Austin Energy Resource, Generation, and Climate Protection Plan to 2020

INTRODUCTION 

The City Council adopted the Austin Climate Protection Plan (ACPP) in 2007 to build a more 

sustainable community. Every City department was subsequently tasked to create action plans 

intended to ensure that departmental operations were consistent with the ACPP. Austin Energy 

developed this Resource, Generation, and Climate Protection Plan to 2020 (the Plan) to meet 

these objectives. 

This document is a resource planning tool that brings together demand and energy management 

options over the planning horizon. Developing the Plan involved extensive analysis of the 

expected risks, costs, and opportunities to meet the future demand for electricity services. The 

goals outlined in this document are based on Austin Energy’s current understanding of 

technology and of national, state and local energy policies. The Plan also benefited from 

substantial input from citizens, customer groups, utility advisory commissions and a Council 

appointed Taskforce. Much of this input is included under the “Additional Objectives and 

Initiatives” section of the Plan. 

This Plan is designed to be flexible and dynamic. As circumstances change, the City must 

maintain the flexibility to modify elements to respond to a range of factors, including economic 

conditions, customer load, fuel prices and availability, infrastructure build-out, technological 

development, law and regulations, policy direction, and customer needs. Therefore, as conditions 

change, the Plan will be adapted and modified to manage risk, maintain system and service 

reliability, achieve policy goals, and meet customer demand for excellence in all aspects of 

service. As each significant implementation step is undertaken through contracts, purchases or 

other arrangements, Austin Energy’s recommendations to the City Council will be supported by 

assessment of impacts on all customers and by charting the progress each step will make toward 

achieving the goals outlined in this Plan. 

Austin Energy will review the Plan annually and issue a report on performance against goals. 

An example of the format and kind of data that will be provided in these Annual Reports is 

included as Exhibit A. Austin Energy will reassess the Plan in a public forum every two years. 

Every major Resource decision and Plan change will, as always, be taken before the City 

Council for review and authorization. 

Page 1 of 11 
AUSTIN ENERGY’S MISSION 

Outlined below is a description of how the Plan meets each element of Austin Energy’s mission 

to deliver clean, affordable, reliable energy and excellent customer service. This plan 

demonstrates that customers and our community can indeed expect equitable, economic, and 

environmentally responsible electric services. 

 

Clean. The Plan establishes clean energy goals to meet by 2020. The initial implementation 

strategy to achieve these goals is to escalate the use of renewables, increase energy efficiency, 

and load shifting. This will reduce current and future reliance on fossil fuel generation to meet 

Austin Energy customer load and will reduce CO2 to better position the utility regarding 

probable future federal requirements. The Plan would also reduce nitrogen oxide (NOx) and 

volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions, to help keep Austin in compliance with national 

ambient clean air standards. 

Affordable. Austin Energy strives to optimize rates and services in a responsible manner. A 

fundamental benchmark that will guide implementation of the Plan is affordability. Austin 

Energy must be financially sound, the cost of electric service must be affordable for all classes of 

customers (with particular attention to the low income and disadvantaged), and rates must be 

competitive to ensure the retention and attraction of businesses for a strong local economy. As 

the City moves forward with implementation of the Plan, customer bills will be compared to 

those for similar customers in other major metropolitan areas, including, Houston, San Antonio, 

Dallas-Fort Worth and other areas within the Austin MSA. An appropriate affordability measure 

will be established for each customer class in the upcoming financial analysis. Available data 

(rates, average monthly bills for residential, commercial, and industrial, and other affordability 

benchmarks) will be included in Austin Energy’s Annual Report. Austin Energy will develop 

and adopt an affordability goal for rates and services for all classes of customers by no later than 

December 31, 2010 and prior to any new major resource acquisition of 10 MW or more or an 

aggregate of 10 MW from a single program. 

Reliable. Implementation of the proposed plan will be guided by power quality and reliability 

requirements to meet the needs of our community. In serving as a road map, the recommended 

plan will respond to system needs, changing technologies and market conditions to ensure 

consistent power quality and reliability. Transmission and distribution reliability goals will be 

targeted to meet or exceed current goals. Power quality and reliability history will be detailed in 

the Annual Report. 

Excellent Customer Service. The process for implementation and ongoing review of the 

Resource, Generation, and Climate Protection Plan to 2020 will be transparent. Through the 

Annual Report, biennial Plan reassessment, and informed decision making process, the City 

Council and Austin Energy customers will be provided vital information detailing progress 

toward goals and any necessary Plan adjustments. The goal in the implementation of this Plan is 

to consistently demonstrate that proposed actions, to the highest degree possible, meet the goal of 

providing clean, affordable, and reliable energy. 

