RESOLUTION

Calling on the Committee on the Environment to hold hearings on developing a strategy for the City to manage and operate energy efficient city streetlights.

Whereas, public lighting is the single largest source of local government’s greenhouse gas emissions, typically accounting for 30 to 50% of their emissions; and

Whereas, currently public lighting in cities, particularly for minor roads and streets, uses large amounts of energy and financial resources, while often failing to provide high quality lighting; and

Whereas, properly shiedled home security lamps can provide sufficient illumination of doorways and ground spaces near the home, which in comparison for residential street lighting using a beam can offer sufficient light with little light on lighting up homes; and

Whereas, the City Council of Philadelphia exists to promote the welfare of citizens, and recognizes that escalating energy consumption can be harmful to the health of people, the economy, and the environment; and

Whereas, City operations and activities create energy demands that produce off-site greenhouse emissions that indirectly effect other regions; and

Whereas, the plan will set forth the action steps necessary to increase energy efficiency and use of clean energy supplies to present significant cost savings and new economic opportunities in Philadelphia; and

Whereas, the plan must consider converting streetlamps from less efficient incandescent and mercury vapor technology to more efficient high-pressure sodium; and

Whereas, by establishing an active, comprehensive citywide program will place Philadelphia as a leader in the street lighting industry; and

Whereas, many communities, like the City of Los Angeles, are adopting efficient lighting by replacing their street lights with full cut-off lighting; and

Whereas, Philadelphia City Council must continue its efforts to promote a greater public understanding of energy use through outreach and communication efforts, demonstrating that Philadelphia is committed to reducing energy output by publishing a report which shall outline the total City energy use for the prior year; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the City Council of Philadelphia, that we hereby request Committee on the Environment to hold hearings on developing a strategy for the City to manage and operate cost-effective technology such as streetlights, and a new direction for City operations.

Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown
September 20, 2007