HomeMy WebLinkAbout8159RESOLUTION NO 8159
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF REDLANDS
URGING THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS TO ENACT THE ENERGY
INNOVATION AND CARBON DIVIDEND ACT (H.R. 763)
WHEREAS, the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change ("IPCC")
issued a special report in October 2018 on the impacts of global warming of 1.5oC above pre-
industrial levels, warning that global warming is likely to reach 1.5oC or more between 2030 and
2050 if carbon emissions are allowed to increase at the current rate; and
WHEREAS, according to the IPCC report we have only 12 (now 10) years left to make
massive and unprecedented changes to global energy infrastructure to limit global warming to
moderate levels; and
WHEREAS, the United States government released its Fourth Annual Climate Assessment in
November 2018 reporting that the impacts of climate change are already being felt in communities
across the country and that more frequent and intense extreme weather and climate -related events, as
well as changes in average climate conditions, are expected to continue to damage infrastructure,
ecosystems, and social systems that provide essential benefits to communities; and
WHEREAS, the state of California is already experiencing severe impacts from record-
breaking wildfires, coastal sea -level rise, severe, prolonged drought, and longer and more frequent
heat -waves; and
WHEREAS, conservative estimates by the world's climate scientists state that, to achieve
climate stabilization and avoid cataclysmic climate change, emissions of greenhouse gases ("GHGs")
must be brought to 80-95% below 1990 levels by 2050; and
WHEREAS, presently the environmental, health, and social costs of carbon emissions are not
included in prices paid for fossil fuels, but rather these externalized costs are borne directly and
indirectly by all Americans; and
WHEREAS, to begin to correct this market failure, Congress can enact the Energy Innovation
and Carbon Dividend Act to assess a national carbon fee on fossil fuels based on the amount of CO2
the fuel will emit when burned and allocate the collected proceeds to all U.S. Households in equal
per -capita shares in the form of a monthly dividend; and
WHEREAS, as stated in the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act, a national,
revenue -neutral carbon fee starting at a relatively low rate of $15 per ton of CO2 equivalent
emissions and resulting in equal charges per ton of CO2 equivalent emissions potential in each type
of fuel or greenhouse gas should be assessed to begin to lower what are now dangerously high CO2
emissions. The yearly increase in carbon fees including other greenhouse gases, shall be at least $10
per ton of CO2 equivalent each year, with the provision that the annual increase will be $15 per ton
of CO2 equivalent if statutory goals are not met; and
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WHEREAS, the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act specifies that, in order to
protect low and middle income citizens from the economic impact of rising prices due to the carbon
fee, equal monthly per -person dividend payments shall be made to all American households (one-
half payment per child under 19 years old) each month from the fossil fuel fees collected. The total
value of all monthly dividend payments shall represent 100% of the net carbon fees collected per
month; and
WHEREAS, the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act encourages market- driven
innovation of clean energy technologies and market efficiencies which will reduce harmful pollution
and leave a healthier, more stable, and more prosperous nation for future generations; and
WHEREAS, the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act will, after 12 years, lead to a
decrease in America s CO2 emissions of 40 percent and an increase in national employment of 2.1
million jobs in 10 years; and
WHEREAS, border adjustments (carbon content -based levies on products imported from
countries without comparable carbon pricing, and refunds to our exporters of carbon fees paid) can
maintain the competitiveness of U.S. businesses in global markets; and
WHEREAS, for efficient administration, the fossil fuels fee can be applied once, as far
upstream in the economy as practical, or at the port of entry into the United States; and
WHEREAS, a national carbon fee can be implemented quickly and efficiently and will
respond to the urgency of the climate crisis because the federal government already has in place
mechanisms, such as the Internal Revenue Service, needed to implement and enforce the fee, and
already collects fees from fossil fuel producers and importers; and
WHEREAS, a national revenue -neutral carbon fee would make the United States a leader in
mitigating climate change and in the clean energy technologies of the 21st century and would provide
incentive to other countries to enact similar carbon fees, reducing global CO2 emissions without the
need for complex international agreements, and
WHEREAS, the City Council has demonstrated a long-standing commitment to addressing
climate change, as demonstrated by the adoption of the Redlands Community Sustainability plan, in
March, 2011 a Climate Action Plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, adopted December, 2017 (a
summary of which was included in Section 8 of the 2017 update of the City of Redlands General
Plan); and
WHEREAS, former Redlands City Council Member and Mayor, and now District 31
Congressman Pete Aguilar is an enthusiastic co-sponsor of HR 763 the Energy Innovation and
Carbon Dividend Act;
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
REDLANDS AS FOLLOWS.
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Section 1 The City Council of the City of Redlands hereby urges the United States
Congress to enact without delay the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act, and
Section 2 That the City Manager or City Clerk, no later than 60 days after passage of this
Resolution, shall transmit copies of this resolution to the President and Vice President of the United
States, to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, to the Majonty Leader of the Senate, to each
U S Senator and Representative from the State of California in the Congress of the United States,
and to nearby city and county governments urging that they pass similar resolutions
ADOPTED, SIGNED AND APPROVED this 1st day of December, 2020
C2>,_Q06
Paul W Foster, Mayor
ATTEST
e Donaldson, City Clerk
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I, Jeanne Donaldson, City Clerk of the City of Redlands, hereby certify that the foregoing resolution
was duly adopted by the City Council at a regular meeting thereof held on the 1st day of December,
2020, by the following vote
AYES Councihnembers Bartell, Tejeda, Moinberger, Davis, Mayor Foster
NOES None
ABSENT None
ABSTAINED None
Jere Donaldson, City Clerk
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