TO:
Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
THROUGH:
Bruce Moe, City Manager
FROM:
Carrie Tai, Community Development Director
Dana Murray, Environmental Sustainability Manager
SUBJECT:Title
Consider Authorizing Mayor to Sign a Letter of Support With Climate Mayors Which Calls on Congressional Leadership to Adopt Policies That Address the Compounding Crises of COVID-19, the Severe Economic Downturn, Racial Injustice, and Climate Change (Community Development Director Tai).
AUTHORIZE LETTER OF SUPPORT
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Recommended Action
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Council authorize the Mayor to sign a letter of support with Climate Mayors addressed to the United States Congress, which calls on Congressional leadership to adopt policies that address the compounding crises of COVID-19, the severe economic downturn, racial injustice, and climate change.
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FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
There are no fiscal implications associated with the recommended action.
BACKGROUND:
Climate Mayors is a bipartisan network of almost 450 U.S. mayors playing a leading role to preserve our environment, create good-paying green jobs, invest in clean air, clean water, and clean energy, and uphold the objectives of the Paris Agreement at the local level. Manhattan Beach has been part of Climate Mayors since its inception, with current and previous Manhattan Beach mayors actively participating in the group.
The attached letter represents a key milestone for Climate Mayors - using the platform to speak out and distinguish Mayors as leading voices on climate change during these challenging times. This letter reinforces the need to "build back better" and calls on Congressional leadership to adopt policies that address the compounding crises of COVID-19, the severe economic downturn, racial injustice, and climate change.
DISCUSSION:
The Climate Mayors proposal lays out the core building blocks of a healthy, dynamic, fair economy founded on innovation and infrastructure, lower energy costs, greater access to clean energy, and increased investment in public transit (Attachment). The letter includes suggested policies in Appendix I - Programs and Policies for Federal Stimulus Packages.
Cities across America have long demonstrated that economic growth and environmental stewardship go hand in hand, and mayors across the United States are urging federal government that they too can show the world that investments in a zero-carbon economy are an investment in the future of our workforce, the well-being of coming generations, and the resilience of our infrastructure and public spaces. As the legislative process evolves, Climate Mayors encourage congress to keep these goals in mind:
1. Building Back Better: Returning to the status quo is not sufficient in meeting the challenges of climate change and inequities in our communities. We must do better.
2. Leading with Equity: Federal investments in our municipalities must prioritize those communities who have been left behind, and frontline communities and people of color who have been disproportionately impacted by the effects of climate change and COVID-19.
3. Prioritizing Multiple Benefits: The best investments will create jobs, strengthen communities, and improve health outcomes in our cities and towns.
The Climate Mayors letter and proposal captures a list of policies and programs that will greatly aid in a just, equitable, and resilient economic recovery that will put Americans back to work and create cleaner, healthier, more livable communities. It is not an exhaustive list; it is meant to consist of policy recommendations that have bipartisan support and can be implemented on a short time horizon.
More than 110 other Mayors have signed on the letter as of July 7, 2020, including local Mayors from Torrance, Long Beach, Santa Monica, Claremont, West Hollywood, Santa Ana, and Los Angeles.
Cities throughout the United States are under tremendous pressure; in the face of immediate crises -- as well as the omnipresent threat of climate change -- Climate Mayors encourage Congress to look to local governments and communities to find meaningful solutions to these shared challenges. If fully funded, effectively implemented, and flexible enough to adapt locally, the policies highlighted will have a lasting impact on our ability to meet the scope and scale of the challenges before us.
Staff recommends that City Council authorize the Mayor to sign a letter of support with Climate Mayors to Congress.
PUBLIC OUTREACH:
After analysis, staff determined that public outreach was not required for this issue.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW:
The City has reviewed the proposed activity for compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and has determined that the activity is not a “Project” as defined under Section 15378 of the State CEQA Guidelines; therefore, pursuant to Section 15060(c)(3) of the State CEQA Guidelines the activity is not subject to CEQA. Thus, no environmental review is necessary.
LEGAL REVIEW:
The City Attorney has reviewed this report and determined that no additional legal analysis is necessary.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Climate Mayors Support Letter