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Home My WebLink About05/18/2021 03C Discussion of a motion to direct staff to draft resolution in support of the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty and to committing the City of Yakima to take a SAFE Cities climate change stand roji BUSINESS OF THE CITY COUNCIL YAKIMA, WASHINGTON AGENDA STATEMENT Item No. 3.C. For Meeting of: May 18, 2021 ITEM TITLE: Discussion of a motion to direct staff to draft resolution in support of the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty and to committing the City of Yakima to take a SAFE Cities climate change stand SUBMITTED BY: Sara Watkins, City Attorney SUMMARY EXPLANATION: At the May 4, 2021 Council meeting, City Council scheduled a discussion of a possible resolution in support of the fossil fuel non-proliferation treaty and a resolution to make Yakima a SAFE City. Information about the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty can be found here: https://fossilfueltreaty.org/ Information about becoming a SAFE City and the SAFE City program can be found here: https://www.stand.earth/safe Enclosed in the packet is a page from the SAFE City website for your review. There is much more information available on the SAFE City website referenced above. ITEM BUDGETED: NA STRATEGIC PRIORITY: Neighborhood and Community Building APPROVED FOR SUBMITTAL BY THE CITY MANAGER RECOMMENDATION: ATTACHMENTS: Description Upload Date Type What are SAFE Cities Stand.earth 5/5/2021 Backup Material 5/5/2021 What are SAFE Cities?I Stand.earth 2 STAND Menu .earth WHAT ARE SAFE CITIES? SAFE Cities is a movement of neighbors, local groups, and elected officials working to keep their communities SAFE from fossil fuels. The fossil fuel industry's harmful practices and reckless plans for expansion threaten the well-being of communities and people around the world.That's why the SAFE Cities campaign is connecting local efforts to limit fossil fuels into a global call for action and supporting community leaders to adopt SAFE policies that phase out fossil fuels and fast track clean, more efficient energy solutions for all. Fighting fossil fuel threats one at a time can feel like playing the world's most exhausting and unfun game of whack-a-mole. One with no end in sight. If you're in a community on the frontline of the fossil fuel industry you already know this well - no sooner have you defeated a massive coal terminal proposal then a tar sands pipeline pops up. Or you're already fighting a refinery expansion or an oil-by-rail plan when industry comes again with plans to build a giant, explosive LNG facility. The SAFE Cities movement wants to end all that by blocking fossil fuel infrastructure projects before they're even proposed - it's time to stop playing defense, and go on the offensive. WHAT IS A SAFE POLICY? https://www.stand.ea rth/pag e/fossil-fu el-free/what-are-safe-cities 1/8 5152021 What are SAFE Cities?I Stand.earth SAFE policies are being championed by local elected leaders who are 3 committed to climate action and protecting public health and safety f rom the risks of fossil fuels.They can include opposing new fossil fuel infrastructure, affirming a commitment to the goals of the Paris Climate Ag reement and endorsing the complimentary Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty to phase out fossil fuel production and accelerate a just energy transition, committing to energy efficiency, committing to a future of electrification and renewable energy, and/or developing financial strategies to ensure that no one's left behind. As a first step, local governments can pass resolutions that describe their intent to pass SAFE policies, explore fair financing structures, and propose policies to help them reach their climate action goals. We've organized SAFE policies into four categories (and on our map, you'll notice badges for different categories of SAFE policies): SAFE Cities Sp,FE Caries . Sp,FE Cities e i ,1 el Passed Resolution Temporary Restriction Permanent Restriction Sp,FE Cities `. ® .. • Electrification • Local government resolutions- one example of this is a Climate Emergency declaration that explicitly mentions the need to end fossil fuel expansion • Temporary blocks on new fossil fuel infrastructure -for example, what's already been passed in Whatcom County • Permanent restrictions on new fossil fuel inf rastructure -these policies reduce the risks of spills, explosions and other environmental hazards https:Ikuww.stand.earth/pagefossil-fuel-freelwhat-are-safe-cities 22 5/5/2021 What are SAFE Cities?I Stand.earth 4 • Electrification policies- some examples include rules mandating that all new buildings be 100% electric, or plans to electrify public transportation fleets It's time to grow these successes into an international movement local governments all over the globe that have all taken important steps towards ending fossil fuel expansion wherever they can. Want to make your community the next SAFE city, county or region? Check out the map to see if there's an existing_group near you or to take action in your community! SAFE POLICIES IN ACTION Cities, counties, ports, and even whole provinces and states can join the SAFE movement. Already more than 30 cities and counties across the US -and one in Canada! - have passed concrete policies to keep their communities safe from fossil fuels, build renewable energy infrastructure, and create good, long-term jobs. Is your community already working on policies that restrict fossil fuel expansion? Or have you already passed some? If so, we want to hear from you! Here are some of the places that have been leading the way: Whatcom County, Washington In the northern part of Washington State, local organizers with Stand.earth and RE Sources For Sustainable Communities worked for years to defeat a proposed coal terminal. Then they joined together with allies on the Whatcom County Council and in 2016 they passed a temporary stop, or moratorium, on all new unrefined fossil export facilities. Now, the local organizers are working with allies on the County Council to make these protections permanent. https://www.stand.ea rth/pag e/fossil-fu el-free/what-are-safe-cities 3/8 5/5/2021 What are SAFE Cities?I Stand.earth 5 Photo credit:Henry Stewart-Wood South Portland, Maine Whatcom isn't alone- in 2014, dedicated residents of South Portland, Maine mounted a winning campaign to keep tar sands out of their community. Following more than a year of effort, the South Portland, Maine City Council passed a policy to block the transport of tar sands through their community. Photo credit:Protect South Portland Portland, Oregon In 2016, Portland, Oregon became the first major municipality to ban bulk storage of fossil fuels, effectively stopping oil trains from running through https://www.stand.ea rth/pag e/fossil-fu el-free/what-are-safe-cities 4/8 5/5/2021 What are SAFE Cities?I Stand.earth 6 the city_And when Big Oil and their allies sued Portland, Portland won. Photo by Rick Rappaport Baltimore, Maryland And in 2017, after an oil train project was stopped in Baltimore, organizers from Clean Water Action Maryland and the Chesapeake Climate Action Network heard about the success in Portland, Oregon. They worked with champions on the Baltimore, Maryland city council to pass a land use ordinance to prevent the build out of any new oil train facilities in the city_ https://www.stand.ea rth/pag e/fossil-fu el-free/what-are-safe-cities 5/8 5/5/2021 What are SAFE Cities?I Stand.earth 7 Photo by Clean Water Action Join the SAFE movement and stand against fossil fuel expansion in your community! First Name Last Name Email Address Select Your Zip or Postal Code I am an elected Submit official https://www.stand.ea rth/pag e/fossil-fu el-free/what-are-safe-cities 6/8 5/5/2021 What are SAFE Cities?I Stand.eadh 8 Help us spread the word: OUR WORK GIVE CONTACT US PRIVACY POLICY STAND .earth Stand is an advocacy organization that brings people together to demand that corporations and governments put people and the environmentfirst. Header video: Spirit Bear by Eric Posen https/Arwm and.eadhlpage/fossil-tud-freeMhat-are-safe-sties 7/8 5/5/2021 What are SAFE Cities?I Stand.earth 9 https://www.stand.ea rth/pag e/fossil-fu el-free/what-are-safe-cities 8/8