CITY OF SEATTLE
RESOLUTION _________________
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A RESOLUTION related to the use of the Port of Seattle's Terminal 5 for Arctic drilling operations.
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WHEREAS, the 2013 Seattle Climate Action Plan identifies actions to achieve City climate goals while also advancing other City goals, including transportation choices, building energy efficiency, solid waste reduction, urban forest protection, sustainable economic development, and clean air; and
WHEREAS, The City of Seattle (City) and the Port of Seattle (Port) share a strong commitment to climate protection; and
WHEREAS, that commitment includes a strong emphasis on achieving emission reductions, which is consistent with the best available science and the essential international commitment to keeping global warming to no more than 2 degrees Celsius, in order to prevent catastrophic and irreversible impacts, including, locally, sea level rise, ocean acidification, and loss of snowpack; and
WHEREAS, burning enough oil to justify Arctic drilling would trigger dramatic sea level rise, subjecting large areas of Seattle to inundation and storm water damage, including the Port itself; and
WHEREAS, ocean acidification corresponding to this level of oil use would make the oceans uninhabitable for many of the iconic species of the Puget Sound; and
WHEREAS, the City and Port are both accountable to the people of Seattle, with a duty to represent their values and interests in open, public, and transparent decision-making processes; and
WHEREAS, fossil fuel corporations often cite jobs as justification for expansions; and
WHEREAS, every job is of vital importance to workers' living standards, and positions taken by the City should affirm that importance; and
WHEREAS, research from the Political Economy Research Institute shows that "clean-energy activities produce more jobs, dollar for dollar, than fossil fuel-related activities"; and
WHEREAS, Steelworkers at several oil refineries operated by Shell...
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