PPO's final draft of resolution

This is what the Policy group has finalized from PPO's end of things. At the Business meeting on Monday night, we will be discussing the timeline of next actions, i.e. taking it to Saltzman's office, etc.

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DRAFT RESOLUTION FOR THE CITY OF PORTLAND TO CREATE A PEAK OIL TASK FORCE

Whereas, global resources of oil and natural gas are finite; and

Whereas, a growing body of energy industry experts believe that the world has already arrived at, or will soon arrive at, the peak of global oil production, which will be followed by an inevitable decline in available supply thereafter; and

Whereas, sufficient substitutes for declining oil and natural gas production are not immediately available; and

Whereas, global demand for oil and natural gas continue to increase; and

Whereas, U.S. oil and natural gas production have peaked and are now in decline, ensuring our nation’s continued and growing dependence on oil and natural gas imported from politically unstable regions; and

Whereas, following the global oil production peak, the interaction of decreasing supply and increased demand will inevitably cause the price of oil and natural gas to become more volatile and to rise at an increasing rate; and

Whereas, a report -- Peaking Of World Oil Production: Impacts, Mitigation, & Risk Management -- commissioned by the United States Department of Energy’s National Energy Technology Laboratory has concluded that, "The problems associated with world oil production peaking will not be temporary, and past "energy crisis" experience will provide relatively little guidance. The challenge of oil peaking deserves immediate, serious attention, if risks are to be fully understood and mitigation begun on a timely basis" and further concludes that "Intervention by governments will be required, because the economic and social implications of oil peaking will otherwise be chaotic", and

Whereas, the City of Portland and its citizens and businesses are extremely dependent on oil and natural gas for their economic welfare and their most critical activities, including electricity, transportation and food production; and

Whereas the citizenry of Portland is not currently aware of the full implications of an impending decline and will greatly benefit from an objective source of information on this topic; and

Whereas, the City of Portland has adopted the Local Action Plan On Global Warming the success of which depends upon reducing carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases created by human use of oil and natural gas; and

Whereas the City of Portland has a national reputation for planning and actions aimed at maintaining the City’s social values, equity, and quality of life and can take a leadership role in what may become one of the greatest political economic and societal issues of the next half century,

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, a Peak Oil Task Force will be created which will include up to fifteen members representing a broad range of community and business interests.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the Task Force’s charge will be:
To acquire and study current and credible data and information on the issues of peak oil and natural gas production, and the economic and other societal consequences of this eventuality;

To seek community and business input on the impacts and proposed solutions;

To develop comprehensive 5, 10, and 20 year plans that will include recommendations to the City Council on the strategies that the City and its bureaus can take to mitigate the impacts of declining energy supplies in areas including, but not limited to: water, food security, essential transportation, essential health care, non-grid dependent communications, land use planning, and business and home energy use;

If indicated by the information studies, and deemed appropriate by the Task Force, to develop an emergency plan to provide for the basic life sustaining needs of the citizens of Portland in the event of a sudden and dramatic increase in the price of oil or a sudden reduction of supply, with particular emphasis on economically disadvantaged segments of the population most at risk in such situations;

To propose methods of educating the public about this issue without causing undue alarm.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that since the implications of declining energy resources are also a regional concern, the Task Force will consider the input of regional and state planners on this issue and cooperate with any similar task forces created at the county, regional and state levels. In addition the Task Force will cooperate with other groups charged with developing policy on related issues such as the Portland/Multnomah County Food Policy Council.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that city bureaus will cooperate with the Task Force as it seeks information needed to complete its charge.