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Home My Public Portal AboutRES-CC-2019-57CITY OF MOAB RESOLUTION NO. 57-2019 A RESOLUTION ADOPTING A JOINT COOPERATION STATEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF MOAB AND DOMINION ENERGY WHEREAS, the municipal government is responsible to promote the public health and safety of its residents, including access to clean air, clean water and a livable environment; and WHEREAS, energy resources we utilize as a municipal government and community significantly impact public health and safety, including the economic and social well-being of current and future residents; and WHEREAS, the municipality, industrial, residential and commercial customers require accurate data to establish baseline data and track numerical reduction goals; and WHEREAS, the transition to a low -carbon community reliant on the efficient use of energy resources and alternative transportation will provide a range of benefits including improved air quality, enhanced public health, increased national and energy security, local green jobs, reduced reliance on finite resources and WHEREAS, Moab is committed to helping facilitate this transition alongside other national and international communities that have prioritized addressing climate change by investing in clean energy to enhance the well-being of current and future generations. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Moab City Council and Mayor as follows: 1. Adopt the following Joint Cooperation Statement. 2. Effective Date and Duration. This resolution shall take effect immediately upon passage by the City Council, regardless of the date of publication. PASSED AND APPROVED by a majority of the City Council, this 12-day of November 2019. By: II-1z-19 Emily S. Niehaus, Mayor Date Attes By: 11'I2►-1 Sommar Johnson, Recorder Date 1 CITY OF MOAB, CORPORATION AND DOMINION ENERGY UTAH JOINT COOPERATION STATEMENT City of Moab Corporation ("City"), a Utah municipal corporation, and Questar Gas Company dba Dominion Energy Utah, a Utah corporation ("Company") jointly state their intention to cooperate in accordance with the below stated objectives. I. OVERVIEW The City is responsible for protecting the public health and safety of its residents, which includes facilitating access to clean air, dependable and affordable energy, clean water and a livable environment. The Company is a public natural gas utility regulated by the Public Service Commission of the state of Utah ("PSC") with a responsibility for providing safe, affordable and reliable natural gas service to its customers by means and at rates that are fair, just and reasonable as determined by the PSC and in accordance with its Utah Tariff and applicable rules and regulations. The City has determined that meaningful reductions in air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions will benefit all Moab residents, visitors, businesses and Utah as a whole through improved public health, additional economic opportunities, long-term energy price stability and a stronger sense of community security. The City and the Company desire to work cooperatively to support the City's and Company's energy goals as identified herein through the use of programs and innovative technologies associated with natural gas development, transportation and energy efficiency. II. GOALS The City is committed to reducing pollution and energy waste in City of Moab in line with a community goal to reduce energy -related greenhouse gas emissions 80% by 2040, relative to a 2008 baseline year. Collaborating with the Company is key to achieving these goals by harnessing emerging and innovative energy opportunities while also enhancing uptake of traditional energy programming such as energy efficiency. The City acknowledges that the Company is interested in partnering with the City to achieve its energy efficiency, renewable energy and affordable, safe and reliable energy goals. Dominion Energy seeks to become the most sustainable natural gas company in the country and reduce its methane emissions 50% by 2030 while also increasing savings from its energy efficiency programs 50% by 2025. III. AREAS OF COLLABORATION Collaborative opportunities between the City and the Company include, but may not be limited, to the following: Energy Efficiency The City and the Company will strive to develop a variety of energy efficiency options for all natural gas energy customers in Moab, including residential, commercial, industrial, governmental and non-profit customers to achieve their goals. The City and the Company will work together to assist building owners with energy efficiency initiatives through energy use reports, benchmarking and evaluation of energy efficiency programs. The City and the Company will jointly promote energy efficiency programs to homes and businesses through the company's ThermWise program. This will include a particular focus on traditionally underserved populations, plus customers with the greatest natural gas savings potential. The City and the Company will also promote the existing builder rebate program and related incentives. The Company will consider new opportunities, suggested by the City, in an effort to promote the efficient use of natural gas of new facilities constructed in Moab. Energy Benchmarking, Data Access and Reporting The City and the Company will continue to work together on the Elevate Buildings Program, assisting building owners with energy efficiency efforts through energy use data collection, benchmarking and efficiency programs. The Company will also provide both municipal and community -wide natural gas usage data, reported in the aggregate, to the City on an annual basis. Specialized natural gas use data requests will be considered by the Company and evaluated in terms of cost-effectiveness and compliance with energy efficiency program conditions established by the PSC. Innovative Energy Technologies The City and the Company will evaluate new technologies designed for more efficient utilization of natural gas where reduced greenhouse gas emissions and/or reduced air pollution emissions are realized. The City and the Company will evaluate opportunities to collaborate on pilot applications to support enabling technologies that can help meet their goals. These pilot applications may provide a basis to evaluate broader adoption based on realized performance and benefits. The City and the Company will evaluate compressed natural gas ("CNG") as an alternative fuel for use in the City's large vehicle fleet and other transportation applications where significant improvements in air pollution emissions and/or greenhouse gas emissions can be achieved and projects are deemed financially feasible. 2 Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) The City and the Company will evaluate options to advance the use of Renewable Natural Gas ("RNG"). RNG is recognized as a positive development for helping reduce greenhouse gas ("GHG") emissions by repurposing biogas to biomethane. Biomethane or RNG can be blended with natural gas and used to heat homes, provide energy for businesses, or used as an alternative transportation fuel. RNG results in a net reduction in greenhouse gases when considering emissions savings from methane capture relative to its combustion. The City and the Company will encourage the use of RNG for use by natural gas customers. The City and the Company will evaluate the use of RNG for municipal transportation purposes, otherwise known as Renewable Natural Gas Vehicles ("RNGV"). The City and the Company will evaluate developing sources of RNG production at City - owned facilities. IV. COMMITMENT OF COOPERATION The City and the Company intend to work together in good faith to develop and implement projects and programs to help the City and the Company achieve their goals. The City and the Company agree that this Joint Cooperation Statement provides non- binding framework for developing more formal cooperative plans and programs for natural gas customers. This non -binding Joint Cooperation Statement is effective upon signing by both the City and Company and shall inform cooperation for a four-year period, or until updated by both parties. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties to this non -binding JOINT COOPERATION STATEMENT have affixed their signatures: N Mayor Emily Niehaus City of Moab Colleen Larkin Bell Vice President and General Manager Questar Gas Company dba Dominion Energy Utah 3 Date: ) t — I Z-41 Date: