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The League of Women Voters of Lawrence-Douglas County urges the Lawrence City Commission to revise Ordinance 9744, and not to rescind the ordinance, as has been recommended to the commission.
This 2018 ordinance sets goals to achieve 100% renewable energy in municipal operations and 100% renewable energy citywide.
Our league conducted a two-year study to investigate and advise implementation of renewable energy and energy conservation in Douglas County. Our 2025 Energy Position was sent to the City Commission and other local entities. Our Energy Position states:
“LWVL-DC Supports the goals of the City of Lawrence plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as enacted in City Ordinance 9744 and seeks accountability from Lawrence city government for enacting this plan. Our League notes such efforts as the use of electric buses in Lawrence as an example of the progress we can make when the City of Lawrence recognizes the need to reduce the emission of greenhouse gasses.”
While the city may need to adjust the timeline to reach the goals of Ordinance 9744, please don’t rescind that ordinance or give up its goals.
Further, our league encourages the commission to work with the Lawrence Environmental Sustainability Advisory Board and the Adapt Douglas County Climate and Adaptation Plan to achieve the goal of 100% renewable energy as other cities have done.
While the federal government is undoing efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, Lawrence can and should lead the way.
— Jeanne Klein, LWVL-DC President
Kay Johnson and Carol Williamson, LWVL-DC Energy Study Co-chairs
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Letter to the Times: City of Lawrence should revise, not rescind, sustainability ordinance
