Broward County Commission Regular Meeting
Director's Name: Henry A. Sniezek
Department: Environmental Protection Division: Environmental Planning & Comm. Resilience
Information
Requested Action
title
MOTION TO ADOPT Resolution No. 2020-280, the title of which is as follows:
A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF BROWARD COUNTY, FLORIDA, URGING THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS TO ENACT HOUSE RESOLUTION 763, THE ENERGY INNOVATION AND CARBON DIVIDEND ACT OF 2019; PROVIDING FOR DISTRIBUTION OF THE RESOLUTION; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
(Sponsored by Commissioner Beam Furr and Senator Nan H. Rich)
body
Why Action is Necessary
Formal Board approval is necessary for the adoption of a Resolution.
What Action Accomplishes
Enables the adoption of the above Resolution.
Is this Action Goal Related
Yes
Previous Action Taken
None.
Summary Explanation/Background
THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND GROWTH MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT, THE ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING AND COMMUNITY RESILIENCE DIVISION, AND THE BROWARD COUNTY CLIMATE CHANGE TASK FORCE RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE ABOVE MOTION.
This item supports the County Commission’s Value: Encouraging investments in renewable energy, sustainable practices and environmental protection; and the Goal: Seek funding for, implement policies and pursue projects promoting the use of alternative energies and sustainable practices.
This Resolution expresses the County Commission’s support for House Resolution 763 (“HR 763”), the Energy Innovation and Carbon Reduction Act, which would implement a fee on carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels and distribute the revenue collected to equally to each adult American citizen, in order to reduce national emissions 90% below 2015 levels, in line with scientific estimates of the carbon pollution reductions necessary to limit global warming to 1.5-2.0 degrees Celsius.
The Broward County Climate Change Task Force received a presentation on HR 763 from a representative of Citizens’ Climate Lobby at its February 2019 meeting and voted unanimously at its May 2019 meeting to recommend that the County Commission adopt a Resolution supporting the legislation.
Economists have long proposed a price on carbon as the most economically-efficient means of reducing carbon pollution. A revenue-neutral plan like HR 763, in which virtually no revenue is retained by the federal government, will sidestep political battles over the use of the collected funds and may even appeal to critics of increased government spending. In fact, this legislation has wide bipartisan support, with both Democratic and Republican House cosponsors from across the United States, including many from Florida: lead sponsors Ted Deutch (D), Charlie Crist (D), and Francis Rooney (R), and additional co-sponsors Alcee Hastings (D), Frederica Wilson (D), and Al Lawson (D).
Furthermore, George P. Shultz, Treasury Secretary under President Nixon and Secretary of State under President Reagan, leads a long list of Republican and conservative figures who support HR 763. The bill is also supported by a wide, bipartisan array of businesses, environmental and other nonprofit organizations, political groups, faith organizations, and newspaper editorial boards. The grassroots Citizens’ Climate Lobby is perhaps the most notable organization backing HR 763, having organized around the issue of a carbon fee-and-dividend plan since its founding in 2007.
In Florida, local governments which have already endorsed HR 763 include Palm Beach County, Coconut Creek, Hallandale Beach, Miami, Surfside, Key Biscayne, South Miami, and Sarasota. The Sun-Sentinel and Palm Beach Post editorial boards have both endorsed the legislation as well.
The County’s federal legislative programs have included support for a price on carbon since 2016, initially as an individual position but later as part of the Southeast Florida Regional Climate Change Compact federal legislative positions adopted as part of the County’s overall legislative programs. In addition, this Resolution is consistent with previous County Commission Resolutions urging strong national and international climate action, including support for the Paris Agreement and approving Broward County membership in the Under2 Coalition of subnational governments working to fulfill Paris Agreement goals.
Source of Additional Information
Dr. Jennifer L. Jurado, Chief Resilience Officer and Director, Environmental Planning and Community Resilience Division, (954) 519-1464
Fiscal Impact
Fiscal Impact/Cost Summary
None.