| With a 7-0 vote yesterday, the Austin City Council passed a landmark energy plan that sets our city on a path to a cleaner, greener future. By 2020, 35% of our energy will be produced from renewable sources. In the process, our home-grown Austin Energy will become one of the greenest, most sustainable utilities in the country.
The Statesman has a comment from Mayor Leffingwell on this great step forward for Austin:
"I believe that Austin has in the past shown leadership on environmental initiatives," Mayor Lee Leffingwell said. "And I think that we should keep ourselves in the forefront, recognizing that global climate change is, in my opinion, the environmental challenge of our time. This is a global problem, but the sum of local policy is global policy."
This plan demonstrates that our city government is thinking both short- and long-term in its approach to the major challenges facing Austin. The economic downturn has folks watching every penny, so the increase in cost is certainly an issue. Council is on top of this, however -- the plan won't go into effect until specific cost-containment goals are adopted before year-end. It's also worth noting that potential increases in energy costs from renewables -- estimates run as high as a 20% increase -- don't factor in likely long-term increases in costs of natural gas and oil. (Or, might I add, the cost of cleaning up after our dirty sources of energy.)
Our entire planet needs to address climate change, declining fossil fuel stores, and environmental needs now, to prevent greater cost later on. We can invest today in a cleaner future, or pay dearly when our current sources of energy run out. Austin's green energy plan is a great way to accomplish all of these goals.
Burnt Orange Report also received a statement from the Sierra Club praising the landmark plan:
"While the resolution passed by Austin City Council isn't perfect, it sets up a process with the public to examine additional issues -- like how Austin can legally, economically and technically get out of our dependence on the Fayette Coal Plant and how we can create a local power plant through solar on roofs. The Sierra Club and its members will continue to be constructively involved in this discussion on affordable, clean, reliable energy." -- Cyrus Reed, Conservation Director, Lone Star Chapter, Sierra Club
Until we have enough alternate sources of energy, many experts think that the City of Austin can't afford to sell off the polluting coal plant -- otherwise at peak energy times (like 5:30 p.m. when folks return from work and turn on their air conditioners) -- we might end up in the dark. Currently, only 12% of our energy comes from renewables. This move to 35% over 10 years is ambitious and achievable, and will give Austin much more room to make the most sustainable energy decisions in the future.
So kudos to our City Council for giving Austin one of the best Earth Day presents possible: a cleaner, greener energy future. |
