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Chattanooga Mayor Signs Climate Pact
 
Global Warming Task Force members, Gene Hyde and June Coppinger got a warm reception from Mayor Ron Littlefield during their visit urging Chattanooga to join up with other U.S. cities in working on climate change issues. Within the week, Mayor Littlefield had agreed to sign. See article below:
 
City joins pact aimed at curbing pollution
 
Chattanooga Times-Free Press, September 21, 2006
 
The agreement signed by Mayor Ron Littlefield calls for Chattanooga to reduce its carbon dioxide emissions. Chattanooga has joined 275 cities across the country in pledging to reduce carbon dioxide pollution with Mayor Ron Littlefield’s signing of the U.S. Mayor’s Climate Protection Agreement. The pact commits city governments to bringing their carbon dioxide emissions to 7 percent below 1990 levels by 2012. City forester Gene Hyde said Chattanooga would begin an "emissions inventory" to identify major government carbon dioxide sources. Mr. Hyde said the city has taken several steps to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, including the use of electric buses and the replacement of incandescent light bulbs with LED lights in traffic signals. In addition, since 1990 the city has added at least 5,000 trees, which absorb carbon dioxide, he said. "It could very well be we’ve already reached that (7 percent below 1990 levels) and need no further action," Mr. Hyde said. The climate agreement was initiated by Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels in February 2005 and is endorsed by the U.S. Conference of Mayors. The Chattanooga Tree Commission in August urged Mr. Littlefield to sign the pact. "I have always been a strong supporter of the environment, especially air pollution control," Mr. Littlefield said in a statement. "This Climate Protection Agreement moves us one step further by providing cleaner air for everyone in our region and in the entire country."