UCongresswoman Doris Matsui (D-CA) wethule i-HR 2095, uMthetho Wokongiwa Kwamandla Ngezihlahla, umthetho ozosekela izinhlelo eziqhutshwa izinsiza zikagesi ezisebenzisa ukutshala okuhlosiwe kwezihlahla zethunzi ukuze kwehliswe isidingo samandla okuhlala. Lo mthetho uzosiza abanikazi bezindlu ukuba behlise izikweletu zabo zikagesi - futhi usize izinsiza zehlise isidingo sazo somthwalo omkhulu - ngokunciphisa isidingo samandla okuhlala okubangelwa isidingo sokusebenzisa ama-air conditioner ezingeni eliphezulu.
"I-Energy Conservation Through Trees Act izosiza ukunciphisa izindleko zamandla kubathengi futhi ithuthukise izinga lomoya kubo bonke," kusho uCongresswoman Matsui. “Edolobheni lakithi eSacramento, ngizibonele mathupha ukuthi izinhlelo zezihlahla zomthunzi zingaphumelela kanjani. Njengoba siqhubeka nokwethula izinselele ezimbili zezindleko eziphezulu zamandla kanye nemithelela yokuguquguquka kwesimo sezulu, kubalulekile ukuthi sibeke imigomo emisha kanye nezinhlelo zokucabanga phambili namuhla ezilungiselela ikusasa. Ukunweba lolu hlelo lwendawo lufinyelele ezingeni likazwelonke kungasiza ekuqinisekiseni ukuthi sisebenzela ikusasa elihlanzekile, elinempilo, futhi kuzoba yingxenye yempicabadala yethu yokunciphisa ukusebenzisa kwethu amandla nokuvikela iplanethi yethu.”
Iphethini ngemva kwemodeli ephumelelayo esungulwe iSifunda Sase-Sacramento Municipal Utility (SMUD), uMthetho Wokongiwa Kwamandla Ngezihlahla ufuna ukonga abantu baseMelika amanani abalulekile emalini yabo yezinsiza kanye nokunciphisa amazinga okushisa angaphandle ezindaweni zasemadolobheni ngenxa yokuthi izihlahla ezinomthunzi zisiza ukuvikela amakhaya elangeni ehlobo. Uhlelo oluqhutshwa yi-SMUD lufakazelwe ukuthi lunciphisa izikweletu zamandla, lenze izinsiza zamandla zasendaweni zingabizi kakhulu, futhi zehlise ukungcoliswa komoya. Umthethosivivinywa uqukethe imfuneko yokuthi zonke izimali zikahulumeni ezihlinzekwe njengengxenye yohlelo lwezibonelelo zimataniswe okungenani nokukodwa nokukodwa namadola angewona awenhlangano.
Ukutshala izihlahla zomthunzi eduze kwemizi ngendlela ehlelekile kuyindlela efakazelwe yokwehlisa isidingo samandla ezindaweni zokuhlala. Ngokocwaningo olwenziwa uMnyango Wezamandla, izihlahla ezintathu zethunzi ezitshalwe ngendlela ekahle eduze kwendlu zinganciphisa izindleko zokupholisa umoya ekhaya ngamaphesenti angaba ngu-30 kwamanye amadolobha, futhi uhlelo lwemithunzi ezweni lonke lunganciphisa ukusetshenziswa kwesiphephetha-moya okungenani ngamaphesenti ayishumi. Izihlahla zomthunzi nazo zisiza:
- Ukwenza ngcono impilo yomphakathi kanye nekhwalithi yomoya ngokumunca izinhlayiyana;
- Gcina i-carbon dioxide ukuze usize ukunciphisa ukufudumala kwembulunga yonke;
- Ukunciphisa ingozi yezikhukhula ezindaweni zasemadolobheni ngokumunca amanzi emvula;
- Ukuthuthukisa amanani ezakhiwo ezizimele futhi kwandise ubuhle bezindawo zokuhlala; futhi
- Londoloza ingqalasizinda yomphakathi, njengemigwaqo nemigwaqo.
