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HomeMy WebLinkAboutBill 16-57 Resolution in support of a reasonable transition to clean energy for South Bend9 r a; irks The South Bend Common Council 227 West Jefferson Boulevard, Room 441 Downtown South Bend, Indiana 46601 574.235.9321 574.235.5567 TDD June 21, 2016 Members of the Common Council 4th Floor County -City Building South Bend, Indiana 46601 Dear Council Members: Filed in Clerk's Office JUN 21 2016 KAREEMAH FOWLER CITY CLERK, SOUTH BEND, IN The attached proposed resolution is filed in support of continuing to make a reasonable transition to cleaner forms of energy. The City of South Bend has a long history of environmental awareness going back to at least the 1962 City Code which contained regulations for the "Protection of Rivers ". Just some of the more than forty (40) legislative actions taken thereafter on a variety of topics included: • Ordinance No. 5593 -73 passed on October 22, 1973 amending Chapter 13 of the South Bend Municipal Code by the addition of new Article 6 Air Pollution Control prohibiting leaf burning with limited exceptions; • Ordinance No. 5750 -74 passed October 21, 1974 amending Chapter 13, Article 6 of the South Bend Municipal Code by adding new Section 13 -78 prohibiting smoking on buses operated in South Bend; • Ordinance No. 7108 -82 passed on October 11, 1982 creating a 13- member Energy Conservation Commission to help develop long -range energy conservation plans and "foster the conservation of energy "; • Ordinance No. 7597 -86 passed January 27, 1986 establishing new "Waste to Energy Facility Regulations "; • Resolution No. 3705 -07 adopted on July 31, 2007 to utilize a new state law on "Guaranteed Energy Savings Contract" for potential energy savings for the installation of LED traffic lights; • Ordinance No. 10023 -10 passed on July 12, 2010 which created the position of Director of Energy Conservation in the City of South Bend's Municipal Energy Office; • Resolution No. 4158 -12 adopted on February 27, 2012 recommending Stepped -Up Initiatives to Implement More "Best Practices" Emphasizing More Fuel — Efficient Sustainable Programs "; • Resolution No. 4261 -13 adopted June 10, 2013 supporting the Green Roof Initiative for the Century Center; • Resolution No. 4302 -13 adopted on November 25, 2013 which again utilized state law provisions on "Guaranteed Energy Savings Contracts" for potential energy savings for the Century Center; Cover Letter for Proposed Resolution Addressing Support for Reasonable Transition to Clean Energy Page 2 • Ordinance No. 10402 -15 passed on November 23, 2015 updating and improving drain and downspout disconnection requirements by changing a voluntary program to a mandatory program in order to incorporate more EPA recommended "Green Infrastructure" by rerouting rooftop drainage pipes to rain barrels and permeable areas instead of to storm sewers. The Common Council notes that there are several agencies at the state and federal levels dedicated to protecting our environment. Indiana is in EPA Region 5 which includes the states of Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Wisconsin and thirty -five (35) Native American Tribes. Federal and state laws, rules and regulations govern on a multitude of issues. It is our understanding that the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) is seeking public input through June 30th on new rules addressing coal combustion residuals (CCRs) and coal ash containment. We have been advised that currently the Indiana Michigan Power Company, which is doing business as American Electric Power (AEP) operates a coal -fired electric generating station in Rockport, Spencer County, Indiana, which is governed by EPA and IDEM rules and regulations. The December 9, 2015 "Annual Landfill Inspection Report" for the Rockport Plant may be accessed at: hops: / /www.agp.com/ about /codeofconduct /CCRRule /does/ 2016 /RK- LF- AnnEnaIns- 123115.pdf The attached proposed resolution is a show of support for continuing to develop reasonable transition plans to clean energy in our community. We request that it be referred to the Utilities Committee for review and recommendation. 