HomeMy WebLinkAbout3145 Establishing Greenhouse Gas & Fossil Fuel Reduction Goals & Targets
ORDINANCE NO.
AN ORDINANCE ESTABLISHING GREENHOUSE GAS
AND FOSSIL FUEL REDUCTION GOALS AND TARGETS
FOR COMMUNITY AND CITY OPERATIONS
WHEREAS, Article 2, Section 1 of the Ashland City Charter provides:
Powers of the City. The City shall have all powers which the constitutions, statutes, and
common law of the United States and of this State expressly or impliedly grant or allow
municipalities, as fully as though this Charter specifically enumerated each of those
powers, as well as all powers not inconsistent with the foregoing; and, in addition thereto,
shall possess all powers hereinafter specifically granted. All the authority thereof shall
have perpetual succession.
WHEREAS, increased concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere are causing mean
global temperatures to rise: The decade from 2000 to 2010 was the warmest on record; 2016,
2015 and 2014 are the three hottest years on record; and the seventeen consecutive months of
May 2015 through September 2016 each set a record for global average surface temperatures for
their respective months.
WHEREAS, C02 levels in the atmosphere surpassed 400 parts per million (ppm) for the first
time in 800,000 years in the year 2013 and have come near or exceeded that level in the
following years.
WHEREAS, the health, welfare, and economic future of the residents of Ashland will be
impacted by these climatic changes
WHEREAS, the City of Ashland ("The City") has a Climate and Energy Action Plan ("Plan")
intended to guide and support both City and Community efforts to advance the goal of returning
global atmospheric C02 concentration to below 350 ppm by the year 2100.
WHEREAS, the strategies and actions in the Climate and Energy Action Plan may be updated
over time upon approval by the City Council.
THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY OF ASHLAND DO ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1: The City of Ashland Municipal Code (AMC) Title 9 is hereby amended by adding
a new Chapter 9.40 to read as follows:
Ordinance No. Page 1 of 3
9.40 CLIMATE RECOVERY
9.40.010 Definitions
The following words and phrases whenever used in this chapter shall be construed as
defined in this section.
A. "Greenhouse Gases" or "GHG" means gases in the atmosphere that absorb and
emit radiation and are the fundamental cause of the greenhouse effect.
B. "City Operations" means any and all actions undertaken by the Ashland municipal
government, that are measured and tracked within established Greenhouse Gas
Inventory protocols for local government operations.
C. "Community" means collectively all individuals or entities operating, residing or
located within the boundaries of the City, including private and public entities.
D. "GHG Baseline" means Ashland's 2015 GHG emissions calculations as found in the
2016 Greenhouse Gas Inventory document.
9.40.020 Climate Recovery Goals - Community
The City shall actively encourage Community entities and individuals to make
[incorporate] achievement of the Community Climate Recovery Goals, as set forth in the
most current City Council-approved version of the Climate and Energy Action Plan, a [as]
part of the goals for their respective operations and facilities.
9.40.030 Climate Recovery Goals - City Operations
Achievement of the Climate Recovery Goals for City Operations, as set forth in the most
current City Council-approved version of the Climate and Energy Action Plan, shall be
part of the goals for City Operations.
9.40.040 Climate and Energy Action Plan Contents and Updates
The Climate and Energy Action Plan and any updates must contain the following:
A. Specific and measurable GHG reduction targets and milestones to guide and direct
City Operations toward achieving the Plan's GHG mitigation and fossil fuel
reduction targets for the City.
B. Specific and measurable GHG reduction targets and milestones to guide the
Community toward achieving the Plan's GHG mitigation and fossil fuel reduction
targets for the Community.
C. The above GHG mitigation and fossil fuel reduction targets for City Operations and
for the Community must each be supported by at least the following elements in the
Plan:
1. Strategies, actions, timelines for meeting the Plan's GHG and fossil fuel
reduction targets.
Ordinance No. Page 2 of 3
2. Schedule of periodic objective, science-based evaluations of progress towards
achievement of the Plan's GHG and fossil fuel reduction targets.
3. Minimum reporting content and schedule for presentations to City Council
on CEAP, GHG Inventory updates, and progress towards achievement the
Plan's GHG and fossil fuel reduction targets.
4. Specific process for considering Plan amendments, including comprehensive
review on a three year cycle.
5. Specification of the responsibility of the Climate and Energy Action Plan
Commission for providing advisory input on CEAP implementation and
updates.
SECTION 2. Severability. The sections, subsections, paragraphs and clauses of this ordinance
are severable. The invalidity of one section, subsection, paragraph or clause shall not affect the
validity of the remaining sections, subsections, paragraphs and clauses.
SECTION 3. Codification. Provisions of this Ordinance shall be incorporated in the City Code
and the word "ordinance" may be changed to "code", "article", "section", "chapter" or another
word, and the sections of this Ordinance may be renumbered, or re-letter, provided however that
any Whereas clauses and Sections 2 and 3 need not be codified, and the City Recorder is
authorized to correct any cross-references and any typographical errors.
The foregoing ordinance was first read by title only in accordance with Article X, Section 2(C)
of the City Charter on the day of e- -cam , 2017, and duly PASSED and ADOPTED
this 166' day of , 2017.
Me issa Huhtala, City Recorder
SIGNED and APPROVED this day of , 2017.
Jo Stromberg, Mayor
Reviel as to form:
David H. Lohman, Ci ttorney
Ordinance No. Page 3 of 3