RSVP today for our events in March!

March 5 – Climate Cafe

• Join fellow Clean Air members for a Climate Cafe where we will discuss how climate change is affecting us.

March 16 – Clean Air General Meeting

• Join us for our General Meeting for organization updates and to learn about Air Quality.

March 21 – Town of Tonawanda Rezoning Introduction Meeting

• The Town of Tonawanda is preparing to roll out the draft of the new townwide zoning code and map. Join Clean Air for an introduction to zoning and to review the current map, so we are better prepared to review the new map and code when it’s made public.

March 28 – Clean Air Annual Meeting

• Join us for our 2023 Annual Member Meeting! Also be sure to renew your member dues to vote for our 2023 Board Members.

Also save the date for these events in April!

April 17 – a discussion about the book A Paradise Built in Hell with the Progressive Book Club
April 20 – first Clean Air Power Building Mixer, a chance to meet with other members and folks in WNY movement justice work

Clean Air continues to attend the Tonawanda Coke Working Group meetings to receive updates on the ongoing clean-up and provide oversight. The Town recently released a community update bulletin to review the progress made so far.

Download (PDF, 1.38MB)

At the most recent meeting, workers from Inventum, the firm conducting the clean up of the site, voiced that they continue to be surprised by new sources of contamination, such as an unexpected find of contaminants under an asbestos tank – as Clean Air members have warned for years, the site is far more contaminated than officials initially believed.

We were also given the following updates at this meeting –

• 3970 tons solid waste and 6600 tons of hazardous waste have been removed from the site, with 9600 tons altogether recycled
• The riverside coal lift is scheduled for demolition this spring, likely before March 15
• The coal pipe that runs over River Road will also be demolished soon, likely in the latter half of 2023 or early 2024

If interested in learning more about the Tonawanda Coke Working Group, we encourage reviewing the previous meeting slides and notes available at http://www.riverviewtechcampus.com/citizen-plans-updates/ and https://tonawanda.ny.us/development/tonawanda-community-working-group.html 

If you are interested in participating in the Tonawanda Coke Working Group, or in becoming generally more involved with clean up oversight of sites throughout the River Road corridor, please contact us today!

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

(more…)

We are starting off 2023 strong – join us for the following events in the next few weeks!

• Wednesday January 18 (all day) – join us and other NYRenews partners from WNY for a trip to Albany to advocate for the Climate, Justice and Jobs Package! The bus will leave from Buffalo early Wednesday morning and return late Wednesday evening; meals will be provided.
• Thursday January 19 from 5:30-7pm – General Meeting on Zoom to review current campaigns and to get involved in upcoming actions
• Thursday February 9 from 12 – 5pm – Mutual Aid and Emergency Preparedness training with Erie County Department of Health. Childcare and lunch provided; other accommodations (like translation services) available by request.

We also are planning community meetings in February in the Town of Tonawanda about the upcoming townwide rezoning process – stay tuned for more information!

Dear Friend of Clean Air,

We are reaching out to our members and supporters in response to the tragic Buffalo Blizzard that has devastated our community. We give our deepest sympathy to all of those who have lost family, friends, or neighbors during this unprecedented disaster. There will be much more to say after a thorough analysis but our experience tells us that not everyone had the same ability to equal prepare for the storm. Once again our community has experienced unspeakable tragedy with many lives lost. We will once again need time to heal and recover.  At the same time there have been incredible acts of self organizing and mutual aid with community members becoming heroes and saving complete strangers lives.

Although the snow has stopped, the digging out is progressing, and thankfully power has almost been fully restored there are many that are still in dire need. This need will continue as we deal with the aftermath. Many houses may be uninhabitable due to storm damage and we have the threat of flooding from the upcoming thaw and rain. We are sharing the resources we have below and linked in this document. There is also a need for volunteers so please help out as your are able. We will keep the document updated as more resources become available. If you need any assistance please respond to this email and we will do the best we can to assist you.

We will continue to post updates on our social media channels as well.

In Solidarity,

Chris, Bridge and Phil

Driving Ban is Still in place in the City of Buffalo as of Wednesday Morning

Donate: Clean Air has been requesting donations for our end of year fundraising appeal but we would like to pivot due to the tragedy and encourage people to give financial resources to the Buffalo Mutual Aid Network (link to donate). This network was a mothership started during COVID response and will responsibly move funds to where they are most needed. Funds will be used to support families in need as we recover. If you have the resources to still contribute to Clean Air thank you but give to Mutual Aid first. We will look at our budget and move funds here as well.

Help Resources: 

• 911 – Call for immediate medical emergencies
• 211 – Call for help with essential community services, mental health and other social services
• 716-858-SNOW – Urgent matters only. Response to medical requests for example if you are stuck in your house or street and need to get to dialysis care or other urgent medical appointments.
• Crisis Services – Offering mental health/grief counseling support by phone 716-834-3131 or 988
• Snow Removal – If you are in need of snow removal assistance and are unable to pay for it fill out the form for Buffalo Snow Brigade. These will be assessed and prioritized to serve the most vulnerable households first.

Food Resources:

• Buffalo Community Fridges – 24/7 food available as they can be refilled. 286 East Ferry Street, 167 Herkimer Street, 45 Jewett Avenue. Donations can be dropped off any time Shop Craft 773 Elmwood Avenue is collecting donations to be transported to the fridges.
• Buffalo Dream Center Wed 12/28 3-5PM 2 Locations 286 Lafayette Ave or 437 Masten Avenue.
• Old First Ward Community Center 12/28 Free Lunch 11-1 , 12/29 Food Pantry 9-12
• Feedmore Buffalo If you are in need of immediate food assistance please call 716-822-2002.
• National Grid Power outage Food and Medicine Reimbursement: go to this link or call 315-428-3370. For NYSEG link Call 866-577-3787.
• African Heritage Food Coop is providing meals to be delivered fill out form here
• Provisions 139 Pantry Wed 12/29 12-3PM Thur 12/30 3-5PM

Volunteer:

• Buffalo Mutual Aid Network – Volunteers to help deliver food on foot or by car if driving ban is moved fill out form here
• Buffalo Snow Brigade is seeking volunteers to assist with this effort fill out the form here if you are able to help. This could also be help with dispatch which you could do from home.

Other Items:

• Towed Vehicles – If your vehicle was stuck and had to be towed link to an article with all the links for different municipalities
• National Guard Doing Wellness Checks Door to Door in neighborhoods that have lost power Wednesday and Thursday.
• DIY Disaster Cleanup resources here

Download (PDF, 2.04MB)

Download (PDF, 1.03MB)

Download (PDF, 4.16MB)

Download (PDF, 1.47MB)

Download (PDF, 3.26MB)