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Two Cities Commit to 100 Percent Clean Energy

The declarations align the cities with the goals of the Sierra Club’s Ready for 100 campaign.

Pueblo, Colo., and Moab, Utah, have become the 22nd and 23rd cities in the United States to commit to transition to 100 percent clean, renewable energy.

The Pueblo City Council said the city will go to 100 percent renewable energy by 2035, while the Moab City Council is promising a 2032 delivery date.

The declarations align the cities with the goals of the Sierra Club’s Ready for 100 campaign. “By adopting a 100 percent clean, renewable energy target, leaders can set a new bar — not only for climate leadership, but as proof that they prioritize people’s health and well-being over the lure of special interests,” the Sierra Club reports.

Change is needed in Pueblo, where a sizable low-income population suffers from high electricity costs because of the local utilities’ decision to build new gas infrastructure. In Utah, haze pollution from neighboring coal plants mars Canyonlands National Park and threatens the local tourism industry, the Sierra Club reports.

“With this week’s announcements, both communities are poised to confront these threats by transitioning away from fossil fuels to clean, renewable energy,” according to the Sierra Club press release.

In announcing the news, Sierra Club Executive Director Michael Brune said that the two cities “join a growing movement of communities which are charting a course away from dirty fuels toward one with healthier families, more economic security and greater prosperity through 100 percent clean, renewable energy.”

Moab City Council Member Kalen Jones said that the commitment was needed in response issues surrounding climate change. “Rising temperatures, reduced water availability, economic instability and other impacts threaten our residents and greatly limit activity that fuels our city’s economy," Jones said. "It is an imperative that Moab takes steps to protect our community while expanding the horizons for the local economy."