Page 2 of 11 
GOALS SUMMARY 

Austin Energy adopts the following changes and additions to its current resource planning goals, 

with a target of meeting these goals by 2020: 

• Increase the energy efficiency goal from 700 MW to 800 MW 

• Increase the renewable energy goal from 30% to 35% 

• Increase the solar component of the renewable energy goal from 100 MW to 200 MW 

• Establish a CO2 reduction goal of 20% below 2005 level 

Figure 1 shows a scenario developed and presented by Austin Energy during the public 

participation and Task Force discussions that demonstrates the type and pace of investments that 

may be followed in meeting these goals. Specific resource investments will be evaluated 

continually by Austin Energy, reinforcing that the plan is adaptable to changing legal/regulatory, 

market, and economic conditions. As explained further in this plan, however, each individual 

investment will be considered by the Council and subject to public review. 

April 14, 2010 1

Austin Energy Recommendation

Generation Resources in MW

* 

Year Coal/Nuclear Gas Biomass Wind Solar

Renewable

Energy %

2009 1,029 1,444 12 439 1 10%

2010 100 30 10%

2011 200 15%

2012 100 17%

2013 150 25%

2014 30 25%

2015 200 100 28%

2016 50 20 30%

2017 200 30 33%

2018 20 32%

2019 30 32%

2020 115 40 35%

Total 1,029 1,744 162 1,001 201

(77)*

(126)*

Wind contracts expire.

Figure 1

Page 3 of 11 
Coal/Nuclear. The Plan (Figure 1) recognizes current ownership levels in the South Texas 

Project (STP) and the Fayette Power Plant (FPP). Plan implementation would effectively reduce 

by about 24% the amount of energy Austin Energy receives from the FPP by 2020 to meet 

customer load. That reduction figures prominently in the Austin Energy goal to reduce its 

greenhouse gas emissions within the planning horizon by 20% from 2005 levels. 

Natural gas. The proposed plan calls for the build out of the gas-fueled Sand Hill Energy Center 

to add 200 megawatts of combined cycle capacity. This is in addition to the installation 

underway of 100 MW of peaking units at the facility. That installation began last year and is 

expected to be completed by this summer. 

Biomass. A total of 150 MW of biomass-fueled generation is projected to be developed. The 

Council has approved a 20-year contract through which Austin Energy will purchase the annual 

output of a 100 MW wood chip-fueled biomass plant currently under construction 10 miles 

northwest of Nacogdoches, Texas. The plant is being built by a Southern Company subsidiary 

and is expected to go online in 2012. An additional 50 MW of biomass is anticipated in later 

years. 

Wind. The majority of the Austin Energy renewables goal will be met through wind-generated 

power. As an early adopter of wind energy resources, Austin Energy now has wind contracts for 

about 200 MW of wind capacity that will expire by 2020. The proposed Plan calls for total wind 

capacity by 2020 of 1,000 MW. 

April 12, 2010 2

Austin Energy Recommendation

Generation Resources & Load Forecast (updated to April 2010)

0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

3,000

3,500

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

Nuclear Coal Nat. Gas

Biomass Wind (8.7%) Solar (50%) Purch.Pwr 2010 Peak Load Forecast Actual Peak Load

Capacity (MW)

DEPENDABLE GENERATING CAPACITY AT PEAK

Figure 2

Page 4 of 11 
Solar. Installed solar capacity will increase from 100 MW to 200 MW by 2020. In February 

2009, the Council approved a 25-year contract under which Austin Energy will purchase the 

annual output of a 30 MW solar farm to be built near Webberville on Austin Energy property. 

That project being built by Gemini Solar Development Company, is expected to be on line by 

2011 and will be one of the nation’s largest solar projects. 

Plan implementation (Figure 2) will provide a reserve versus projected peak demand through 

2020. The projected peak demand, represented by the dotted red line, also takes into account an 

increase from 700 to 800 MW of energy efficiency and load shifting proposed by 2020. 

