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WHEREAS, the nation faces unprecedented energy
challenges, including rapidly escalating energy costs, over dependence on
foreign sources of energy, and critical choices about energy resources that
will affect the nation's future economic well-being and security; and WHEREAS, ongoing federal investment in energy
efficiency and renewable energy is critical to positioning America to be
competitive in the global economy, increase American energy independence, build
livable and sustainable communities, drive investment in new, clean energy
solutions and create new, local jobs, aiding in our national economic recovery;
and WHEREAS, commercial, residential and public
buildings are responsible for more than 40 percent of the nation’s energy
consumption and greenhouse gas emissions and cities are best suited to improve
and enforce building codes, foster community-scale renewable energy, and create
other programs and incentives to increase efficiency and reduce energy use in
commercial and residential buildings; and WHEREAS, the transportation sector produces one
third of the nation’s greenhouse gas emissions and cities can substantially
reduce emissions and vehicle-miles traveled by promoting public transit and
more effective land use and transportation planning; and WHEREAS, cities have been laboratories of
innovation, successfully pioneering and demonstrating cost-effective clean
energy solutions, including increasing energy efficiency for public and private
buildings, encouraging energy independence through the use of alternative
energy sources, switching their fleets to alternative fuels and more fuel
efficient vehicles; and building alternative infrastructure to encourage their
citizens to utilize other forms of greener transportation; and WHEREAS, local governments have also implemented
programs that reduce greenhouse gas emissions through re-utilization of
resources, reduction of energy consumption, and improving the environment
through waste reduction and recycling programs, encouraging waste-to-energy
technology, and capturing methane in landfills; and WHEREAS, over 1,050 mayors have signed The U.S.
Conference of Mayors Climate Protection Agreement, pledging their commitment to
reducing their communities’ greenhouse gas emissions by 7 percent from their
1990 levels; and WHEREAS, The U.S. Conference of Mayors has endorsed
a national goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent from 1990
levels by 2050; and WHEREAS, more than 430 local elected leaders from
across America have called for additional federal resources for communities to
implement greenhouse gas reduction and sustainability initiatives by endorsing
the Climate Communities/ICLEI-USA Empowering Local Government Climate Action
Blueprint; and WHEREAS, successful local government programs could
be expanded or replicated throughout the country, thereby resulting in
nationwide reductions in energy use which will increase our nation's energy
independence and competitiveness while improving our national and global
environment; and WHEREAS, many cities are not able to expand or
implement the full range of these types of programs due to budgetary
constraints; and WHEREAS, the federal government, by supporting these
types of local activities, would demonstrate its commitment to help solve some
of the most important issues facing the nation - energy independence, reducing
greenhouse gas emissions, and improving the environment; and WHEREAS, The U.S. Conference of Mayors has
previously conceived and called for the creation of an Energy Efficiency and
Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) Program that would provide money directly to
city, county and state governments to implement innovative energy saving and
environmental strategies; and WHEREAS, the Energy Independence and Security Act of
2007 (P. L.110-140) established a new EECBG program at the U. S. Department of
Energy, authorizing $2 billion annually over five fiscal years in formula
grants to cities, counties, and states to develop energy efficiency strategies
to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions; WHEREAS, the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act
(ARRA), a law established to stimulate the economy and create over three
million jobs, provided $3.2 billion for the EECBG program to develop and
implement energy efficiency programs in their communities; and WHEREAS, local governments are successfully
utilizing their ARRA EECBG funds to implement local strategies that create
jobs, save energy, promote renewable sources, and cut greenhouse gas emissions;
and WHEREAS, the 2011 “Clean Energy Solutions for
America’s Cities” report commissioned by the U.S. Conference of Mayors found
that 85% of cities felt that ARRA EECBG funding was important to their city’s
energy efforts and 87% supported the appropriation of additional EECBG funding
in future years; and WHEREAS, cities would benefit from knowing that a
dedicated funding mechanism has been established for the EECBG to help them
create better short and long term energy efficiency and conservation strategies
in their communities, NOW, THEREFORE BE
IT RESOLVED that The U.S.
Conference of Mayors calls on Congress and the Administration to appropriate
full funding for the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program in
Fiscal year 2013, while supporting higher authorization levels in future years. |
RESOLUTION ADOPTED JUNE 2012