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Resolution No. <br />A RESOLUTION OF THE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA <br />IN SUPPORT OF A REASONABLE TRANSITION TO CLEAN ENERGY FOR SOUTH BEND <br />Whereas, a transition to clean energy has begun in the City of South Bend and nearby communities, with solar <br />panels installed at the South Bend Century Center, South Bend Mutual Homes and Near Northwest <br />Neighborhood; l and <br />Whereas, Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C., president of the University of Notre Dame, announced on September 21, <br />2015, that the University will cease burning coal entirely within five years, and cut its carbon footprint by more <br />than half by 2030;2 and <br />Whereas, at least six faith communities in South Bend have installed or are planning to install solar panels to <br />reduce their energy costs and better care for the Earth, including the First United Methodist Church, Islamic <br />Society of Michiana, Kern Road Mennonite Church, Olivet AME Church, St. Anthony de Padua Catholic Church <br />and First Unitarian Church;3 and <br />Whereas, the South Bend Century Center expects to save $1.5 million over 15 years by installing solar panels, <br />LED lighting and energy efficient heating and cooling systems;4 and <br />Whereas, Real Services provided winter heating assistance to 9,432 struggling families in its Northern Indiana <br />service area in 2015, and summer cooling assistance to 9,202 families that same year;5 and <br />Whereas, investments in solar power and energy efficiency in South Bend could benefit our local economy while <br />reducing energy use and making it easier for residents to afford their electric bills; 6,7 and <br />Whereas, with more than 146 watts installed per person, Indianapolis ranks second in the nation for solar power <br />capacity per capita, second only to Honolulu, Hawaii, and ahead of all other U.S. cities such as San Jose, San <br />Diego and Albuquerque;8 and <br />Whereas, Northern Indiana Public Service Co. offers a program to purchase renewable energy from customers <br />through a program that is creating 35 megawatts of solar, wind and other local energy in Northwest Indiana;9 and <br />Whereas, Indiana Michigan Power (I &M) has begun installing small solar projects totaling 15 megawatts10 yet <br />still generates approximately 40 percent of South Bend's electricity from the 2,600- megawatt AEP- Rockport <br />1 http:// www .iaced.org /wp- content/uploads/ 2015 /07/ South - Bend - SUN - Solar- Awards.i)df <br />2 http: / /news.nd.edu/ news /61083 - notre- dame - goal -no -coal/ <br />3 http:/ /www.southbendtribune.com / news /local/ south - bend - congregations- turn - skyward -to- conserve - energy /article 732c968d -b43f- <br />59ae- babd- ac8e079ebbaa. html <br />4 https:Hdowntownsouthbend com /century- center - surges- ahead - multi - million - dollar - energy- savings - project <br />5 https: / /www.realservices.org/ wp /wp- content/uploads/ 2016 /04 /2015 - Northem- indiana.pdf (page 11) <br />6 http: / /energy.gov/ sites / prod /files /2016 /05 /f31 /Factsheet -EE Savings and Benefits.pdf <br />http : / /www.thesolarfoundation.org /national/ - <br />3 http: / /wishtv.com/ 2015 /05 /27 /f`orbes- indy -is- 2nd - best -city- for - solar - power/ <br />9 https: / /www.nip co.com/ our - services /renewable - energy- projects /feed -in- tariff - program <br />10 https: / /www.indianamichiganpower.com/ info / news /viewRelease.aspx ?releaselD =1695 <br />