Authorizing City Council's joint Committees on Streets and Services and the Environment to hold public hearings to investigate the feasibility of building and operating a Municipal Solid Waste power generation and biofuels facility within Philadelphia to produce electricity and biofuels.

WHEREAS, The City of Philadelphia is facing a budget crisis due to a shortfall in the collection of tax revenues and burgeoning expenses in a recessionary economy; and

WHEREAS, The City's yearly budget includes expenditures approximating $30 million for trash disposal costs, which (including trucking cost and landfill fees) are significantly increasing over time; and

WHEREAS, There are “green” alternatives for trash disposal which can dramatically reduce the City's trash disposal costs; and

WHEREAS, There are companies that can assist the City with the development of renewable energy projects relating to trash disposal; and

WHEREAS, It is estimated that such a renewable energy project could reduce trash disposal costs by approximately 25 percent within a few years; and

WHEREAS, Companies can also utilize municipal waste and biosolids to produce electricity and other biofuels which can reduce the City's overall energy bill; and

WHEREAS, The Streets Department, Water Department, and other City agencies aggregate electricity costs amount to tens of millions of dollars annually, and are expected to increase when PECO's rate caps come off in 2010; and

WHEREAS, A public/private partnership should be investigated to utilize some unused acres of City-owned parcels near municipal waste resources and intended municipal consumers of electricity to bring clear financial benefits to the City; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That City Council's joint Committees on Streets and Services and the Environment are hereby authorized to hold public hearings to investigate the feasibility of building and operating a Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) power generation and biofuels facility within Philadelphia to produce electricity and biofuels.

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