Harrisonburg City Council to set goal of 100% clean, renewable energy by 2035

HARRISONBURG, Va. (WHSV) — The Harrisonburg City Council is expected to unanimously pass a resolution committing to a community-wide goal of 100% clean, renewable energy by 2035 and all sectors by 2050 on Tuesday, according to a press release from Clean Energy for All Harrisonburg.

Clean Energy for All says if adopted, Harrisonburg will become the tenth locality in Virginia with 100$ clean energy commitments.

Harrisonburg’s goal will build upon the Environmental Action Plan, adopted in January, and the new city Sustainability Manager position.

The decision follows the Virginia Clean Economy Act, according to the release. The act requires Virginia’s Dominion Energy and Appalachian Power to transition from fossil fuel to renewable energy sources by 2045 and 2050.

The release says Harrisonburg Electric Commission currently sources nearly 100% of its electricity from Dominion.

“This is a significant statement by the City of Harrisonburg,” said Councilmember Richard Baugh, co-author of the resolution, Harrisonburg’s Transition to Renewable Energy by 2035, in the release. “It further aligns the city with statewide goals and provides additional guidance for implementation of our Environmental Action Plan. We all want Harrisonburg to continue to be a safe, attractive and energy secure 21st-century city. This resolution helps keep us moving in that direction.”