Austin Energy Recommendation

Energy Mix:  2009 Actuals vs 2020 Forecasted

3.6%

31.8%

27.2%

27.1%

9.9%

0.4%

3%

22%

8%

22%

21%

24%

Coal

Nuclear

Natural Gas/

Purchase Power

Wind

Solar

Market PPA

BioMass

2009 2020

Figure 3

The generation mix by fuel type (Figure 3) that would result from Plan implementation reflects a 

decrease in natural gas use from about 30% today to 24% in 2020; 8% of power generated by 

biomass, 3% by solar with a drop in coal-generated power from 32% to 22% and a drop in the 

percentage of nuclear-generated power from 25% to 21%. 

Additional Objectives and Initiatives 

Austin Energy’s Resource and Climate Protection Plan benefited from review by customers, the 

City of Austin Electric Utility Commission, the City of Austin Resource Management 

Commission, and the Council Appointed Generation Resource Planning Task Force. Following 

Page 5 of 11 
is a summary of this input. The status of each objective is listed as either “underway” (signifying 

that Austin Energy is already working toward accomplishing the initiative or is ready to launch) 

or “to be studied” (signifying work has not yet begun). 

Affordability & Due Diligence

1. Develop and adopt an affordability goal for rates and services for all classes of customers by 

no later than December 31, 2010 and prior to any new major resource acquisition of 10 MW or 

more or an aggregate of 10 MW from a single program. (underway)

2. Work with stakeholders to develop a framework through which the utility will distribute 

information and receive feedback on each proposed future investment from Request For Proposal 

(RFP)/Bid development to delivery of a project recommendation for Council approval. This 

process will include provision of information sufficient to allow meaningful input from 

stakeholders over the planning horizon up through and in advance of the approval process for the 

Electric Utility Commission, Resource Management Commission, and City Council. (underway) 

3. Prior to taking action to acquire a generation resource of 10 MW or more or an aggregate of 

10 MW from a single program and to the extent practicable and consistent with sound 

management and financial responsibility, present such action for approval at least once to each 

applicable commission and twice to City Council. (underway) 

4. Promote robust community involvement in revisions to the Austin Energy business model. 

(underway) 

5. Assist in Electric Utility Commission (EUC) hearings regarding whether the current ordinance 

defining what information Austin Energy considers competitive and therefore confidential 

should be amended. In addition to addressing specific stakeholder questions, the hearings will 

include a review of each item in the Competitive Matters ordinance to validate rationale for that 

item’s inclusion moving forward. A key test should be whether similar information is made 

available by other U.S. public power utilities. (underway) 

6. Ensure that any future resource planning advisory or stakeholder groups include 

representatives of residential and low income customer advocacy organizations. (underway) 

Customer Assistance

7. Evaluate the potential to expand energy efficiency and weatherization programs for low 

income citizens and explore the feasibility of providing these services to those with incomes at or 

below up to 400 percent of the federal poverty guideline. (underway) 

8. Conduct a study to determine income levels, energy burden and population sizes for 

residential customers with household incomes up to 400 percent of the federal poverty guideline. 

(to be studied) 

Page 6 of 11 
9. Develop a neighborhood-by-neighborhood approach for low-income energy efficiency 

program delivery where such an approach offers an opportunity to improve program delivery 

effectiveness, fairness, and efficiency and identifying and assisting the most energy intensive low 

income neighborhoods. (underway) 

10. Evaluate the potential to establish distributed resource incentive programs tailored to low and 

medium income customers and identify available funding mechanisms to help offset the cost of 

such incentives. (to be studied) 

11. Continue to design and implement programs that target and reach residential energy 

efficiency opportunities in residential rental living spaces. (to be studied) 

Energy Efficiency

12. Energy efficiency will be the first priority in meeting new load growth. (underway) 

13. Conduct an energy efficiency potential study and, if viable and cost effective, increase the 

energy efficiency goal from 800 MW to 1,000 MW. (to be studied) 

14. Regularly review the maximum investments and incentives offered for energy efficiencyrelated customer improvements and make adjustments as appropriate to encourage customer 

participation, while ensuring fiscal responsibility. (underway) 

15. Study the capability of increasing the maximum investment per KW or kWh of savings that 

Austin Energy is willing to make in customer improvements and increase or eliminate the cap for 

Austin Energy investment in individual customer improvements that both reduce peak and total 

demand for energy, so long as such investment is financially sound and not unduly risky. 

