Chad Stephens, Ohio Ready for 100 Conservation Program Coordinator, (216)-322-6998, chad.stephens@sierraclub.org
Dayton, OH -- Today, the Dayton City Commission passed a resolution establishing a goal of powering their city with one hundred percent clean, renewable energy.
The specifics of the resolution include securing or purchasing one hundred percent renewable energy for municipal electricity consumption by 2035, community-wide electricity supply by 2040, and all energy-use sectors including transportation by 2050.
Mark Charles, the Sustainability Director for the city of Dayton, issued the following statement:
“This (Climate Emergency) resolution sets the City of Dayton on a path to become a more sustainable community. The resolution is consistent with the City’s Comprehensive Sustainability Strategy adopted in August 2020. It contains aspirational, aggressive but achievable goals and timeframes for our commitment to renewable resources. However, in order to be successful, we must start working toward these goals immediately. The goals assume significant advances in technology and the availability of federal funding in the future.”
In response, Brian Williams, Executive Committee Chair, Sierra Club Miami Group issued the following statement:
“The Dayton City Commission rose to the occasion, as it has done time and again the past several years, and put Dayton in a leadership role. To make these aggressive climate emergency measures work, the entire Dayton region will need to pull together and work with Dayton’s Sustainability Office. The Sierra Club is committed to working with Dayton leadership to make renewable energy available to all and to bring sustainable jobs to the city.”
Cathy Cowan Becker Director of Simply Living & Ohio Ready for 100 Volunteer Leader issued the following:
“With the passage of this resolution, Dayton joins other cities in Ohio that have committed to transitioning to one hundred percent renewable energy, such as Cleveland, Cincinnati, Lakewood, and more. But Dayton's resolution is unique in that it recognizes the true climate emergency our world is in, and charts out the science-based steps to address it, including transitioning to one hundred percent renewable electricity by 2035 and one hundred percent renewable energy in all sectors by 2050. We commend Dayton city leaders for their leadership, foresight, and action in fighting the most existential crisis in human history, and look forward to the opportunity for investment in clean energy, improved public health, and good-paying jobs that Dayton's commitment will produce for Ohio."
Dayton City Commissioner Daryl Fairchild issued the following:
"Dayton continues to lead to protect our environment. Adding our voice to others will help to make the changes we need in our city, society and the world. Since I have been on the commission we hired a sustainability manager and passed our sustainability plan. We are on the right path. I'll continue to work to implement our plan and address the climate crisis."
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About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3.5 million members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.