What's New/Peak Oil Resolutions

 

San Francisco

An encouraging sign of the Great Turning from a municipal standpoint came on April 11, 2006 when San Francisco became the first city in the United Sates to pass a Peak Oil Resolution. Passed by unanimous vote, the resolution acknowledges the threats posed by peak oil and calls for the establishment of a citywide study to assess San Francisco's vulnerability to peak oil. The results of the study will indicate possible policies the city may adopt to reduce the impacts of energy supply disruptions and price shocks on San Francisco.

 

 

Portland

The threat of a peak in global oil supplies has received official attention from the City of Portland. A resolution to create a task force to investigate implications of peak oil was passed by City Council today largely in response to activism from Portland Peak Oil, a local grassroots group.

The task force resolution was sponsored by all five members of the council and passed unanimously. The Office of Sustainable Development will continue its leadership in addressing the problems inherent with urban sustainability by taking the lead in staffing the task force. The Bureau of Planning and the Office of Transportation will also be cooperating with the task force along with the Oregon Department of Energy and METRO who will be providing technical assistance. The task force will be comprised of up to 11 people representing diverse community and business interests.

The task force will be appointed within one month and will then convene regular meetings throughout 2006. The policy recommendations to Council are expected within six to nine months and will be incorporated into the city's global warming local action plan and other measures such as the city's comprehensive plan.