CONGRATULATIONS and CELEBRATIONS are in order!
On Tuesday, July 17th the Middleton Common Council unanimously approved the resolution for 100% Renewable Energy & Net Zero Carbon.
Thanks to the council members, sustainability committee members, and other friends and advocates who worked together to reach this latest Middleton milestone in climate leadership and action. You can read the full resolution here. Click here to read the press release by the City of Middleton.
Middleton now joins dozens of cities around the country, including Madison and Eau Claire in calling for 100% clean energy. Despite a lack of leadership from the National and State level, we’re seeing real leadership at the local level and the recognition that we need to be immediately embracing 100% clean energy.
The transcript of local climate advocate Kermit Hovey’s remarks follows. He was among several concerned citizens who spoke in favor of the Clean Energy Resolution before the successful vote.
"My name is Kermit Hovey and I'm a long time Middleton resident. On occasion to help people remember my first name I will say, "like Kermit the frog from the Muppets." Additionally, in light of my involvement with climate action such as 2016's Middleton Climate Referendum Project I will say, "And I know from personal experience 'its not easy being green'".
It takes work and effort, perseverance and patience shared by many people. In the case of the Clean Energy Resolution under consideration today, that includes friends from the community, the members of the sustainability committee, city staff and, I'm hoping, the overwhelming majority of the city council.
I hope and trust that today's vote on the resolution and the action following its adoption will continue the hard work and leadership demonstrated by the overwhelming affirmative vote for the 2 Middleton Climate Referendum Questions in 2016. I hope it will also fulfill the mandate extended to the City of Middleton government by that referendum and by the overwhelming majority of its citizens to act against climate change.
Any and all efforts to, as one of Citizens' Climate Lobby's taglines declares, "build the political will for a livable world" and climate by setting a direction away from dirty fossil fuels and toward clean energy should be commended. Voting for and acting to fulfill this resolution will do that by example and by impactful action. Bold action to adopt Clean energy not only will help protect the climate but ultimately reduce costs, improve citizen's health and improve the environment overall.
I encourage the council to vote in favor of the Clean Energy Resolution today for the sake of Middleton and the greater world - today and tomorrow.”
Click here to watch the entire conversation and the vote. Speakers included Abby Attoun, Stacie Reece, Bob Owen, Don Ferber, Kermit, Deb Saeger, and others. As icing on the cake, later in the meeting the council approved next steps to develop the 5MW Morey Field airport solar project! A special thanks to 350-Madison and the others that made this possible!