Natalie Johnson, natalie.johnson@sierraclub.org
KANSAS CITY, MO - Yesterday, just hours after the Supreme Court of the United States released its decision to eliminate EPA’s most effective tool for reducing harmful climate pollution from existing power plants, the City of Kansas City, Missouri moved closer to formalizing a plan to drastically cut greenhouse gas emissions city- and region-wide.
The city’s Climate Protection Steering Committee voted 9-0, with one member abstaining and one absent, to recommend swift adoption of a draft Climate Protection & Resiliency Plan (CPRP) by the City Council. The CPRP was developed over the course of many steering committee meetings, six public stakeholder hearings, and a public input period that garnered over 700 comments, to guide Kansas City in achieving goals set in Resolution 200005. The city passed the resolution in 2020 and committed to achieve 100% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from electricity consumption citywide by 2030 and become “climate neutral” by 2040; and make climate protection and greenhouse gas reduction key factors in all city decisions.
The CPRP contains numerous short and long term goals affecting five sectors. Goals include:
-
Rapidly decarbonizing buildings citywide and electrifying city-owned buildings;
-
Establishing an environmental justice advisory committee; and
-
Intervening in state regulatory proceedings to advocate for the city’s electricity provider, Evergy, Inc., to retire its Hawthorn coal plant by 2025 and all its coal plants by 2030.
A resolution to formally adopt the CPRP is being drafted by city staff and is expected to be first read by the City Council on July 13.
In response, the Sierra Club released the following statements:
Billy Davies, Kansas City-based Conservation Program Coordinator for the MO Chapter :
“This final plan is the result of more than two years of community engagement and people-centered plan development, not to mention years of advocacy by residents and grassroots organizations calling for action to address the climate crisis. This plan commits Kansas City to being a leader in reducing harmful fossil fuel use while dismantling an unjust status quo that has caused the most vulnerable in our community, particularly low-income and Black and brown residents, to bear the brunt of these harmful burdens. All Kansas Citians and those who work in city hall should be proud. Now the next step is for the Council to vote ‘yes’ to ratify the plan so it can begin work implementing it. The community is behind the council and will continue to advocate for better climate and environmental policies that will help all thrive.”
Andy Knott, Central Region Director for the Sierra Club Beyond Coal Campaign:
“This is incredible news for Kansas Citians, the region, and for folks across the country, especially after the disappointing and dangerous decision by the Supreme Court. This action by Kansas City shows that the Court’s ruling does not stand in the way of our mission. While the Court’s ruling gives coal executives and far-right politicians exactly what they asked for by frustrating EPA’s efforts to set strong, effective carbon pollution standards from power plants, their celebration is already short-lived. Because of strong grassroots campaigns all over the country and the work dedicated community leaders do every day, the righteous struggle for climate justice continues, and all of us involved will continue to lift each other up and work together to protect human health and the environment for our communities and future generations.”
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of 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.