January/February E-Newsletter

Click here to subscribe to our monthly e-newsletter, and view this month’s edition by clicking the “Read More” link below.

October – November 2022 Updates from Clean Air


Animated graphic of a cartoon ghost saying

{{ FirstName | default: ‘Friend’ }}, although we have shoveled out from the Christmas Blizzard, we are still repairing the damages, and we continue to mourn the 47 deaths from the storm, disproportionately black folk from Buffalo’s East Side. And yet, a month later, our federal government has not made a Major Disaster Declaration for our region.

The murders of Tyre Nichols and Tortuguita by the state may seem unrelated, but when we look holistically at how our nation funds the police and military at levels disproportionately higher than other emergency services and preventative and preparedness programs, and when we examine at how intrinsically linked local police and national military spending is, the links become much more clear.

If we are fighting against environmental injustices, for frontline communities amid the worsening climate crisis, and for a Just Transition, then we also unequivocally fight for an abolitionist future.

With Bread and Roses,

Chris, Bridge and Phil


Mutual Aid Organizing

Thank you everyone who registered for our February 9 training on Mutual Aid and Emergency Response Medical Skills – registration is now closed due to high demand.

Due to the strong interest, we plan to offer this training again this spring –  register here if you would like to be the first to be notified when this is scheduled.

If you are interested in organizing mutual aid with Clean Air members, please contact Chris.


Annual Meeting

March 28

Save the date!

Our Annual Meeting will be the evening of Tuesday
March 28.

At this time, we plan for a hybrid meeting on the campus of our offices at Trinity Church, 371 Delaware Ave in downtown Buffalo. Click here to register if you intend to join us!

Also take a moment today to renew your membership for 2023 by making a donation of any amount!


General
Organization Updates

We are presently reviewing the applications we received for the role of Environmental Justice Organizer for the Delavan-Grider/ American Axle campaign, and will be contacting applicants very shortly! 

We also want to share the news that our 5-year Strategic Planning Process is starting soon – keep an eye out for upcoming opportunities to engage.

We also would like to invite members to join our new Events Committee and our campaign teams. Contact us today



EarthJustice Appeals PSC Decision on Fortistar Sale on Behalf of NT Residents, Clean Air & Sierra Club


Earlier this month, EarthJustice filed an appeal on behalf of the residents of North Tonawanda, Clean Air and Sierra Club of the Public Service Commission’s approval to sell the Fortistar Power Plant to Digihost Technologies. Read the full press release from EarthJustice by clicking here, or check out some of the press coverage, including this article in The Guardian! If interested in joining our North Tonawanda campaign work, please reach out to Bridge.


January General Meeting

Thank you to all who attended our first General Meeting in January! 



Click here to see the recording of the training we held on Zoning and Environmental Justice, and be sure to pencil in Clean Air for the evening of all Third Thursdays evenings this year (excepting February).


Erie County Action Plan Logo


Preview of Upcoming Events

More details on these and other events is in the Calendar section towards the end of this email


Clean Air’s office will be closed Monday February 20



NY State of the State Response


Governor Hochul held the NY State of the State in January, where she announced plans for a “Cap and Invest” program. While we are cautiously optimistic that her office has heard the critiques of these programs and plans to 


prioritize environmental justice in the implementation, we feel pressure needs to be kept on throughout the program development. As such, we encourage all our members and supporters to send a letter to her office using this NYRenews toolkit and read some of the press coverage highlighting critiques.


ANCHOR Blizzard Survey


Please take a moment to fill out this survey for our friends at ANCHOR to help them better understand assets, needs and next steps we need to take to build a more resilient and equitable Buffalo in both times of crisis and every day. 


Erie County Climate Action Taskforce Comments


NYRenews Climate Jobs and Justice Package Memo


The Erie County Climate Action Taskforce is accepting public comments and feedback on the draft Transportation Resilience Strategies through February 6. Read the draft strategies by clicking here, and send feedback by clicking here



On Thursday February 2 at 6pm, both the Energy Democracy Alliance and NYRenews are hosting trainings on upcoming legislative efforts. Join EDA for a call on Building Power through the State Budget, or join NYRenews for a Mass Call to prepare for actions around the Climate Jobs and Justice package.


The NYS Department of Conservation and the NYS Department of Health are accepting public comments through March 3 on a proposed Brownfield Clean Up at 703 East Delavan. Click here to learn more, including how and where to submit public comments.


Action Alert


Proposed Regulations on PM2.5 Size

The EPA is proposing stronger regulations on Particulate Matter Size! 


This is big news – the last revision was in 2012, and the new regulations as currently written would strengthen the PM2.5 standard from a level of 12 micrograms per cubic meter to a level between 9 and 10 micrograms per cubic meter.

However, while the new regulations would be a step above the current rules, this still would fall short of recommendations from the World Health Organization, and even the EPA’s own Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee.

Take action today to tell the EPA that we need them to go further with the new proposed regulation – click here to send a letter using the Mom’s Clean Air Taskforce toolkit, or click here to send a comment directly. The EPA is accepting comments through March 28, 2023.


Honoring Joye Braun and Tortuguita

Clean Air joins environmental and climate justice advocates around the world in mourning and honoring the memories of two heroes of the movement, Joye Braun and Tortuguita.

Joye Braun was a pipeline resister who was prominent at the Dakota Access Pipeline Blockade, and passed recently from longtime health complications. In January, groups across Turtle Island demonstrated to honor her legacy and resist pipelines as well as pressure President Biden to declare a Climate Emergency.

