The Bellingham City Council recently established the City of Bellingham as a nationwide leader in the support of renewable energy with a unanimous decision to “green” 100% of the electricity used in city operations. Purchasing renewable energy credits representing 100% of the electricity used in 2007 by municipal operations will make the City of Bellingham the sixth largest purchaser of renewable energy in the nation by a local government, according to officials at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
“Green power” is electricity that is produced by clean, renewable sources, such as wind, solar and biomass. “By participating at a 100% level,” said Bellingham Mayor Mark Asmundson, “we are purchasing enough green energy credits to “green” all of the electricity we use to run city facilities - from the fire station on Deemer Road to the Post Point Wastewater Treatment Plant and all the parks and streetlights in between.”
“The city’s green power purchase represents the elimination of about 13,000 tons of carbon dioxide pollution,” Asmundson said. “That’s like not driving 22 million miles. It is pretty clear that this is the single biggest thing that we can do to help protect the climate. Protecting the climate needs to be our top priority, and this is a huge step in that direction.”
According to EPA officials, if the Bellingham community purchases the estimated 25,000 MWh per year, the city will have the following rankings in the Green Power Partnership:
Bellingham City Council member John Watts said that supporting renewable energy resources has always been a good idea, but now both the economy and ecology demand it.
“In the words of Winston Churchill,” Watts said, “ ‘The era of procrastination, of soothing and baffling expedients, of delays, is coming to a close. In its place we are entering a period of consequences.’ It is essential that city government take a leadership role in protecting our climate, and with this action we are leaders locally and nation-wide.”
The City of Bellingham now joins another national green power leader - Western Washington University (WWU). In 2005, WWU began greening 100% of its energy use, making it the 4th largest purchaser of renewable energy by an educational institution.
Asmundson said the city’s renewable power purchase will cost an estimated additional $250,000 next year.
This action is a part of the Bellingham Green Power Community Challenge, a community wide campaign to promote renewable energy that is being launched the afternoon of September 2, 2006, in conjunction with the Bellingham Traverse. The City of Bellingham, Sustainable Connections, and Puget Sound Energy are working together to urge residents and businesses to also participate in Puget Sound Energy’s Green Power Program to support the development of renewable energy resources in the Pacific Northwest.
The EPA tracks and promotes renewable energy credit purchases through the EPA Green Power Partnership. “Local businesses and local governments are responding to Bellingham’s Green Power Community Challenge at an impressive rate at this early stage.” said Derek Long, Program Director for Sustainable Connections. “If we keep this up, Bellingham has a chance to become the largest EPA Green Power Community in the nation. This action speaks to our commitment to the environment and our future clean energy needs.”
Puget Sound Energy residential electric customers can sign up for the voluntary Green Power Program for as little as $4.00 a month by visiting www.pse.com. Bellingham businesses that sign up by August 4 will be recognized as Founding Partners in the Bellingham Green Power Community Challenge. Details can be found by visiting the Sustainable Connections website at www.sconnect.org/greenpower
“The EPA applauds City of Bellingham officials for their commitment to purchase green power for the city government and in supporting a community-wide initiative,” said Matt Clouse, director of EPA’s Green Power Partnership. “Bellingham’s purchase will serve as an excellent example for its citizens and other communities around our nation.”
About EPA’s Green Power Partnership
EPA’s Green Power Partnership is a voluntary program helping to increase the
use of green power among leading U.S. organizations. The program
encourages organizations to purchase green power as a way to reduce the risk
of climate change and environmental impacts associated with conventional
electricity use. Partners include a wide variety of leading
organizations such as Fortune 500 companies, local, state, and federal
governments, trade associations, as well as colleges and universities.
For additional information, please visit
http://www.epa.gov/greenpower.
Posted: Jul 31, 2006
