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Consider Adoption of Resolution Supporting the Goal of Reaching 100% Zero Emission Vehicle Sales in California by 2030. (Mayor Ezzy Ashcraft) [Not heard on June 15, July 6 or 20, 2021]
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COUNCIL REFERRAL FORM
Name of Councilmember(s) requesting referral: Mayor Marilyn Ezzy Ashcraft
Date of submission to City Clerk (must be submitted before 5:00 p.m. on the Monday two weeks before the Council meeting requested): May 25, 2021
Council Meeting date: June 15, 2021
Brief description of the subject to be printed on the agenda, sufficient to inform the City Council and public of the nature of the referral:
Adopt a ZEV 2030 Resolution in Alameda, urging the State to adopt a 100% Zero Emission Vehicle standard for new vehicle sales by 2030.
The City Council, at its July 25, 2020 Priority Setting Workshop, established the following 5 priorities for 2021:
1. Preparing Alameda for the future
2. Encouraging economic development across the Island
3. Supporting enhanced livability and quality of life, including addressing the housing crisis and homelessness
4. Protecting core services
5. Ensuring effective and efficient operations
Briefly describe which Council priority the subject falls under and how it relates:
Category #1, Preparing Alameda for the future.
Climate change is an existential threat. Greenhouse gas emissions (GHG’s) from vehicles operating on gasoline and diesel fuels are causing sea level rise and rising groundwater levels, devastating wildfires resulting in unhealthy air quality, more intense rainstorms, warmer weather, and longer droughts that impact our island city. We must mitigate our contributions to climate change.
In 2019, the City Council adopted the Climate Action and Resiliency Plan (CARP) which sets an ambitious goal of reducing emissions by 50% below 2005 levels by 2030 and becoming carbon neutral as soon as possible.
The City Council’s Legislative Agenda supports measures that:
• lower transportation sector greenhouse gas emissions;
• promote environmental protection and sustainability, including resource and energy efficiency, water quality, air quality, recycling, and conservation; and
• help local governments reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Moving to all electric vehicles is a significant strategy to reach the climate goals set forth in Alameda’s award-winning CARP.
CITY OF ALAMEDA RESOLUTION NO. _____
SUPPORTING THE GOAL OF REACHING 100% ZERO EMISSION VEHICLE SALES IN CALIFORNIA BY 2030
WHEREAS, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change tells us we have until 2030 to transform our economy and the way we live to avoid the most catastrophic and irreversible effects of the climate crisis; and
WHEREAS, the transportation sector is the largest contributor of Greenhouse Gas emissions in California, contributing 40% of those emissions, and even more so here in Alameda, contributing about 70% of greenhouse gas emissions; and
WHEREAS, electrifying transportation is a key strategy in reducing our emissions and needs to be a forefront of discussion and innovation in an attempt to combat the climate crisis; and
WHEREAS, California increased the number of zero emission vehicles in the state by more than 3,000% in 8 years, growing from 25,000 in 2012 to 763,816 in 2020 - each year, sales continuing to grow; and
WHEREAS, all new vehicles sold in California by the year 2030 need to be zero emission vehicles to decarbonize California’s most polluting sector; and
WHEREAS, zero emission vehicle technology continues to progress, making a transition to a 100% electric transportation system both feasible and achievable; and
WHEREAS, major investments of time, thought and resources are needed at the State and Federal levels to help create a zero emission vehicle transition that is equitable and just, and to ensure that people of all backgrounds and income levels have access to next-generation vehicles and required electrical infrastructure; and
WHEREAS, zero emission vehicles and services are an important and growing sector of California’s economy, an opportunity for quality jobs and tax revenue that puts part of the Green New Deal in practice in our state; and
WHEREAS, the ZEV2030 Zero Emission Vehicle Pledge, available at ZEV2030.org, articulates the dire need for reform to California’s transportation system and its commitment to decarbonizing and combating the climate crisis.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the City Council of the City of Alameda, California, do hereby officially proclaim, we support the goal of 100% zero emission vehicle sales in California by 2030.
The Council can take any of the following actions:
1) Take no action.
2) Refer the matter to staff to schedule as a future City Council agenda item. Concurrence that staff time will be devoted to the item does not signify approval.
3) Take dispositive action only on time sensitive legislative matters if sufficiently noticed such that the public and Council have been provided sufficient information by the published agenda, and no formal published notice of a public hearing is required.