(underway) 

16. Continue to explore and, as appropriate, implement innovative rate design changes for energy 

efficiency. (underway) 

17. Investigate and, as appropriate, establish innovative methods for enhancing the costeffectiveness of energy efficiency program delivery, including but not limited to, auction 

systems. (underway) 

 

18. Continue to analyze and report on impacts and opportunities resulting from the Energy 

Conservation and Audit Disclosure (ECAD) Ordinance and make recommendations to the 

Council on improvements or modifications to the ordinance as may be warranted. (underway) 

19. Develop, market and implement energy efficiency and conservation programs to convert the 

existing housing stock as nearly as possible to zero net energy capability. (underway) 

20. Continue to develop for implementation, building code changes that progress toward 

achieving a Zero Energy Capable Homes standard by 2015. (underway) 

Page 7 of 11 
21. Consider initiating a pilot project to measure and communicate to owners and tenants of 

rental properties the benefits of energy efficiency upgrades in rental housing, and the utilization 

of the results of the pilot to develop a program that will realize energy efficiency savings 

potential in both commercial and rental property, as warranted by the results of a comprehensive 

energy efficiency potential study. (to be studied) 

22. Assess development of an auction system for a portion of Austin Energy’s commercial 

efficiency and conservation programs targeted to obtaining the greatest DSM savings per dollar 

invested by Austin Energy. (to be studied) 

23. Establish a system for the examination and vetting of new energy efficiency ideas and 

programs submitted from within the community or by industry experts. (to be studied) 

24. Enhance existing and, as appropriate, establish new channels for obtaining and evaluating 

customer and stakeholder proposals for new or modified energy efficiency programs. (underway) 

25. Continue to take a leadership role in evaluating, developing, and implementing renewables 

and energy efficiency programs under Texas House Bill 1937, which allows for innovative 

financing. (underway) 

26. Develop a plan for distribution system efficiency improvements. (to be studied) 

27. Examine the potential for refocusing energy efficiency programs to target base load 

efficiency programs that reduce carbon emissions. (underway) 

Renewables

28. Undertake a comprehensive assessment of non-solar renewable energy resource options in 

the utility’s service territory. (to be studied) 

Wind 

29. Seek to develop ownership rights in wind generation resources where this approach offers 

benefits over purchased power arrangements. (underway) 

30. Develop a comprehensive strategy for the deployment and use of energy storage technologies 

including assessment of compressed air energy storage in order to effectively improve the value 

of wind energy generation. (to be studied) 

31. Continue to explore non-traditional wind energy deployment options, including small- or 

community-scale wind farms, hybrid wind/solar generation facilities, and hybrid wind/storage 

projects. (underway) 

Page 8 of 11 
32. Continue to support development of increased transmission capacity in the Electric 

Reliability Council of Texas where such development offers economic and operational benefits 

to Austin Energy. (underway) 

Solar

33. Develop a portfolio approach to solar energy generation facility siting, financing and 

ownership. (underway) 

34. Continue to develop and improve incentives and strategies aimed at increasing local solar 

energy technology manufacturing capacity. (to be studied) 

35. Develop a plan for the development of the full potential for solar energy generation and 

conversion in the utility service territory.(to be studied) 

36. Study and report on the potential for establishing a distributed renewable energy goal and an 

associated distributed renewable energy generation development plan. (to be studied) 

 

37. Monitor and report on the development of the distributed renewable energy generation sector 

in Austin, including projects developed independently of Austin Energy program support. (to be 

studied) 

38. Continue promotion of solar thermal hot water use. (underway) 

Biomass 

39. Study the opportunity to develop small scale biomass energy generation systems in and near 

the utility service territory. (to be studied) 

Other Generation Resources

Coal 

40. The expected impact of the proposed Resource & Climate Protection Plan is a reduction in 

the average annual capacity factor needed to serve AE’s load from the Fayette Power Plant (FPP) 

to about 64%. Periodically review the plan with the target of accelerating the phase down and 

toward eventual closure of FPP by 2020, if economically and technologically feasible. This 

review will include an assessment of the following: (to be studied) 

• revenue and operational savings from potential sale of the plant 

• carbon reduction impacts and value upon closure 

• projected revenues from wholesale market sales in ERCOT 

• impact of criteria pollutant emissions on the potential for the Austin area falling into nonattainment with federal clean air standards and attendant costs 

Page 9 of 11 
41. Evaluate whether generating revenue for the City through carbon-based “off-system” sales is 

consistent with the Austin Climate Protection Plan. (to be studied) 

42. Continue to investigate and where appropriate, implement technologies and programs that 

result in NOx emissions reductions and capture and storage of CO2 emissions associated with the 

Fayette Power Plant. (underway in part, capture and storage of CO2 to be studied) 

43. Continue to investigate the potential for biomass co-firing at the Fayette Power Plant. 

(underway) 

