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2009-2010 Climate Protection/Green Energy Initiative

According to our State Assemblyman Jared Huffman, “Sustainable Novato is a community leader and partner in the work to curb global warming and the impacts of climate change. They continue to work in conjunction withy Novato city government, the school district and special districts to implement viable local solutions.”

Scientists say human societies must cut carbon emissions by 80 percent or more by 2050 to avoid drastic effects of climate disruption and planetary overheaing. This goal is, in fact, now California’s state policy. The state’s nearer-term target is getting back to at least 1990 levels by 2020._So actions during the next ten years will be crucial. We must bend back the curve of mounting greenhouse gas emissions.

Part of the solution is local. Sustainable Novato believes our Novato community, along with cities and counties everywhere, must do its part to reduce carbon pollution through energy conservation, efficiency and renewable power. Novato should set a menu of realistic, specific community actions to do this.

As public awareness has grown, there is growing recognition of the true gravity and urgency of the climate problem. At the state level, measures have been taken to give priority to climate protection. Under state law AB 32, a broad process is underway to cap, regulate and reduce emissions. SB 375 has been enacted to promote and incentivize land use and transportation policies to cut emissions at the local and regional level. California’s Attorney General has sued local jurisdictions and reached settlements to require strong climate protection measures in their general plans. AB 117 (community choice electricity aggregation) and AB811 (financing residential solar and energy efficiency) are other tools.

Among local climate-energy actions, Sustainable Novato advocates:

  • Prompt completion of a strong City Climate Action Plan at least as robust in purpose, goals and implementation to those already enacted by other North Bay cities. The City should have a plan that allows it to benefit from cooperation and mutual action with all local districts and agencies, as well as a broad consensus for emissions reductions across the community as a whole, not just by government.
  • City Council reconsideration of its refusal to join with other Marin cities in Marin Energy Authority (MEA), under which Marin cities and the County would join together to implement community choice aggregation, generate local green power, and expand energy efficiency and conservation. Novato can’t go it alone with the areas’ sole investor-owned utility PG&E, and should consider other, better options available. MEA’s Marin Clean Energy promises by far the most powerful option for greener electrical power.
  • Strengthening and updating Novato’s green building ordinances. Renovation, timely updates, and ordinance enforcement are areas that, if fixed, can improve results of existing codes. Without adequate design, enforcement, accountability and implementation, Novato’s green building program won’t get desired results. Gradual transformation of our buildings into zero-net-energy structures not only will create more jobs and businesses but can greatly reduce emissions.
  • Inclusion of state-of-the-art climate protection elements in Novato’s revision of its general plan. Novato should draw on recommendations of the state’s Attorney General. Novato’s General Plan Update Steering Committee should make climate protection and sustainability a top priority. Sustainable Novato plans to do its part in encouraging planning for a greener, healthier, more viable town.
  • The City should be an active participant in regional efforts to establish emission reductions from land use and transportation in the SB 375 process. It should be alert to attempts to use this process to short-circuit environmental protection and the California Environmental Quality Act in exchange for mere developer promises or illusions.
  • The City and community should cooperate with regional and county steps towards low-carbon transportation, including plug-in hybrids and electric vehicles in city fleets, electric fueling networks, a coherent, safe web of local bicycle routes, safe routes to schools, convenient and affordable mass transit, and reduction of vehicle miles traveled.
  • Through outreach and education, Sustainable Novato aims to stimulate more awareness of what each individual, each household, each neighborhood can do to reduce their carbon footprint, cut greenhouse gases, create a healthier lifestyle and take personal responsibility for a more stable climate in the future.

Sustainable Novato strongly supports Marin Clean Energy, a project of the Marin Energy Authority.

 

Sustainable Novato strongly opposed Proposition 16, the PG&E attempt to enshrine their monopoly on electric power into the California Constitution. Prop 16 failed, 53% to 46%, despite PG&E's expending about $50 million, over $200 per vote.