08-22-16 Common Council Agenda Packet

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Resolution In Support of Reasonable Transition to Clean Energy Page 2 coal-fixed power plant," the second most toxic power plant in Indiana 17,13 and the nation's sixth largest carbon polluter in 2014,14 according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; and Whereas, Dr. Norma Kreilein, a Notre Dame alumna and pediatrician in Washington, Indiana, says pollution from the AEP- Rockport coal plant is harming the health of children and their families in southern Indiana and the plant should be shut down; 15 and Whereas, the AEP- Rockport power plant sends hundreds of millions of dollars from South Bend and other I &M communities each year to pay for out -of -state coal from Wyoming and Kentucky; 16 and Whereas, I &M must decide whether it will spend more than $3 billion of customers' money during the next 12 years to add more pollution controls to the AEP- Rockport plant or invest in clean energy jobs and technology in communities where I &M customers live, such as South Bend, Elkhart, Fort Wayne and Muucie;17 and Whereas, I &M's lease- operate agreement expires in 2022 on one -half of the AEP- Rockport plant owned by a group of out -of -state corporations -- General Electric, Verizon, Philip Morris, Citigroup and J.P. Morgan -- who use the plant's assets to reduce their income tax burden; 'I and Whereas, according to I &M's own analysis, phasing out one half of the AEP - Rockport plant in 2022 and replacing it with cleaner forms of energy would be less expensive than I &M's preferred plan to keep burning coal; 19 and Whereas, retiring the AEP- Rockport plant would achieve half of Indiana's carbon reduction goal under the federal Clean Power Plan, 20 reduce financial risks for customers, and potentially generate more local jobs and economic opportunities; and Now, Therefore, be it resolved by the Common Council of the City of South Bend, Indiana, as follows: Section I. The Common- Council calls on Indiana Michigan Power to transition as expeditiously and cost - effectively as possible away from coal -based power to cleaner forms of energy, such as wind, solar and energy efficiency and to do so in a reasonable manner that minimizes rate impacts. I &M's transition plan should include: 1. Identifying locations in South Bend and nearby communities where jobs can be created through investments in energy efficiency, wind or solar power; and 2. Developing a more aggressive plan to weatherize and improve energy efficiency in homes with low- income residents so families can afford their utility bills; and https• //www indianamichiganpower com/ofobal /utilitiesAib /docs/ info/ Droiects/integratedResourceP[an/ 2015 %201 &M %201RP %2OPublic% 20Summary.pdf 12 https : / /iaspub.epa.aov/triexpiorerAri release.facility 13 http: / /enewspf.com/ 2016 /02/02/new -epa- data -im- facility- 2nd -most toxic - power -plant in- indiana/ 14 htWs : / /ahodata.epa.aov/ahgp/main.do 15 http:// www. ooumaigazette .nettopinion/columns/[)octor - -s- prescription- Less -I -M- pollution- 11896586 16 Source: www.sni.com (subscription service) 77 http: /Iwboi.org/post/coal- fired - plants -adapt -new costly- eaa- standards#stream/0 18 hntys• / /drive (iooale com/ file/ d/ oB- i)OvpoYthHLaU5Zb3FIZEJPcVRHZzBjUi [WdWN40XJDSEFB /view?usp= sharina 19 https:lldriye cioogle com /file /d /0B37irMi-Ca JWmlBeEdQTldTRFk/view?usp= sharing 20 At 19.7 million short tons of CO2 emitted in 2012 and 17.4 million short tons in 2014 (ghgdata.epa.gov — metric tons converted to short tons), the AEP - Rockport plant represents more than half of Indiana's Clean Power Plan goal to reduce CO2 emissions by 31 million short tons by 2030 (https: / /www3.epa.gov/ airquality /cpptoolboxlindiana.pcif) .