WHEREAS, On May 23, 2018, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives passed Senate Bill 234, to create a Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (C-PACE) program in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The objective of this bill is to reduce pollution, reduce the state’s carbon footprint, and create healthier communities; and
WHEREAS, The C-PACE program enables local governments in Pennsylvania to create energy improvement districts in which private lenders loan money to commercial and industrial property owners for energy efficiency and clean energy projects. With the passage of this legislation, commercial and industrial property owners will have access to low-cost, long-term financing for energy efficiency, renewable energy, and water conservation improvements; and
WHEREAS, Improving energy efficiency and clean energy usage for commercial and industrial buildings is a practical and impactful way to reduce carbon emissions. C-PACE is designed to expand the use of renewable energy and improve water conservation across the state, which will ultimately improve the quality of our environment; and
WHEREAS, The resources and improvements C-PACE offers to Pennsylvania come at no expense to tax payers, and will benefit businesses who choose to participate. Not only will improving energy efficiency yield benefits for our environment, but it will also save businesses a significant amount of money on their energy bills; and
WHEREAS, C-PACE will create local jobs for skilled laborers across the state. Manufacturing and installation of equipment will present new job opportunities for Pennsylvania’s workforce. In doing so, the program will simultaneously improve Pennsylvania’s economy; and
WHEREAS,
The effort to transition to clean energy is supported by the Clean Power Pennsylvania Coalition, a group of clean energy, business, faith, and community leaders committed to protecting Pennsylvania’s environment and powering its economy through clean energy. The coalition includes the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), PennFuture, Clean Air Council, Moms Clean Air Force, Penn Environment, NextGen Climate America, Conservation Voters of PA, Clean Water Action, Voces Verdes, Sierra Club, the Union of Concerned Scientists, Audubon Pennsylvania, Physicians for Social Responsibility-Philadelphia, Climate Parents, Partnership for Policy Integrity, Pennsylvania Interfaith Power & Light, Mid-Atlantic Renewable Energy Association, Sustainable Business Network of Greater Philadelphia, Sustainable Pittsburgh and Environmental Entrepreneurs (E2);
and
WHEREAS, In passing this legislation, Pennsylvania will join with 33 other states and the District of Columbia in leading the country towards the use of clean energy; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That we hereby recognize the Pennsylvania State Legislature for the passage of the Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (C-PACE) program.
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