Natural Gas 

44. Continue with plans to add 200 MW of new combined-cycle gas-fired generation at the Sand 

Hill facility in order to realize fuel cost savings and carbon emissions reductions. (underway) 

45. Continually assess whether the long term risk of natural gas price fluctuations has been 

sufficiently minimized due to shale gas or other factors that, subject to compliance with 

environmental regulations and goals, natural gas generation capacity should be substituted for 

other resources in order to substantially reduce costs. (underway)

46. Expand systems for utilization of reclaimed water for cooling generation equipment at the 

Sand Hill facility. (to be studied) 

Nuclear 

47. Continue participation in the operation and ownership of STP Units 1 and 2; Austin Energy 

will not participate in proposed STP Units 3 and 4. (underway) 

48. Evaluate any cost-effective offers of power from nuclear energy facilities through purchased 

power agreements. (to be studied) 

Other

49. Conduct an analysis of the community economic development impact of Austin Energy 

generation facilities and planned expansion. (to be studied)

50. Conduct an analysis of the use of water by Austin Energy’s generation facilities and its 

impact on the community. (to be studied)

51. Conduct a combined heat and power potential study. (to be studied)

52. Continue to investigate geothermal generation resource acquisitions. (to be studied) 

Page 10 of 11 
CO2 Reduction Goals

53. As an outcome of this Plan or at such time as a federal carbon cap is approved, Austin 

Energy will adopt a CO2 cap consistent with the City Council’s evolving guidance on the Plan. 

(to be studied) 

54. Facilitate public participation and reassess the Resource and Climate Protection Plan at 

appropriate intervals to the extent practicable. (underway) 

 

55. Attempt to substitute low- or zero-carbon emissions generation resources for carbon-emitting 

resources whenever such substitution is also consistent with the achievement of economic, 

financial, operational, reliability, and risk objectives. In determining consistency with these 

objectives, Austin Energy will consider and compare the long-term costs and benefits of resource 

options, and report the results of such analysis to the Council and Commissions in the course of 

securing approval for resource development or acquisition. (underway) 

56. Through the plan, offset carbon emissions from any new generation resource, by a reduction 

in operating capacity of an existing resource, by reduction of energy use through demand-side 

management or distributed renewable energy or the purchase of carbon offsets. (to be studied)

57. Conduct a review based on current state of knowledge of the impact of carbon fuel emissions 

on global warming and impact of criteria pollutants from the plant on Austin area compliance 

with federal clean air standards and the attendant utility related cost if the community should fall 

into non-attainment. (to be studied)

Complementary Strategies

58. Continue work to transform its basic business model to effectively address and integrate 

increased deployment of distributed energy resources, including distributed energy generation. 

Among the issues that Austin Energy will address on an on-going basis are unbundled rate 

structures, service offerings that rely less on volumetric pricing structures, rationalization of fuel 

charge-related costs, modifications to GreenChoice® product offerings, and products and 

services demonstrated in the Pecan Street Project Energy Internet Demonstration Project. 

Work to reflect business model changes and opportunities in upcoming reviews of electric rates. 

(underway) 

59. Continue active participation in the development and deployment of smart grid technologies, 

and continue with an active and leadership role in the Pecan Street Project. (underway) 

60. Continue and, as appropriate, expand efforts to increase electric vehicle utilization and 

facilitate integration of electric vehicles in the utility service area. (underway) 

61. Maintain and enhance the utility’s role in developing and implementing green collar job 

initiatives to grow and strengthen the local workforce. (underway) 

62. Develop and implement plans for increasing local contractor, M/WBE contractor, and 

veterans opportunities in working with the utility. (underway)

Page 11 of 11 
RESOLUTION NO. 20070215-023

WHEREAS, the City of Austin's mission is to make Austin the most

livable city in the country; and

WHEREAS, the Inter-Governmental Panel on Climate Change has found

unequivocally that climate change constitutes a serious and growing threat and

that human activities are the primary source of increased atmospheric

concentrations of global warming gases; and

WHEREAS, global scientific consensus predicts as a consequence of

global warming costly and dangerous disruptions, including increased risk of

flooding, drought and coastal storms, accelerated spread of disease and invasive

species, severe property damage, economic loss, and threat to human life; and

WHEREAS, the United States represents less than five percent of the

world's population but contributes more than thirty percent of the world's

greenhouse gas emissions; and

WHEREAS, climate change calls for national and international

responses, but ultimately greenhouse gas emissions are generated locally; and

WHEREAS, the federal government has failed to enact meaningful

responses to reverse the threat of global warming; and
WHEREAS, leading U.S. companies have called for immediate measures

to halt and reverse the threat of global warming; and

WHEREAS, cities and states throughout the U.S. are adopting

greenhouse gas emission reduction targets and strategies; and

WHEREAS, the City of Austin continues to take a leadership role in

addressing worldwide environmental concerns; NOW, THEREFORE,

BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN:

