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Ithaca Green New Deal
Common Council Passes Historic Resolution
Dozens crowded into Common Council chambers on June 5 to voice their enthusiastic support for Mayor Svante Myrick's Green New Deal for Ithaca. They praised the city's commitment to meeting ambitious energy and emissions targets while asking for assurances that climate measures would advance social and economic justice.
Common Council unanimously passed a Green New Deal resolution that sets goals for the city to be carbon neutral by 2030 with 100% of government operations using renewable electricity by 2025 and emissions from the city's vehicle fleet reduced by 50% by 2025. Steps proposed in the resolution to achieve these goals included:
In considering the resolution proposed by Mayor Svante Myrick, the Council amended the text to "place equity at the center of carrying out the plan by establishing accountability measures to ensure that the investment, infrastructure, job creation, health, and other social and economic benefits of the Green New Deal accrue equitably to all segments and demographic groups, ensuring that those in the demographic groups who will bear the brunt of increasing climate crises (i.e., young people, low-income people, people of color, immigrants, etc.) have a meaningful and significant voice in planning and decision-making."
More than 20 people, including several young people involved in the Sunrise Movement Ithaca, spoke during public comment to call attention to how climate change disproportionately impacts marginalized communities. Several speakers also pointed to the overlap between the city's housing crisis and climate change, calling for affordable housing that would shorten workers' commutes and the codification of the city's Green Building Policy.
By the time Wednesday's meeting began, all Common Council members had already indicated their support for the Green New Deal, which Mayor Myrick first announced at a meeting coordinated by the Sunrise Movement Ithaca in May. Some raised questions about how the city would achieve the lofty targets. It's been several years since the city's vehicle emissions were comprehensively measured, for instance, making it difficult to assess the impact of new measures, and vehicles like construction and emergency response trucks might be difficult to replace with greener options.
Representatives agreed, though, that high aspirations would help spur the city to action and ensure that Ithaca is a leader when it comes to green government policies. They said staff would have to come up with creative technological and fiscal ideas while developing detailed plans, possibly including shared services with surrounding municipalities and state and federal grant funding. Those plans will include provisions to advance equity, they said.
- Devon Magliozzi, Ithaca Voice, 6/6/19
Dozens crowded into Common Council chambers on June 5 to voice their enthusiastic support for Mayor Svante Myrick's Green New Deal for Ithaca. They praised the city's commitment to meeting ambitious energy and emissions targets while asking for assurances that climate measures would advance social and economic justice.
Common Council unanimously passed a Green New Deal resolution that sets goals for the city to be carbon neutral by 2030 with 100% of government operations using renewable electricity by 2025 and emissions from the city's vehicle fleet reduced by 50% by 2025. Steps proposed in the resolution to achieve these goals included:-
• Create a climate action plan in 2020 to provide details on how to achieve the Ithaca Green New Deal, and update the plan every five years.
• Adopt a green building policy for new buildings in 2019.
• Adopt a green building policy for existing buildings by 2021.
• Assign additional staff as needed to implement the plan.
In considering the resolution proposed by Mayor Svante Myrick, the Council amended the text to "place equity at the center of carrying out the plan by establishing accountability measures to ensure that the investment, infrastructure, job creation, health, and other social and economic benefits of the Green New Deal accrue equitably to all segments and demographic groups, ensuring that those in the demographic groups who will bear the brunt of increasing climate crises (i.e., young people, low-income people, people of color, immigrants, etc.) have a meaningful and significant voice in planning and decision-making."
More than 20 people, including several young people involved in the Sunrise Movement Ithaca, spoke during public comment to call attention to how climate change disproportionately impacts marginalized communities. Several speakers also pointed to the overlap between the city's housing crisis and climate change, calling for affordable housing that would shorten workers' commutes and the codification of the city's Green Building Policy.
By the time Wednesday's meeting began, all Common Council members had already indicated their support for the Green New Deal, which Mayor Myrick first announced at a meeting coordinated by the Sunrise Movement Ithaca in May. Some raised questions about how the city would achieve the lofty targets. It's been several years since the city's vehicle emissions were comprehensively measured, for instance, making it difficult to assess the impact of new measures, and vehicles like construction and emergency response trucks might be difficult to replace with greener options.
Representatives agreed, though, that high aspirations would help spur the city to action and ensure that Ithaca is a leader when it comes to green government policies. They said staff would have to come up with creative technological and fiscal ideas while developing detailed plans, possibly including shared services with surrounding municipalities and state and federal grant funding. Those plans will include provisions to advance equity, they said.
- Devon Magliozzi, Ithaca Voice, 6/6/19
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