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Requesting expanded community engagement and draft policy direction on climate action and resiliency.
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WHEREAS, the Saint Paul City Council and Mayor Chris Coleman are dedicated to making Saint Paul one of the most sustainable cities in the United States and to protecting our city’s air, water and urban landscape; and
WHEREAS, Mayor Chris Coleman signed the U.S. Mayor’s Climate Protection Agreement in 2006 and has prioritized during his administration reducing energy use and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions; advancing clean and renewable energy; increasing energy efficiency and green development in residential and commercial buildings; increasing fuel efficiency and the use of clean fuels in municipal fleet vehicles; and working to create a sustainable transportation system and solid waste options; and
WHEREAS, the City of Saint Paul City Council (RES 15-2093) reaffirmed its commitment to reducing GHG emissions; joined the Compact of Mayors; and pledged to inventory GHG emissions, establish GHG emissions reduction targets, identify climate hazards, assess climate change vulnerabilities, and develop a climate action and resiliency plan; and
WHEREAS, the December 2016 greenhouse gas emissions inventory for Saint Paul found that there had been a 27% reduction of GHG since 2005 due primarily to the conversion of Xcel Energy’s coal burning power plant to natural gas and District Energy St. Paul’s conversion from fossil fuels to primarily wood waste and that 37% of all current emissions come from the transportation sector, 35% of emissions from the commercial building sector, and 17% of emissions from the residential building sector; and
WHEREAS, the City secured assistance from Xcel Energy’s Partners in Energy program; established a technical advisory group that included Center for Energy and Environment, District Energy St. Paul, Energy Cents Coalition, Neighborhood Energy Connection, Saint Paul Port Authority, and the University of Minnesota’s Center for Sustainable Building Research; and drafted a strategic energy action plan for buildings which was accepted by the Saint Paul City Council (RES 17-884); and
WHEREAS, with support from Xcel Energy, National League of Cities, MN Pollution Control Agency, and ICLEI, the City initiated a public engagement process that hosted three citywide community meetings, established an advisory committee of representatives with expertise in water quality, natural resources, transportation, energy, public health, and resiliency and adaption who provided initial feedback and identified goals and strategies; and
WHEREAS, in 2016 the City was selected by the Institute for Market Transformation and the Natural Resources Defense Council to join the City Energy Project, a national initiative to create healthier and more prosperous American cities by improving the energy efficiency of large buildings, in both the public and private sectors, and provided funds through December 2018 (RES 16-2042) towards a technical advisor and other technical assistance to advance energy efficiency in large commercial buildings including implementing a benchmarking policy; and
WHEREAS, the City applied for, and was awarded, funds from The McKnight Foundation (RES 17-104) to match funds secured for the City Energy Project and to support community engagement in the development of a climate action and resiliency plan; and
WHEREAS, improving energy efficiency in commercial and multifamily buildings reduces utility costs and GHG emissions, creates jobs, improves public health, makes businesses more financially stable, and makes Saint Paul a more attractive market for businesses development; and
WHEREAS, in 2017 the City established a commercial and multifamily building energy advisory committee composed of large building operators and building energy experts to develop recommendations for Saint Paul’s benchmarking policy and conducted outreach to civic and businesses organizations; and
WHEREAS, the City is committed to working with utilities, nonprofit organizations, foundations, businesses and community members to support, invest in, and advocate for programs and policies that reduce residents’ energy burden; and
WHEREAS, the City will continue to demonstrate leadership by benchmarking and disclosing energy use in municipal facilities in 2018 and being carbon neutral for municipal operations by 2030; updating and expanding Saint Paul’s Sustainable Building Policy in 2018; increasing municipal purchases and installation of renewable energy so that 50% of the City’s electric use is generated from renewables in the next five years; converting municipal streetlights to low energy light emitting diodes (LED); and working with District Energy St. Paul, Xcel Energy, U.S. Department of Energy and the University of Minnesota’s Center for Sustainable Building Research to develop a sustainable and renewable energy plan for the Ford site; and
WHEREAS, draft recommendations for the City’s climate action and resiliency plan set an interim target of 20% reduction by 2027 and a goal of carbon neutrality by 2050 and outline draft strategies for reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in the building, transportation, energy, waste and recycling, natural resources, water quality and storm water sectors and adaptation strategies for reducing vulnerability to the effects of climate change; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, that the Saint Paul City Council requests that the City staff solicit further input on the draft goals and strategies for reducing GHG emissions and developing a resilient community for residents, civic and neighborhood organizations, and businesses utilizing outreach efforts such as community meetings, focus groups, surveys, email and Open Saint Paul and report back to the City Council by April 2018 with new policy and program recommendations.