RES 10-51RESOLUTION 10 - 51
CITY OF ELK RIVER
COUNTY OF SHERBURNE
STATE OF MINNESOTA
A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF ELK RIVER
TO PARTICIPATE IN THE MINNESOTA GREENSTEP CITIES PROGRAM
WHEREAS, efforts to address energy and climate issues provide an opportunity to move toward energy
self-reliance and greater community resiliency; provide environmentally healthy and cheaper-to-operate
public buildings; encourage new economic development and local jobs; and support local food and
renewable energy production; and
WHEREAS, the Next Generation Act of 2007, Muinesota Session Laws 2007 -Chapter 136:
(1) sets State greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals of cutting emissions to 15 percent below 2005
levels by 2015, 30 percent below 20051evels by 2025, and 80 percent below 20051evels by 2050;
(2) sets a State energy conservation goal of achieving annual energy savings equal to 1.5 percent of annual
retail energy sales of electricity and natural gas;
(3) establishes an energy policy goal that the per capita use of fossil fuel as an energy input be reduced by
15 percent by the year 2015, through increased reliance on energy efficiency and renewable energy
alternatives;
(4) establishes an energy policy goal that 25 percent of the electricity used in the state be derived from
renewable energy resources by the year 2025; and
WHEREAS, a broad coalition of public and private stakeholders including the League of Minnesota
Cities, the MPCA, Office of Energy Security, and CERTs responded to the 2008 legislation by establishing
the Minnesota GreenStep Cities program to provide a series of sustainable development best practices
focusing on local government opportunities to reduce energy use and greenhouse gases; and
WHEREAS, local governments have the unique opportunity to achieve both energy use and climate
change gas reductions through building and facilities management, land use and transportation planning,
environmental management, and through economic and community development; and
WHEREAS, the Minnesota GreenStep Cities program assists in facilitating technical assistance for the
implementation of these sustainable development best practices;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Elk River does
hereby authorize the City of Elk River to participate in the Minnesota GreenStep Cities program.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Ciry:
Appoints the Environmental Administrator to serve as the city's GreenStep coordinator to
facilitate best practice implementation; and
2. Will facilitate the involvement of community members, civic, business and educational
organizations, and other units of government as appropriate, such as the Energy City Commission,
. Randy's Environmental Services, Allied Waste, the Rural Living Task Force, and the Lake Orono
Association in the planning, promoting, and implementing of GreenStep Cities best practices; and
Will identify a short list of best practices already implemented or for initial implementation by
November 1st; and
4. Will claim credit for having implemented and will implement in total at least 16 required and
optional GreenStep best practices that will result in energy use reduction, economic savings and
reduction in the community's greenhouse gas footprint. A summary of the city's implementation
of best practices will be posted on the Minnesota GreenStep Cities web site.
Passed and adopted by the Elk River City Council this 11`'' day of October, 2011.
ATTES .
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Tina Allard, City Clerk
Stepha Klinzing, Ma
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