HomeMy WebLinkAboutRES NO 169-94RESOLUTION NO. I 6 9 - 9
A RESOLUTION OPPOSING U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL
PROTECTION AGENCY PROPOSED FEDERAL
IMPLEMENTATION PLAN (FIP)
WHEREAS, the environment and cleaner air is important to every Californian; and
WHEREAS, billions of dollars have already been spent, and will continue to be
spent, by the public and private sectors to achieve additional clean air benefits and clean
air goals; and
WHEREAS, multiple federal, state and local regulations require all businesses to
reduce air emissions using expensive new technologies; and
WHEREAS, California has suffered dramatic job and revenue losses, and is just
beginning to recover from the recent economic recession; and
WHEREAS, the Federal Implementation Plan (FIP) being forced on California would
cause economic havoc; and
WHEREAS, this 1,700 page plan will go into effect February 15, 1995, unless halted
now; and
WHEREAS, the FIP proposes unattainable emission standards for California ports,
planes, ships, railroads, trucks and every other mobile source; and
WHEREAS, an independent analysis of the FIP shows this air plan would cost
California $50 billion annually and up to 500,000 jobs; and
WHEREAS, the California School Boards Association and School Transportation
Coalition reports the FIP would cost California schools more than $600 million by
rendering most school buses obsolete; and
WHEREAS, forcing school buses off the road means at least 800,000 more cars
on the road every day, with parents taking their kids to school which would cause more
traffic congestion; and
WHEREAS, the FIP will cost counties hundreds of millions of dollars to replace
engines on trucks, ambulances, fire-fighting equipment, trash haulers and other diesel
operated vehicles; and
WHEREAS, the FIP fines, fees and engine replacement regulations apply
throughout the state and to all cities for all on-road equipment, not just the three non-
attainment districts; and
WHEREAS, while cities support cleaner air, the FIP will prematurely force counties
to switch their fleets to alternative fuel vehicles which would require installation of fueling
facilities that cost a minimum of $1 million per site; and
WHEREAS, cities will be responsible for paying the hefty costs for these facilities,
fines, fees and new equipment; and
WHEREAS, cities rely on a healthy economy and the FIP costs to local businesses
would strike an additional blow to cities and the state's economic recovery; and
WHEREAS, the FIP removes local control on air quality issues and gives it to the
federal government; and
WHEREAS, we applaud the FIP's goal of cleaner air, but the U.S. EPA states it
cannot guarantee its plan will achieve the goal and that the FIP's benefits have been
difficult to quantify; and
WHEREAS, the Secretary of the California Environmental Protection Agency says
about the FIP, "California, alone among all the states, is being led into a bleak, back-alley
legal process for which there is no precedent, no environmental rationale, no defense,
and seemingly, no end;" and
WHEREAS, the League of California Cities President, Monrovia Mayor Bob Bartlett
states, "Like every Californian, we all want cleaner air, but turning the state upside down
to support bureaucratic regulations without any guarantee of achieving the goal is,
forgive me, crazy;" and
WHEREAS, the FIP was never voted on by Congress; no democratically elected
federal, state or local official was part of its creation and the California public has had
only three hearings to publicly comment; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, the Bakersfield City Council joins with the
cities of Ontario, Hawthorne, Colton, Camarillo and Fillmore; the California Chamber of
Commerce, California Manufacturers Association, California School Boards Association,
California Taxpayers Association, California Trucking Association, Air Transport
Association, California Farm Bureau Federation, California Restaurant Association,
National Federation of Independent Business, Home Depot, Raley's, Campbell's Soup
Company, California School Transportation Coalition, California Building Industry
Association, Operating Engineers Local Union No. 3, Western Traffic Conference,
California Retail Air Quality Coalition, California Grocers Association, Mexican-American
Grocers Association, Agricultural Council of California, Milk Producers Council, California
Small Business United, Western United Dairymen, Los Angeles Customs & Freight
Brokers Association, Western States Petroleum Association, California Tomato Growers
Association, Southern California Business Association, Los Angeles, County Hotel/Motel
Group, San Jose Chamber of Commerce, California Cattlemen's Association, Dairyman's
Cooperative Creamery Association, Industry Manufacturers Council, California Business
Properties Association, California Moving & Storage Association, California Association
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of Nurserymen, Los Angeles County Aviation Commission, Market Wholesale Grocery
Company, American Medical Response, Home Express, San Gabriel Valley Commerce
and Cities Consortium, Associated General Contractors, Central California Education
Legislation Consortium, California League of Food Processors, Ace Hardware
Corporation and many others in opposition to the Federal Implementation Plan (FIP) and
requests the White House to take the necessary and immediate action to halt its
implementation.
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I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing Resolution was passed and adopted by the
Council of the City of Bakersfield at a regular meeting thereof held on #~¥ l) ~. 1~]9~
, by the following vote:
ANtEEd:' (~oOUuNNCcI~LMMEE~MMi~ERSRsMCOERMOTT, EDWA~.~S~, ~l~O, SMITH, BRUNN,, ROWLES, SALVAGGIO
AB~.~IN: COUNCILMEMBERS ,3 ~ ~ ~
CITY CLERK and Ex Officio Clerk of the
Council of the City of Bakersfield
APPROVED ~¥ 0 ~ l~]lt
MAYOR of the City of Bakersfield
APPROVED as to form:
JUD~ SKOUSEN~/
C'7 ATTORN~fof the City of Bakersfield
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