HomeMy WebLinkAbout15542RESOLUTION NO. 15542
A RESOLUTION BY THE CITY OF PUEBLO IN OPPOSITION TO
MANDATORY PARTICIPATION IN THE IMPLEMENTING
ENVIRONMENTAL EQUITY AND CUMULATIVE IMPACTS
ANALYSES (EECIA)
WHEREAS, the City and County of Pueblo take great pride in our historic reputation as a
culturally and economically diverse community that helped build the American West; and
WHEREAS, a strong coalition of business and community leaders and municipal,
county and state elected officials works tirelessly to grow Pueblo’s economy, open doors of
opportunity for our residents and create quality, family-sustaining jobs; and
WHEREAS, Pueblo’s unified economic development efforts include enhancing the well-
being of our residents and businesses and fostering a reputation as a thriving, secure and
healthy community; and
WHEREAS, Pueblo’s public policy focus includes promoting affordable housing,
reducing crime, and creating strong incentive programs for job creation; and
WHEREAS, Pueblo’s elected officials and community leaders are united in speaking out
against measures that could potentially damage our community’s reputation or hamper our
policy agenda; and
WHEREAS, the City of Pueblo note with interest proposed legislation that would
establish a state Office of Environmental Justice and implement Environmental Equity and
Cumulative Impact Analyses (EECIA); and
WHEREAS, the City of Pueblo support the noble goal of assisting and safeguarding
vulnerable communities; and
WHEREAS, the City and County of Pueblo nonetheless are concerned about the
unintended consequences of naming our community for an EECIA analysis, believing that
naming Pueblo as a “cumulative impacted community” would needlessly stigmatize our
community and reinforce negative stereotypes that we have been collectively working for many
years to overcome; and
WHEREAS, such a designation would represent a setback in our economic development
reputation and would not provide resources to help Pueblo overcome any challenges the
analysis would identify; NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF PUEBLO, that
SECTION 1.
The City Council of Pueblo, for the above stated reasons, opposes the inclusion of the
City and County of Pueblo in future state EECIA analyses; and
SECTION 2.
A copy of this Resolution be transmitted to all members of the Colorado Senate and
House of Representatives and the Governor of Colorado.
SECTION 3.
The officers and staff of the City are authorized to perform any and all acts consistent
with this Resolution to effectuate the policies and procedures described herein.
SECTION 4.
This Resolution shall become effective immediately upon final passage and approval.
INTRODUCED: March 11, 2024
BY: Roger Gomez
MEMBER OF CITY COUNCIL
APPROVED:
PRESIDENT OF CITY COUNCIL
ATTESTED BY:
CITY CLERK
City Clerk's Office Item # M20
Background Paper for Proposed
Resolution
COUNCIL MEETING DATE: March 11, 2024
TO: President Mark Aliff and Members of City Council
CC: Mayor Heather Graham
VIA: Marisa Stoller, City Clerk
FROM: Dennis Flores, Councilor
SUBJECT: A RESOLUTION BY THE CITY OF PUEBLO IN OPPOSITION TO
MANDATORY PARTICIPATION IN THE IMPLEMENTING
ENVIRONMENTAL EQUITY AND CUMULATIVE IMPACTS ANALYSES
(EECIA)
SUMMARY:
Attached is a Resolution opposing mandatory participation in the Implementing
Environmental Equity and Cumulative Impacts Analyses (EECIA).
PREVIOUS COUNCIL ACTION:
Not applicable to this Resolution.
BACKGROUND:
On February 26, 2024, Colorado Governor Polis released an updated Greenhouse Gas
Pollution Roadmap 2.0. The plan lays out a set of actions to reduce emissions across
economic sectors and create pathways to assist in reaching Governor Polis’ goals of
cutting greenhouse gas pollution across the state in half by 2030. As part of that plan,
Governor Polis seeks to establish the Office of Environmental Justice and the EECIA.
The City and County of Pueblo are likely to be selected as one of the initial
communities for an EECIA as outlined in the proposed legislation. The City of Pueblo
seeks to oppose mandatory participation in the EECIA and instead, encourages the
legislature to make participation optional at the discretion of the local government and
its determination of the community’s best interests.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:
There are no financial implications for the City in passing this Resolution.
BOARD/COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION:
Not applicable to this Resolution.
STAKEHOLDER PROCESS:
Not applicable to this Resolution.
ALTERNATIVES:
City Council could choose not to publicly oppose mandatory participation in the EECIA.
RECOMMENDATION:
Approval of the Resolution.
ATTACHMENTS:
None