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STATE OF WASHINGTON
County of Jefferson
JOINT RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD }
OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AND THE }
PORT TOWNSEND CITY COUNCIL TO }
COMMIT TO ADDRESSING ENERGY USE }
AND CLIMATE CHANGE/GLOBAL }
WARMING
44-07
COUNTY RESOLUTION NO.
07-022
CITY RESOLUTION NO.
The Bo~d of County Commissioners of Jefferson County, Washington, and the City Council of Port
Townsend, Washington, do jointly resolve as follows:
WHEREAS, numerous scientific organizations havedetermmed that warming of the climate
'system is unequivocal as evidenced by increases in global average air and ocean temperatures, recedipg
glaciers, decreasing snow pack,and coral bleaching, and by rising.global mean sea levels, and further is
pot~ntially damaging to our environment and our economy; and
WHEREAS, energy consumption, specifically the burning of fossil fuels, e.g., coal, oil and gas, .
accounts for more than 80% of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions and that the U.S. produces nearly one .
quarter of all global emissions; and
WHEREAS the governments of Jefferson County and the City of Port Townsend can greatly
influence the community's energy usage by exercising power over land use, transportation, building
construction, waste management, and energy supply and management; and
WHEREAS governments can provide leadership by motivating andsupportiilg citizens to improve
energy use within businesses, port facilities, schools, churches, and homes; and
WHEREAS, Jefferson County and the City of Port Townsend recognize that the probable adverse
effects on our citizens and infrastructure, and on our mountains, glaciers, forests, rivers, oceans, and other
waterways from severe weather, rising temperatures, and rising sea levels due to climate change pose a risk
to future economic viability; and
WHEREAS, actions taken to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase energy efficiency
provide multiple local benefits by decreasing air pollution, creating jobs, reducing energy expenditures,
saving money and reducing tax burdens for governments, businesses and citizens;
NOW THEREFORE, BE rI' RESOLVED, that Jefferson County and the City of Port Townsend
commit to collaborate in a program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, specifically:
. Collaborating with the Climate Protection Campaign volunteers in conducting a comprehensive
baseline inventory oflocal energy uses that contribute to greenhouse gas emissions, especially C02,
and making estimates of current emissions and forecasts of future emissions if current practices do
not change,
. Appointing a joint City/County citizen's committee tasked with developing a Local Climate Action
Plan. Specifically, the committee should provide recommendations for achieving a community-
wide standard of cutting greenhouse gas emissions to levels 80 percent lower than 1990 levels by
2050, with preliminary reduction targets to be set for earlier years,
. Implementing policies and measures to meet the emission reduction targets, and
. Monitoring and verifying results
This resolution shall become effective upon adoption by the Board of County Commissioners and the City
of Port Townsend.
APPROVED AND SIGNED THIS 29th DAY OF MAY, 2007.
SEAL
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ATTEST
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Clerk of the Board
SIGNED THIS q -fh
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DAY OF=MkY, 2007.
CITY OF PORT TOWNSEND
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Mark Welch, Mayor
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Consent Agenda
JEFFERSON COUNTY
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
CONSENT AGENDA REQUEST
TO:
Board of County Commissioners
John Fischbach, County Administrator It
Al Scalf, Director, Department of Community Development (DC .
Karen Barrows, Assistant Planner, Long-Range Planning (LRP) .
FROM:
DATE:
May 29, 2007
SUBJECT:
RE: Request for Consent Agenda item for the Joint Resolution to
Commit to Addressing Climate Change/Global Warming
STATEMENT OF ISSUE:
The Department of Community Development Long-Range Planning Division is requesting that the Board of County
Commissioners (BoCC) adopt the Joint Resolution committing Jefferson County and the City of Port Townsend to
collaborate in a program to measure energy use and to reduce local greenhouse gas emissions. The proposed Joint
Resolution is attached for your review.
ANAL YSIS/STRATEGIC GOALS:
In April 2007 a citizen's group called theClimate Protection Campaign drafted a climate change resolution modeled on
a resolution which recently passed in Clallam County. The BoCC has recently been briefed by members of the .
citizen's group, which includes Kees Kolff and Bill Wise, and a joint City CouncillBoCC meeting on the issue was held
on May 17, 2007. Prior to the joint meeting, the Climate Protection Campaign hosted a rallying event called "Step-It-
Up" in Port Townsend on Saturday, April 14, 2007, which was part of a nationwide effort to address the issue;
approximately two hundred (200) people attended the function, and pledged support via petitions for the ideas
contained in the resolution.
The proposed draft resolution is consistent with The Strategic Goals of the BoCC set forth in 2001, especially numbers
1,4, 5, and 7. Briefly, these Goals provide for the need to create a sustainable and balanced economic base by
seeking to lower energy and infrastructure costs; new opportunities for local businesses as energy needs and delivery
systems change; a "sustainable utilization of natural resources; a healthy and safe citizenry; affordable government.
The resolution is also consistent with the Leadership's Guiding Principles section of the Strategic Goals document.
FISCAL IMPACT:
If the City and County choose to do so, it will cost $600.00 to join the Task Force of the International Council for Local
Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI), which includes computer software and consultation fees. Implementation of the
resolution will be long-range and multifaceted, and thus calculating total costs is impossible at this stage of the
process. Since lowering carbon-based energy usage! emissions is a primary goal of the resolution, an eventual net
cost savings is the predicted result.
RECOMMENDATION:
DCD staff recommends BoCC approval.
REVIEWED BY:
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John Fischbach, County Administrator
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Date