1 min read
Move aside Los Angeles and San Diego--St. Petersburg is the first city in Florida to commit to making the transition to 100 percent renewable energy.
St. Pete’s City Council Committee unanimously voted to implement the Integrated Sustainability Action Plan (ISAP), which outlines a plan to power the city solely on clean energy. $250,000 has been allocated to pay for this venture--all of it will be derived from the BP settlement funds from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
The commitment follows Mayor Rick Kriseman’s announcement early this year for a zero-energy St. Petersburgh. “The Integrated Sustainability Action Plan builds on my Executive Order on Sustainability by creating a roadmap to achieve the City’s long-term sustainability goals,” said Kriseman. “Working towards 100 percent clean energy and zero waste will help ensure that St. Pete remains a ‘city of opportunity where the sun shines on all who come to live, work, and play.”
While the ISAP does not currently have an official start date, implementation strategies are already in the works. Ready for 100 Percent St. Pete--an environmental advocacy group that was instrumental in getting the city to adopt 100 percent renewable--is also helping to develop residential and commercial pilot programs and spread awareness about clean energythroughout the community.
“This is a historic moment for St. Pete,” says Emily Gorman, manager of Ready for 100 Percent St. Pete. “We envision a city where families can raise their kids in communities free from toxic pollution, where everyone has the opportunity for a good job and access to healthy, affordable energy. The transition to 100 percent clean, renewable energy will ensure a more resilient, sustainable, and equitable future for all our residents.”
The vote makes St. Petersburg the 20th city in the U.S. to make the commitment to run on 100 percent of renewable energy.
Would you like to go solar and help Central Florida become one of the top clean energy areas? Call or contact us today at 407.331.9077 to learn more! We would love to help you make the transition to live completely on renewables.
