Marin Local Energy Council (MLEC)

Sustainable Fairfax is helping to conduct presentations throughout the county on forming a Joint Powers Authority. These presentations will give an overview of the MLEC and feature a video recorded at the March Marin County Council of Mayors and Councilmembers (MCCMC) meeting. Speakers include Paul Fenn of Local Power and Abby Young of the Cities for Climate Protection Campaign.

The combined purchasing power of all Marin residents, businesses and public agencies will be comparable to a medium-sized city, enabling each participating jurisdiction to:

• Provide Marin residents and businesses with energy security and stable energy prices
• Protect the health of children
• Promote sustainable economic development & high technology sector job creation in Marin
• Answer the call for local governments to take leadership in the effort to stop Climate Change

Background

Sustainable Fairfax has been working on global warming and energy issues for 3 years now with Council members Frank Egger, Lew Tremaine and Supervisor Hal Brown. On Tuesday, April 16th, 2002 the culmination of many years of collaboration led to a victory. A resolution introduced by Fairfax Mayor Lew Tremaine asking for the creation of a joint powers authority to be known as the Marin Local Energy Council passed unanimously. If this resolution is embraced county-wide, the MLEC can develop and fund renewable and conservation projects on a countywide scale. The central goal of the MLEC is to reduce Marin's net greenhouse gas emissions- 20% by the year 2020.

This goal is known as the "Toronto Target" in reference to the standard set by the city of Toronto in 1988 with a commitment to cut its greenhouse gas pollution by 20% over a seventeen-year period. The Toronto Target is so far the best existing standard for a local government.

The MLEC will provide both the will and the way to match this commitment, by 2020. Sustainable Fairfax is partnering with the statewide group CalPIRG and other local organizations in a coalition to see this resolution embraced countywide but we need your involvement. Support the Marin Local Energy Council in your city, town and the county by calling your elected offficals. For more information please call the MLEC information hotline at 258-9198.

More on the MLEC:

• Review the Fairfax Town Resolution
• Why do we need the MLEC?
• Marin IJ: Mar 29 - Local leaders push energy authority
• Marin IJ: April 10 - (editorial in Opinion) Energy idea needs cautious approach
• Ross Valley Reporter: Mar. 26- April 1 - Saving the world by saving Fairfax
• Ross Valley Reporter: April 2-April 8th - County Council members warned about warming and energy costs