(Headline USA) A Colorado city is considering a resolution that would ban new gas stations in an effort to combat climate change, according to reports.
The Louisville, Colorado, city council has expressed support for an ordinance that would cap the number of gas stations and vehicle service stations in the town and prevent any more from being permitted unless they are part of a large retail center.
“We have an obligation to take every step possible to address the changes to our climate that are ravaging our planet and directly impacting the health, well-being and livelihoods of the constituents we represent in Louisville,” council member Maxine Most said in a statement.
The ordinance defines vehicle service stations as businesses “engaged in the sale of motor fuels and in supplying goods and services generally required in the operation and maintenance of automotive vehicles and the fulfilling of motorists’ needs.”
If the city does decide to grant permits for new gas stations, they must have at least two charging stations for electric vehicles, according to the ordinance.
The proposal claims that plenty of other suburban areas are considering cracking down on gas stations “due to health and environmental concerns with the continued use of gasoline powered vehicles and equipment,” citing California towns such as Petaluma and Santa Rosa in Sonoma County.
“Gasoline station bans may also be seen as promoting the use of Electric Vehicles (EVs), thus, reducing vehicle emissions and encouraging low-carbon and cleaner energy options for transportation,” the ordinance states.
But the proposal doesn’t stop with gas stations. It adds that Louisville ought to generate 75% of the city’s residential, commercial and industrial energy with carbon-free sources by 2030.
“The proposal for a cap but not a full ban on new gasoline and automobile service stations is in recognition that there will continue to be some demand for gasoline and automobile service stations as more EVs enter the market and gasoline vehicles are transitioned out of the market over time,” the document says.