"Kuwuhlelo olulula ngempela - ukutshala izihlahla nokudala umthunzi owengeziwe wekhaya lakho - bese wehlisa ukusetshenziswa kwamandla okudingwa umuntu ukupholisa ikhaya lakhe," kwengeza uCongresswoman Matsui. "Kodwa ngisho nezinguquko ezincane zingaletha imiphumela emihle kakhulu uma kuziwa ekusebenzeni kahle kwamandla kanye nokwehlisa izikweletu zamandla zabathengi."
"I-SMUD isekele ukuthuthukiswa kwehlathi lasemadolobheni esimeme ngohlelo lwethu olunemiphumela emihle," kusho uMongameli weBhodi le-SMUD uRenee Taylor. "Siyajabula ukuthi uhlelo lwethu lwe-Shade Tree lusetshenziswe njengesifanekiso sokuthuthukisa amahlathi asemadolobheni ezweni lonke."
Larry Greene, Umqondisi Omkhulu Wesifunda Sokulawulwa Kwekhwalithi Yomoya Sacramento Metropolitan (AQMD) ithe, “I-Sacramento AQMD iyaweseka kakhulu lo mthethosivivinywa njengoba izihlahla zinezinzuzo ezaziwayo zemvelo ngokuvamile kanye nezinga lomoya. Sekuyisikhathi eside sisebenzisana kakhulu nezinhlaka zethu ezikhuthazayo ukuze sengeze izihlahla endaweni yethu.”
"Ukutshala izihlahla zomthunzi kusebenza njengendlela ephumelelayo yokunciphisa ukusetshenziswa kwamandla ekhaya, futhi sikhuthaza amalungu eCongress ukuthi alandele ubuholi boMmeli uMatsui," kusho uNancy Somerville, iPhini Likamongameli kanye ne-CEO ye-American Society of Landscape Architects.. "Ngaphandle kokwehlisa izikweletu zezinsiza, izihlahla zingasiza ekwandiseni amanani ezakhiwo, zisize ekuvimbeleni izikhukhula ngokumunca amanzi eziphepho, futhi zinciphise umphumela wokushisa wasemadolobheni."
UPeter King, uMqondisi Omkhulu we-American Public Works Association, weseke i-Association kulo mthethosivivinywa, ethi, "I-APWA ishayela ihlombe uCongresswoman Matsui ngokwethula lo mthetho omusha ozohlinzeka ngezinzuzo eziningi zekhwalithi yomoya kanye nekhwalithi yamanzi efaka ikhwalithi ebalulekile yempilo yawo wonke amalungu omphakathi futhi usize iminyango yemisebenzi yomphakathi ekuthuthukiseni izinga lomoya, ukunciphisa ukushisa esiqhingini kuthinta futhi kuvimbele amanzi esiphepho."
"I-Alliance for Community Trees iwusekela ngokunamandla lo mthetho kanye nombono nobuholi bukaCongresswoman Matsui," kwengeza uCarrie Gallagher, uMqondisi Omkhulu we-Alliance for Community Trees. “Siyazi ukuthi abantu banendaba nezihlahla kanye namaphakethe abo. Lo mthetho uyaqaphela ukuthi izihlahla azigcini nje ngokuhlobisa amakhaya kanye nezindawo esihlala kuzo futhi zithuthukisa amanani ezindawo ngazinye, kodwa futhi zonga amadola angempela, ansuku zonke kubanikazi bezindlu namabhizinisi ngokunikeza umthunzi ovimbela ukushisa, owonga amandla. Izihlahla ziyingxenye ebalulekile yezixazululo eziluhlaza ezidingweni zamandla zezwe lethu.”
Ukonga amandla ngokusetshenziswa kwezihlahla ezitshalwe ngobuchule kusekelwa yizinhlangano ezilandelayo: I-Alliance for Community Trees; Inhlangano yaseMelika yamandla omphakathi; Inhlangano YaseMelika Yezemisebenzi Yomphakathi; I-American Society of Landscape Architects; I-California ReLeaf; California Urban Forests Council; I-International Society of Arboriculture; Isifunda Sosizo sikaMasipala waseSacramento; Isifunda Sokulawulwa Kwekhwalithi Yomoya Sacramento Metropolitan; I-Sacramento Tree Foundation, kanye ne-Utility Arborist Association.
Ikhophi ye-Energy Conservation Through Trees Act ka-2011 iyatholakala LAPHA. Isifinyezo esiyikhasi elilodwa somthethosivivinywa sinanyathiselwe LAPHA.