HomeMy WebLinkAbout2/15/2022 Item 6a, Dominguez
From:Emily Dominguez <emily@sloclimatecoalition.org>
Sent:Tuesday, February
To:E-mail Council Website
Subject:Long-Term Funding for Climate Action
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Honorable Mayor and Council,
I am writing to you on behalf of the SLO Climate Coalition in support of the City’s work to develop, fund, and
implement climate solutions over the past year. We recognize the hard work that went into the adoption of
Lead by Example: A Plan for Carbon Neutral Municipal Operations and want to take a moment to celebrate the
past year’s successes in retrofitting City facilities and building of an EV fleet, including charging infrastructure.
These actions are an important first step in achieving carbon neutrality. Thank you for your commitment to this
goal, which is critical to the long-term health and safety of SLO City residents.
The City of San Luis Obispo has the opportunity to lead the region in climate action as you work toward the
goal of carbon neutrality by 2035. This year, the Office of Sustainability will embark on several large-scale
climate-related projects. The updates to the Clean Energy Choice Program, Better Buildings SLO Program and
Resilient SLO planning process are three examples of the hard work staff will be taking on over the course of
the next year. Still, they represent a small portion of the climate action that is needed in order for the City to
achieve their carbon neutrality goals. Long-term, sustainable funding for these and other future climate action
projects is necessary.
Other cities across the country are beginning to look beyond incremental solutions and into large-scale
decarbonization projects. The City of SLO cannot afford to fall behind this shift in climate action. We strongly
encourage the Council to incorporate ongoing funding sources for investments in large-scale climate-related
projects, helping to ensure that staff has the capacity and resources to implement ambitious climate action in
the City of SLO. In addition to transportation and related infrastructure, which will likely be critical areas
requiring investment, it’s time to start thinking creatively about how to leverage municipal and 3rd party capital
to support widespread efficiency and electrification upgrades to existing buildings.
Thank you again for making climate action and carbon neutrality a priority. We encourage you to back that
ideological prioritization up with the ongoing funding sources to make carbon neutrality by 2035 feasible in the
City of SLO.
--
Emily Dominguez (she/her/ella)
Climate Justice Organizer
SLO Climate Coalition
(805) 354-3516
emily@sloclimatecoalition.org
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