Residents' Petition to the Lebanon NH City Council

Whereas the City of Lebanon has taken these bold, affirmative steps to reduce reliance on fossil fuels, focusing on a transition to renewable energy sources:

(1) Including Sustainability as a Guiding Principle in the Introduction to the City's Master Plan, defining sustainability as "meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs",

(2) Stating the goal of reducing reliance on fossil fuels in the Master Plan Energy Chapter, developing innovative renewable energy initiatives, and supporting energy conservation measures,

(3) Removing all references to the use of natural gas from the Energy Chapter of the Master Plan since they "do not reflect and are not supported by policies of the City of Lebanon", (passed unanimously by the City Council 6/7/17 and the Planning Board 6/26/17),

(4) Voting unanimously to sign on to the goals of the Paris Climate Accord (City Council, 8/2/17),

And whereas the City Council directed Councilor Clifton Below to present the City’s opposition to Liberty Utilities’ liquefied natural gas depot/pipeline proposal at the 9/7/17 NH Public Utilities Commission hearing:
Councilor Below stated that "...our Master Plan... does not support the expanded use of natural gas [which is] not consistent with our goals to move more quickly to reduce our carbon footprint as a city and to develop renewable energy…” (text, #30 http://www.puc.state.nh.us/Regulatory/Docketbk/2016/16-852.html p. 160)