Orange County NC Website
Browse       Search
WHEREAS further delay in responding to this crisis increases the risk of catastrophic climate <br />change, imminently threatens low lying coastal areas and land and sea species, threatens water <br />supplies, increases the frequency of severe weather events, increases the cost of undertaking <br />adequate responses and increases risks to the global economy. <br />Now therefore be it RESOLVED, that the Carrboro Board of Aldermen accepts the position of <br />climate scientists that burning fossil fuels is the primary cause of climate change, and that a <br />necessary measure to address this problem is the enactment of a revenue - neutral fee on carbon <br />production at its source, with the fees being returned to Americans as a dividend. <br />Be it further RESOLVED: that the Town of Carrboro Board of Aldermen supports the concept of <br />a federal carbon fee - and - dividend approach that levies an annually increasing revenue - neutral <br />fee on the carbon in fossil fuels at the point of production and importation, and that would be <br />sufficient to: <br />a. Accelerate the phasing out of fossil fuels; <br />b. Make the transition from fossil fuels less onerous to consumers and to the economy by <br />returning all the revenues gained from the fee to Americans on an equitable basis; <br />c. Reduce US CO2- equivalent emissions to 40% of 1990 levels by 2020; <br />d. Encourage similar actions by other nations trading with the United States, by suitable carbon <br />content -based fees for imports and rebates for exports to nations that have not taken such actions. <br />Be it further RESOLVED that the Town of Carrboro Board of Aldermen believes that the carbon <br />fee and - dividend should be implemented without reducing or preempting regulatory and legal <br />protections for the public and the environment. In addition, fossil fuel companies should not be <br />absolved from their potential legal liability and existing ethical responsibility. This resolution <br />shall be sent to the Town's federal delegation. <br />This the 27th day of June, 2017 <br />The motion carried by the following vote: <br />Aye: Alderman Seils, Alderman Slade, Alderman Chaney, Mayor Lavelle, Alderman Gist, <br />Alderman Haven - O'Donnell <br />