08/26/2021
Will you join our meeting tomorrow, Thursday, August 26 at 7pm?
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/8206407448
Here are the minutes from our last meeting:
Charlottesville 350 - Minutes of 7/22/21 meeting on Zoom
Announcements
Jean is the new racial justice correspondent with National 350.org.
Methane and Natural Gas Use
Chris Meyer, Executive Director of the Local Energy Alliance Program, initiated a campaign to phase out Charlottesville’s use of it’s natural gas utility. Marcia Geyer added specifics to a petition for changes to the natural gas utility terms in the Charlottesville Comp Plan In a short time frame 6 climate organizations and 27 people signed the petition, which was submitted to the Comp Plan consultants, members of the Planning Commission and City Councilors. The response from a member of the Planning Commission was “thank you for sharing this, this is helpful language”.
Next steps:
An education campaign about the unexpectedly large amount of harm that methane is doing to earth’s atmosphere and the health harm that gas can do to indoor air quality will probably be a necessary step before the City Council will agree to a plan to shut down the city’s gas utility.
Marcia is starting to look for one or a few experienced organizers of long-term campaigns. The education campaign could have a larger footprint than just Charlottesville and Albemarle. In addition to Chris Meyer at LEAP, some Virginia possibilities include CCAN, Mothers Out Front, and C3. Perhaps there are 350 national campaign resources.
Everyone with recent data about methane emissions and the dangers of natural gas use in homes, please send it to Marcia for compilation: [email protected].
Advocacy about the gas utility issue to candidates for City Council, before the November general elections, was suggested.
Federal Reserve - CCAN & 350.org
Bill is monitoring and supporting National 350’s effort to push the Federal Reserve to change policies. He especially wants to advocate for reporting and policy guidelines governing the percentage of bank loans that its member banks make and have made that are at risk from climate events, for example in Virginia from sea level rise and coastal flooding. Bill will contact the Chesapeake Climate Action Network to see if they would like to partner in this effort.
European Union Climate Plan + Biomass Use Discussion
Max gave an overview presentation on the European Union’s recently announced, multi-faceted climate plan. It is a blueprint to be discussed in their legislative process throughout 2021-2023. Implementation would begin in 2024. Under the slogan “fit for 55,” the overall goal is a 55% reduction of GHGs compared to the EU baseline in 1990.
About wood burning, There is a proposed hierarchy of uses of European wood. Burning it for fuel is toward the bottom of allowed uses and not OK for wood that can be used for higher purposes like construction and furniture making. However the EU plan does not prohibit companies from importing American wood pellets to burn and counting them as carbon neutral in their carbon accounting. The Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC) is pushing back on the EU’s definition of zero carbon to not include biomass. More information on their work: https://www.southernenvironment.org/cases-and-projects/biomass-energy-in-the-south
The question was raised, whether we should limit our concerns to national climate issues. Bill replied that climate pollution affects the whole earth’s atmosphere, and it is too late to draw national boundaries.
Next steps:
Research how Charlottesville 350 could support SELC’s work.
Max to reach out to National 350 to determine if work is also being done on this issue at that level and to offer himself as a resource with respect to understanding the EU’s process.
Red Road to DC Rally – Thursday, July 29th, National Mall 2-4pm
Rally to support federal action on protecting indigenous sacred sites and addressing climate change. Amory will be attending and has invited members of Charlottesville 350, Cville100, and the Virginia Sierra Club. https://redroadtodc.org/?fbclid=IwAR3hPDxhNhKOfGkVMqM7aV2W0G76nResgHiugFdDSuRGyp_FY0A9de7rcZk
Reforestation Information from Amory
One landowner has submitted an application in southern Albemarle for a riparian buffer project. More to come at the September meeting. (likely Spring 2022 planting)
Grant information:
For Riparian Buffers: https://www.jamesriverbuffers.org/
For General Landowners: https://dof.virginia.gov/urban-community-forestry/urban-forestry-community-assistance/virginia-trees-for-clean-water-grant-program/
Charlottesville 350 Letter that may be distributed to Landowners, focused on Cville/Albemarle: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1mt7UGSKaj9Fu6AdhQ78T19nQc3t31Q7X1aSNah71zb4/edit?usp=sharing
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