1St District Council Member Gavin Ferlic Council Member at Large Attachment Resolution No. A RESOLUTION OF THE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA IN SUPPORT OF A REASONABLE TRANSITION TO CLEAN ENERGY FOR SOUTH BEND Whereas, a transition to clean energy has begun in the City of South Bend and nearby communities, with solar panels installed at the South Bend Century Center, South Bend Mutual Homes and Near Northwest Neighborhood; t and Whereas, Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C., president of the University of Notre Dame, announced on September 21, 2015, that the University will cease burning coal entirely within five years, and cut its carbon footprint by more than half by 2030;2 and Whereas, at least six faith communities in South Bend have installed or are planning to install solar panels to reduce their energy costs and better care for the Earth, including the First United Methodist Church, Islamic Society of Michiana, Kern Road Mennonite Church, Olivet AME Church, St. Anthony de Padua Catholic Church and First Unitarian Church ;3 and Whereas, the South Bend Century Center expects to save $1.5 million over 15 years by installing solar panels, LED lighting and energy efficient heating and cooling systems;4 and Whereas, Real Services provided winter heating assistance to 9,432 struggling families in its Northern Indiana service area in 2015, and summer cooling assistance to 9,202 families that same year;5 and Whereas, investments in solar power and energy efficiency in South Bend could benefit our local economy while reducing energy use and making it easier for residents to afford their electric bills; 6,7 and Whereas, with more than 146 watts installed per person, Indianapolis ranks second in the nation for solar power capacity per capita, second only to Honolulu, Hawaii, and ahead of all other U.S. cities such as San Jose, San Diego and Albuquerque;8 and Whereas, Northern Indiana Public Service Co. offers a program to purchase renewable energy from customers through a program that is creating 35 megawatts of solar, wind and other local energy in Northwest Indiana;9 and Whereas, Indiana Michigan Power (I &M) has begun installing small solar projects totaling 15 megawatts10 yet still generates approximately 40 percent of South Bend's electricity from the 2,600- megawatt AEP- Rockport http:// www .iaced.org /wp- content/uploads/ 2015 /07/ South - Bend - SUN - Solar- Awards.pdf 2 http: / /news.nd.edu/ news /61083 - notre- dame - goal -no -coal/ 3 http: / /www.southbendtribune.com/ news /local/ south - bend - congregations -tum- skyward -to- conserve - energy /article 732c968d -b43f- 59ae -ba bd- ac8e079eb baa. htm 1 4 hftps:Hdowntownsouthbend.com /century- center - surges- ahead - multi - million - dollar - energy - savings - project 5 https: / /www.realservices.o[g/ wp /wp- content/uploads / 2016/04 /2015 - Northem- Indiana.pdf (page 11) 6 http: / /energy.gov/ sites / prod /files /2016 /05 /f31 /Factsheet -EE Savings and Benefits.pdf http : / /www.thesolarfoundation.org /national/ - 8 http: / /wishtv.com/ 2015 /05/27 /forbes- indy -is- 2nd - best -city- for - solar - power/ 9 https: / /wvfw.nipsco.com/ our - services/ renewable- energv- proiects /feed -in- tariff - program 10 https: / /www.indianamichiganpower.com/ info / news /viewRelease.aspx ?releaselD =1695 Resolution In Support of Reasonable Transition to Clean Energy Page 2 coal -fired power plant,]" the second most toxic power plant in Indiana 12,13 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 Muncie; 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; 18 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 ff https : / /www.indianamichigani)ower.com /qlobal /utilities /lib /docs/ info / projects /integratedResourcePlan/ 2015 %201 &M %201RP %20Public% 20Summary.pdf 12 https: / /iaspub.ei)a.gov /triexi)lorer /tri release.facility 13 http: / /enewspf.com/ 2016 /02/02/ new -epa- data -im- facility- 2nd - most - toxic - power - plant -in- indiana/ 11 https : / /qhqdata.epa.qov /qhqp /main.do 15 http: / /www.iournalgazette.net/opinion /columns/ Doctor -s- prescription- Less -I -M- pollution- 11896586 16 Source: www.snl.com (subscription service) 17 http://wboi.org/post/co- al- fired- plants- adapt- new - costly -epa- standards #stream /0 18 https:Hdrive.google.com/ file/ d/ OB- pOypoYthHLaU5Zb3FIZEJPcVRHZzBiUmlWdWN4OXJpSEFB /view ?usp = sharing 19 https:Hddve.google.com /file /d /OB37irMi -Cq JWmIBeEdgTldTRFk /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 /cpptoolbox/indiana.pdf) Resolution In Support of Reasonable Transition to Clean Energy Page 3 3. Working with the local community in Spencer County to create a just transition plan for AEP- Rockport plant workers and surrounding communities who today are dependent on the plant for income. Section II. The Office of the City Clerk shall send a copy of this Resolution, following Common Council disposition, to Indiana Michigan Power Company, the Office of the Utility Consumer Counselor located at 115 West Washington Street, # 1500, Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 and the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission located at 101 West Washington Street, Suite 1500E, Indianapolis, Indiana 46204. Section III. This Resolution shall be in full force and effec fro ker its adoption b e Common Council and approval by the Mayor. Co it Member C6ivWJ. Davis, 6th Distnct Council Member Tim Scott, 1St District Council Member at Large Gavin Ferlic Common Council Vote Totals: In Favor In Opposition Filed in Clerk's Office JUN 2 '► 2QlB KAREEMAH FOWLER CITY CLERK, SOUTH BEND, IN r R.