Photo credit: Frank Staub
Drafts of the CAAP will be released in two parts, on January 10th and 20th. Public comments will be accepted through Feb. 21. Despite not yet having a roadmap for decarbonizing the City, the City Council and Administration have begun negotiating a new 25-year franchise* agreement with TEP.
Act Now on City’s Climate Action Plan
Mayor and Council will meet January 11 (Wednesday)
Ask Mayor Romero and the City Council to:
- Include Community Choice Energy as an option in the CAAP.
- Adopt the CAAP before negotiating a long-term energy franchise agreement.
- Take whatever time is required to integrate provisions of the CAAP into any new energy franchise agreement. (The current franchise agreement with TEP does not expire until 2026, and we are not obliged to renew that agreement ahead of schedule.)
- Include exit clauses and performance clauses based on a predetermined de-carbonization timetable.
Please send your City Council Member an email today! Council will meet January 11 (Wednesday) and they need to hear from us.
Sample email: Dear Council Member ______, Climate Change is a major threat to our desert city. As your constituent, I'm asking you to approve the Tucson CAAP and integrate community choice energy and carbon reduction goals into all city planning, negotiations, and agreements, including any future TEP Franchise agreement. Please, don't approve a new agreement with TEP until the appropriate CAAP-based elements are considered in the City's long-term energy planning processes.
Note: If you live outside the City and are not represented by a Council member, please send your email about this issue to the Mayor and the City Manager.
Mayor & Council and City Manager | Official website of the City of Tucson (tucsonaz.gov)
* Franchise – Allows TEP to use all the road rights-of-way for their power lines. Must be approved by voters every 25 years (by 2026).
Dear Council Member ______, Climate Change is a major threat to our desert city. As your constituent, I'm asking you to approve the Tucson CAAP and integrate community choice energy and carbon reduction goals into all city planning, negotiations, and agreements, including any future TEP Franchise agreement. I urge you not to fast-track a new agreement with TEP until the appropriate CAAP-based elements are considered in the City's long-term energy planning processes.
ReplyDeleteThank you. Regina Brown
Council Member Steve Kozachik responded, "We're not 'fast-tracking' the franchise agreement. Getting more explicit commitments from the utility in terms of climate concerns is one facet of what's on the table. And no duration has been identified yet."
ReplyDeleteFor those interested in the Tucson Electric Power Franchise Renewal:
ReplyDeleteTEP is giving a presentation this evening on the Franchise Agreement Renewal. This is an opportunity to let TEP know that you would like future TEP Resource Plans to be compatible with the Tucson Climate Action Plan.
Join the Discussion: City of Tucson Franchise
The meeting will be held from 6-8 p.m. at TEP's downtown headquarters, 88 E. Broadway Blvd. Members of the public are welcome to attend in person or online using Zoom. Leaders from the City of Tucson and TEP will be on hand to discuss the proposed agreement, answer questions and gather feedback that will be reviewed and considered before a potential vote on this matter next week.
Join the meeting online with Zoom using the following information :
Topic: City of Tucson Franchise Agreement
Time: Jan 18, 2023 06:00 PM Arizona