Big City Council Votes — for Clean, Affordable Austin Energy

Greetings AEN Readers — 

We wanted to inform the community about two draft resolutions scheduled to go before City Council this Thursday, the 28th.

 

1. Riley resolution. This resolution was filed by council member Chris Riley and is co-sponsored by council members (and mayoral candidates) Mike Martinez and Sheryl Cole. Our public health, local clean economy, and the future of our kids and grandkids depends on strong, affordable climate action led by our utility. While maintaining affordability, this resolution:

 

  • Puts Austin Energy on a path to achieving zero carbon emissions by 2030. With climate change already costing the people of central Texas millions of dollars in drought, wildfire and flood costs, lost lives and increased health costs, this is absolutely essential.
     
  • Replaces the dirty & aging gas-fired Decker power plant with solar energy. Decker is the single largest point source of air pollution in Austin and causes direct harm to public health, especially to communities most impacted by air pollution (children with asthma and seniors with respiratory illness). It is also an expensive source of energy because it is so old and inefficient.
     
  • Doubles local solar goals and requires Austin Energy to allow solar leasing and improve the way its customers are credited for the solar energy they produce. These provisions will allow Austinites to become more energy self-sufficient, will grow the local economy, and will create jobs that can't be outsourced, and will expand access to clean, affordable energy for Austin families.

By supporting this resolution you can show City Council you support climate stewardship. Dave Cortez (Sierra Club) has organized a press conference for Tue 8/26, noon to 1pm, at City Hall. Mr. Riley will be speaking, possibly Mr. Martinez and/or Ms. Cole. Many believe Austinites may not get another chance to support something this climate positive as a new council will be elected come November. If you are interested in demonstrating your support, come on out over your lunch break!

Sierra Club, Public Citizen, Solar Austin, FEAT and many others have been working tirelessly on this. Much gratitude is owed to them for getting the resolution this far. 

 

2. Tovo resolution. Council member Kathie Tovo also has a resolution coming up Thursday, which calls for attention to low-income families, energy efficiency and lower bills. This resolution has strong support from council members Laura Morrison and Sheryl Cole. Austin Interfaith has also been working to help bring this resolution forward. If it passes a new Taskforce will be convened to make sure low income customers will be served well and have access to renewable energy. This is mighty important on many counts. The resolution is announced as “Approve a resolution directing the City Manager to oversee a planning process to establish energy efficiency programs, demand reduction goals, and funding levels for equitable, effective program offerings for Austin Energy’s underserved customer population, and creating a consumer committee to develop recommendations regarding the development, design, and implementation of energy efficiency and renewable energy programs to meet the underserved customer program demand reduction goal to be considered during the 2016 fiscal year budget.”

 

What can you do to help?

  • Show up for the rally / press conference this Tuesday (8/26) at noon at City Hall. 
     
  • Show up for the Council meeting this Thursday at Travis County Administration Building 700 Lavaca Street, Commissioners Courtroom, 1st Floor, Austin, TX 78701, 10am.
     
  • Send a letter to all council members BY 4PM WEDNESDAY stating your views re: the Riley, Cole, Martinez resolution by clicking here
     
  • Send a letter to all council members BY 4PM WEDNESDAY, stating your views re: the Tovo, Morrison and Cole resolution by clicking here

Here's some text you might work from in your email,

"Please pass the Tovo resolution to make sure our underserved members of Austin have access to all the great programs Austin Energy has to offer, during the upcoming city council meeting. You have my full support!" 

And/or, 

"Please pass the Riley resolution to get Austin Energy to NET ZERO greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, during the upcoming city council meeting. You have my full support!" 

 

Takes a couple minutes!

 

To see our Faith and Energy Action Team views on a climate positive generation plan, download the attached file or email us. Also, feel free to email us with any questions: feat.outreach "@" gmail. Visit our website and Facebook pages for more info about FEAT – Faith and Energy Action Team. Thanks!

 

~~~

"Where there is no vision the people perish." 
Proverbs 29:18

 

 

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