City of Madison “Green Fleets” Resolution

City of Madison, Wisconsin

A THIRD SUBSTITUTE RESOLUTION

Directing the establishment of a fleet operation policy aimed at creating and maintaining a fuel-efficient, environmentally- and energy-responsible fleet, creating a “Green Fleet” Review Subcommittee, and directing that the city develop partnerships with other public and private entities and pursue designation as a Clean City through the U.S. Department of Energy.

RESOLUTION NO. 57869

ID NO. 27441

WHEREAS, the City’s fleet numbers over 1,500 vehicles; and

WHEREAS, public agencies and departments in the City of Madison operate vehicle fleets that account for about 16% percent of the City’s total energy costs; and

WHEREAS, the City routinely replaces fleet vehicles; and

WHEREAS, gasoline prices topped $1.80 per gallon (retail) in Madison in 2000 and are anticipated to remain over $1.30 per gallon, an increase of over 40% from 1999 to 2000; and

WHEREAS, the City of Madison faces significant budget challenges related to unanticipated volatile fuel costs; and

WHEREAS, further EPA regulations on diesel fuel emissions, and the development of a new diesel fuel, will increase fuel prices further, especially due to initial scarcity; and

WHEREAS, non-dependency upon fossil fuels, that are by nature limited, will allow further budgetary and operational flexibility; and

WHEREAS, Common Council control over operational budgets is limited, and this, and other such innovative initiatives may present opportunities for greater control in the operating budget: and

WHEREAS, the City of Madison recognizes that by improving the energy efficiency of its fleets, significant monetary savings may result in the long term; and

WHEREAS, governmental bodies around the country, in partnership with the private sector, in areas such as Denver and Fort Collins, CO; the City of Miami and Dade County, FL; Santa Monica, Sacramento and San Francisco, CA have adopted Green Fleet legislation, and are providing public leadership, saving their cities money, helping managers operate fleets more efficiently, creating environmental benefits, improving public health, and providing positive examples to the private sector. Such ‘best use’ practices have resulted in overall budgetary savings, improved health, and reduced greenhouse emissions; and

WHEREAS, sound vehicular propulsion technologies exist that achieve efficiencies of at least 65 miles per gallon of gasoline, and some such as fuel cells may require no petrochemicals or fossil fuels at all; and

WHEREAS, the City and Common Council must exercise self-determination and, thus, have an impact on the amount of greenhouse gases it generates, in support of the City’s Climate Protection Program and its goals and objectives; and

WHEREAS, the Mayor and city staff have publicly committed support for the City of Madison’s Climate Protection Plan; and

WHEREAS, the City of Madison recognizes that energy use associated with the operation of its motor vehicle fleets exacerbates local air quality problems and results in greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to global climate change; and

WHEREAS, the City of Madison recognizes that its agencies, departments, and divisions play a partial role in improving local air quality and reducing greenhouse gas emissions by improving the energy efficiency of its fleets and reducing emissions from fleet operations, and that encouraging other participation from the public and private sectors will make further significant improvement; and

WHEREAS, the City of Madison wishes to exercise its power as a participant in the marketplace to ensure that purchases and expenditures of public monies are made in a manner consistent with the policy of improving local air quality and reducing greenhouse gas emissions; and

WHEREAS, as Madison grows, CO2, CO, NOX and particulate matter production is anticipated to increase from City transportation sources; and

WHEREAS, automobile emissions have been linked to increased incidents of asthma, exposure to benzene and other harmful chemicals, all of which negatively impact the public health; and

WHEREAS, the car is here to stay; and

WHEREAS, 21st century society must realize that reliance on 19th century technologies and false assumptions about the inexhaustibility of natural resources will impede the overall health, viability, and sustainability of our communities and our planet; and

WHEREAS, the City, as a public body, has an opportunity to provide a positive example to its citizens about environmental actions such as recycling, composting, and using environmentally sound and sustainable technologies and practices. Successful use of electric, hybrid-electric, bi-fueled, and fuel cell powered vehicles in fleets has always and will always encourage use in the private sector; and

WHEREAS, the United States Department of Energy has developed a Clean Cities Program by which Federal subsidies are available up to 90% of the purchase price for fuel efficient and alternatively fueled vehicles. This program requires a partnership with private sector fleets and has been used by other municipalities to procure equipment, such as fuel cell powered buses, that have generally been beyond their fiscal capacity; and

WHEREAS, electric, hybrid-electric, bi-fuel, fuel cell, and other technologies for vehicle power have advanced in flexibility, efficiency and performance over the past decades; and

WHEREAS, the City of Madison wishes to establish a “Green Fleet” policy addressing the management, operation and procurement of fleet vehicles under the control of the City of Madison, WI in order to improve the energy efficiency of its fleets, reduce emissions from its fleets, and increase the capacity of the fleet to save the City money;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the City of Madison will establish a policy by which the City fleet will operate, including procurement, operations, and management. This policy will pertain to all city vehicles and is aimed at creating and maintaining a fuel-efficient and environmentally- and energy-responsible fleet; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the development and implementation of the policy, as well as to monitor the accomplishments described above, a “Green Fleet” Review Subcommittee shall be formed from the members of the Environmental Action Team and shall also include a Common Council member appointed by the Mayor and approved by the Council; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that the City of Madison will develop partnerships with other public and private entities to encourage purchases of fuel-efficient and alternatively-fueled vehicles and shall actively pursue Federal, State, and other incentive programs and grants such as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Air Partnership Fund and the U.S Department of Energy’s Clean Cities Program.