collected by Antonio Foster
City Council Affirms Seattle’s Commitment to Paris Accords
Seattle’s City Council unanimously approved a resolution Monday afternoon committing the city to upholding its portion of the United States’ former commitment to the Paris Climate Accord. The resolution also reaffirmed Seattle’s target to reduce City greenhouse gas emissions 58 percent below 2008 levels by 2030.
In early June President Trump announced the United States would opt out of the Paris Accords, agreed to under President Obama.
The resolution also calls on Puget Sound Energy (PSE), a private Seattle utility to cease using coal in its operations by 2025 and instead use 100% renewable energy. Currently, PSE uses the Colstrip coal fired power plant in Montana, which is the 3rd largest carbon polluter in the United States and is currently considering lease renewal of the facility.
Officials further requested the City begin developing regulations which would prohibit new fossil fuel infrastructure in Seattle, to the extent the City is lawfully able. For Washington State, officials called on state leaders to act on climate-related efforts and deny permits for all new fossil fuel infrastructure projects in Washington, including the proposed nation’s largest oil-by-rail terminal in Vancouver, WA. Leaders expressed outrage over the just-approved Kalama, WA-based largest fracked gas-to-methanol refinery on the planet.
The resolution also elevated current actions undertaken by the City of Seattle to address the global
195 nations signed the Paris Climate Accords, including the United States which had committed to cut its greenhouse gas emissions by 26 to 28 percent below 2005 levels by 2025. Countries developed climate reduction goals with the target of keeping global warming below 2° C above pre-industrial levels, recognizing the need for limiting warming to 1.5° C to prevent irreversible and catastrophic global warming.
The legislation adopted today was developed collaboratively between the resolution’s sponsor, Councilmember Mike O’Brien, Mayor Ed Murray, the Seattle Office of Sustainability and Environment (OSE), the Sierra Club, and 350 Seattle. OSE will now begin identifying the key climate actions necessary to meet or exceed the goals ratified by the Paris Agreement and will report back to Council with recommendations by December 30, 2017.
Metered Parking Coming to Columbia City
The Seattle Department of Transportation finally released its plan for metered parking in Columbia City. The plan includes approximately 80 spaces of $1/hr parking in the neighborhood. Additionally, SDOT will expand Columbia City’s Restricted Parking Zone (RPZ) Program.
SDOT will host a Public Hearing on the changes on July 10th at 6pm at the Rainier Arts Center. Comments and inquiries about the changes can also be sent to ColumbiaCityParking@seattle.gov.
Columbia City Gets A “Growler Filling Station”
Columbia City residents can now get their growlers to go. Smoke and Beyond, a “growler filling station”, officially opened this past weekend. It features 7 beers on tap, including Pike Kilt Lifter, and Manny’s Pale Ale. Smoke and Beyond is located at 5015 Rainier Avenue.
I just came from a meeting of 10 police officers and 250 citizens, standing room only, of South East Seattle Lakewood Seward Park community. The police did a magnificent job of laying out what they are doing to control the gun violence and crime. They helped us understand what we as citizens can do to help. We did not have one Seattle City Council member in attendance. I would think this would be a perfect place and time to hear what the citizens need of City Hall. Not even our district City Councilman and City Council President had the courtesy to come and hear the concerns of those he represents.
The only person present who cared was a candidate for City Council’s position nine at large, Pat Murakami. She has worked long and hard of at least 15 years on the SE Seattle Crime Prevention Council. She looked like someone who deserves my vote.