02/18/09
Town eyes national climate-protection agreement
Consistent with measures already being taken by the Town, the Town Council is considering joining the more than 1,000 communities nationwide that have signed the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement.
The council voted to refer a proposal to sign the agreement, promoted by a local citizen group and recommended by the town's Alternative Energy Committee, to a future workshop.
The agreement not only urges the federal government to enact laws and implement strategies for reducing global warming, but pledges local efforts and resources to combat climate change locally.
"I think the goals as laid out in the climate protection agreement are good goals," said Town Councilor Anne Swift-Kayatta, referring to a 12-point plan of action that member communities agree to undertake locally. "But I think it's important that we understand all of the implications of this list," she said.
Some of the pledged actions, such as retrofitting buildings with energy efficient lighting and urging employees to save energy, have already been started by the town. But others, such as conducting an inventory of emissions, may have implications in terms of cost and use of personnel.
"I want to be sure I understand the implications - cost wise and work wise - for town staff on some of these things," Swift-Kayatta said.
The council is already planning to hold a workshop to discuss preliminary findings of the Alternative Energy Committee, presented to the council in January. "It seems to me that would be an appropriate time for us to discuss with the (town) manager some of the specifics and how to implement them," Swift-Kayatta said.
Signing the agreement would not only pledge Cape Elizabeth to taking measured steps to reduce global warming, but would make Cape Elizabeth a "Cool Community". As such, the town would join a network of cities and towns across Maine and across the nation that have committed to battle climate change.
Valley Road resident Carol Hubbard, representing the citizen group "Cool Cape", gave the council an overview of how Cape Elizabeth's work toward sustainable energy is consistent with the goals of a Cool Community.
"I am not an expert on this stuff," said Hubbard, a pediatrician. "But it certainly doesn't take an expert to realize how compelling these issues are and how really significant this issue is," she said. Global warming, she said, has been called the most important moral issue of our time, as significant as slavery to times past.
Hubbard and two representatives from the Maine Partners for Cool Communities outlined for the council the benefits of becoming a Cool Community, and some of the actions being taken throughout Maine. "One of the roles we've been playing in the state is helping communities to celebrate (successes) with one another, and publicize to one another and network with one another, so we aren't re-inventing the wheel all the time," said Andy Burt, one of the Maine Partners for Cool Communities representatives.
Hubbard reviewed for the council some of the steps Cape Elizabeth has already taken toward sustainable energy, including passage of windmill legislation for public and private property; and, under the auspices of the Alternative Energy Committee, an energy audit of town and school buildings, a planned site survey and engineering analysis of wind speeds in town, and a recommendation to participate with the Greater Portland Council of Governments in a baseline assessment of greenhouse gases.
Another recommendation of the Alternative Energy Committee is that the town sign the U.S. Conference of Mayors Climate Protection Agreement.
Becoming a Cool Community, Hubbard said, is one of Cool Cape's hopes for Cape Elizabeth. "We're already doing so many good things in terms of energy efficiency, and this is a way to be recognized for that and to join this greater community that exists," Hubbard said.
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