HomeMy WebLinkAbout2022-482-07.18.2022Prepared by Kelley Felchle, City Clerk, City of Waterloo, 715 Mulberry Street, Waterloo, IA
50703, 319-291-4323.
RESOLUTION NO. 2022-482
RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING A COMMUNITY 24X7
CARBON -FREE ELECTRICITY GOAL FOR THE CITY OF
WATERLOO.
WHEREAS, the City of Waterloo is responsible for promoting the public health and
safety of its residents, including access to clean air, clean water, and a livable environment; and
is committed in those endeavors to actions that foster a clean energy future for the City of
Waterloo and its residents; and
WHEREAS, the City of Waterloo is responsible for and committed to a healthy and
vibrant economy and recognizes that many companies and their employees value reliable,
affordable clean energy when considering business retention, expansion, and employment
decisions, which makes clean energy a valuable tool for economic development; and
WHEREAS, the transition to a 24x7 zero -carbon community, reliant on the efficient use
of a mix of carbon -free electric energy resources, will provide a range of benefits including but
not limited to reduced greenhouse gas emissions, improved air quality, enhanced public health,
business attraction, local job growth, increased resilience, and energy security; and
WHEREAS, there is scientific consensus regarding the reality of climate change and the
connection between human activities, especially the combustion of fossil fuels that create
greenhouse gases, and warming of the planet; and
WHEREAS, the 2018 report of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change (IPCC) found that to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, there would need to be
a 45% reduction of greenhouse from 2010 levels by 2030 and a need to reach net -zero by 2050;
and
WHEREAS, the City of Waterloo has experienced the effects of climate change locally
through increased temperatures, changes in water systems, extreme weather events such as the
record rainfalls and flooding of June 2008 and September 2016, and other disruptions that
threaten our residents, economy, and overall quality of life; and
WHEREAS, inaction perpetuates inequity and ensures the burdens of climate hazards
will be borne by the City's most marginalized and vulnerable residents; and
WHEREAS, carbon -free energy resources paired with energy storage, and microgrids,
where feasible, are important strategies to build disaster resilience into our communities and will
assist with disaster recovery; and ensuring equitable distribution of the benefits of these resources
is imperative to adequately prepare for disasters, particularly those exacerbated by climate
change; and
WHEREAS, the City of Waterloo, through Resolution No. 2020-71, formally recognized
the impacts global warming is having on the community and committed to implementing actions
to reduce carbon emissions; and
WHEREAS, the City of Waterloo is taking steps to reduce carbon emissions by working
with local businesses to install charging stations in parking lots, implementing an e-scooter
mobility program in downtown Waterloo, and designing a biogas reuse project to capture, clean,
and reuse methane released at the waste treatment plant; and
WHEREAS, a host of solutions exist to provide reliable, affordable, and sustainable
energy while reducing demand and emissions, including but not limited to solar, wind, energy
storage, geothermal, biomass, energy efficiency, demand control technologies, carbon
sequestration, waste reduction, water systems technologies, and tree planting; and Resolution No.
WHEREAS, new and existing buildings must play a key role in reducing energy demand
through smart building technologies, grid interaction, electrification, and efficiency, with
residential, commercial, and industrial energy usage; and
Resolution No. 2022-482
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WHEREAS, transportation advancements, including electric vehicles, intermodal transit,
and pedestrian and bicycle -oriented streets offer solutions to limit harmful vehicle emissions,
reduce congestion, and support vibrant neighborhoods; and
WHEREAS, the City of Waterloo and MidAmerican Energy Company (MidAmerican)
have been long-time partners providing reliable and affordable electric energy to residents,
businesses, and facilities in the City of Waterloo. As part of this partnership, MidAmerican is
committed to a 100% carbon -free energy vision for its Iowa customers, and who under
GreenAdvantage® delivered approximately 88.5% of its customers' energy needs from
renewable sources in 2021; and
WHEREAS, MidAmerican is a leader with renewable energy through a renewable
generation fleet that includes its first utility -scale solar project, which is located in Waterloo and
generates capacity equal to 650 average Iowa homes; and
WHEREAS, MidAmerican has an application pending before the Iowa Utilities Board for
its Wind PRIME project, which will allow it to complete wind and solar projects that will enable
it to serve 100% of its customers' annual energy needs with renewable energy by 2025; and
WHEREAS, MidAmerican has a further goal of attaining net -zero carbon emissions by
2050 and to that end has committed, through its Wind PRIME project and other initiatives, to
studying and advancing emerging clean energy technologies like carbon capture, energy storage,
and modular nuclear to attain a net -zero future that maintains affordability and reliability and
promotes the personal and economic vitality of Iowa's communities, businesses, and residents;
and
WHEREAS, MidAmerican enhances its clean energy generation work with energy
efficiency, electric vehicle charging, tree planting, low-income energy assistance and other
practical programs that increase energy accessibility; reduce, minimize, and mitigate emissions;
and contribute positively to the net -zero effort; and
WHEREAS, the City of Waterloo and MidAmerican, recognizing that energy flows not
just locally but regionally and nationally, and that access to consistently affordable and reliable
energy requires collaboration that takes due consideration of factors and circumstances that affect
the energy grid at all levels, wish to partner on the journey to net zero by leveraging their
respective expertise and aligning resources and efforts where their missions and interests
intersect.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
WATERLOO, IOWA, as follows:
1. That the City hereby updates its greenhouse -gas emission goals to align with IPCC
recommendations and commits to developing partnerships that advance a 45% reduction of
greenhouse gas emissions from 2010 levels by 2030 and to reach net -zero greenhouse gas
emissions by 2050.
2. That the City hereby commits to an affordable and reliable community -wide goal of
achieving 100% 24x7 electricity from carbon -free sources by 2035.
3. That City leaders will work with utility partners, businesses, residents, and community
stakeholders to identify a collaborative approach to achieve the emissions targets and energy
goals with meaningful benchmarks and milestones between now and the target years referenced
in this resolution.
4. That the City of Waterloo will increase its partnership with the Center for Energy and
Environmental Education at the University of Northern Iowa to implement the goals of this
resolution.
5. That the City of Waterloo will partner with MidAmerican Energy to implement electric
vehicle charging stations at city facilities.
6. That the City of Waterloo will work with MidAmerican and other businesses,
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Page 3
residents, and community stakeholders to engage in a collaborative effort to achieve emissions
reductions
and clean energy initiatives and advancements that responsibly, reliably, and affordably deliver a
sustainable, net zero future to the City of Waterloo, its residents and businesses. This
collaboration shall include, but not be limited to, efforts to encourage energy efficiency to reduce
energy consumption and use. The City of Waterloo will deliver an annual update on the status of
these efforts.
PASSED AND ADOPTED this 18th day of July 2022.
Ray Feuss, Mayor Pro Tem
ATTEST:
�efCey Fe(cIi1
Kelley Felchle, City Clerk
SEAL