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FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
City to Purchase $655,000 in Environmental
Cars, Street Sweepers, and Efficient Lighting The City Council will also consider adoption of a new “Precautionary Principle” ordinance that will require the City make decisions using health and environmental factors as key criterion Berkeley,
CA – The City Council is poised to make a major “green” investment
on Tuesday by approving the purchase of new vehicles, a major lighting
retrofit, and a new policy to guide future purchasing and policies towards
more environmental and healthful alternatives.
The
purchases include seven new hybrid vehicles, two natural gas powered
street sweepers, and a major lighting retrofit at the City’s 1947 Center
Street building. The City
Council will also consider adoption of a “Precautionary Principle”
ordinance, which will help guide future policies and purchases toward the
healthiest and most environmental options.
“With
every new purchase and every new policy, Berkeley is setting new standards
for environmental leadership,” said Mayor Tom Bates. “These purchases will improve air quality in our city,
reduce our energy use, and continue to set the standard for other cities
to follow.” If
approved by the City Council, the City will purchase seven new Toyota
Prius for $189,578. They will
replace seven existing fleet vehicles (mostly Ford Tempos) that are all
between 12 and 14 years old. The
new hybrid vehicles will save roughly 1,000 gallons and reduce carbon
emissions by 25,000 pounds per year. The new natural gas powered street
sweepers will cost $424,950. They
replace two old diesel powered sweepers that were 8 and 10 years old,
respectively. They will
significantly reduce both air pollution and noise emissions. The
lighting retrofit will take place at the City’s recently purchased
six-story 1947 Center Street office building across the street from its
main Civic Center offices. It
is expected that energy savings will repay the $41,000 cost of the
retrofit within four years. Over
the lifetime of the new equipment, the City expects to save over $150,000
in energy costs. In
a separate action, the Council is scheduled to adopt a “Precautionary
Principle” ordinance, which is designed to guide city decision making to
avoid products, services, and policies that have not been proven safe for
people and the environment. Last
year, the City of Berkeley was named the third most sustainable city in
the nation by a national environmental organization.
The City also announced that it had reduced greenhouse gas
emissions from its municipal operations by 14% since 2002. # # # |
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