July 22, 2021
Dear Councilor,
On March 14, 2021, the Beloit League of Women Voters declared its support for the city’s proclamation at the City Council meeting that night. Then, on May 14, 2021, members of the Beloit League of Women Voters’ Sustainability Committee wrote a follow up letter to Beloit city council members in support of the city’s proclamation on carbon neutrality. In our letter, we also encouraged the council to move from proclamation to action by including this important issue in its strategic planning for the future.
On Saturday, July 24, you will review and update the City of Beloit’s strategic plan. We strongly encourage you to address the impacts of climate change with each of the plan’s stated goals. As seen in past winter polar vortices, periodic heavy downpours replacing more regular and less severe rainfall, and this summer’s early heat and drought conditions, the climate’s increasing unpredictability has significant impacts on the City’s ability to serve its residents. Each of the six goals offers opportunities to set climate change-related benchmarks that will guide the City of Beloit to craft policy that results in a resilient community that is prepared for the future.
We firmly believe that now is the time to implement goals that move from ambition to action, by including specific metrics that demonstrate the City of Beloit’s determination to move toward carbon neutrality despite the enormous emissions burden placed on the City of Beloit and neighboring municipalities by the West Riverside Energy Plant. This will not be an easy task.
We applaud the City’s early adoption of eco-municipality strategies and its on-going commitment to implementing sustainability measures, from installing charging stations for electric vehicles, to replacing turf grass with native species, to installing solar panels at City Hall and much more. However, given both the complexities involved in achieving carbon neutrality in Beloit and the urgency with which climate change must be addressed, we believe it is in the best interests of the City Council and City Government to develop sustainability and climate neutrality goals, strategies, and action steps not only internally, but to also seek external expertise for guidance. Resources are available for municipalities to help establish and implement carbon neutrality plans. The WI Office of Energy Innovation’s MEETAP and EIGP are two such resources; no doubt the City is aware of more. We also suggest that the business community be enlisted, given their important contribution to the health of the city. Finally, community partners can help educate and mobilize Stateline residents.
As leaders and members of the Beloit League of Women Voters, as well as the Welty Environmental Center and Beloit NAACP, we are ready to aid and amplify activities the City identifies as critical to achieving carbon neutrality. Progress has been made over the past 15 years, but at this point, it is imperative to develop a comprehensive plan with specific steps to reduce emissions significantly. We hope to see such planning as part of this weekend’s activities.
Respectfully,
Susan Adams
Elizabeth Brewer
Deb Fallon
Cathy Flanagan
Tia Johnson