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act (PURPA) would always be available; and

WHEREAS, the U.S. Congress has held that if electricity markets are deregulated and made more competitive, PURPA would be repealed causing some communities economic harm,

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that The U.S. Conference of Mayors supports federal and state legislation that promotes a marketplace for renewable energy sources by establishing renewable portfolio standards for all qualified renewable facilities; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that The U.S. Conference of Mayors urges federal lawmakers to ensure that all renewable energy technologies, including geothermal, wind, solar, hydroelectric, waste-to-energy and landfill gas projects, be treated equally under any federal renewable mandate.