HomeMy WebLinkAboutE-17 Staff Report - Balanced Energy Solutions for Building and Vehicles Resources and TechnologiesCONSENT ITEM
E-17
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
VIA: SERGIO GONZALEZ, CITY MANAGER
FROM: MANNY ROBLEDO, DIRECTOR OF UTILITIES
DATE: JULY 15, 2019
SUBJECT: ADOPTION OF RESOLUTION 2019-C27 IN SUPPORT OF BALANCED ENERGY
SOLUTIONS AND LOCAL CHOICE OF BUILDING AND VEHICLE RESOURCES
AND TECHNOLOGIES
BACKGROUND:
A number of state agencies are increasingly proposing new legislation and regulations intended to
eliminate energy choices and mandating solutions to fully electrify homes and businesses in the future.
These mandates eliminate local control and customer choice, which suppresses innovation, reduces
reliability, and unnecessarily increases costs for Azusa residents and businesses. The proposed action
supports a balanced approach to meeting state environmental goals and opposes legislation and policies
that would eliminate local choice with regard to building and vehicle energy resources and technologies.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends the City Council take the following actions:
1)Adopt Resolution No. 2019-C27 supporting balanced energy solutions and local choice of
building and vehicle energy resources and technologies.
ANALYSIS:
The City of Azusa supports the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and reducing the effect of climate
change on its citizens. The City is taking an active role in supporting State environmental goals,
including the elimination of coal energy and the addition of renewal energy in the delivery of electricity
to its customers, the implementation of energy efficiency measures at City buildings, the deployment of
electric vehicles in Azusa’s fleet, and providing incentives to customers to conserve electricity and water.
Adopting Resolution No. 2019-C27 is a positive step towards communicating Azusa’s desire to maintain
local control and protect the interests of citizens with regard to their preferred energy solutions for their
homes and businesses.
APPROVED
CITY COUNCIL
7/15/2019
Balanced Energy Solutions for Buildings and Vehicles
July 15, 2019
Page 2
One of the additional benefits of maintaining a balanced energy solution is that it will allow alternative
sources to be developed and provide reliability and resiliency in case of an electrical grid failure. The
State’s focus on electrical energy delivery discourages investment in alternative energy sources.
Supporting energy choice does not come at a cost to the environment. Both electricity and gas energy
suppliers are concerned with greenhouse gas emissions and are seeking methods to protect the
environment. By supporting the recommended action, the City Council is joining 40 other California
cities, including Irwindale, Duarte, Pomona, Diamond Bar, and Rosemead, making a statement to protect
customer choice, protect customers from higher energy costs, and taking a positive action for a better
environment in the future.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is not fiscal impact with regard to the proposed action.
Prepared by: Reviewed and Approved:
Paul Reid Sergio Gonzalez
Utility Programs Specialist City Manager
Reviewed and Approved:
Manny Robledo
Director of Utilities
Attachments:
1) Resolution No. 2019-C27
1
RESOLUTION NO. 2019-C27
RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF AZUSA,
CALIFORNIA SUPPORTING BALANCED ENERGY SOLUTIONS AND
LOCAL CHOICE OF BUILDING AND VEHICLE RESOURCES AND
TECHNOLOGIES
WHEREAS, the State Legislature and State agencies are increasingly proposing new
legislation and regulations eliminating choice of energy by mandating technologies to power
buildings and public and private fleets, including transit and long-haul trucking, as a strategy to
achieve the state’s climate goals; and
WHEREAS, clean, affordable and reliable energy is crucial to the material health, safety
and well-being of the City of Azusa residents, particularly the most vulnerable, who live on fixed
incomes, including the elderly and working families who are struggling financially; and
WHEREAS, the need for clean, affordable and reliable energy to attract and retain local
businesses, create jobs and spur economic development is vital to our city’s success in a highly
competitive and increasingly regional and global marketplace; and
WHEREAS, the City of Azusa and its residents and businesses value local control and
the right to choose the policies and investments that most affordably and efficiently enable them
to comply with state requirements; and
WHEREAS, building and vehicle technology mandates eliminate local control and
customer choice, suppress innovation, reduce reliability and unnecessarily increase costs for the
City of Azusa residents and businesses; and
WHEREAS, the City understands that relying on a single energy delivery system
unnecessarily increases vulnerabilities to natural disasters and equipment failures, and a diversity
of energy delivery systems and resources contribute to greater reliability and community
resilience; and
WHEREAS, the City of Azusa understands the need to mitigate the impacts of climate
change and is committed to doing its part to help the state achieve its climate goals, but requires
the flexibility to do so in a manner that best serves the needs of its residents and businesses.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF AZUSA,
CALIFORNIA DOES RESOLVE, DECLARE, DETERMINE, AND ORDER AS
FOLLOWS:
1.That the City supports balanced energy solutions that provide the City, its
residences, and its businesses with the decision-making authority and resources
necessary to achieve the State’s climate goals independent of resource type or
technology, and the City opposes any state legislation or policy that eliminates
local control by mandating certain energy specific technologies for the powering
of buildings or the fueling of vehicles.
Attachment 1
2
2. The Recitals set forth above are incorporated herein and made an operative part of
this Resolution.
3. The City Clerk shall certify the adoption of this Resolution.
PASSED, APPROVED and ADOPTED this 15th day of July 2019.
______________________________________
Joseph Romero Rocha
Mayor
ATTEST:
_____________________________________
Jeffrey Lawrence Cornejo, Jr.
Secretary/City Clerk
3
STATE OF CALIFORNIA ) COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES ) ss. CITY OF AZUSA )
I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing Resolution 2019-C27 was duly adopted by the
City Council of the City of Azusa at a regular meeting of the City Council Thereof held on the
15th day of July, 2019.
AYES: BOARD/COUNCILMEMBERS:
NOES: BOARD/COUNCILMEMBERS:
ABSENT: BOARD/COUNCILMEMBERS:
_______________________________
Jeffrey Lawrence Cornejo, Jr.
City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
_______________________________
City Attorney
Best Best & Krieger