WHEREAS, the U.S. Conference of Mayors has previously adopted strong policy resolutions calling for cities, communities, and the federal government to take actions to reduce global warming pollution; and

WHEREAS, the U.S. Conference of Mayors has declared that climate change could have severe economic and environmental impacts on US cities in the coming decades; and

WHEREAS, scientific consensus has developed stating that the increased emissions of human-caused greenhouse gases (GHGs), including carbon dioxide (CO2), methane and other GHGs, that are released into the atmosphere are affecting the Earth's climate; and

WHEREAS, a new report published on May 7, 2007 by 47 scientists from our most prestigious research institutions (from NASA in New York to Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California) concluded that "little time remains" and "the rapid growth of CO2 producing infrastructure for another decade" may make it impossible to keep CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere under the dangerous level of 450 ppm; and

WHEREAS, we recognize that a continuous and secure supply of energy is critical to our economy and the safety of our communities; and

WHEREAS, coal is currently a major source of energy in the US and will continue to play a role for the foreseeable future; and

WHEREAS, new coal-fired power plants will have up to a 60 year life span and will emit large quantities of CO2, as well as other pollutants such as sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide and mercury over their lifetime; and

WHEREAS, there are currently 151 new coal fired power plants either proposed or in development in the United States according the National Energy Technology Laboratory of the US Department of Energy; and

WHEREAS, advanced coal technologies currently exist to capture and store CO2 emissions from coal-fired power plants and to reduce other pollutants such as sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide and mercury; and

WHEREAS, several federal policy options are under consideration to encourage the use of CO2 capture and storage technology; and

WHEREAS, the U.S. Conference of Mayors has declared that action is needed to reduce GHG emissions and by utilizing advanced energy technologies such action can have significant economic and environmental benefits for US cities, including increased energy efficiency, increased renewable energy generation, improved air quality, cost savings, job growth, increased city revenues, and reduced water pollution; and

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the U.S. Conference of Mayors urges the federal government to invest in further research efforts to continue developing less expensive advanced coal technologies and in developing strategies and cost sharing mechanisms, partnering with state and local governments in this effort to promote and install advanced coal technologies; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the U.S. Conference of Mayors promotes the installation of advanced coal technologies to capture and store CO2 emissions and other pollutants as the logical next step for the construction of any new coal-fired power plants in the US. The U.S. Conference of Mayors urges all mayors from around the nation to join this effort to encourage their state and the federal government to promote the use of these technologies to mitigate climate change

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the U.S. Conference of Mayors urges the Environmental Protection Agency to adopt Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle with CO2 sequestration and storage as Best Available Control Technology (BACT).