Tortuguita was part of the Stop Cop City forest defender resistance encampment in Atlanta, GA. Cop City is a proposal to turn a 381-acre public forest, formerly a plantation, into a mock city for police forces to practice repressing urban uprisings. On January 18, Georgia State Troopers shot and killed them during a sweep of the encampment.

Take a moment to read some of the links below on these two heroes of the movement, and click the links to take action to honor them.


Read more about Joye Braun’s life and legacy, and about the January Joye Braun Day of Action

Learn about proposed or current fossil fuel pipeline projects in the Great Lakes and upstate NY

Learn more about the proposed Mountain Valley Pipeline Project – 

Remember Joye Braun by contacting the White House and demand President Biden declare a Climate Emergency today and put a hold on any new or expanded federal fossil fuel infrastructure


Read more about Tortuguita 

Read more about the Stop Cop City Forest Defender Resistance and take action in support

Also check out this coverage from the Daily Show, where correspondent Roy Wood Jr. visited the encampment and spoke with demonstrators and supporters.


Screencap from The Daily Show coverage of Stop Cop City


Juliana v. United States Ruling Soon



We expect to see a ruling in the near future on Juliana v. United States, a case brought by youth climate activists against the US government for failure to take action on climate change.


Support these young leaders of the climate justice movement by signing this petition, and watch Youth v Gov on Netflix to learn more.

Contact Bridge to if interested in participating as a Clean Air member in any planned local actions in response.


Environmental Scholarships

The NY Water Environment Association (NYWEA) has over $50,000 in scholarships available for students pursuing higher education for careers in environmental fields!


NYRenews Climate Jobs and Justice Package Memo


Click here to learn more, but apply soon – the deadline to apply for all these scholarships is February 28, 2023!


Grant Funding Available to Address Watershed Challenges

NY Sea Grant and NYS DEC have $460,000 in grant funding available for addressing local watershed challenges through the New York Great Lakes Basin Small Grants program.

Act today – applications are due March 1.


NY Sea Grant Logo


NYRenews Climate Jobs and Justice Package Memo


Low Cost/Free Tree Seedlings

As Investigative Post reported last year, much of the City of Buffalo lacks street trees, and neighborhoods all across WNY in general need more to mitigate the effects of climate change and urban heat islands. 

The Erie County Soil and Water Conservation District is currently holding it’s annual low-cost tree and shrub seedlings sale. Through March 3, you can order 10 tree seedlings for $19 by filling out this form


If you are a teacher or youth program organizer, NYS DEC will also send you seedlings for FREE for classroom instruction

Want to know what tree species are approved by the City of Buffalo Forestry Department for planting? Click here to view the list.




report a polluter

See dark smoke or dust rising from an industrial site, or smell something foul?

Visit dec.ny.gov/regulations/67751.html to file a report, or, for rapid response, call 1-844-DEC-ECOS (1-844-332-3267) or the DEC Spill Hotline/Odor Hotline at 1-800-457-7362.

If you’d like CACWNY to support you, send us a copy of your report!



upcoming events calendar

CACWNY Events

  • February 9 – Mutual Aid and Stop the Bleed/Hands-only CPR training, click here to sign up for notification for next training
  • Late February  – Clean Air Rezoning Meeting in Tonawanda start, follow our social media or contact Bridge for more info
  • March 5 – Climate Cafe, click here to register
    • Join Clean Air members for a Climate Cafe where we will discuss how climate change is affecting us.
  • March 16 –  Clean Air General Meeting
  • March 28 – Clean Air Annual Meeting
  • April –  a discussion about A Paradise Built in Hell with the Progressive Book Club
  • April 18 – first Clean Air Power Building Mixer, a chance to meet with other members and folks in WNY movement justice work
  • April 22 – Earth Day, contact Bridge if you are interested in participating in the Town of Tonawanda clean-up with other Clean Air members

Community and Coalition Events

Public Comment Deadlines and Hearings


mutual aid

Do you need a N95 mask? We have a limited supply available at the office for our members – send us a quick email and we’ll send a few your way! We encourage wearing masks at our in-person events, particularly during seasons of peak COVID transmission.



Our dear friends at Black Love Resists in the Rust are helping coordinate mutual aid donations and services in response to 5/14 – click here for their Linktree to learn more, and follow their Facebook or Twitter pages for the latest updates, including current volunteer opportunities.

Be sure to check out the Buffalo Mutual Aid Network Facebook group, where mutual aid services and calls for donations and donations are being posted on an ongoing basis. You can also click here to join the Buffalo Snow Brigade. We also suggest checking out the resources at mutualaiddisasterrelief.org as well as their new website relieftoolkit.com.

If interested in joining mutual aid efforts with Clean Air, particularly in the realm of community resiliency amid climate change,
please reach out to Bridge.


monthly staff recs

For this month, Clean Air’s staff have recommendations for what to binge when stuck inside during a snow storm 

  • Phil recommends Station 11
  • Bridge recommends Lord of the Rings, either the books (audiobooks count!) or the extended edition films
  • Chris recommends The Expanse AND also reading the book series


Lord of the ring meme - top image is of Aragorn saying



Interested in joining our Tonawanda Tomorrow or River Road campaigns, Proof of Work campaign, or supporting NYRenews/climate justice?


Interested in joining our Peabody Street, TESLA campaigns, Energy Democracy Alliance, or other Just Transition campaign work?


Interested in joining our
American Axle campaign?


Interested in joining our events committee, mutual aid team, or want to connect with CACWNY about an emerging campaign or issue?



 

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