Rep. John Curtis recently tweeted, “Do you want to leave the Earth better than you found it?”
I don’t know anyone who would say no. Now we have a chance to do just that, by committing our cities to 100% renewable electricity by 2030.
This year, the Legislature passed the Community Renewable Energy Act (HB411) that requires Rocky Mountain Power to provide electricity from renewable sources to cities that pass a resolution by Dec. 31, indicating they want to receive their electricity from 100% clean energy by 2030. The following cities and counties have done just that: Salt Lake City, Park City, Moab, Cottonwood Heights and Summit County.
Besides receiving electricity that won’t foul our air and add heat-trapping carbon dioxide to the atmosphere, these cities are likely to receive electricity at lower cost than those who continue to receive it from carbon sources. Why? Because the cost of wind and solar have plummeted and now are cheaper than coal or natural gas. In addition, it’s likely that Congress will pass some form of a carbon tax, adding additional cost to fossil fuel energy.
Do you want to leave the Earth and your city better than you found it? It’s time to contact your city council representatives.
David S. Folland, Sandy