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Batavia officials took another step toward adopting a new energy policy, with much of the Committee of the Whole discussion on August 26 focused on how specific the city should be in setting climate goals.
During the meeting, officials indicated that the policy is meant to guide future decisions about power, infrastructure, and costs, especially with a large new data center on the horizon.
Key points from the discussion:
The draft now includes elements from the Greenest Region Compact and Kane County Climate Action Plan, such as exploring renewable projects at city facilities.
Council members debated whether firm climate targets — like cutting emissions 25% by 2030 (compared to 2019) and reaching carbon neutrality by 2050 — should be part of the policy or left as broader goals.
One official acknowledged the challenge of balancing state pushes for renewable energy with federal rollbacks of tax credits, noting market realities will make goals tough to reach.
Several alderpersons said the policy should be seen as an “amendable starting point” that can evolve with changing conditions.
The City Council is expected to take up a final vote on the policy September 2.
Watch the Committee of the Whole meeting recording (energy discussion begins at 2:11 mark).
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