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File #: RES 22-98    Version: 1
Type: Resolution Status: Passed
In control: City Council
Final action: 1/19/2022
Title: Declaring a climate emergency in St. Paul, Minnesota and joint climate action with cities and counties across the state
Sponsors: Jane L. Prince, Nelsie Yang, Dai Thao, Rebecca Noecker, Amy Brendmoen, Chris Tolbert, Mitra Jalali
Title
Declaring a climate emergency in St. Paul, Minnesota and joint climate action with cities and counties across the state

Body
WHEREAS Saint Paul has just this past year experienced numerous climate change related impacts including a record June heat wave, dangerous air quality from drought-fueled forest fires where even healthy people were encouraged to remain inside, and water restrictions from the same drought, making it clear that the climate crisis is not only a future issue - it is affecting us here and now; and
WHEREAS extreme weather will create new challenges for Saint Paul’s infrastructure and finances and will pose a threat to the economic vitality of our residents and businesses; and
WHEREAS Saint Paul’s Climate Action and Resilience Plan (CARP), adopted by the City Council on December 18, 2019 (RES PH 19-416), commits to carbon neutrality by 2050 and reducing emissions 50% by 2030 from business-as-usual; and
WHEREAS Saint Paul City Council has a legacy of asserting climate urgency, including calling for 100% renewable electricity by 2030, and 25% of electricity created within city limits (RES 18-1361); committing to renewable, equitable, and locally-produced energy targets expressed in the Climate Action and Resilience Plan, to submitting official comment in the Public Utilities Commission review process of Xcel Energy’s 2020-2034 Integrated Resource Plan including opposing proposed new fossil fuel energy infrastructure (RES 19-1870); and
WHEREAS the greatest burden from an inadequate response to the climate crisis will be felt by historically and continuing marginalized or underserved communities as well as the youngest generation, including the children and grandchildren of Saint Paul; and
WHEREAS CARP commits to an energy burden below 4% for all Saint Paul households, and currently for low-income households the median energy burden is 5.11% and is 8.2% for the highest quartile according to the American Council for an Energy Efficient Econom...

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Date NameDistrictOpinionCommentAction
1/21/2022 10:37 PMAaron Kerr   Thanks so much for voting on this! This is m***ively important and is going to send a real message that St. Paul is working ******* stopping climate change. Upcoming stuff: weatherization for low income, green jobs, 200 MW solar (solar on schools!!!!!), and that Xcel franchise agreement. We aren't done here, but you rock.
1/19/2022 7:56 PMJanet Pope For Thank you to all 7 Council members for supporting this resolution. The Climate Emergency is arguably the defining issue of our time. With the p***age of this resolution I hope the Council addresses and supports at least the following: 1) Pre-weatherization and weatherization funding with ARPA dollars for our lowest income neighbors. Weatherization funding is sitting unused due to the poor condition of 15,000 City households in need. Green jobs can be generated with this effort. 2) Get going on siting the 200 MW of solar called for in our City's 2019 Climate Action Plan--if we are to generate this by 2030 we need an aggressive action plan now; 3) Act ***ertively to negotiate this year's utility franchise fee extension. St. Paul is Xcel's largest customer, the City Council signs our contract with them.