RESOLUTION NO. 6795

A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF LAWRENCE, KANSAS, ESTABLISHING THE MAYOR'S TASK FORCE ON PEAK OIL

WHEREAS, global reserves of oil and natural gas are finite and sufficient substitutes are unlikely to be available in the immediate future; and

WHEREAS, the availability of affordable petroleum is critical to the functioning of our transportation system, our food production, our petrochemical-based consumer goods, the paving of roads, and myriad other parts of the economy; and

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

WHEREAS, energy industry experts understand that the world has already arrived at, or will soon arrive at, the peak of global oil production, which will be followed by decline in available supply thereafter; and

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

WHEREAS, following the global oil production peak, the interaction of decreasing supply and increased demand will cause the price of oil and natural gas to become more volatile; and

WHEREAS, the City of Lawrence 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 supply; and

WHEREAS, a large majority of money spent on fossil fuels leaves Kansas and provides no local economic benefit, while many of the solutions to lessening dependence on fossil fuels result in local jobs and substantial economic benefits; and

WHEREAS, Lawrence residents and businesses are 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 Lawrence has adopted the U.S. Mayor’s Climate Protection Agreement, 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 Lawrence has a national reputation for planning and actions demonstrating 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 BY THE GOVERNING BODY OF THE CITY OF LAWRENCE, KANSAS:

Section 1: Establish the Mayor's Task Force on Peak Oil. The City of Lawrence will create the Mayor's Task Force on Peak Oil to develop a response plan in active consultation with the community that will address both a sudden crisis-related reduction of fossil fuels and a long term depletion of fossil fuels.

Section 2: Purpose of the Peak Oil Task Force. The Peak Oil Task Force will:

• Assess Lawrence’s exposure to diminishing supplies of oil and natural gas and make recommendations to address vulnerabilities.
• Seek community and business input on the negative impacts of peak oil and proposed solutions.
• Acquire and study current and credible data and information on the issues of peak oil and natural gas depletion and the related economic and other societal consequences.
• Develop recommendations for the City regarding strategies the City can take to mitigate the impacts of declining energy supplies in areas including, but not limited to: transportation, business and home energy use, water, food security, health care, waste management, communications, and land use planning.
• If indicated by research, and deemed appropriate by the Task Force, develop an emergency plan to provide for the basic life sustaining needs of the citizens of Lawrence in the event of a sudden and dramatic increase in the price of oil or natural gas, or a sudden reduction in supply.
• Propose methods of educating the public about peak oil that promote positive behavior changes which can reduce community dependence on fossil fuels.

Section 3: Membership and Organization. The Task Force shall consist of up to 12 members representing a broad range of community and business interests. It will coordinate with the City Manager, the Office of Planning, the Sustainability Advisory Board, and other applicable departments.

Section 4: Coordination with Existing Boards, Commissions and Task Forces. The Task Force shall coordinate with and seek input from the Sustainability Advisory Board, Mayor’s Climate Protection Task Force and other City of Lawrence Boards and Commissions as appropriate. Any recommendations of the Task Force shall be submitted to the Sustainability Advisory Board for comment at least 30 days prior to presentation to the City Commission.

Section 5: Inter Jurisdictional Coordination. Because the implications of declining energy resources are also regional concerns, the Task Force shall collaborate with regional and state planners and other task forces created at the county, regional and state levels.

Section 6: Reporting and Recommendations. The Peak Oil Task Force shall provide a final report to the City Commission no later than twelve months from the initial meeting. If the final recommendations for the Peak Oil Plan are not completed by that time, the task force shall present a preliminary report to the City Commission and a status of final recommendations.

Section 7: Initial Meeting. The Peak Oil Task Force shall meet initially at the time and place determined by the Mayor. The Chair and Vice Chair shall be selected. Organizational structure and future meetings shall be determined.

Section 8: Open Meetings and Open Records. All meetings and records of the Peak Oil Task Force or its sub-groups shall be open and available to the public.