HomeMy Public PortalAbout2019-76 Urging our US Senators to pass the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend ActRESOLUTION NO. 2019.76
A RESOLUTION OF THE VILLAGE COUNCIL OF THE
VILLAGE OF KEY BISCAYNE, FLORIDA, URGING OUR
U.S. SENATORS AND REPRESENTATIVES TO PASS THE
ENERGY INNOVATION AND CARBON DIVIDEND ACT
(H.R. 763) TO LEVY AN ANNUALLY INCREASTNG
REVENUE.NEUTRAL F'EE ON THE CARBON IN FOSSIL
FUELS AT THE POINT OF PRODUCTION OR
IMPORTATION AND RETURN A DIVIDEND TO ALL
AMERICANS; PROVIDING FOR TRANSMITTAL; AND
PROVIDING F'OR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
WHEREAS, climate scientists worldwide agree that the earth is warming rapidly to a
degree that is perilous to human civilization, numerous species, and to the global ecosystem; and
WHEREAS, the primary cause of the rapid warming is human activity, especially
through the combustion of fossil fuels that create greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide
(COz); and
WHEREAS, the United States Global Change Research Program anticipates that
inaction on reducing global emissions of COz will lead to increased heat, drought, insect
outbreaks, flooding and wildfires coupled with declining water supplies, reduced agricultural
yields, and harm to public health and welfare throughout the United States; and
WHEREAS, the likely consequences of unmitigated climate change on South Florida
will pose serious threats to the region's economy, ecology, and livability through sea level rise,
the loss of our freshwater supply, compromised sanitation systems, stronger storms, and rising
insurance rates, among other things; and
WHEREAS, local sea level rise in South Florida, including the Village of Key Biscayne,
has greatly exceeded global sea level rise; and
WHEREAS, since 2}l},Miami has seen an extra 5" of sea level risel; and
WHEREAS, every additional release of greenhouse gas increases the severity of climate
change; and
WHEREAS, the Village Council of the Village of Key Biscayne has a record of
acknowledging the reality of climate change, the projected effects on the community, and the
Village's ability and responsibility to reduce its contribution to the causes of climate change; and
WHEREAS, coastal areas of the United States are experiencing indirect harm based on
economic factors relating to rising flood insurance costs and loss of 30-year mortgage issuance in
low-lying areas; and
WHEREAS, FEMA flood insurance rates have already begun to rise for the many
properties in the Village of Key Biscayne; and
WHEREAS, an unseen side effect of the underwater battle being waged between
freshwater and saltwater has been the rise of the local water table and contamination of the
freshwater supply for south Florida2; and
WHEREAS, national and international policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions must
be implemented rapidly to avoid catastrophic damage to the planet's ecosystems upon which we
and all life depend; and
I Dessu SB, Price RM, Troxler TG, Kominoski JS (201S) Effects of sea-level rise and freshwater
management on long-term water levels and water quality in the Florida Coastal Everglades. Journal of
Environmental Management,2l, 164-176. https://doi.org/10.1016/jjenvman.20l8.01.025
' 1n2015, GEI Consultants, Inc. identified septic systems as the infrastructure in the City of South Miami
at most immediate risk from the rising water table: "The Snapper Creek Study Area had 1l properties (or
73% of the 15 records available) that were estimated to have the bottom of drainfield reached by rising
groundwater within the next 25 years." When groundwater reaches the level of a house's septic drainfield,
wastewater from the house (including the toilets) will backflow into the bathtub instead of the septic tank
and will further contaminate south Florida's freshwater supply with saltwater.
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WHEREAS, local action is necessary yet insufficient to avoid catastrophic climate
change3; and
WHEREAS, the Village Council hereby recognizes that the pollution caused by burning
fossil fuels is a primary cause of climate change, and that an effective and efficient measure to
address this problem is the enactment of a revenue-neutral fee on carbon production at its source,
with the fees being returned to Americans as a dividend; and
WHEREAS, a policy known as the oocarbon fee and dividend" is a superior, revenue-
neutral, economically efficient, market-based mechanism to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
across the economy while providing a direct economic benefit to the people of the United States;
and
WHEREAS, a Carbon Fee and Dividend has been proposed in bipartisan bills drafted by
members of the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S, Senate, as a revenue-neutral policy;
and
WHEREAS, a Carbon Fee and Dividend rule would encourage consumers and the
market to transition to clean energy sources and away from carbon-based energy and fuels.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE VILLAGE COUNCIL OF'
THE VILLAGE OF KEY BISCAYIIE, FLORIDA AS F'OLLOWS:
Section 1. Recitals. That each of the above-stated recitals are hereby adopted,
confi rmed, and incorporated herein.
Section 2.Ursins Passase of Energv Inn and Carbon Dividend Act (H.R.
763), The Village Council strongly urges the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate
to pass the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act (H.R. 763), legislation that levies an
' While there are still those who deny that human activity contributes to climate change, they fail to ask
themselves: What will happen if they are wrong and it is too late to reverse climate change?
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annually increasing revenue-neutral fee on the carbon in fossil fuels at the point of production or
importation, that would be sufficient to reduce U.S. greenhouse gas emissions to climate-safe
levels by 2050, with the fees returned to Americans as a dividend.
Section 3. Transmittal. The Village Clerk is directed to transmit a copy of this
resolution to U.S. Senators Marco Rubio and Rick Scott, and all members of the U.S. House of
Representatives and members of the U.S. Senate representing Florida districts.
Section 4. Effective Date. That this Resolution shall take effect immediately upon
adoption.
PASSED and ADOPTED this 10th day of December,2019.
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CHAEL W. DAVEY , MAYOR
ATTEST:
MED CMC
CLERK
APPROVED AS TO FORM AND LEGAL SUFFICIENCY
WEISS SEROTA HELFMAN COLE & BIERMAN, P.L
VILLAGE ATTORNEY
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