That the City Council directs the City Manager to develop and implement,

and to report to the City Council annually upon the implementation and progress

of, such policies, procedures, timelines and targets as are necessary to make

Austin the leading city in the nation in the effort to reduce and reverse the

negative impacts of global warming, including but not limited to the following

initiatives:

1) Make all City of Austin facilities, fleets and operations totally carbonneutral by 2020 through measures including:

a. powering all City facilities with renewable energy by 2012;

b. making the entire City fleet of vehicles carbon neutral by 2020

through the use of electric power, non-petroleum fuels, new

technologies, mitigation, and other measures as necessary,

prioritizing the earliest possible conversion to such fuels and
technologies and establishing timelines and benchmarks for such

conversions;

c. developing and implementing departmental climate protection

plans, including policies, procedures, targets, benchmarks and

reporting for maximum achievable reduction of greenhouse gas

emissions and energy consumption in all City departments;

d. developing an employee climate protection education program,

programs and incentives to help employees reduce their personal

impact on climate change, and training to help employees engage in

community outreach for climate protection.

2) Make Austin Energy the leading utility in the nation for greenhouse gas

reductions through measures including:

a. achieving 700 MW of new savings through energy efficiency and

conservation efforts by 2020;

b. meeting 30 percent of all energy needs through the use of

renewable resources by 2020, including at least 100 MW of solar

power;

c. establishing a CO2 cap and developing and implementing a CO2

reduction plan for existing utility emissions;
d. achieving carbon neutrality on any new generation units using

carbon-based fuels through the utilization of lowest-emission

technologies, carbon capture and sequestration if it is proven to be

reliable, mitigation and other prudent measures.

3) Implement the most energy efficient building codes in the nation and

aggressively pursue energy efficiency retrofits and upgrades to existing

building stock through measures including:

a. implementing buildin g codes requiring ail new single-family homes

to be zero net energy capable by 2015;

b. implementing building codes to increase energy efficiency in all

other new private and public sector buildings by at least 75 percent

by 2015;

c. implementing policies identifying opportunities for energy

efficiency retrofits and upgrades, and requiring all cost-effective

retrofits and upgrades for all properties at the point of sale;

d. developing enhanced technical assistance and marketing incentives

and standards for the Green Building Program, developing policies

requiring achievement of upper-tier ratings in cases where green

building is mandated as a product of City programs or negotiations,

and developing an optional "Carbon Neutral" certification to

accompany green building ratings.
4) Establish an interdepartmental City Climate Action Team responsible for

creating an inventory of greenhouse gases generated from all sources

community-wide, working with stakeholders and technical advisors,

establishing short-term and long-term targets for reducing these

emissions, and reporting back to the City Council in no more than one

year with a comprehensive plan for meeting those targets. Key areas for

study and policy development include but are not limited to:

a. transportation;

b. land use planning;

c. emerging technologies;

d. waste management;

e. natural areas, landscapes and other carbon sinks;

f. multi-generational community education.

5) Develop and implement a program to assist all citizens, businesses,

organizations and visitors in achieving carbon neutrality through the

following measures:

a. develop an Austin-specific online "carbon footprint calculator;"

b. make available individually-tailored carbon footprint appraisals to

organizations as necessary;

c. develop a menu of greenhouse gas reduction strategies for local

implementation that citizens and organizations can fund through the
purchase of "carbon offset" credits, thereby reducing their own

carbon footprint;

d. develop a program for recognition of households, businesses and

other organizations achieving carbon neutrality;

e. promote carbon neutrality among visitors by providing mechanisms

and incentives for the purchase of offset credits by travelers,

conventions, tradeshows and festivals.

6) Cooperate with other local and regional entities to provide technical and

investigational assistance and to coordinate region-wide greenhouse gas

reduction strategies.

7) Support all appropriate Federal and State policies and legislation that will

lead to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

ADOPTED: February 1 5 . 2007 ATTEST: , ^ .

'Shirley At Gentry \

City Cl'erk