YeeeeeeeeeeeeeeHaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!
Today is a great day. Not only is this the 40th anniversary of Earth Day, but Austin City Council just gave every Texan a reason to celebrate: Mayor Lee Leffingwell and City Council passed the Austin Energy Generation Plan!
After two years of hard work, enormous inclusive cooperation and citizen participation, the council unanimously approved the proposed Austin Energy Resource, Generation, and Climate Protection Plan.
City hall attendants saw rigorous public approval–and some misguided contention–of the plan’s affordability and the process’ public participation during the public discussion. Council broke for citizen communications and an executive session before returning to approve the proposal.
Mayor Leffingwell spoke strongly in favor of the bill for both its environmental and economic responsibility, saying that global climate change will be the defining challenge of our era. Although it is a global problem, he said, Austin has a responsibility to do its part because “the sum of local policy is global policy.”
I caught up with Public Citizen’s David Power, Ryan Rittenhouse and Matt Johnson outside along with Sierra Club’s Cyrus Reed celebrating the fruition of their tireless efforts.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7kd71dD1pw]
Matt would like to thank all the members and supporters of the Clean Energy for Austin coalition for their hard work and dedication.
Congratulations! Go and celebrate Earth Day with jubilation!
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By promoting cleaner energy, cleaner government, and cleaner air for all Texans, we hope to provide for a healthy place to live and prosper. We are Public Citizen Texas.
