Whatcom County Urges Federal Government Climate Action
Executive Kremen Joins Local Governments Nationwide to Call on President-elect Obama and Congress to Invest Stimulus Dollars in Local Climate Action
Whatcom County’s Initiatives Provide Opportunity for Green Jobs, Energy Independence,Emissions Reductions
Whatcom County Executive Pete Kremen today called on President-elect Obama and the incoming Congress to invest stimulus dollars in local climate action as a quick and effective way to create new green jobs, revitalize the economy and promote energy independence.
“We were pleased that during his campaign, President-elect Obama indicated support for investment in energy saving projects to help create jobs and spur economic recovery,” said Kremen. “We want President-elect Obama and Congress to know that with federal assistance we are ready to put hundreds of Whatcom County citizens to work in jobs that will reduce our dependence on foreign oil and cut greenhouse gas emissions.”
Increasingly, economists are promoting green jobs as key to the country’s economic recovery and long-term growth. In Whatcom County, federal funding would enable at least three upcoming building projects to be constructed as models of efficient, sustainable buildings in our community: the East Whatcom Regional Resource Center, the upcoming Public Works/Planning facility, and the centralized County Jail facility. Federal funding would also allow investment in alternative transportation infrastructure such as bike lanes, park-and-ride facilities, and additional buses for our fast-growing WTA transit system. All of these investments would help boost our economy while supporting jobs in this community.
Kremen and more than 320 other local elected officials nationwide joined with Climate Communities and ICLEI USA this week to endorse Empowering Local Government Climate Action: Blueprint for the New President and 111th Congress. Download the Blueprint at www.climatecommunities.us/endorseblueprint.html or www.icleiusa.org/blueprint.
Local government actions have the potential to dramatically reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. According to the Energy Information Administration, more than 40 percent of energy consumption and carbon emissions come from residential and commercial buildings and one-third is generated by the transportation sector.“Supporting local government action should be a top priority as Washington develops new economic stimulus, climate and energy policies,” said Kremen. “Local governments set and enforce building codes, we determine transportation and land use policies and we are dramatically affected when our communities suffer untold human and economic loss from floods, wildfires, water shortages and other climate events.”
Currently there are no federal programs to support local climate and energy initiatives. The Local Government Climate Action Blueprint calls for stimulus legislation to include $6 billion for the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant program and $9 billion for public transit and green vehicles infrastructure. The Blueprint outlines many other opportunities for the federal government to invest in local government innovation, including:
* Enactment of a national GHG cap-and-trade program with a portion of the estimated $150 billion carbon trading revenues invested in local government climate action and green jobs initiatives;
* Investment in public transit, green vehicles and vehicle miles traveled (VMT) reduction through reauthorization of $400 billion federal transportation legislation; and
* $250 million for EPA Local Climate Demonstration Grants that empower local governments to continue creating new solutions to the climate challenge.
About Climate Communities: Climate Communities is a national coalition of cities and counties that is educating federal policymakers about the essential role of local governments in addressing climate change and promoting a strong local-federal partnership to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
About ICLEI Local Governments for Sustainability: ICLEI USA provides expertise, technical support, and innovative tools to help local governments advance their emissions reductions and sustainability goals. Whatcom County is one of more than 500 cities, towns and counties in the U.S. that are members of ICLEI.
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