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Spokane Council Passes Renewable Energy Ordinance

Doug Nadvornick/City Cable 5

The Spokane City Council last night [Monday] approved an ordinance that sets a 100% renewable energy goal for the city. The measure was approved after more two hours of testimony.

The measure lists two major goals. One calls for the city of Spokane to run its operations exclusively using renewable electricity sources by the year 2020. The second sets a goal of getting the rest of the city to accomplish that by 2030. A new Sustainable Action Commission would be created to develop the plans to reach those goals.

The original ordinance would have mandated the 2030 deadline. Avista officials balked at that, saying it would be impossible to achieve without a huge increase in utility rates. So the sponsors dropped the mandate in favor of a goal and Avista signed on.

“We support growing our use of renewable energy in a timeframe and through approaches such as the advancement of energy storage that continue to provide reliable, affordable service," said Bruce Howard, Avista's director of environmental affairs. "We believe having an aspirational goal, such as what we’re proposing, can help structure the ongoing discussion on making energy choices that accomplishes this.”

Howard was one of 45 people to testify; 42 expressed their support for the ordinance. Several, including Judy Fitzpatrick from the climate action advocacy group 350 Spokane, referenced the smoke that’s fouling Spokane’s air, thanks to wildfires surrounding the city.

“I think it’s fair to say Spokane has a climate change problem, as evidenced by the fact that we had the worst air quality in the nation yesterday, as reported by the Spokesman-Review," Fitzpatrick said. "So wouldn’t it be great if Spokane could establish itself as a leader and join the other cities that were mentioned by President Stuckart and Kate Burke in setting targets and finding a way to find practical ways to start to meet those targets.”

A few, including the Reverend Todd Eckloff from the Unitarian Universalist Church, referenced potential business losses due to the effects of climate change.

“When tourists and conventions stop coming to Spokane because it’s too hot in the summer or not enough snowpack in the winter, it’s devastating to local businesses and our economy," Eckloff said. "When businesses all over the region lose income because the air is too dangerous for consumers to get out and shop in, it harms businesses and our economy.”

Greater Spokane Incorporated and the group Better Spokane have expressed their opposition to the measure, worried about the potential costs to the community, including higher utility rates. But the only businessperson to speak against the measure publicly was Cindy Zapatocky.

“I am feeling huge animosity here in terms of being a businessperson and being left out of the decision making," Zapatocky said. "I think the economic issues are important. They need to be considered.”

Her thoughts were reinforced by Councilmember Mike Fagan, who said he couldn’t support the measure because it perpetuates a lie.

“Now I’m not saying that climate change isn’t a reality. What I am saying is it isn’t human caused," Fagan said.

Fagan was the only member of the council to oppose the renewable energy ordinance. Mayor David Condon doesn’t like it either, in part because he says his office wasn’t invited to help craft it or offer meaningful input. He also says the costs the city might incur because of it haven’t been factored into the current budgets. Last week, he declined to say whether he’d veto the ordinance if passed. If he does, given the magnitude of Monday night’s vote, it would be overridden by the council.

I’m Doug Nadvornick reporting.

 

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